What do you want to be when you grow up?

Today’s blog comes from Hope Freeman, Discovery leader at Grundy Lake Provincial Park

Maybe it sounds cliché, but I truly love my job.

Ontario Parks has provided me with the opportunity to help protect our province’s unique biodiversity while learning and growing as a professional.

One of the best parts? Working in an inclusive environment that focuses on maintaining a good work-life balance.

Wondering how I got here?

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Where to camp when your fave park is already full

Did you know over 50% of reservations made by the end of March are for our five most popular parks (Bon Echo, Algonquin, Sandbanks, Killbear, Pinery)?

If you can’t get a campsite at one of these parks, we’ve got some suggestions we’re sure you’ll love…

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Dragonflies: the ultimate prehistoric predator

Today’s blog came from Hope Freeman, Discovery leader at Grundy Lake Provincial Park

Gather round. I’ve got a creature of the night that is sure to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up…just in time for spooky season.

Picture this: you’re lakeside, with the sun just setting on the horizon. You catch a glimpse of something lurking in the shallow, weedy water below.

A drab aquatic insect appears with six long, jointed legs, each equipped with two claws.

Two large eyes and a jaw that covers most of the bottom part of the head…seemingly peering back at you.

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Community science with the Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere

Today’s blog was written by Discovery Program Project Coordinator Jessica Stillman.

This summer, Grundy Lake Provincial Park, Killbear Provincial Park, and The Massasauga Provincial Park collaborated with the Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere (GBB) to host bioblitzes within the world’s largest freshwater archipelago.

What is a bioblitz? In short, it is a community science event for recording different species within a certain location and time.

For these events, park visitors, Friends members, and staff from both Ontario Parks and GBB came together to inventory living things by uploading them to iNaturalist.

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Sudbury rocks for fall hiking!

September is one of the best times of the year to get out into nature and hike!

Most of the month of September is still technically summer. While usually cooler on average than August, it’s still warm and often without the humidity. Not to mention, bugs are just a distant memory!

The Sudbury region is rich with opportunities to get outside and enjoy nature as summer winds down.

Eight provincial parks within an hour’s drive of Sudbury, six of which are open after the September long weekend. Each one has its own character and set of recreational opportunities.

Here is a selection of parks and trails to consider if you live, are staying in town, or camping in the Sudbury area this September:

Continue reading Sudbury rocks for fall hiking!

It’s aster season!

Today’s post comes to us from Discovery Program Specialist Dave Sproule.

Around the middle of August, Ontario’s landscape starts to change colour. A bit of gold here, swaths of white there, and even a touch of purple in places. No, it’s not fall yet, although the odd maple tree may think so. It’s actually the “second flowering of summer,” and it lasts well into the autumn.

While many of the flowering plants in the landscape have quit for the season, the asters and goldenrods are just getting going.
Continue reading It’s aster season!

What’s a bioblitz?

When you first hear the word “bioblitz,” you might be a little confused. What does this strange word mean?

When you break the word down into smaller pieces, it becomes much easier to understand: “bio” means “life” and “blitz” means a  “sudden, energetic, and concerted effort, typically on a specific task.”

Continue reading What’s a bioblitz?

Healthy Parks Healthy People Day 2023

We know that spending time in nature is good for us.

Sometimes, we just need a little push to get outside and feel the effects!

That’s why on July 21, we are offering a variety of activities in parks across the province in celebration of Healthy Parks Healthy People Day.

All parks that normally charge a day-use fee will be offering free entry so you can enjoy the benefits of being in nature.

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5 reasons to visit Grundy Lake Provincial Park

Grundy Lake Provincial Park is one of those places you have to experience in person.

It sounds nice on paper — scenic lakes, sandy beaches, tall pine forests, and lots of great campsites.

But when you start to explore, those features come to life. This is a park that’s more than the sum of its parts.

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Try a regular dose of camping for good health

Time to reach for our sleeping bags and tents?

Research shows that camping in nature is good for our mental and physical well-being.

What better reason to head out with family and friends into the great outdoors and sleep under the stars?

Check out the brain and body benefits of camping:

Continue reading Try a regular dose of camping for good health