Privacy Policy

Your privacy is important to the Toronto Field Naturalists (“TFN“). By choosing to provide information to TFN you indicate your willingness to disclose this information to us, and you consent to our collection, use, disclosure, and protection of this information in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

TFN’s Privacy Policy will be revised as needed, and the revised policy reposted online. We encourage you to review this document periodically to ensure that you are familiar with the most recent terms and conditions.

TFN collects, uses, discloses, and protects information provided to us in accordance with the principles and guidelines found in relevant laws and related documents including the Personal Information Protection and Electronics Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canada’s Anti-Spam Law (CASL), and Toronto Field Naturalists By-Laws.

TFN’s Privacy Policy is not intended to create a contract or agreement between TFN, its members, and/or any other person(s) providing information to TFN in any form. If you have any questions about how TFN uses the information provided to us, or about this Privacy Policy, please email TFN at office@torontofieldnaturalists.org or call us at 416-593-2656.

WHEN DOES TFN COLLECT INFORMATION?

You may decide to voluntarily provide information to TFN in a variety of circumstances including, but not limited to:

  • Applying for TFN membership
  • Subscribing to our bulk-email channels
  • Following, liking, or commenting on TFN’s social media channels
  • Contacting us via our website, social media, email, phone, mail, or at events
  • Completing surveys or polls
  • Participating in TFN outings such as hikes, lectures, shows, field trips, or events
  • Participating in TFN citizen science initiatives such as ecological or biological monitoring
    programs, bio-blitzes, etc.
  • Participating in TFN stewardship activities such as tree plantings, park clean-ups, trail
    maintenance, invasive removals, etc.
  • Making donations or bequests to TFN

In addition, TFN may collect anonymous or aggregate data about those people who use our services, website, social media channels, or participate in TFN outings, stewardship activities, and citizen science initiatives.

WHAT INFORMATION DOES TFN COLLECT?

TFN only collects that information which is required for membership, or to provide, fulfill, or administrate a specific feature, program, activity, or initiative.

Personal Information

At times you may be asked to voluntarily provide the TFN with personally-identifiable information including but not limited to, your full name, mailing address, phone number, or email address. If this information is provided as part of your application for membership, or when making a donation or bequest to TFN, you have assumed an implied relationship with Toronto Field Naturalists and agree to receive future communications from TFN pertaining to membership or donation administration, benefits, solicitation, and renewal.

Submitted Data

You may choose to participate in TFN outings, walks, lectures, conferences, stewardship activities, citizen science initiatives, partner programs, or other events hosted, facilitated, coordinated, or arranged by TFN. During these events there may be data, information, and/or materials prepared or collected by you or others that is subsequently submitted to TFN (“Submitted Data“). Submitted data includes, but is not limited to: articles; essays; evaluations; meeting minutes; ecological or biological monitoring data; attendance records; observations; event logs; photographs; videos; audio; and all other types of records and recordings.

Newsletter Contributions

You may choose to contribute data, information, and/or materials produced or created by you to TFN for publication in our newsletter (“Newsletter Contributions“). Newsletter Contributions include, but are not limited to: articles; essays; evaluations; walk descriptions; hike leader reports; event or product reviews; poetry; stories; photographs; drawings; and all other types of records and recordings.

Consent

When subscribing to any of our bulk e-mail channels you will be asked to explicitly consent to receiving email communications from TFN. Your email address will be required and additional personal information may be requested. The frequency and scope of these communications will be outlined prior to sign-up, and you will have the ability to revoke your consent at any time by unsubscribing.

HOW DOES TFN USE THIS INFORMATION?

TFN uses the information it collects to:

  • Deliver the benefits of TFN membership including, but not limited to, the delivery of our
    newsletter via physical mail or email;
  • Understand and administer TFN, its membership, and its services;
  • Deliver bulk email messages within the scope of routine TFN membership services;
  • Deliver bulk email messages within the scope of your explicit consent;
  • Develop and maintain our relationship with you and communicate with you;
  • Fulfill TFN’s mission and vision, and the objectives of our events, activities, and initiatives.

Submitted data and newsletter contributions become the property of TFN and may be used and/or disclosed for a variety of purposes including, but not limited to, record-keeping, promotion & marketing, TFN analysis, publication of our member newsletter, and publication of other TFN materials. This information may also be shared, as required, with third-party organizations affiliated with these activities, in fulfillment of TFN obligations and responsibilities.

HOW DOES TFN RETAIN AND PROTECT THIS INFORMATION?

TFN will retain information provided to us for as long as necessary to fulfill the uses for which it was collected, and to comply with applicable laws, statutes, regulations, ordinances, or court orders. Your consent to such uses will remain valid after termination of our relationship with you and we will retain your information for future consideration.

TFN is committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding the personal information provided to us. Access to personal information that has been provided to TFN is strictly controlled both physically and electronically, and this information is made available only to those who require access to conduct required business of behalf of TFN. You may request that TFN delete or otherwise dispose of records containing your personal information by contacting office@torontofieldnaturalists.org.

Submitted data and newsletter contributions will be retained and protected to the extent required by its use. As some of this information may be shared or disclosed to third-party organizations, the retention and protection of this information by these third-parties will be governed by their own privacy policies and/or terms of use. Further, submitted data and newsletter contributions may, for posterity, be donated to public archives such as the City of Toronto Archives and the Archives of Ontario.

The retention and protection of information collected by third-party social media platforms that TFN may interact with you on will be governed by that platform’s respective privacy policy and/or terms of use.