The Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas Begins its Next Phase

The Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. It’s now time to say goodbye to the app as we shift from the data collection phase to the data analysis phase of the project. To learn more about our transition and where you can submit your future observations, visit our blog. We owe the success of this program to our atlas users who have contributed so many valuable sightings from across the province. Thank you on behalf of the Atlas Team and Ontario Nature for your invaluable contribution.

Improving Accessibility at Cawthra Mulock Nature Reserve

We are pleased to announce that ground will soon break on a new accessibility project at our Cawthra Mulock Nature Reserve near Newmarket. Thanks to generous support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, we will be able to upgrade the trail network at the reserve to meet the Ontario Integrated Accessibility Standards. The upgrades will improve access to this special place for visitors with low vision as well as those who are dependent upon mobility devices.

Falling for Raptors

The start of fall is an exciting time for bird enthusiasts as summer fledglings become air-borne adults and join others of their kind on route to warmer climes. You can see many of the diverse bird species traveling through Ontario this fall by joining one of the birding hikes hosted by Ontario Nature member groups. You can also visit a bird observatory to help researchers and other volunteers count the birds that pass by. It’s a great way to learn about Ontario’s avian wildlife while collecting important data that will help in their conservation.

Introducing the Youth Circle for Mother Earth

The Youth Circle for Mother Earth (YCME) is a new project designed to support a cross-cultural network of young Indigenous and other environmental leaders to become lifelong ambassadors for nature and conservation. Through YCME, Indigenous youth will be able to share their voices, represent their communities, and protect the lands and waters that mean everything to them. It will also enable them to build skills from both Indigenous and Western worldviews and strengthen cross-cultural cooperation. Stay tuned to learn more about what this innovative initiative is planning for the coming months. 

Still Time to Register for the 2019 Youth Summit

It is not too late to register for Ontario Nature’s 2019 Youth Summit for Biodiversity and Environmental Leadership. In celebration of its 10th anniversary, this year’s summit will feature a suite of interactive workshops, a networking forum for participants to share ideas and the annual Great Group Challenge. It will be a fun-filled and informative weekend that you won’t want to miss. All interested nature-loving youth are encouraged to visit the Youth Summit webpage for more details. The registration deadline is September 2, 2019. We hope you can join us this year!

Events

• Hawk Watch with Geoff Carpentier, Saturday September 14 at Cranberry Marsh; for more information contact Geoff Carpentier.
• Gorillas in the Mountain Forests of Uganda with Geoff Carpentier, Tuesday September 24 @ 7:00pm at Scugog Memorial Library (231 Water Street) in Port Perry; for more information visit the North Durham Nature website.

• Swift Night Out, Tuesday evenings in August; for more information contact Phyllis Tremblay at 705-737-2580.

• Alan Wormington Young Birders Camp: Birds and Nature of Algonquin Park, August 17 to August 24; for more information visit the Ontario Field Ornithologists website.

• Louise De Kiriline Lawrence Nature Festival, Saturday August 17 @ 9:00am at the Laurier Woods Conservation Area in North Bay; for more information visit the Nipissing Naturalists website.

• Dragons and Damsels at Schmidt Lake, Saturday August 24 @ 9:00am; meet at the northern parking lot on Schmidt Lake Road; for more information or to register contact saugeenfieldnaturalists@yahoo.ca.
• Ecological Farming Tour at Monk Farm, Saturday September 14 @ 1:00pm; for more information or to register contact saugeenfieldnaturalists@yahoo.ca.

• Mothing with Peter and Mary, Wednesday August 28 @ 7:00pm; meet at 316 Norfolk County Road 60 in Walsingham. For more information contact Mary or Peter at 519-586-3985.

• The Future of our Protected Spaces with Margaret Prophet (Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition), Tuesday September 10 @ 7:00pm at St. James Anglican Church (58 Peter Street North) in Orillia; for more information contact Marilyn Clark at 705-333-3292.
• Outing to Copeland Forest, Sunday September 29 @ 10:00am; meet behind Zehr’s to carpool; for more information contact Barb Ryckman at 705-242-4026.
• Best Places to Bird in Ontario with Mike Burrell, Wednesday October 2 @ 7:30pm at the Orillia Museum of Art and History (Peter Street South) in Orillia; for more information contact Barb Ryckman at 705-242-4026.

• Native Plant Sale, Sunday August 25 @ 11:00am in High Park in Toronto; for more information visit the High Park Nature website.

• 20th Anniversary Celebration with a Presentation on Freshwater Mussels by Mary-Kate Whibbs (Toronto Zoo), Tuesday September 10 @ 7:30pm at Queensville Holland Landing United Church (20453 Leslie Street) in Queensville; for more information visit the York Simcoe Nature Club website.
• The Wildlife of Kenya’s Laikipsia Region with Sue Sherman, Tuesday October 8 @ 7:30pm at Queensville Holland Landing United Church (20453 Leslie Street) in Queensville; for more information visit the York Simcoe Nature Club website.
• Migratory Bird Exposure to Neonicotinoids in Nesting Sites with Tehmeena Chowdry (York University), Tuesday November 12 @ 7:30pm at Queensville Holland Landing United Church (20453 Leslie Street) in Queensville; for more information visit the York Simcoe Nature Club website.
• Nature of the South American Cone with Doug Jagger, Tuesday December 10 @ 7:30pm at Queensville Holland Landing United Church (20453 Leslie Street) in Queensville; for more information visit the York Simcoe Nature Club website.

• Could You be a Zero Hero? Strategies on Recycling and Waste Reduction in Halton Hills, Thursday October 24 @ 6:30pm at Mold-Masters Sports Plex; for more information contact Laura Weihs.

The next issue of the Nature Network News will be sent on September 15, 2019. The deadline for submissions is September 1, 2019. Submissions can be sent to naturenetwork@ontarionature.org. Please note that events can be listed up to two months in advance – allowing others to put it on their calendar well in advance.

Ontario Nature publishes the Ontario Nature Network News every month with contributions from its member groups and staff. Ontario Nature grants permission for use of the information above in member group newsletters. Please credit either Ontario Nature or the member group.