TFN Juniors Learning about Meadows

Hello Junior Naturalists!

This week’s theme is meadows! A meadow is an open area that is dominated by herbaceous plants like grasses and wildflowers. Meadow habitats provide shelter, water and food to many animals, including birds, bees and butterflies. Meadows also help us by absorbing water during floods and reducing erosion.

Meadows are hard to maintain in cities because they require disturbances such as fire, drought, soil scarification, grazing or mowing. Without disturbance, trees will eventually take over and the habitat will transition to woodland. That said, there are several beautiful meadows to be found in Toronto, including The Meadoway! https://themeadoway.ca/

Check out the TRCA’s latest Facebook Live video about meadows and climate change! Learn about ongoing research in the Meadoway.

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Try out this meadow-themed crossword puzzle!

meadow crossword

answer keyDownload

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Thanks to those who sent in contributions last week! Amara and Pamela found a green frog (Lithobates clamitans) with lots of spots, and Marina sent in a cool picture of a yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia).

Identifying wildlife in Toronto can be tricky, but there are some great resources out there. Here are some of my favourites:

Amphibians and reptiles: http://www.torontozoo.com/adoptapond/speciesguides

Spiders: https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/8f2a-Biodiversity_SpiderBook-Division-Planning-And-Development.pdf

Please send in more nature photos, drawings and observations this week. Try to get out to a meadow and let us know what you find!

Have a great week! 🙂

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.