From Ontario Nature:

If you are a high school aged youth based in Ontario, passionate about nature and conservation, and looking to join a diverse network of like-minded peers, join the Ontario Nature Youth Council!

As a Youth Council member, you will:

• Build connections with like-minded peers, Ontario Nature staff, supporters and members.
• Learn about important conservation issues and take action.
• Develop your personal and professional skillsets and leadership.
• Receive community volunteer hours and professional references as an active member.

Applications are open until December 15. Questions? Reach out to Emily Green, Education Coordinator at emilyg@ontarionature.org.

Learn more and apply here.

We look forward to welcoming you to the 2026-2027 Youth Council!

From Ethan Tapper:

What’s birding’s problem???

As a birder myself, I have such a deep love for birding and birders — one of my very favorite things to do, and some of my favorite people in the world. But when I became a birder, I noticed something funny about birding culture, which is that it was really just a discipline of observation — we observed birds, and nothing else. And even when we were witnessing the decline of bird species due to things like habitat degradation, introduced species and more, everyone would say “oh well.” And it’s not just birding — I find that in nearly every community of folks that enjoy or utilize forests or other ecosystems in some way, we notice things happening that impact the things that we love, but then don’t think it’s up to us to do anything about it.

I come from the world of forestry, which is a discipline of action, and so when birders would tell me about some bird species that was declining or that had been lost, I would say: “What do you wanna do about it?”

We are fortunate to have tools that can solve or help so many of the ecological problems that we face, and if we’re willing take action and to make tough choices — doing things like cutting trees, burning, controlling deer overpopulations, controlling invasive plants, curbing development and habitat fragmentation — we can attenuate and even reverse these changes. And I truly believe that this is the deepest form that a relationship can take — to go beyond noticing, or witnessing, and to a place of stewardship.

My new book The Forest Year: Finding Hope in a World Worth Saving was published on October 6, and is now available as a hardcover, ebook or audiobook wherever books are sold! Please pick up a copy at your local independent bookseller, or you can find some options at EthanTapper.com/forestyear

Watch Ethan’s video.

From Saving Monarchs:

Snakes, toads, bats, mice and so many other creatures often get a bad reputation simply because they can look scary or make people uncomfortable.

But every one of them plays an important role in nature. They help control insects and rodents, provide food for other wildlife, pollinate plants, spread seeds and help keep our ecosystems in balance.

We don’t have to love every creature, but we should learn to respect them. Before you reach for a shovel, spray or trap, remember that they are just trying to survive and they have an important job to do.

A healthy natural world needs all of them.

From Culture Collective:

Nearly three billion birds have vanished from North America in just one human generation. That’s not a natural fluctuation—it’s a steady disappearance unfolding across our continent.

Right now, as March begins, millions of songbirds are migrating north from Central America and the Caribbean. The Indigo Bunting, the Eastern Meadowlark, warblers and blackbirds—species that once filled our skies with color and sound—are returning to breeding grounds that are increasingly fragmented and depleted. Grassland birds have been hit hardest, losing more than half their populations since 1970 as prairies disappear. But the losses extend everywhere: habitat destruction, pesticide use, climate timing mismatches, and the hazards of migration across two continents are all taking their toll.

Here’s what makes this moment matter culturally: we’ve normalized a world growing quieter. Many of us still see birds at our feeders and assume ecosystems are fine. But large-scale science tells us otherwise. Birds aren’t just beautiful—they’re essential. They control insect populations naturally, disperse seeds that regenerate forests, and serve as early-warning systems for deeper environmental problems.

The encouraging part? Individual choices still ripple outward. Native plants instead of sterile lawns. Safer windows with decals or films. Pesticide-free yards that keep insect populations alive. Each choice is small, but collectively they shape whether the landscapes these birds return to can still sustain them.

The question isn’t abstract: Will we choose to be part of the solution, or will we accept the silence?

From Fanshawe Conservation Area:

Fall colours are more than beautiful—they’re chemistry in action! With less sunlight, leaves break down chlorophyll and other pigments become visible. Explore a conservation area, breathe in the crisp air, strengthen your body, and give your mind a natural reset.

From Point Pelee National Park:

Monarch Migration Update September 16, 2026 – 400 Monarchs were observed at the Point this evening. They were in small groups on the west side between the Tip Tower south to the end of the trail, with the most butterflies noted on the southern part of the trai

As part of our Annual General Meeting (held on September 12), the Ingersoll District Nature Club was proud to announce that several benches, including benches dedicated to Don and Ruth Bucknell, John Bomans, Past President, and in loving memory of Jack Janssen, Frank Edwards and Suzanne and Keith Quinn, have been installed along the main trail at the Lawson Nature Reserve, with two more to follow. Thank you to everyone including Country Sports, Tillsonburg, who made this possible.

From Endangered Ecosystems Alliance:

The Fowler’s Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri) is one of Canada’s rarest toads. In Canada, it is found only along limited sections of the Lake Erie shoreline in southern Ontario, where it depends on a closely connected mosaic of sandy beaches, dunes, shoreline wetlands and shallow temporary pools. Today, only three populations remain, at Rondeau Provincial Park, Long Point, and in an area of the Niagara Peninsula.

Unlike many amphibians, Fowler’s Toad spends much of its life on land. But it needs shallow ponds and pools to reproduce, making the connection between healthy beaches, dunes, wetlands and aquatic habitat critical to its survival. Its loud breeding call—often described as a prolonged, high-pitched scream—is one of the distinctive sounds of Ontario’s Lake Erie shoreline.

The species has disappeared from numerous historical sites along Lake Erie and is now Endangered under Canada’s Species at Risk Act and Ontario’s species-at-risk legislation. Shoreline development, beach modification, off-road vehicles, invasive species and the loss or degradation of breeding pools have all contributed to its decline.

Fowler’s Toad is a powerful reminder that protecting ecosystems means protecting the connections between them.

For this little toad, beaches, dunes, wetlands and temporary pools are all part of the same habitat—and losing these connected habitats can put local populations, and ultimately the species, at greater risk.

Please SEND A MESSAGE to federal decision-makers to protect endangered ecosystems across Canada by reintroducing and strengthening the Nature Accountability Bill.

From Current Affairs:

The esteemed TV naturalist has been widely celebrated as he reaches his 100th year, but his warnings about climate and biodiversity loss are being ignored.

Read More.

From Ontario Nature:

August 27 was World Lake Day and we’re reflecting on how Indigenous Peoples remind us that water is sacred. And that we have a responsibility to care for it.

Lake Ontario has deep Indigenous histories and connections and supports countless species and communities. Protecting these waters means honouring these connections and ensuring they remain thriving for generations to come.

Ontario Nature is committed to protecting our lands and waters, and that includes Lake Ontario. But Ontario has not committed to protecting 30% of its lands and waters for 2030 (30×30) despite commitments. Ontario has also received a failing grade for its progress on protecting land and water compared to other Canadian jurisdictions.

Join us in asking the province to protect more of our lands and waters.

Sign our action alert to urge the government to protect more areas now: https://ontarionature.good.do/protected-areas/email/