Category: Park Stories

There and back again: a Quetico tale

Today’s blog comes from Quetico Provincial Park Canoe Route Technician Gavin Morito-Karn.

In 2019, I spent my summer paddling across a large chunk of the vastness of one of Canada’s waterways.

Brigitte Champaigne-Klassen (also a past member of Quetico’s staff) and I travelled from Cochrane, Alberta (just west of Calgary) to Nym Lake on the border of Quetico, approximately a 4,500 km journey.

The majority of those days were spent on unfamiliar waters that cut through prairie fields and man-made lakes.

Continue reading There and back again: a Quetico tale

Fourth graders become species-at-risk superheroes!

Parks alone are not enough to save species at risk.

As we’ve continued our species-at-risk blog series this summer, we’ve been able to share stories of the amazing species that call parks home and the work being done to protect them.

Now we want to introduce you to the newest team of superheroes taking up the charge across Ontario – grade 4 students!

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Restoring a rare ecosystem at Holland Landing Prairie Provincial Park

Today’s post comes from Laura McClintock, a senior park naturalist at Sibbald Point Provincial Park.

Tucked away in a neighborhood an hour north of Toronto lies a sliver of one of the rarest ecosystems in Ontario.

Holland Landing Prairie Provincial Park is part of the last 3% of tallgrass prairies left in our province.

The prairie at Holland Landing has changed a lot over time and we’re excited to share with you the changes the provincial park will be going through in the future.

But first, what’s so special about a prairie anyways?

Continue reading Restoring a rare ecosystem at Holland Landing Prairie Provincial Park

From the abundant to the rare, parks protect them all

Today’s post comes from Natural Heritage Education Supervisor Alistair MacKenzie at Pinery Provincial Park.

The landscape of Ontario Parks is renowned for being strongholds for myriad species, both common and rare.

A primary objective of Ontario Parks is the maintenance and restoration of ecological integrity, and the strengths of our protected areas are evident in the diversity of life found within.

Together, all of the native species found in Ontario make up the province’s biodiversity. Ontario’s biodiversity consists of species that are abundant and widespread across the province as well as others that are very rare and found only in isolated populations.

It is key to keep all of the species that we have to ensure healthy natural communities continue to thrive and provide ecological services to humans.

Continue reading From the abundant to the rare, parks protect them all

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Breaking the Barrier

Thirty years ago, Atikokan resident and paralympic gold medalist Tom Hainey historically swam across the entire length of Quetico Provincial Park in the Breaking the Barrier Swim.

This swim honoured Tom Hainey’s mother and long-time Quetico employee, Sheila Hainey, who had recently passed away in a car crash.

This year on August 12, a gathering will be held at Quetico’s Dawson Trail Campground to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Tom Hainey’s swim and the dedication of a barrier-free boardwalk to his mother Sheila.

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5 reasons to visit Wakami Lake Provincial Park

Wakami Lake Provincial Park lies in the heart of northeastern Ontario’s Boreal Forest.

Four hours from Sault Ste Marie and 5 hours from Sudbury, this park is the epitome of nature.

Wakami Lake is quiet and far from busy highways and city lights. The night skies are filled with stars and off-grid camping allows you to fully submerse yourself in the wilderness experience.

Hike, paddle, boat, or fish – there’s so many ways to get away from the hustle and bustle!

Here are five reasons you need to visit:

Continue reading 5 reasons to visit Wakami Lake Provincial Park

Regarding rattlesnakes at Killbear Provincial Park

Today’s post comes from Killbear Provincial Park‘s Senior Park Naturalist Isabelle Moy. 

Here at Killbear, it’s no secret that we’re home to Ontario’s only species of venomous snake: the Massasauga Rattlesnake.

From our “Please brake for snakes” signs to daily Snake Talks to naturalists telling visitors that if they see a snake to call the park, you can tell we aren’t trying to hide all the cool work we do to protect this unique species-at-risk.

Continue reading Regarding rattlesnakes at Killbear Provincial Park

5 reasons to visit Pancake Bay Provincial Park

Never visited Lake Superior?

Let us introduce you to this stunning body of water with a park that showcases how great this lake is: Pancake Bay Provincial Park!

If you’re travelling from the east or south, Pancake Bay is the first provincial park with camping you’ll come across on Superior.

Located less than an hour north of Sault Ste. Marie, this park is perfect to start or cap off your Lake Superior adventures.

Check out these five reasons to visit Pancake Bay Provincial Park:

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Befriending the beings of Lake Superior Provincial Park

Today’s blog comes from Zahra Ebrahim, Lake Superior Provincial Park’s 2022 artist-in-residence.

It was spring of 2022 when I got a phone call from the Friends of Lake Superior Park to let me know that I had been selected as one of the two 2022 artists-in-residence.

Lake Superior has played a huge role in my life.

When I was young, my family immigrated to Canada from Kenya and established Vancouver as our home.

Growing up, the Pacific Ocean was a companion, helping me feel a deep sense of place and belonging in a city and community that hadn’t yet understood how to embrace intersectional, racialized families.

The waters of the Pacific provided a connection to the coastal waters of the Indian Ocean that my family grew up on, serving as the backdrop to some of our most memorable moments.

Fifteen years ago, I moved to Ontario and adventured through its spectacular landscape. But it was only when I first camped on Lake Superior that I felt that same sense of place and belonging as I do on the west coast.

Continue reading Befriending the beings of Lake Superior Provincial Park

5 reasons to visit Fairbank Provincial Park

Fairbank Provincial Park is 25 minutes north of Highway 17, and 35 km west of Sudbury.

This quiet, family friendly park provides a tranquil setting for camping, swimming, and paddling, and makes a great base for exploring the Sudbury region!

Check out these five reasons to visit Fairbank:

Continue reading 5 reasons to visit Fairbank Provincial Park