September 13, 2020, saw TFN’s first ever virtual lecture, “The Endangered Redside Dace: Can we recover it before it disappears?” presented to us by Erling Holm, Assistant Curator of Fishes at the Royal Ontario Museum. Erling’s presentation, and the Q&A period that followed, were recorded for the enjoyment of those unable to attend: Our Zoom Read More
Back in January we posted that the City had agreed to help protect what may well be the oldest and most historically-important tree in Toronto by purchasing a residential property on Coral Gable Dr., with the intention of converting the land in to a parkette. The catch? By Council’s direction, completion of the sale is Read More
Lydia Wong, a PhD student from the University of Ottawa is hoping to launch a project to explore the impacts of a warming and drying climate on pollinator populations, specifically bees. If you have a garden in Toronto, preferably one with lots of flowering plants that attract pollinators, and are willing to have 2 artificial nesting structures (‘bee/wasp Read More
The Ontario government plans to open habitat of endangered and threatened species to destructive aggregate extractions in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GCH). Ontario Nature has uncovered this change (hidden in dry technical text) and has stated in a letter to the ministry: “Your ministry is now proposing to undermine this higher level of protection by Read More
“Rebel botanists” are loose in our cities, wandering laneways and back alleys armed with pockets full of sidewalk chalk and keen identification skills. Their goal? To open people’s eyes to the botanical wonders right under their feet, slipping out from between fence boards, and poking out from between people’s prized peonies. Botanical chalking is a Read More
Lockdown, physical distancing, and other pandemic-related rules & regulations upended virtually all of TFN’s various programs and initiatives, but few were hit quite as hard as our Junior Naturalists Program. Once a month our Juniors & their parents would take to Toronto’s parks & ravines, learning to appreciate and respect Toronto’s natural heritage through hikes, Read More
As in previous years, TFN will again be sponsoring students in the GTA to attend Ontario Nature’s annual Youth Summit for Biodiversity and Environmental Leadership – rebranded for 2020 as the Virtual Youth Summit for Mother Earth! For four Saturday afternoons in August & September this summit will bring together youth from dozens of communities Read More
TFN is absolutely thrilled to announce that current public health advisories now permit us to take to the trails again, albeit in form and function quite different than our traditional approach. For the foreseeable future, TFN Walks must adapt to and obey quickly changing guidelines set forth in the public health advisories issued by all Read More
Recent closures of all city park facilities include Dog Off-Leash Areas. Understandably, this leaves many Torontonians struggling to find ways to ensure that their companions are getting the amount of exercise and engagement they need for a healthy and joyful life. Unfortunately, it also seems to be leading to a notable surge in off-leash dogs Read More
We are so sorry to announce along with many others, that our program on April 4th ‘Birding by Song’ on the Meadoway with Emily Rondel is cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis. Hope you will all keep safe and find ways to enjoy nature despite everything. The Bird migration in Toronto is already ramping up. Read More
Toronto Field Naturalists wishes to acknowledge this Land through which we walk. For thousands of years, the Land has been shared by the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe. Toronto is situated on the Land within the Toronto Purchase, Treaty 13, the traditional and treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. This territory is also part of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum, a covenant agreement between Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Wendat peoples and allied nations to peaceably share the land and all its resources. Today, the Land is home to peoples of numerous nations. We are all grateful to have the opportunity to continue to care for and share the beauty of this Land.