New Toolkit for Advocacy

As part of our commitment to support the Nature Network, Ontario Nature has revised and expanded our tipsheets on speaking up for nature. There are four tipsheets that make up the toolkit: Influencing Decision Makers, Letter Writing, Media Outreach and Making a Delegation. We hope that you will find these useful and they will make it easier to speak up for nature. Please share them widely so we can all be more effective advocates for wild species and wild spaces.

Help Us Expand Lost Bay Nature Reserve!

Ontario Nature has an incredible opportunity to purchase a 50-acre parcel of land in the globally important Frontenac Arch area of eastern Ontario. And we need your help!

The Frontenac Arch is one of the most biodiverse regions in Canada. This area has become a refuge for species that are highly endangered elsewhere in Ontario, like cerulean warbler and gray ratsnake. Together, we must act quickly to acquire this unique and biodiverse property and expand our Lost Bay Nature Reserve.

New Conservation Reserve on the South Shore

South Shore Joint Initiative (SSJI) its members and partner organizations celebrated the establishing of Monarch Point Conservation Reserve on June 21. Ontario Nature is a founding partner of SSJI. Founded in 2018, SSJI advocates for the protection, preservation and restoration of Prince Edward County’s South Shore lands and waters. The new Conservation Reserve protects almost 4,000 acres of land and near shore waters along the north shore of Lake Ontario in Prince Edward County. Monarch Point is rich in biodiversity and offers unique recreational opportunities for naturalists and all outdoor enthusiasts.

Article by Cheryl Anderson, SSJI

Did you know? Nature Network groups that are part of the SSJI include Prince Edward County Field Naturalists, Kingston Field Naturalists, Quinte Field Naturalists and Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory. 

Peterborough Field Naturalists Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day

The Peterborough Field Naturalists (PFN) participated in the World Migratory Bird Day event at the Peterborough Public Library. Approximately 20 children and their families enjoyed searching the library’s lower level as part of the PFN-organized bird scavenger hunt and testing their knowledge with a bird-focused card game.

A highlight of the event was the launch of Birdwatching Kits, which are now available to borrow at the Peterborough Public Library. The kits have been made possible through donations from the Peterborough Field Naturalists (thanks to the Hunter Family for their generous donation in memory of Terry Hunter) and Bird Friendly Peterborough. The kits come in a backpack and contain binoculars, bird identification guides and activities for adults and families and can be borrowed for up to 14 days. What a great resource for Peterborough families to discover nature’s feathered friends!

Article by Peterborough Field Naturalists. Photo by Anda Rungis: PFN volunteers at display table.

New Wetlands Resources Now Available

Last month, Ontario Nature released two new wetlands resources – an online primer and a corresponding brochure highlighting wetlands as nature-based climate solutions. The brochure, designed in partnership with our provincial Youth Council, provides a high-level introduction to the climate mitigation and adaptation benefits wetlands provide.

For those who want to dive deeper, the online primer expands on these benefits and connects readers with a suite of additional resources. 

By reading and sharing these new resources with your members and networks you can help increase awareness about the climate value of wetlands and strengthen the case for wetland protection and restoration in Ontario.

Resources and Links

• If you haven’t already signed our Action Alert on stopping sprawl in the new Provincial Policy Statement, please join 5,000 other concerned Ontarians and speak up by signing and sharing!
• Six Nations formally objects to Greenbelt changes
• Nature Network member FLAP is looking for participants and sponsors in the annual global bird rescue week in October
• Watch The Narwhal’s forum discussion on wildfires

Events 

See our events calendar for a complete listing of events organized by Ontario Nature and Nature Network groups. 



To submit your public events for the online calendar, send them to noahc@ontarionature.org and allow up to a week for posting. Please send only events that are open to the public and no more than three per month.