Today’s post comes from Christian Therrien, past Northwest Zone senior assistant ecologist.
Most agree all dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago.
However, looking into species found in parks reveals that some dinosaurs have indeed persisted and can be seen today!
From the Snapping Turtle to the Silver Lamprey, remnants from this forgotten time are prominent today in Ontario Parks.
However of all the dinosaurs in our parks, the most impressive is the Lake Sturgeon.
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
Did you buy something from our online holiday store last year? In today’s post, Ontario Parks staff talk about some of the vital protection work your purchase helped fund!
Ontario Parks — as part of a bigger provincial effort — has been working hard to assess and repair ecological integrity in many of our inland lake habitats, protecting different species throughout Killarney and other provincial parks.
Continue reading Your purchase helps parks: revitalizing Killarney’s aquatic ecosystems
Today’s post comes from Habitat Stewardship Technician Justin Johnson from Pinery Provincial Park. Justin has a M.Sc. in biology with a focus on bird acoustics.
Birders are an interesting breed of people. Sometimes everything they do seems to subvert the norms of society.
Sleeping in? Rather not. Too much coffee? No such thing. $4500 binoculars? Yeah, I’ve seen it.
Birders’ bread and butter is local natural spaces and their trails. They can be very particular about which trails they walk. Seasoned birders often only use trails they perceive as “birdy,” neglecting those off their sacred path.
But how do we really know which trails are the “birdiest?”
What do turtles and reusable water bottles have in common? More than you might imagine.
Turtles need our help, and we’ve partnered with our friends at Chilly Moose (and their reusable bottles) to help meet the challenge! Continue reading Turtles love water (bottles!)
Today’s post comes from Shannon Walshe, biologist at Wabakimi Provincial Park.
Peering out from among the trees, I am certain these curious animals watched us as we paddled by.
We know they exist, but they’re so seldom seen that they’re referred to as “the grey ghosts.”
Wabakimi Provincial Park is home to the elusive creature known as the Woodland Caribou, at the southernmost edge of their range.
Today’s post comes from Jessica Stillman, school outreach coordinator at Bronte Creek Provincial Park.
What do a Polar Bear, a Prickly Pear Cactus, a Five-lined Skink, and a Bobolink all have in common?
Aside from their snazzy names, they’re plants and animals that require unique environments to survive. Some of these special spaces have been changing and disappearing throughout history.
That’s where Ontario Parks comes in. We protect important landscapes, and conduct research on how we can ensure the species living in parks can thrive.
This year, we’re excited to share the science of parks during Science Literacy Week.
Today’s post comes from Samantha Stephens, a science and conservation photojournalist who spent this past summer in residence at the Algonquin Wildlife Research Station.
The excitement of discovery is a feeling everyone has experienced. Finding a new favourite hiking spot or adding a “lifer” to your birding list are some familiar examples for nature lovers.
For a naturalist, the most thrilling of discoveries comes from observing well-known species interact in a way that hasn’t been documented before.
That’s what happened to Patrick Moldowan, a PhD student from the University of Toronto who leads a long-term study of spotted salamanders in Algonquin Provincial Park.
Patrick spends his summers living at the Algonquin Wildlife Research Station, documenting various aspects of salamander populations.
And that’s what led him to be a part of discovering that carnivorous plants are eating baby salamanders.
Continue reading Carnivorous Pitcher Plants found at Algonquin
Today’s blog post comes from Catherine Reining, a graduate in the Master of Environment Studies program at Wilfrid Laurier University.
We know spending time in nature offers a ton of health benefits like reduced stress, better sleep, and lower blood pressure.
But what is the role of parks and protected areas in human health?
Continue reading The restorative health benefits of protected areas
Today’s post comes from Sarah McMichael, Ontario Parks’ Healthy Parks Healthy People Coordinator.
We all know that fresh air is good for us, right?
Time in nature has been proven to lead to better sleep, improved productivity, lower stress, increased self-esteem, better mood, lower blood pressure, a stronger immune system, and a lower risk of diabetes and heart attack. The research is clear: spending time in nature improves our physical, mental, and social well-being.
Imagine how much your health and happiness could improve if you spent quality time outdoors every day for a whole month. This is what the 30×30 Challenge is all about. Sounds like a great way to get healthy!
