I loved Julia Zarankin’s cover story, A Breath of Fresh Air. Well-written, thoughtful, and with two important themes that deserve separate articles. One theme is nature every day in the city, wherever you are. Most Canadians live and work in urban areas and we cannot just focus on wild and remote nature. Few people have the privilege of my youth north of Superior, and my means now to travel anywhere. The other is the inherent limitations for many minority groups. Even I am somewhat limited on occasion as a disabled person, but my privileged circumstances provide more access to nature than many enjoy. This article shows the breadth of the good work that Ontario Nature and ON nature magazine do.
– Chris Robinson, Toronto
I was happy to see the cover of the Spring 2021 ON Nature issue, as well as the article discussing lack of equity and unequal access to Ontario’s natural spaces. These are important and complex issues and addressing them is a step in the right direction. Thank you!
– Raphaël Beaulieu, Toronto
The ON Nature cover story “A Breath of Fresh Air” is so important: All Ontarians should have equal access to the outdoors.
– Enid Christie
I love the article featuring @browngirloutdoorworld in the latest issue. The story really opened my eyes to the inequities around something that seems so simple, like spending time in nature. She’s an inspiration!
– Shelley Hunt
I’m an immigrant and for years I didn’t feel like exploring and enjoying the outdoors was something I could or should be doing. That is until I had my kids. I’m a nature lover and I’m aware of its health benefits. Hence my decision to buy a house with a backyard and nature trail nearby. I cannot live in the city or in apartment complexes. I’m claustrophobic and will go insane as some people are during this pandemic. Many people don’t know the effects the environment has on well-being. I get my children involved in nature activities. We take hikes, go camping and plant a backyard garden.
My only peeves are the few bad apples who disrespect by littering and destroying the natural environment. That makes me so mad. This article however pointed out that if people are informed, educated and allowed to enjoy something, then they can be taught to care for it. The more people are involved the more they will care. Hopefully.
– Rida Yash