Looking Back on a Great Year

As we look forward to a new year and new decade, we remember the amazing things we accomplished for nature in 2019. We could not have done it without you - our members, followers, funders, partners and sponsors. Your support makes everything we do for nature possible. Read our year-end blog to learn more about the great accomplishments we achieved with your help last year and join us in looking forward to more of the same in 2020. 

Save the Date for the 2020 Youth Summit

Each year, the Ontario Nature Youth Council plans and hosts our annual Youth Summit. This weekend-long event, now in its eleventh year, brings together high school-aged youth from across Ontario to discuss the environmental issues that matter most to them. This year, the summit is adopting a new name: Youth Summit for Mother Earth. It will be held on September 25-27, 2020 and we invite you to consider sponsoring a young person to attend. To learn more about becoming a sponsor contact Christine Ambre.

Volunteers Needed to Monitor Chorus Frogs this Spring

Frogs will soon be calling and we need your help! Threatened western chorus frog (WCF) populations are declining, so Blazing Star Environmental, the Canadian Wildlife Service and Trent University have created a long-term monitoring program to better understand changing WCF distribution. Data collected will help scientists detect and respond to WCF range declines over time. The WCF range is large and the calling period is short, so we need volunteers to start surveying frog calls in March. To learn more contact info@blazingstar.ca.  

New Discovery in Junction Creek Inspires Hope

Sudbury's Junction Creek Stewardship Committee (JCSC) is thrilled to announce their discovery of a new species of fish in Junction Creek: the logperch. The JCSC has been working diligently since 1999 to rehabilitate the once degraded and polluted waterway, which had become nearly uninhabitable for wildlife. When rehabilitation efforts began, only five species of fish inhabited Junction Creek. The new discovery brings that total to 18. Please join us in congratulatiing the members of the JCSC on their tremendous success!

Help Count Birds this February

The 2020 Great Backyard Bird Count is just around the corner and bird lovers of all ages and skill levels are invited to join the fun. Scheduled for February 14 to 17, this annual bird census is a joint project of Birds Canada, the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Participants are asked to tally all the birds they see or hear for at least 15 minutes on one or more of the event days, and submit their records. The information gathered by participants will help scientists track changes in bird populations worldwide. 

From Bland-scape to Landscape

Nature lovers interested in greening their communities are invited to join the webinar Bland-scape to Landscape: Start Depaving your Community on Thursday January 23. Hosted by Green Communities Canada through its Depave Paradise project, the webinar will highlight how people and organizations can join Depave Paradise to help remove unwanted concrete from their local communities and replace it with native vegetation. Webinar participants will also learn how they can become certified Depave Paradise Coordinators. 

Events

• Birdfeeder Tour in the Glen Major, Chalk Lake and Utica areas, Sunday January 19 @ 8:00am; for more information or to register contact Derek Connelly.
• Animal Nutrition at the Toronto Zoo with Jaap Wensvoort, Tuesday January 28 @ 7:00pm at the Uxbridge Seniors' Centre (75 Marietta Street) in Uxbridge; for more information visit the North Durham Nature website.

• Minesing Winter Raptors, Saturday February 1 @ 8:30am; meet at the Little Lake parking lot, east of Little Lake Drive; for more information contact Brian Gibbon at 705-721-4599.
• Horned Larks with Brian Gibbon and Brian Backland, Saturday March 7 @ 8:30am; meet at the Little Lake parking lot, east of Little Lake Drive; for more information contact Brian Gibbon at 705-721-4599.

• Minesing Wetlands Snowshoe Hike, Saturday January 25 @ 9:00am; exact location of hike is weather dependent and will be finalized 1 week before the hike; for more information or to register visit Eventbrite.
• Minesing Wetlands Snowshoe Hike, Saturday February 8 @ 9:00am; exact location of hike is weather dependent and will be finalized 1 week before the hike; for more information or to register visit Eventbrite.

• Presentation on New Zealand and Outing to Wye Marsh, Saturday January 18 @ 10:00am at the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre in Midland.
• Snowflakes and Exploring the Universe at our Feet with Don Komorechka, Thursday February 20 @ 7:30pm at the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre in Midland.

• Zero Waste Living: For the Love of Nature with Laura Nash, Monday January 27 @ 7:00pm at Bridge Street United Church in Belleville.

• Wildflowers of Simcoe County with David J. Hawke (Couchiching Conservancy), Wednesday February 5 @ 7:30pm at the Orillia Museum of Art and History (Peter Street South) in Orillia; for more information contact Gloria Tozek at 705-326-6809.
• Snowshoe or Ski Outing to the Hermitage with Marilyn and Tanya Clark, Saturday February 15 @ 9:30am; meet behind Zehrs at 9:00am to carpool; for more information contact Marilyn Clark at 705-333-3292.

• Waterfowl along the Niagara River, Sunday January 26 @ 9:00am; bring a lunch and meet at the parking lot at Dufferin Islands (6345 Dufferin Isle Road) along the NIagara Parkway; for more information contact Debbie Wright at 905-374-1521.
• Outing to Dufferin Islands, Sunday February 9 @ 2:00pm; meet at the parking lot at Dufferin Islands (6345 Dufferin Isle Road) along the NIagara Parkway; for more information contact Carol Horvat at 905-687-8562.
• Why I love Trees with Paul Philp, Wednesday February 12 @ 7:00pm at the Niagara Falls Public Library (4848 Victoria Avenue) in Niagara Falls; for more information visit the Niagara Falls Nature Club website.
• Wings along a Cliff with Bruce Mackenzie, Wednesday March 11 @ 7:00pm at the Niagara Falls Public Library (4848 Victoria Avenue) in Niagara Falls; for more information visit the Niagara Falls Nature Club website.

• Birds of the Happy Valley Forest with Ann Love, Tuesday February 11 @ 7:30pm at the Queensville Holland Landing United Church (20453 Leslie Street) in Queensville. For more information visit the York Simcoe Nature Club website.
• The Electric Car with Tim Burrows (Etobicoke Electric Vehicle Society), Tuesday March 10 @ 7:30pm at the Queensville Holland Landing United Church (20453 Leslie Street) in Queensville. For more information visit the York Simcoe Nature Club website.

The next issue of the Nature Network News will be sent on February 15, 2020. The deadline for submissions is February 1, 2020. 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.