Today’s post comes from Cara Freitag, a park naturalist at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. One of the most interesting stories that a small, shrubby, low-growing plant can tell is that of Sleeping Giant’s arctic disjunct species. They survived a journey of over 850 km: that’s almost infinity for small plants like the Encrusted Saxifrage. Travelling … The post Orphaned by the Ice Age appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Today’s blog comes to us from Park Naturalist Sarah Lamond at Algonquin Provincial Park. Picture it: a warm July day at Algonquin. You’re basking in the day’s rays and exploring an interpretive trail. It’s all picture perfect until you hear that telltale buzz and feel an all-too-familiar pain on your scalp. The Deer Flies have arrived. … The post The fascinating world of dragonflies and their importance to ecosystems appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

We know a lot of our visitors are interested in exploring our parks, and maybe taking a piece of it home with them. We’ve noticed an increase in popularity of foraging, but remember: foraging for any plant or fungal species is prohibited in provincial parks. Edible species in parks Parks are home to many plants … The post The effects of foraging at Ontario Parks appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Today’s post comes from Ashley Hanas, a bat technician with the Friends of Pinery Park. Bats are the only true flying mammal. There are currently over 1,400 species and bats encompass 20% of the mammalian species on earth (meaning 1 in 5 mammals are bats!). Bats are essential to the health of our environment, providing … The post Bats: The mammal, the myth, the legend appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

The songbirds are returning and bringing spring with them! Catch a bird-banding demonstration, take in a nature photography workshop, or sign on for a bird-themed hike with our park naturalists. If you love songbirds, you won’t want to miss the Ontario Parks spring birding festivals: Festival of Flight — May 4-19 Rondeau Provincial Park Visit the park … The post Spring birding festivals appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Today’s blog was written by Pilar Manorome, a park planner in Protected Areas Section at Ontario Parks. As a kid, I was always fascinated by the natural world around me and was very fortunate to grow up in Norfolk County. It was a place where I could step out my door and have a wide array … The post Opening doors with Ontario Parks appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Close your eyes and imagine: your face flush with your first dose of spring sunshine your ears are filled with the beautiful songs of migrating birds your nervous system soothed by the rhythm of waves on the shoreline Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Here are our top ten reasons to try spring camping this season: 1. … The post 10 reasons you should try spring camping appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Today’s post comes from Alexander Renaud, former Discovery program lead at Emily Provincial Park. A few summers ago, our Discovery staff at Emily Provincial Park wanted to do something BIG to help the park. Previous years have seen the instillation of turtle nest protection boxes, the collection of species data through a BioBlitz, and the … The post The story behind Emily Provincial Park’s pollinator garden appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

In today’s post, the Chairdog of the Ontario Barks committee shows off his best buds at their favourite provincial parks with their humans!  Oh boy! It’s National Pet Day! *zoomies* Even though this is a special day, I’m going to be fur-real with you – in my household, every day is pet day. From the … The post Happy National Pet Day from Ontario Barks appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Today’s post comes from Eva Paleczny, learning and education specialist with Ontario Parks.  On my morning drive to work one day, I noticed a bunch of Mourning Doves sitting in a row along an electrical line. As I continued driving, I wondered why birds gather in groups like that. Are they being social? Is it … The post Discover birds with your kids appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more