The Trail Times Summer 2024 issue includes a tribute to Glen Burrill, information about Operation Lifesaver, a message from the President, and more. Download it today: http://www.oxfordcountytrailscouncil.ca/newsletters.html

From Ontario Parks:

Download #iNaturalist to help you identify the plants and animals you see: ontarioparks.ca/parksblog/inaturalist-at-ontario-parks/

This #CommunityScience app can also help document our parks’ amazing flora and fauna, which in turn helps our park staff better protect those species!

From Ontario Parks:

In August, we notice a big change in daylight!

At the start of the month, the sun sets around 8:55 p.m., but by the end, it dips below the horizon almost an hour earlier at 8:05 p.m.

While this may shorten our daytime adventures, it also means nearly two more hours of darkness to marvel at the night skies!

Read their full blog entry.

This August, Ontario Parks and Healthy Parks Healthy People challenge YOU to make nature a priority by spending 30 minutes outside every day for 30 days.

Are you up for the challenge?

Learn more.

#HPHP#30x30Challenge

As easy as it can be to get lost in the forest, Ontario Parks offers some easy tips on how not to.

Read their blog.

From Ontario Parks:

Ever wonder what busy bees do as they buzz around all day?

Pollinate plants, of course!

With more than 700 native species, bees are Canada’s most common pollinator.

Want to give these hard workers a helping hand? Find out how.

From Ontario Parks:

“Some people are worth melting for.”

Except when temperatures have been hitting record-highs and bring an increased risk for heat-related emergencies!

Let’s keep it cool with these tips.

From Nature Canada:

Canada is stepping up for biodiversity and nature!

Minister Steven Guilbeault (Environment and Climate Change) has fulfilled his promise with the new 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, a key outcome from COP15 in Montreal. This is something Canada can celebrate! We’ll be reviewing the strategy’s commitments to reconciliation, accountability, and to make sure it is fully funded.

With this, the Nature Accountability Act was presented and while it needs improvements, we hope for cross-party support to ensure the best outcomes for nature. Full Statement Here.

Deadline: August 11, 2024

Nature Canada’s 2024 Nature Photo Contest is a celebration of the plants and animals, landscapes, and nature moments that bring us joy and happiness. Their hope is to encourage more Canadians to get outdoors and to connect with nearby nature across the summer months. Canadian photographers across the country will be submitting their artwork for a chance to win prizes and be featured in the Nature Canada 2025 Calendar.

Learn more at https://naturecanada.ca/enjoy-nature/nature-photo-contest/.

Live Shagreen snails have been discovered near Woodstock by Scott Gillingwater, Species at Risk Biologist. The Shagreen is a terrestrial snail that is endangered both provincially and federally, and was thought to persist on only two islands – meaning this location could be home to the last remaining mainland population in Canada. Find out more in the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority’s media release.