Today’s post comes from Sheila Wiebe, a Marketing and Development Specialist at Bronte Creek Provincial Park.
I recently celebrated the halfway point in my life. The milestone of 50 years on this Earth, half a century.
As I usually do around my birthday I reflected on the past year: the accomplishments, the challenges, and everything in between.
I felt like I needed to do something to commemorate the occasion. Continue reading My 50 trees challenge
Today’s post comes from Sheila Wiebe, a marketing and development specialist at Bronte Creek Provincial Park.
I promise to be greener.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m already pretty green. However, after leading an Earth Day park clean up, I decided I need to take it one step further and double up my efforts to further reduce my impact on the environment.
Continue reading How to leave the park greener than you found it
Some of the technology to fight forest fires was first developed almost a century ago. The province has used this technology for many decades to prevent and extinguish wildfires in Ontario Parks and other protected areas.
Over time, we discovered something interesting. Aggressively extinguishing fires didn’t stop forest fires. It only postponed them.
We needed a strategy that protects people and property, but keeps forests strong and healthy too.
Today’s post comes from Rebecca Rogge, a travelling resource steward for the Northeast Zone.
I first started working for the Northeast Zone Resource Steward Program back in 2011. It seems like a lifetime ago.
At the time, it was a relatively new job in Ontario Parks. The program had only been around for a few years, and few of us existed.
Several parks were created in 1999, the majority of which were “non-operating” provincial parks. They generally do not have facilities or dedicated staff. Many protect recreational waterways and nature reserves protect rare flora, fauna and geological landscapes.
This is where we, the resource stewards, spend most of our time. In these wonderfully beautiful and diverse places.
Our “Forever protected” series shares why each and every park belongs in Ontario Parks. In today’s post, Zone Ecologist Corina Brdar tells us Holland Landing Prairie’s story.
“The mosquitoes have been exceedingly troublesome these two days past. It is almost impossible to sleep during the night, for they are quite as plentiful and every way as michievous [SIC] as during the day.”
Sounds familiar, huh?
This isn’t a comment from a frustrated camper – it’s a 200 year old journal entry by a Scottish explorer visiting what is now known as Holland Landing Prairie Nature Reserve.
Continue reading Forever protected: why Holland Landing Prairie belongs
Welcome to our “Considerate Camper” series. These are posts with tips and reminders on how to keep our provincial parks clean and healthy. Already know how it’s done? Please share these posts along for less-experienced campers 🙂
We’re taking a leaf out of the Lorax’s book and speaking for the trees today!
When maintaining our campgrounds, we often notice marks in our trees. Many are from axes and nails, and plenty of trees have names, shapes and initials carved across their bark.
Did you know these holes and gouges risk the tree’s health and may result in its destruction?
Our “Forever protected” series shares why each and every one belongs in Ontario Parks. In today’s post, Biologist Lauren Trute tells us Westmeath’s story.
Westmeath Provincial Park, located approximately 15 km from the City of Pembroke, is one of the most ecologically diverse provincial parks in Renfrew County.
This 610 ha park sits on the shore of the mighty Ottawa River, and offers a glimpse into the glacial history of the Ottawa Valley. This site was also likely an important stopover area for Indigenous peoples and fur traders travelling along the waterway.
Biodiversity is a big word for the variety of life on Earth.
Biodiversity is you – and every other living thing on the planet. We see biodiversity every day, but it’s more than bugs and animals and trees. It’s about how everything is connected. If we lose one piece of biodiversity, the rest is affected.
Packing up your picnic or campsite?
Please be sure your leftover propane cylinders don’t go into the garbage or recycling!
These cylinders contain pressurized gas and chemicals, so safe and proper disposal is crucial to make sure nothing harmful leaks into Ontario’s groundwater and waterways.
Continue reading Empty propane cylinder? Orange Drop to the rescue!
Today’s post comes from Natural Heritage Education Supervisor Alistair MacKenzie and Bat Stewardship Technician Heather Sanders.
Did you know Pinery Provincial Park has been a bat research hot spot for more than four decades? We’ve collaborated with research groups at York University, Western University and the University of Waterloo.
Much of what we know about Ontario bats — including their migration, diet, and behaviour — is all thanks to work done at Pinery.
