Leaf peepers unite! ‘Tis the season to enjoy the splendours of autumn.
If you’re looking to dodge the crowds, these parks sure pack a punch when it comes to fall colours:
Continue reading Explore fall colours at these gems
Tag: Awenda
Ontario’s trilliums
Today’s post comes from Assistant Zone Ecologist Pilar Manorome.
Spring is probably my favourite season as it brings new life to our parks in the form of migrating birds and emerging spring ephemerals, giving our forests their long-awaited pops of vibrant colours and contrast.
Most people know of the White Trillium — also referred to as Wake Robin or Large-leaved Trillium — as Ontario’s provincial flower. This is the flower featured on many of our provincial documents, from health cards to driver’s licenses.
Here are the top five fun facts about this iconic Ontario species:
Visibility in the outdoors: why I love camping as a Black person
Today’s post comes from Claire Zlobin from LifeWithABaby.com.
In honour of Black History Month, I wanted to talk about one of the things I always hear that Black people don’t do: camping.
I’ve been hearing that “Black people don’t camp” for years, which is, of course, false.
However I do think this deters some people from attempting to go camping, because they feel like they’ll be othered, or the only ones there.
I’m here to show you that Black people do camp, and that camping is an excellent low-cost vacation.
Continue reading Visibility in the outdoors: why I love camping as a Black person
Accessible locations to view fall colours
As the cold weather hits, opportunities to view a stunning array of fall colours are popping up around the province.
Ontario Parks is committed to making our parks as accessible as possible for visitors. If you’re planning a trip, we’ve rounded up a list of parks with accessibility features that are perfect for viewing the beauty of fall.
Can you teach an old naturalist new tricks?
Today’s blog comes from Tim Tully, Discovery Coordinator at Awenda Provincial Park.
That is the question.
After decades of doing things a certain way, can I rally the forces of change and adopt a new way of recording species data? Should I submit species data to iNaturalist or not?
I decided to empirically investigate in an unbiased scientific way. Specifically, what is all the fuss about iNaturalist anyway?
Here’s what I discovered….
Continue reading Can you teach an old naturalist new tricks?
The curious Conopholis plant
Today’s post comes from Maddie Bray, a naturalist at Awenda Provincial Park.
As park naturalists, we get asked all sorts of questions about various organisms that live within the park. Campers will describe the call of a bird they didn’t quite see or the colouring of an insect that was just too quick to photograph.
One of these questions in particular always seems to come up in the summertime – what are those pale yellow things sticking up out of the ground?
Holiday boredom busters in southwestern Ontario
Is “I’m bored” a constant refrain during the winter school break?
Boredom can be good for kids’ creativity, but it can be demanding on a parent’s last nerve.
Out of ideas? We have you covered.
Southwestern Ontario boasts nine parks which are open over the school break, offering a variety of indoor and outdoor programs, events and activities!
Continue reading Holiday boredom busters in southwestern Ontario
Spirit walks and storytellers
When paddling a river or toasting marshmallows, it can be easy to forget the rich cultural history of Ontario’s provincial parks.
We’ve got all kinds of storytelling going on in our parks this August, especially in the evenings.
Where to swim at Ontario Parks
Nothing beats a cool dip on a hot summer day so we asked park staff where they think the best swimming is in Ontario: Continue reading Where to swim at Ontario Parks
Beach accessibility at Ontario Parks
Beaches can be an accessibility challenge for park visitors using walkers or wheelchairs. Because of the soft sand, wheels and legs of walkers can sink in, making them tough to maneuver.
As a part of our commitment to making parks as accessible as possible, more parks are offering beach accessibility measures to help visitors explore our shorelines.