Part of being a good pet owner and park visitor is cleaning up after your dog.
“Stoop and scoop” is a phrase all pet owners have heard for decades, yet park staff are often asked: “why do I need to pick up after my dog when wildlife poop does not need to be picked up?”
It’s a good question. How is dog poop different from raccoon, coyote, moose or even bear scat?
As it turns out, not all scat is the same.
Continue reading The scoop on dog poop: why all scat is not the same
Matt Cunliffe started at Ontario Parks in 2006 and has spent over a decade working as a park interpreter and an assistant park planner, and is now a Discovery Leader at MacGregor Provincial Park. An avid trail user and self-proclaimed nature geek, when he’s not on the clock, you’re likely to find him onto a new discovery somewhere in one of our parks.
Spring has sprung and I, like many Ontarians, cannot wait hike and bike as many trails as I can.
While you’re getting your gear ready for the next adventure, here are some tips to help you prepare and minimize impacts while you are out enjoying the trails.
Continue reading Hitting the trails? Know the etiquette before you go
If you’re new to Ontario Parks, you might be a little nervous about the animals that call our parks home.
Many of us live in cities or suburbs, with little interaction with wildlife, so we don’t know how to react or behave. We want your parks experience to be fun and safe, both for you and for the wildlife that live here.
Today, let’s talk about:
Continue reading What types of wildlife might I see at Ontario Parks?
Today’s post comes from Jill Legault, Information Specialist at Quetico Provincial Park.
Summertime means puppy playtime!
Dogs love the opportunity to be outside as much as you do. A little planning means every family member is happy and safe in the backcountry.
New to RVing in parks? You’re not alone!
With over 19,000 car camping sites at Ontario Parks, there’s new adventurers getting into the RV game every year.
With help from our friends at Wayfarer Insurance Group, we’ve compiled a few unwritten RV rules to know before your first road trip:
Continue reading Park etiquette for your first RV trip
Port Burwell Provincial Park is a favourite spot for families, dog-lovers, and beach-goers.
With 2.5 km of sandy beach, a dog friendly beach and exercise area, and plenty of recreation facilities, this park has become a popular weekend destination.
Unfortunately, Port Burwell’s increasing popularity has meant that our park can get extremely busy, and often reaches capacity on hot summer days.
Today’s post comes from our friends at the Invasive Species Centre.
The beauty of a hike does not need to be enjoyed alone; your dog can be a great companion as you adventure through your favourite park.
Do it well by planning before stepping foot, or paw, on the trail.
Park Information Specialist Jill Legault at Quetico Provincial Park recently took up skijoring. In today’s post, she shares her best advice for getting started with your pup.
If you love skiing and have a dog, skijoring can be a blast!
Before you “hike up,” here are answers to some of your most frequently asked questions about this fun winter activity:
Continue reading Learning to skijor: your questions answered
This post is brought to you from our guest blogger Sitka the Border Collie, with help from her human Laura Myers, a Learning and Education Leader with Ontario Parks.
Hello! My name is Sitka and I’m a dog.
My humans love to camp! From the moment they brought me home when I was eight weeks old, they said, “I can’t wait for all the camping adventures we will go on, little one.”
Continue reading Ruffing it at Ontario Parks: a dog’s perspective on camping
Our trees are spectacular organisms. They make oxygen, can live to be quite old, have beautiful foliage, provide homes and food for countless wildlife, and through transpiration of water through their leaves, can even influence the weather.
Maybe our trees do deserve some form of decoration or recognition?
I was out in my park the other day, and with the leaves gone, I did notice some brightly coloured decorations on a tree down the trail.
