With National Volunteer Week now underway, it’s an ideal time to reflect on the role people play in protecting Ontario’s biodiversity. Community science is one meaningful way to get involved. And as spring returns to Ontario, pollinators begin to reappear in fields, forests, wetlands, and gardens making them a natural group of species to observe for community science programs.

While these sightings may feel routine, they are becoming less predictable for many species. Pollinator populations are declining due to habitat loss, pesticide exposure (especially neonicotinoids), disease, invasive species, and climate change. These threats are reshaping where species can survive and fragmenting habitats that once supported stable populations. Getting involved as a volunteer observer is one of the most direct ways to support pollinator conservation in Ontario.

Why Pollinator Sightings Matter

Pollinators — such as bees, butterflies, moths, and even birds — are important indicators of ecosystem health. They support plant reproduction and help sustain food webs across the province and country. Because many species depend on specific plants or habitats, even small environmental changes can have significant impacts.

This also makes pollinators especially valuable for community science. Each observation helps researchers track biodiversity changes across Ontario over time.

Pollinators at Risk in Ontario

Under the Endangered Species Act, 2007, many species at risk received legal protection. However, Ontario’s new Species Conservation Act, 2025, introduced through Bill 5, changes how species are protected and may reduce protections for some, including certain pollinators.

Monarch (Endangered in Canada / Special Concern in Ontario)

Herbicides and insecticides reduce milkweed, a crucial piece of the Monarch’s breeding habitat. Their long-distance migration also exposes them to threats such as habitat loss and declining wildflower availability.

Rusty-patched Bumble Bee (Endangered)

Once common in southern Ontario, this species has declined sharply. The last confirmed observation records in Canada come from two Ontario Parks, Pinery Provincial Park (2009) and St. Williams Conservation Reserve (2000).

Mottled Duskywing (Endangered)

This butterfly depends on rare oak woodlands and plants such as the New Jersey Tea and Prairie Redroot. These habitats are limited and fragmented, making populations vulnerable.

West Virginia White (Special Concern)

An early spring butterfly that depends on Two-leaved Toothwort. Invasive garlic mustard is a threat to this species as it disrupts egg laying behaviour.

Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (Special Concern)

An early spring pollinator of wild plants and crops such as blueberries and apples. This bumble bee’s abundance has decreased in Ontario and is associated with habitat loss, pesticide exposure, climate change, and disease.

Contribute your Sightings

If you spot these or other species, you can contribute to community science projects:

• Butterflies and moths can be recorded through the Ontario Butterfly Atlas and the Butterflies in My Backyard project
• Bumble bees can be reported via Bumble Bee Watch
• Birds via Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas
• Reptiles and Amphibians via Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas

You can also join the global community of iNaturalist users to share and verify observations. The Natural Heritage Information Centre has a Rare Species of Ontario project.

The Ethics of Observation

Observe wildlife responsibly to avoid disturbance and ensure useful data. Follow A Nature Viewer’s Code of Ethics and be aware that many species are protected under Ontario’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and Canada’s Species at Risk Act.

Every observation matters. Whether you notice pollinators in your garden, birds overhead, or frogs in a wetland, your sightings contribute to a better understanding of Ontario’s ecosystems—and how they are changing.

Recycling in Ontario is changing in a big way. As of January 1, 2026, the province has fully transitioned to a new Blue Box system that changes who is responsible for recycling and is intended to make the process more consistent across Ontario.

Under the new rules, recycling is now managed and funded by the companies that produce packaging and paper products, rather than municipalities. This shift is known as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The idea is that companies should take more responsibility for the waste they create, while making recycling systems easier for residents to navigate.

The goal is to recycle more, send less waste to landfills, and move toward a more circular economy. But for many Ontarians, the new rules also raise a lot of questions. Here are some of the most common ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What changed in Ontario’s recycling system in 2026?

Ontario’s Blue Box program is now fully run by producers – the companies that create packaging and paper products. That means they are responsible for collecting, sorting, and recycling those materials.

An organization called Circular Materials now helps operate the Blue Box program across Ontario.

For most residents, the day-to-day experience may still look similar. The province will continue using the same blue boxes, the same curbside pickup and will continue to accept many of the same items. But behind the scenes the system has changed significantly, with the goal of creating more consistent recycling rules across the province.

2. Why is Ontario changing its recycling system?

Before this transition, municipalities shared the cost and responsibility of recycling programs, and each city or region often had its own rules. That meant something recyclable in one community might not be accepted in another.

The new system is meant to reduce that confusion. By making producers responsible for the materials they put into the marketplace, Ontario is also putting more pressure on companies to reduce unnecessary packaging and design products that are easier to recycle.

3. Will recycling rules still differ depending on where I live?

Historically, yes. What you could recycle in Toronto might not have been accepted in London, Kingston, or another municipality.

The new Blue Box system is designed to make accepted materials more consistent across Ontario. However, some local differences may still exist in how recycling is collected. For example, some municipalities may use blue boxes, while others use large recycling carts. Pickup schedules and collection contractors may also vary by region.

So while the rules about what can be recycled are becoming more standardized, the way recycling is collected may still look different from place to place.

4. Can I recycle…?

If you’ve ever stood over your recycling bin wondering, “can I recycle this?” You’re not alone.

Some cities across Ontario have helpful tools. For example, if you live in Toronto, one of the easiest ways to check is by using the Waste Wizard, an online tool that lets you search specific items and find out whether they belong in recycling, garbage, organics, or special drop-off.

Although Toronto’s Waste Wizard is one of the best-known examples, other municipalities across Ontario offer similar search tools or waste apps. They can be especially helpful for sorting items like black plastic, coffee pods, takeout containers, or mixed-material packaging.

The updated Blue Box program expands the list of accepted materials. In many cases, you can now recycle more types of packaging than before, including items like foam containers, black plastic, and certain flexible plastics. But contamination — such as food waste, liquids, or hazardous materials — can still create major problems in the recycling stream.

5. If the province has one system, why do municipalities still matter?

Even though the recycling rules are now set at the provincial level, municipalities still play a major role in waste management.

They are often responsible for services like garbage collection, green bins or organics, household hazardous waste depots and local public education. Municipalities also help residents understand changes to collection schedules, bin types and local disposal options.

In other words, the province may be standardizing the recycling system, but municipalities are still an important part of how that system works in practice.

6. Does recycling actually work?

This is one of the most important questions and one of the hardest to answer simply.

Recycling can help reduce landfill waste and recover useful materials, but it is far from a perfect solution. In Canada, recycling rates remain low. Currently, only 7% of Ontario’s waste is recycled through the Blue Box. This is due to a combination of factors, including contamination, complex materials, and limited recycling markets.

Ontario’s new recycling system is intended to improve outcomes by making producers more accountable and expanding what can be collected. But recycling alone will not solve the waste crisis.

Reducing waste in the first place and reusing materials whenever possible remains essential.

7. What should I do with electronics or hazardous waste?

Electronics and hazardous materials should never go in your Blue Box.

Items like batteries, old phones, chargers, paint, propane tanks, light bulbs, and cleaning chemicals require special handling. If they are placed in recycling, they can contaminate other materials, damage equipment, or create safety risks for workers.

Instead, these items should be taken to a designated drop-off depot, household hazardous waste site, or e-waste collection program in your municipality. Many communities in Ontario offer permanent depots or seasonal collection events for these materials.

If you are unsure, your municipality’s waste lookup tool is the best place to check.

The Bottom Line

Ontario’s new recycling rules are a major shift toward a more consistent and accountable system. By making producers responsible for the packaging they create the province is trying to improve recycling and reduce confusion for residents.

But even the best recycling system depends on public understanding and participation. Knowing what belongs in your Blue Box and taking the extra moment to check when you’re unsure can make a real difference.

At the same time, recycling is only one part of the solution. If Ontario is serious about reducing waste and protecting the environment, we also need to focus on addressing the systemic root of continuous waste generation in the first place.

Ontario’s 2026 Budget, A Plan to Protect Ontario, arrives with familiar promises of economic resilience and infrastructure growth. But beneath the surface, a persistent gap remains: meaningful investments in nature. Similar to last year’s budget, the province continues to ignore the importance of biodiversity and nature to economic resilience, community well-being and Ontario’s long-term prosperity.

Recommendations Still Being Ignored

In 2025, Ontario Nature raised concerns that the provincial budget put nature at risk by prioritizing development while weakening environmental protections. These concerns were echoed and expanded in January 2026, when Ontario Nature and 64 partner organizations called on the province to increase investments in conservation.

The unified message was clear: protecting and restoring nature is not a barrier to economic growth but is a foundation for it. Yet the 2026 budget does not meaningfully respond to these recommendations. Our recommendations presented a clear path forward – strategic investments in nature can strengthen our economy, protect communities and reduce long-term costs.

Investing in Protected Areas Creates Jobs and Boosts the Economy

Ontario remains well behind the pace required to meet the national goal of protecting 30 percent of lands and water by 2030. With just over 11 percent currently protected, the province risks falling further behind without a significant redirection in its course. A clear solution remains unprioritized: investing in protected areas is not only an environmental imperative, but an economic strategy. A coordinated annual investment of $60 million to expand Ontario’s protected areas network, particularly on Crown land, would help close this gap and support regional land use planning to protect high biodiversity and cultural value areas from industrial development.

Expanding protected area networks invests in nature-based recreation job opportunities, boosting our economy alongside protecting valuable areas. Across Canada, nature-based recreation creates over one million jobs and generates $101.6 billion in economic activity annually, not including the many additional ecosystem services that nature provides such as absorbing carbon, offsetting flood risks and improving air quality.

Wetlands: Ontario’s Built in Flood Protection

Conserving and restoring wetlands is a direct investment in public safety and affordability. Natural wetlands reduce flood damage, lower infrastructure costs and reduce costs to taxpayers. A University of Waterloo study found that maintaining wetlands can reduce flood damages by 38 percent, while other research shows that benefits of wetland protection can far exceed costs, with benefit-cost ratios reaching as high as 35:1.

Despite these benefits, the 2026 budget does not significantly expand investments in wetland conservation, leaving communities exposed to rising costs.

Nature Pays Us Back

Public support is not the barrier either. Ontarians overwhelmingly back increased conservation efforts and recognize their benefits for climate resilience, health and the economy.

Ontario’s 2026 budget speaks the language of resilience and protecting Ontario, but it fails to invest in the natural systems that make resilience possible. It seems that most Ontarians are not convinced the government is “protecting Ontario” based on recent polling. Until this changes, the province will continue to take on higher costs, greater risks and missed opportunities.

Take Action

While provinces across Canada begin implementing meaningful conservation plans, Ontario is falling behind. Rather than weakening environmental protections and shifting the costs of conservation onto communities, the provincial government must commit to sustained, long-term investments in nature.

Protecting nature protects all of us. Stay informed, contact your MPP, and demand better protections for Ontario’s lands and waters. You can also take action today by signing one of Ontario Nature’s Action Alerts.

Rabbits and hares are often overlooked, even though they are a crucial part of our ecosystems serving as a key food source for many species and even an indicator of climate change.

“Poor rabbits. It’s the exact reason I started rehabbing them, because I felt sorry for them,” says Tallulah, founder of My Wildlife Rescue, the only authorized wildlife custodian in Ontario that specializes in rehabilitating neonatal and juvenile wild rabbits and hares. “Other animals have the ability to defend themselves.”

Tallulah, who opened her rescue in 2018, suggests there are two reasons that rabbits and hares are underrated animals: people see rabbits as common and often assume wild native rabbits and domestic rabbits are similar, so they lose interest in learning about wild ones. “Basically, they are just seen as common, and you can just get [a domestic] one in the store,” she says.

And unlike bears, lynx and wolves, “They aren’t charismatic megafauna…Humans like to learn about predators, I don’t know why, but it seems like something we can relate to,” Tallulah hypothesizes, “They are also very hard to study because they are small, quiet and active at dusk and dawn.”

Although largely understudied in Ontario, Tallulah argues that native rabbits and hares are sensitive indicators of climate change. Droughts, for example, can drastically reduce rabbit litters mid-summer, as extreme heat stresses mothers, limits food, and increases mortality among kits. “Last year, we had loads of babies in the spring, then nothing in the middle of the summer, and it picked up again in the fall,” says Tallulah, reflecting how a summer drought directly affects rabbit populations.

Snowshoe hares face another challenge: their fur changes colour based on day length, not snow cover. With winters arriving later and ending earlier, the white hares stand out against snowless ground, making them more vulnerable to predators. Changes in populations and survival rates of these animals reflect the broader impacts of shifting weather patterns.

Because wild rabbits and hares are often not seen as having economic value, rescues that care for them tend to receive limited public or government support and fewer donations. This is unfortunate, as species like the snowshoe hares form a crucial part of the food web. “They basically feed everybody. For example, the Canada lynx lives and dies by the cycle of the snowshoe hare. If there are very few hares, there will be very few lynx because that’s usually what they eat.”

At her Ottawa-based rescue, Tallulah cares for two of Ontario’s most common young rabbits (kits) and hares (leverets): Eastern cottontails and snowshoe hares. In total, Ontario is home to five species, including the white-tailed jackrabbit, Arctic hare in the far north, and the non-native European hare, which was introduced over a century ago but is rarely seen today. Chances are that the Eastern cottontail and snowshoe hare are the two you’ll most likely spot in the wild.

The Main Difference Between Rabbits and Hares

If you come across a young rabbit or hare, these key differences can help you identify them:

Rabbits are born blind, hairless, and completely helpless. They grow fur and open their eyes around seven to eight days old. Eastern cottontail rabbits build small nests, shallow indentations in the grass lined with fur and vegetation.

Hares are born with fur, with their eyes open, and are ready to move. Snowshoe hares do not burrow; instead, their leverets are born in the open. Within a day, the young start exploring and hiding, though they remain near the birthplace because the mother returns twice daily to feed them, similar to Eastern cottontails. Additionally, mature hares fur changes colour with seasons, helping them blend into their environment.

How to Help Rabbits and Hares

“Everybody can do something [to help rabbits and hares this spring],” says Tallulah. Here’s what she recommends:

• Let grass grow the entire season, from early spring until late fall. Avoid mowing certain areas as tall grass provides food, cover and nesting spots. Mowing grass risks destroying nests and hurting or killing the kits and leverets.
• Protect their habitat. Join a local conservation group to support their environment.
• Observe respectfully. Watch from a distance or use a trail cam.
• For adult rabbits and hares living in the wild, provide clean water, not food. Never feed or attempt to tame wild rabbits and hares.
• Plant native vegetation. Include extra vegetables in your garden for the rabbits instead of chasing them or letting pets harass them. “They don’t have a grocery store they can go to. Be kind,” says Tallulah.
• Keep pets in check: Leash dogs and keep cats indoors or build a catio to protect wildlife.
• Avoid rodenticides. Hire professionals that use humane ways to capture animals and keep harmful chemicals out of the food chain.
• For wild rabbits and hares that need help, contact a wildlife centre that takes in rabbits. Tallulah also warns that domestic rabbits should never be released into the wild. Their bright colours make them easy targets for predators, and they lack the camouflage, instinct and hardiness of wild rabbits and hares. Additionally, they are too friendly towards humans and pets and the harsh climate is fatal for them. Released domestic rabbits often die quickly from starvation, predation or disease. Contact a rabbit rescue like https://rabbitrescue.ca/ or use this rabbit rescue resource page https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Ontario to rehome an unwanted pet.

Since 2018, Ontario’s nature protections have been repeatedly weakened. While a few stories such as the ongoing changes to Conservation Authorities or the Greenbelt scandal made headlines, dozens of major changes have flown under the radar, buried deep inside massive government bills. It has been a lot to track, even for us.

Today, Ontario Nature is releasing a comprehensive new resource: Tracked Changes: The Decline of Ontario’s Legal Protections for Nature since 2018. We tracked every single piece of legislation that weakened legal protections for nature and biodiversity from the first term of the current provincial government to today. We broke it all down in plain language, cutting through the legislative jargon to reveal exactly how our environmental laws have been rewritten.

What We Found: A Disturbing Pattern

Our review, detailed in the full report, catalogs the changes made bill-by-bill and schedule-by-schedule. Over the past seven years, key environmental laws, built over decades, have been systematically dismantled.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been a primary target. Changes began with Bill 108 in 2019, which created a “Species at Risk Conservation Fund.” Critics called this a ‘pay-to-slay’ scheme, allowing proponents to pay a fee instead of being legally required to provide an “overall benefit” to the species they are harming. This process culminated in 2025 with Bill 5, which fundamentally rewrote the ESA to prioritize economic considerations over science-based recovery and even created a new law, the Species Conservation Act, to eventually replace it entirely.

Conservation Authorities (CAs), our frontline defenders against flooding and protectors of wetlands, have been substantially weakened. Bill 229 in 2020 forced CAs to issue permits for developments authorized by a Minister’s Zoning Order, even if those projects would be denied under their own standards for flood protection. The Auditor General criticized this move for shifting environmental decision-making from qualified professionals to political processes.

Public oversight and democratic accountability have been sidelined at every turn. The independent Environmental Commissioner of Ontario was eliminated in 2018 through Bill 57. The government has repeatedly circumvented the Environmental Bill of Rights, sometimes passing legislation before public comment periods on those very proposals have even closed, as happened with Bill 150 in 2023.

The Strategy: Buried in Omnibus Bills

Few of these changes got the headlines they deserved. Nearly all of them were buried inside massive omnibus bills. These are bills that bundle dozens of changes into a single piece of legislation.

For example, Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025, was a single bill that:

• Repeals the Endangered Species Act.
• Cancelled environmental agreements for the Eagle’s Nest mine project and exempted the Chatham-Kent waste site from certain approvals. 
• Centralized mining authority in the Minister, enabling fast-tracked permits. 
• Removed public consultation rights for permits related to the Ontario Place redevelopment. 
• Established Special Economic Zones where selected projects can be exempted from provincial and local laws, including environmental protections. 

This strategy of putting so much into a single bill ensures that major changes to environmental protections pass into law with little media coverage or public awareness. Our new resource cuts through this volume, separating each schedule so you can see exactly what changed and how.

Why This Resource Matters

These changes didn’t happen all at once, and taken together, they systematically dismantle many of Ontario’s most significant legal environmental protections.

This report is designed as a tool for advocates, journalists, and anyone who wants to understand what has happened to nature protections in Ontario over three terms of the current government. We hope this will make it easier for people to see the full picture and understand not only what laws have changed, but how these changes have circumvented democratic transparency.

You can read the full report here.

At a friend’s cottage I recently uncovered a copy of The Reptiles of Ontario published in 1939 by the Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology. It’s an artifact that thrills with the mention of the extraordinary nature once found near human settlement.

It says that, in 1877, a timber rattlesnake, a species now extirpated from Ontario, was discovered a mile from Niagara Falls and even into the late 1930s this large snake—which can be five feet or longer—was found at Niagara Glen.

The spiny soft-shelled turtle, now endangered, once occurred in Hamilton Bay. The spotted turtle, also endangered, was in the 1930s common around Lake Erie. The eastern hog-nosed snake, currently threatened, was in 1907 found in Toronto.

The book’s most uplifting section is devoted to the Massasauga rattlesnake. The author, E.B.S. Logier, offers it a measure of empathy. In fact, he hints that it has intrinsic value.

This is extraordinary given that it’s long been reviled in the province. From the time of early settlement on, many considered it dangerous. Elizabeth Simcoe, wife of the first lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada, wrote in her diary in the 1790s that 700 rattlesnakes were killed during the building of a mill on the Humber River.

Logier laments that the creature is rarely seen and adds, “There will be multitudes of serious-minded people in the generations yet to come who will wish to see and study rattlesnakes…so there is a responsibility incumbent on us who are living today, and who by the very nature of the case are trustees of an estate to be passed on, not to wantonly destroy any living thing, regardless of whether from our point of view it is a desirable creature or not.”

Logier says we should protect rattlers because it would benefit humans: future Ontarians may want to experience them. But by urging their preservation even if they aren’t desirable ‘from our point of view’ he also suggests wildlife has inherent worth. It’s his use of ‘our point of view’ — coming decades before the modern environmental movement — that’s impressive here.

Further, in calling us “trustees of an estate”, he implies our job is not to exploit the natural world but to safeguard it. This echoes the message and conservation work of Ontario Nature, which reminds us that the environment is entrusted to us for future generations, not as something to own, but as something to steward.

Logier isn’t ready to grant the Massasauga constitutional rights (what might be called “security of the serpent”), but he’s gesturing in that direction.

And given he was writing 87 years ago, that’s admirable.

Incorporating nature into local development can have a significant impact on human health. Examples include improved sleep and academic performance in children, metabolic risk reduction in adults, and longevity in seniors. Though there is evidence for human benefit, it is particularly important for other species who may call these spaces home.

This is highlighted by a rare visitor to the Simcoe area this winter, as a great grey owl took up residence in a local wooded lot. Great grey owls are not known to be migratory species, however, will travel south during particularly harsh winter months in search of food sources. Great grey owls typically live in coniferous forests and muskegs. They will hunt during the day while watching prey from a low perch as they are elusive and often go unnoticed.

The owl brought birders from hours away for a chance to observe and photograph the rare visitor. It has been given the nickname, the “Phantom of the North” for its elusive nature, silent flight and ability to disappear into the forest, making it particularly special to witness.

With the rarity of the species brings challenges with ethical implications. Here are some practical tips to keep in mind:

1. In the day and age of social media, photographers and observers should caution on location sharing to avoid overcrowding and stressing the bird. Additionally, observers should obtain permission to post observations from Indigenous Reserve lands, respecting both community protocols and cultural considerations. It is recommended to delay sharing images until the bird has left the area.
2. Give a respectable distance to observe the species so they can behave normally and utilize their full senses for hunting. Noise and movement can make hunting more challenging, and flushing the owl forces it to expend valuable energy.
3. It is best to limit the amount of time spent with the animal so that it can both rest and hunt as needed. A constant flow of observers, even if brief, can be detrimental to any species.
4. Be aware of baiting – a harmful practice that can leave owls more prone to vehicle collisions and expose them to pathogens carried through rodents. It also brings attention to the importance of choosing ethical tours and workshops.

As the owl spent several months in the area, it was an amazing opportunity to observe such a magnificent species. It also highlighted the large role that humans play in their survival. The area that the owl spent most of the winter in is approximately 0.1-0.2 km² and is surrounded by commercial, industrial and medical infrastructure.

Though a strong case can be made for larger uninterrupted green spaces, the small size of the area highlights the significant impact a small area can have in conservation and wildlife protection. While urban development can follow many models, the 3-30–300 rule developed by Dr. Cecil Konijnendijk suggests that every resident see at least three decently-sized trees from home, have 30 percent tree canopy in their neighbourhood and live within 300 metres of the nearest park or public green space. These small changes can have a significant impact on both human health and provide valuable habitat for migratory species. For this rare visiting great grey owl this small green space meant survival in the harsh winter months.

“How about doing a moth survey at Sydenham?”

“A moss survey?” Asked Roberta Buchanan, local property steward for Sydenham River Nature Reserve, who didn’t quite hear me while we were walking outside.

“No, moths. Like a nocturnal equivalent to the butterfly survey. Who knows what we’ll find?”

It was 2023. I knew how unique the reserve was through my involvement with the annual butterfly and breeding bird surveys, and I suspected this oasis of biodiversity had fantastic potential for moths.

Compared to their diurnal counterparts, moths are relatively under-surveyed. Most species are nocturnal and inconspicuous, and documenting them requires specialized survey techniques – sheets and live traps baited with light or food. It also requires dedicated surveyors willing to stay up all night!

On the evening of June 24, 2024, a team of volunteers (Roberta Buchanan, Mark Buchanan, Paul Carter, Pete Chapman, Scott Connop, Deryl Nethercott, Dale Buchner, and myself) from Lambton Wildlife set up two light sheets and two traps across the Sydenham River Nature Reserve property. We documented hundreds of individual moths well into the night, and even more when we opened the traps the following morning. Then came the real fun: sorting through thousands of photos and identifying every moth.

Identifying all these moths is no trivial task. There are over 3,000 species of moths in Ontario, so field guides include only the most common species. Encountering moths that aren’t in the guide is common, and several groups of moths are notoriously hard to identify, even for experienced moth-ers. My approach is to photograph every moth, upload these photos to iNaturalist with my tentative ID, and wait for confirmation by a moth expert. For those who don’t know, iNaturalist is an online platform where you can post photos or recordings of an organism and crowdsource identifications from experts all over the world.

To keep track of the growing species list, I created an iNaturalist project which automatically consolidates all the moth observations from the property. The strength of this approach is that it stays current, as taxonomic changes and revised identifications will update the species list automatically. This makes it more reliable over time than a static checklist, which inevitably becomes outdated. As of 2026, we have documented 196 species of moth that first night, 13 of which are considered vulnerable at some level. After a second survey in May 2025, the total moth species count at Sydenham River Nature Reserve stands at 328, including 30 vulnerable species.

Fast forward to July 2025. I was checking my iNaturalist and saw there was a comment on one of my moth observations from the 2024 survey. Someone disagreed with my identification of what I believed to be a common white-fringed emerald, suggesting instead a species I hadn’t heard of – a Tuscarora emerald.

I quickly checked the range map, and my excitement spiked: this was a very rare moth, with only about fifty observations, all from the eastern United States – mostly localized populations in the Appalachians. If this was actually a Tuscarora emerald, it would likely represent the first record for Canada.

The identifier, Daniel Kluza (d_kluza on iNaturalist), a New Zealand-based biologist and iNaturalist taxonomy curator, pointed out a critical detail: our moth lacked the pure white spot on top of the abdomen which is present on the white-fringed emerald. This was a subtle difference, but potentially a decisive one. I needed a second opinion.

I reached out to Seabrooke Leckie, co-author of the Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America, and asked what she thought of it. Her response was unequivocal:

“I pulled out the Moths Of North America fascicle for this group to have a look at the official description of both species, Tuscarora and White-fringed, and I agree that this is Tuscarora. What a find!… Besides the presence/absence of the white spot at the base of the abdomen, the fascicle also says the white costa is very narrowly bordered inwardly by an apricot colour, and the AM and PM lines are wider than in White-fringed, both of which appear present here. There are no other eastern species that have both the white fringe and no markings on the abdomen.”

What makes this record especially meaningful is not just the rarity of Tuscarora emerald, but the way in which it was found. It was the result of methodical work by a team of volunteer community scientists, combined with the expertise of moth specialists. Not too long ago, access to such expertise was a significant roadblock, but it’s now easily facilitated through platforms such as iNaturalist.

We don’t know if this observation represents a previously overlooked population, a vagrant individual, or a northern range expansion driven by climate change. What is clear, however, is that protected places like Sydenham River Nature Reserve continue to demonstrate their conservation value in unexpected ways. When we take the time to look closely and collaboratively at under-surveyed groups like moths, we reveal hidden layers of biodiversity, uncovering the true richness of landscapes we thought we already knew.

Like many regions across Ontario, West Lake in Prince Edward County is experiencing altered shorelines, habitat fragmentation, and growing development pressure. The 1,903-hectare lake is bordered by the largest freshwater baymouth barrier dune system in the world, found within Sandbanks Provincial Park. West Lake contains a large provincially significant wetland and is home to at least 35 species at risk.

West Lake Community Association (WLCA) is a volunteer non-profit that was formed to engage residents and visitors of the small community with the aim of preserving its uniqueness and protecting West Lake’s biodiverse and fragile ecosystems. WLCA is a member of Ontario Nature’s Nature Network.

Understanding the Threats to West Lake

WLCA and Ontario Nature began a collaborative project with a fundamental question: where is the most vulnerable habitat around West Lake? Several major threats are impacting the ecosystems in and around the lake, including shoreline erosion and development pressure. Parts of West Lake are being choked out by rapidly spreading invasive aquatic vegetation. These threats are affecting a variety of species at risk in the area, including Blanding’s turtle, monarch butterfly and bobolink.

Creating Habitat Suitability Models for Species at Risk in West Lake

Through a collaborative effort to identify where species are most vulnerable in West Lake, partners created habitat suitability models to show where important habitat exists and where habitat restoration and stewardship efforts may be needed.

Selecting Species for Our Models

Our project chose four “representative species” whose habitat needs overlap with those of many other plants and animals in the area: butternut, Eastern meadowlark, Eastern musk turtle and pugnose shiner. These species were selected because together they represent a range of terrestrial and aquatic habitat needs. When the models for these four species were combined, it highlighted these specific vulnerable habitats: healthy woodlands that support butternut, open meadows and fields used by Eastern meadowlark, wetlands and shorelines that are needed by Eastern musk turtles, and clean, vegetated water where pugnose shiner live.

Identifying Important Habitat for Protection and Restoration

Much of the ideal habitat was near the provincially significant West Lake Wetland, along shorelines in the northeast corner of the lake, and within Sandbanks Provincial Park. These areas may represent priority locations where habitat restoration and conservation efforts could be focused.

Sharing the Importance of West Lake with an Interactive Story Map

Engaging with the community and sharing knowledge about West Lake was another goal of the project. WLCA works to encourage interest and engagement among residents to help preserve the uniqueness of the West Lake watershed. They have hosted numerous educational workshops and events, including an annual Environmental Symposium, creating signage to raise awareness of the West Lake Wetland, and partnered with Water Rangers on their Youth Engagement project to train youth on water quality monitoring.

Through collaboration, partners have created the West Lake StoryMap, an interactive mapping tool that blends maps and images to share information about West Lake’s history and ecology. The West Lake StoryMap allows residents and visitors to:

• Discover the history of West Lake
• Identify threats to its ecosystems
• Explore areas vulnerable to flooding, erosion and other natural hazards
• Learn about actions WLCA has taken to steward West Lake

By bringing together community perspectives and spatial analyses, the West Lake community has a clear picture of what makes this place special and what threatens its ecosystems. These tools are intended to inspire residents and visitors to get involved in the conservation and protection of West Lake, through shoreline restoration, invasive species removal or by simply learning more about the species that call this area home. With this StoryMap and the continued leadership of the West Lake Community Association, everyone can play a part in keeping West Lake in Prince Edward County healthy for generations to come.

Contact Us

If you or your organization are interested in exploring a conservation or habitat modelling project in Ontario like this, please reach out to Graeme Smith by email at graemes@ontarionature.org or by submitting a request form.

By Graeme Smith and Cathie Coultis

Graeme Smith is the GIS Coordinator at Ontario Nature. He has completed a B.Sc. in biology at Laurentian University and a M.Sc. in environmental and life sciences at Trent University. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, playing board games and exploring the outdoors.

Cathie Coultis is the Chair and Co-Founder of West Lake Community Association. She lives in the hamlet of West Lake with her husband and family dog, enjoys kayaking, cycling, bird watching, gardening, snowshoeing and being active in their rural community.

Wasaga Beach Provincial Park is one of Ontario’s most beloved natural places and provides habitat for endangered piping plovers. Stretching 14 kilometres along the Georgian Bay shoreline, it attracts more than one million visitors annually. Wasaga Beach is the most visited provincial park in the province. Beyond the crowds, the park protects dune ecosystems and habitats that are vital to other at-risk species like the eastern hognose snake, Hill’s thistle and the monarch butterfly.

Now, the Government of Ontario has removed provincial park protections from a significant portion of the beach and intends to transfer the lands to the Town of Wasaga Beach. This would weaken long-standing protections for these fragile habitats, and the piping plovers that depend on them.

The Plan: Develop Lands for Tourism

The news came in May 2025, when the Government of Ontario announced the transferring of lands to the Town of Wasaga Beach to develop the waterfront for tourism.

In June, the government posted a proposal on the Environmental Registry (ERO #025-0694) to amend the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act. The proposal would remove several parcels of land from Wasaga Beach Provincial Park (roughly 60 hectares). Four of the park’s eight beach areas, including Areas 1 and 2, New Wasaga Beach and Allenwood Beach are included in the transfer. These areas are the most important piping plover habitat at Wasaga Beach.

At the end of November, the Government of Ontario passed Bill 68, Plan to Protect Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2025 (No.2), which included a schedule removing these lands from regulation under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act.

Public response to the proposal was overwhelmingly opposed, with approximately 98 percent of comments objecting to the removal of beach areas from the park. Key concerns focused on potential environmental impacts, legal and governance issues, and implications for public access and equity.

Despite this feedback, no changes were made to the proposal, citing the Town of Wasaga Beach’s commitments to maintaining public access, and avoiding development on the beach. Lands removed from the park will remain subject to Ontario’s environmental protection laws.

While the province has stated the beaches will remain public, what remains unclear is how these lands and their ecological integrity would be managed once they are no longer under provincial park legislation. These changes come at the hills of over 100 species losing protection under the province’s new Species Conservation Act.

Piping Plovers Could Lose Critical Protections

The changes to both land ownership and species at risk laws significantly heighten the endangerment to piping plovers at Wasaga Beach.

Piping plovers are small shorebirds that nest directly on open sand, making them especially vulnerable to disturbance. In Ontario, they are listed as endangered under federal law, and Wasaga Beach has played a critical role in their population recovery. Successful nesting depends on a healthy dune ecosystem, undisturbed beaches, and careful seasonal management – conditions that can be easily disrupted if the lands are developed for tourism.

With decisions about shoreline use, tourism infrastructure, and beach “maintenance” now under municipal authority, activities like beach raking could threaten nesting piping plovers and weaken the dune systems that naturally protect the shoreline from erosion, storms, and climate impacts.

The replacement of Ontario’s Endangered Species Act with the Species Conservation Act narrows the definition of protected habitats, potentially leaving dunes and foraging areas outside nesting sites unprotected. In addition, the Government of Ontario intends to de-list migratory birds all together to “remove duplication for species already receiving federal protections.” To date, the federal government has been reluctant to implement the Species at Risk Act on non-federal lands, which is why complementary provincial legislation was always necessary.

In a 2025 media release, Ontario Nature’s Conservation Policy and Campaigns Director Tony Morris said transferring these areas to the town puts both wildlife and long-standing conservation efforts at risk.

Under municipal ownership, decades-long dune restoration and habitat protections, carried out by Ontario Parks, could disappear. Without the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act in place, Morris says the town would not be required to manage the land for ecological health.

Federal Emergency Action Sought

In response to the loss of provincial protections, Ecojustice has filed a formal request on behalf of Environmental Defence and Ontario Nature, calling on the federal Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature Julie Dabrusin, to recommend an Emergency Order under the federal Species at Risk Act.

The emergency order request seeks immediate protection for critical piping plover habitat at Wasaga Beach. With the nesting season approaching, conservation groups are calling for action by March 1, 2026, noting that further delays could have serious consequences for the species’ survival and recovery in Ontario.

What You Can Do

Call or email your MPP, and elected officials from the Town of Wasaga Beach to ask what they are doing to ensure Wasaga Beach remains a natural shoreline that balances tourism and a healthy ecosystem for the species that call it home.

You can also learn about the major projects and initiatives at the Town of Wasaga Beach.

If you are a resident of Wasaga Beach, visit this website to learn how you can get involved.

You can also contact Wasaga Beach’s Mayor and Council to ask them to protect this globally rare ecosystem.

During Ontario Nature’s Bill 5 Explained webinar, Carolynne Crawley – co-founder of Turtle Protectors and Founder of Msit No’kmaq – encouraged the audience to, “Engage in meaningful conversations with those you know in a good way… It’s really important we take that time to share. And if someone has a difference of opinion and supports these bills, inquire why. Ask them. Ask them questions.”

Climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental policy are complex topics that can quickly become emotional or divisive. We asked four environmental communications experts from David Suzuki Foundation, Sierra Club Canada Foundation, Greenpeace Canada and Ontario Nature about how to talk to your loved ones about the environment you love.

Here’s what we learned:

Start From Connection, Not Conflict

When talking about environmental issues, Becca Kram Dos Santos, Communications and Public Engagement Specialist at David Suzuki Foundation, recommends leading with what you share rather than what divides you.

“Instead of opening with the latest environmental headline or climate catastrophe, try to first connect with something you both care about like family, the cost of groceries and/or your favourite green space,” she says. This approach keeps the conservation grounded and human rather than abstract or argumentative.

Ontario Nature’s Communications Manager, Melina Damián, echoes this approach. “Focus on your shared values. Regardless of where people stand in the political spectrum, I bet everyone cares about community, family, safety and a better future,” she says. “When you have a conversation with someone with differing views, it could help to focus on what a shared future would look like – a world where everyone feels included and the wellbeing of people and nature go hand in hand.”

Connor Curtis, Director of Communications at Sierra Club Canada Foundation reinforces finding common ground. “Ask your family member what worries them most about climate change and then share what worries you – share emotions and listen to their concerns first so you know how they see things and so you establish that both of you do care on some level.”

Listen First, Lead with Empathy

“Simply listen,” Kram Dos Santos says. “When people feel heard, they’ll be more open to new information. From there, you can begin to gently connect the dots.”

Sien Van den broeke, Nature and Biodiversity Campaigner at Greenpeace Canada, echoes this sentiment. “Just understanding that people have different lived realities helps me meet them with empathy and care. Try to find out what their experience has been before asserting your own opinions,” she says. “Leaving space for everyone to share their thoughts, I find, helps a lot in learning where they come from and finding solutions together.”

Damián agrees that good conversations grow from focusing on shared values and deep, respectful listening. “Approach others from a place of empathy and curiosity. Or as one of my favourite authors, Edgar Villanueva from Decolonizing Wealth, would say: try to ‘listen in colour.” Damián explains that listening in colour is a superpower that can help bridge divisive views by encouraging good listening that includes being open, empathetic and holistic.

Think Strategically and Make Room for Self-care

Curtis offers a practical point: you don’t have to debate everyone.

“Think strategically and talk to the right people,” they advise. “To do that you have to identify the people in the room who haven’t made their minds up yet or are truly persuadable and focus your energy and time on them.”

Rather than trying to persuade everyone at a gathering, Curtis suggests being strategic about where you invest your time and emotional effort. This is not about avoiding difficult conversations but about recognizing limits and choosing discussions where dialogue and understanding are more likely.

“My point being, don’t spend five hours talking with someone who either already agrees with you or will never agree with you. Spend one hour each talking to five different people who are on the fence or in the middle on an issue with the aim of bringing them closer to agreeing with environmental action.”

This approach isn’t just about being effective; it also helps keep conversations sustainable over time, so you don’t feel exhausted or discouraged by every disagreement.

It’s reminiscent of Crawley who stressed the importance of self-care during the Bill 5 Explained webinar. “When we are doing this work, whether you are First Nations, whether you are in an organization, or an individual community member, and you are trying to do whatever you can to stand up against these things… it’s really important for us to take care of ourselves in the process. So, we continue to fill up our cups, so we don’t burn out.”

Wetlands don’t always get the attention they deserve. Often quiet, muddy and tucked away at the edges of our communities, they can be easy to overlook. But wetlands are among the most powerful ecosystems on Earth and on World Wetlands Day we have a chance to change how we see them.

Ontario is home to roughly 25 percent of all wetlands in Canada and about six percent of wetlands globally. These are also Indigenous cultural landscapes, stewarded by many Nations since time immemorial. Wetlands support iconic wildlife, help protect communities from flooding, purify our water and provide spaces for people to connect with nature close to home.

Yet despite their immense value, wetlands have been disappearing at an alarming rate. Southern Ontario has lost an estimated 70 percent of its original wetlands, and in the Greater Toronto Area, that figure rises to nearly 90 percent. In recent years, weakened wetland and habitat protections have added new pressures to ecosystems that were already under strain.

Still, there is reason for hope.

Protecting Wetlands from the Ground Up

This World Wetlands Day, Ontario Nature is proud to shine a light on a group of inspiring community champions who are standing up for wetlands across the province. From Indigenous land protectors to local advocates, educators, and municipal leaders, these individuals are proving that meaningful conservation often starts with local people taking action at the community level.

People like Carolynne Crawley, Co-Founder of Turtle Protectors / Mishiikenh Gizhaasowin, who blends two-eyed seeing and public advocacy to protect our turtle relatives living within Tkaronto and establish Indigenous stewardship programs for their wetland habitats.

Or Janet Stavinga, President and Co-Founder of Friends of Stittsville Wetlands, who has mobilized community volunteers to protect and restore the ecologically significant Goulbourn Wetland Complex near Ottawa.

Across Ontario, other champions like Michel Koostachin, Tara Bauer, Susan Bryan, Tess Prendergast, and Matt Thomson are working within their own communities to protect wetlands from development, advocate for stronger policies and ensure these ecosystems continue to support people and wildlife alike.

Their tireless efforts remind us that while government decisions matter, community action is a powerful force – especially when people come together around a shared love for the places they call home. The full list of 2026 Wetland Community Champions is:

• Tara Bauer, Director, Turtles Kingston.
• Susan Bryan, Nature Reserve Liaison, Thunder Bay Field Naturalists.
• Carolynne Crawley, Co-Founder, Turtle Protectors / Mishiikenh Gizhaasowin.
• Michel Koostachin, Founder, Friends of the Attawapiskat River.
• Tess Prendergast, Orangeville Town Councillor.
• Janet Stavinga, Co-Founder & Board President, Friends of Stittsville Wetlands.
• Matt Thomson, Community Conservationist & Chair, Mariposa Ecological Initiative.

Why Wetlands Matter Now More Than Ever

As climate change intensifies, wetlands are becoming increasingly important. They act as natural sponges during heavy rains, reducing flood risks. They store carbon, helping to slow climate change. And they provide refuge for countless species at a time when biodiversity is in deep trouble across the province.

Protecting wetlands isn’t just about conservation—it’s about community safety, clean water, climate resilience, and quality of life.

How You Can Take Action

World Wetlands Day is not only a moment to celebrate. It’s a moment to act.

To help people speak up for wetlands in their own communities, Ontario Nature has created a new Wetlands Advocacy Toolkit. The toolkit includes clear information about wetlands, shareable resources, and tips for speaking with your elected officials to highlight why wetland protection matters now more than ever.

Whether you’re an Ontario Nature Nature Network member, part of another local group, or simply someone who cares about nature, your voice matters.

Wetlands have quietly protected us for generations. This World Wetlands Day, let’s return the favour by standing with the community champions working every day to ensure these vital ecosystems are around for future generations.

Explore the Wetlands Advocacy Toolkit and take action today.