Re: “Under the gun“, (Feature, Spring 2016) Am writing from Grey Bruce – home of a unique variation on Black Bears – and so read with interest, the piece by Conor re: Under the Gun. I attempted to find the Ted Talk (2013) that he spoke about toward the end of the article – but […]
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Author: ON Nature
Published quarterly by Ontario Nature, ON Nature brings readers closer to nature by exploring Ontario’s natural areas and wildlife and providing insight into current environmental issues.
This award-winning magazine features in-depth articles on the environment and conservation issues and stunning colour photography. Read about wilderness travel and destinations, natural history and up-to-date news on conservation battles.
ON Nature Magazine Spring 2016
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This Issue A river runs through it. By Caroline Schultz 6 | Earth Watch Caribou concerns; controlling sea lamprey; sustainable trail building; reflected lights and bird strikes; master naturalists; protecting the Greenbelt. 34 | Our Community A lasting legacy. 37 | Our Member Groups On the trail with field botanists. 38 | […]
ON Nature Magazine Winter 2015
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueSkin in the game.By Caroline Schultz 6 | Earth WatchPlovers make a comeback; air quality improves; nature reserve renamed; halting wetland destruction; beech bark disease; inspiring the next generation. 35 | Our Community Heart and soul. 37 | Our Member Groups A Misery Bay mystery. 38 | Last WordStrategies abound, but where is […]
ON Nature Magazine Fall 2015
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueTwenty-five cents.By Caroline Schultz 6 | Earth WatchHawk Cliff Woods campaign; greenest school; curing bats; cycling the Greenebelt; fire ants spread an invasive plant; rusty crayfish; microbeads; a decade of leadership. 35 | Our Community Conservation heroes recognized. 37 | Our Member Groups BioBlitz trail blazers. 38 | Last WordReviving the agricultural diversity […]
ON Nature Magazine Summer 2015
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueEmbracing conservation.By Caroline Schultz 6 | Earth Watch Boosting conservation in the Greenbelt Tracking fish in the Toronto Harbour Wild edible plants app Master Naturalist Program Bird-friendly coffee with Birds and Beans Bioslicks and Lake Simcoe Ragweed on the rise with climate change Ontario Nature’s Nature Reserves infographic Yellow-banded bumblebees, species […]
Wi-fi in Provincial Parks
Last Word “Keep our parks Wi-Fi free, ” (page 38, spring 2015). We incorrectly reported that the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry proposed Wi-Fi expansion in provincial parks. In fact, Ontario Parks does not at present have any plans to proceed with Wi-Fi expansion. Paragraph two of the article should read: “It seems Parks Canada […]
ON Nature Magazine Spring 2015
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This Issue Cornerstone of a greener Ontario. By Caroline Schultz 7 | Letters Eye-opener; cottagers as stewards; getting the tracks straight. 8 | Earth Watch COSEWIC review; island threatened; BioBlitz 2015; reserve repairs; bird-friendly glass; biocontrol; turtle tracking; Greenbelt celebrates 10th anniversary, atlas update. 36 | Our Community Waiting-room conservation. 37 | […]
ON Nature Magazine Winter 2014
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueHalf empty.By Caroline Schultz 6 | Earth Watch American marten in focus New nature sanctuary in Lanark County Ontario Nature Youth Summit Glen Murray, Ontario’s first Minister of Environment and Climate Change How wood frogs brave the winter Notable hog-nosed snake sighting Winter animal tracking 101 Toxic fallout at Grassy Narrows […]
Urban Rivers
Re: “A river runs through it” in ON Nature, fall 2014 When I was taking night courses at the University of Toronto in the early 60s, I took a birding course with Professor Baillie. To get to this and my other courses, I rode the subway from Etobicoke, got off at St. George station, crossed Bloor […]
Bank Swallow
Re: “Over a burrow” in ON Nature, fall 2014 I am encouraged by the enlightened attitude of Canada Building Materials towards the bank swallows nesting in their sand and gravel pits. The company’s “live and let live” policy serves as a model for other aggregate operations. Perhaps though, in concert with bank-swallow friendly aggregate policies, […]
ON Nature Magazine Fall 2014
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueProtect our pollinators.By Caroline Schultz 6 | LettersA culture of fear. 8 | Earth WatchProtecting Lake Superior shoreline; crunchy cattails; missing frog; stewardship on the farm; shoreline naturalization; hiking hotspots; roadside habitat; coal-free Ontario; Rouge Park fixes; childhood friends reunite. 36 | Our Community Eco-heroes walk among us. 37 | Our Member […]
ON Nature Magazine Summer 2014
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueRemembering Lorne Almack.By Caroline Schultz 7 | LettersWoodpeckers revisited; cats and birds. 8 | Earth WatchClimate change wreaks havoc; Year of the Salamander; Midhurst residents oppose development; photographer Robert McCaw; birding abroad; pollinator campaign; help us grow the Lost Bay Nature Reserve. 36 | Our Member Groups Niagara Falls Nature Club readies […]
ON Nature Magazine Spring 2014
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueLegal action pays off.By Caroline Schultz 6 | Earth WatchFields and feathers; thirty years of tracking herps; slow turtles, fast cars; guide helps planners protect Greenway; restoration work at Kinghurst; David and Goliath. 37 | Our Community Krug legacy lives on. 35 | Our Member Groups Nature London is 150 years young. 38 […]
ON Nature Magazine Winter 2013
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueTo sleep or not to sleep.By Caroline Schultz 6 | Earth WatchThe right to nature; surveying the wild harvest; growing threat to the Attawapiskat River; bringing savanna back to Ontario; the quintessential Canadian experience; lawsuit launched to protect Ontario’s Endangered Species Act. 35 | Our Member Groups Nature Network nearing 150 groups. […]
ON Nature Magazine Fall 2013
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueFool’s gold: Under the guide of efficiency and streamlining the government tarnished the Endangered Species Act.By Caroline Schultz 6 | Earth WatchSafer roads for wildlife; going mobile with the new reptile and amphibian app; cutting on private woodlots; the plight of the monarch; top two nature photos; Pickering Airport now. 35 […]
ON Nature Magazine Summer 2013
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueListening to butterflies: Experts can’t pinpoint exactly why butterfly populations are shifting but it should give us pause.By Caroline Schultz 6 | Earth WatchThe reptile and amphibian atlas goes mobile; free-ranging cats run amok; introducing Sauble Dunes Nature Reserve; local food promotion in the north; Rouge Park BioBlitz. 35 | Our […]
ON Nature Magazine Spring 2013
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueA safety net for wildlife: Why we must save the Endangered Species Act.By Caroline Schultz 6 | Earth WatchBuildings become bird-friendly; the Greenbelt gets an addition; how you can help save Ontario’s frogs; the swans of Burlington Bay; butterflies and gardens; long-time donors Fred and Jean Mooi talk to us about […]
ON Nature Magazine Winter 2012
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This Issue Fred Bodsworth: The legacy of a famous author, birder and past president. By Caroline Schultz 6 | Earth Watch Citizen scientists make record contributions to Ontario Nature’s atlas; the Christmas Bird Count is about to begin; Ontario Nature gets a new reserve; local food systems in northern Ontario; regional club […]
ON Nature Magazine Autumn 2012
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueKeeping the wild in wilderness: Good policy is as important as nature reserves.By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth WatchProvince refuses to ban hunting snapping turtles; sustainable aggregate extraction; a park for everyone; an unlikely home for bank swallows; the Nature Guardians’ big year; Board of Directors vice-president Kevin Shackleton talks about […]
ON Nature Magazine Summer 2012
DEPARTMENTS 6 | This IssueThree strikes: The Province puts wildlife protection at risk.By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth WatchCounting kestrels for conservation; tips for perfect canoe trips; Malcolm Bluff Shores now fully protected; hundreds of participants attend Ontario Nature’s wetlands conference; all creatures great and small on our nature reserves; remembering Dr. Martin Edwards. 36 […]
ON Nature Magazine Spring 2012
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueA Birder’s Delight: Nature lovers enjoy an early spring every year.By Caroline Schultz 6 | Earth WatchConservation groups fight back against mining in old-growth forest; more than 11,000 people sign petition to ban the hunt of snapping turtles; First Nations demand opportunity for meaningful participation in Ring of Fire environmental assessments; […]
ON Nature Magazine Winter 2011
DEPARTMENTS 6 | This Issue The Problem with Aggregates: Can we find a way to make highways green? By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth Watch Peregrine falcons found at Malcolm Bluff Shores; how to nail the perfect picture; on the trail of creeping, crawling and slithering creatures; facing off against the emerald ash borer; a […]
ON Nature Magazine Fall 2011
DEPARTMENTS 6 | This Issue Looking to the Future: Passing on the conservation torch. By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth Watch Ontario Nature’s fall birding hot spots: staff reveal their favourite places to witness the fall migration; farmers learn to live with at-risk species; who speaks for the environment in the upcoming election?; Peter Gilchrist, […]
ON Nature Magazine Summer 2011
DEPARTMENTS 7 | This Issue Conservation politics and a treasured landscape. By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth Watch A win for wildlife: The Bruce Trail Conservancy secures more of the Niagara Escarpment; the great outdoors: having a field day with conservation staff; we object: the Province allows hunting at-risk snapping turtles; pleased to meet you: […]
ON Nature Magazine Spring 2011
DEPARTMENTS 6 | This Issue Winning the War on Invasives: Make sure to keep alien plants out of your garden. By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth Watch Green priorities on the political agenda; painting turbines purple; the much-anticipated first signs of spring; chopping up the moraine; frogs to the rescue; meet the President of Ontario […]
ON Nature Magazine Winter 2010
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This Issue The power of partnerships: Working together for conservation. By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth Watch Stand up for nature; a royal rebound; the buzz is gone; join the club; plants inhale 123 billion tonnes of carbon each year; living fences; power plant struggles in King Township. 38 | Bird Watch […]
ON Nature Magazine Autumn 2010
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueWhy we must protect Malcolm Bluff Shores.By Caroline Schultz On the cover8 | Natural WondersMore than a glorious stretch of the Niagara Escarpment, protecting Malcom Bluff Shores is a gift for our descendants.By Allan Britnell 12 | Earth WatchWalpole Island Land Trust; going national with Rouge Park; the BP oil spill […]
Unfinished Business
Re: “Unfinished Business” [Spring 2010] The Guelph Field Naturalists (GFN) would like to express our disappointment with your article “Risky Business” [Autumn 2009], which reported on the proposed Hanlon Creek Business Park (HCBP) development in Guelph. The article is riddled with misinformation and was written in a biased manner. In addition, neither City of Guelph […]
A Low Bar
Re: “The Killing Fields” [Spring 2010] Kudos to Paul Webster [“The Killing Fields,” Autumn 2009] for alerting us to the devastating impact of pesticides on birds. I had not realized the numbers killed were in the hundreds of millions. This is truly a tragedy. It’s also true, of course, that pesticides harm people, and here […]
ON Nature Magazine Spring 2010
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueThe diversity of life: Celebrating nature through action.By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth WatchClimate change threatens Arctic fox habitat; the Ring of Fire heats up; invasive Asian carp on the move; in search of turtles, frogs, snakes and salamanders; bird watching 2.0; Jim Robb; the lowly worm. 45 | In HouseThe […]
Wasted resources
Re: “Power Struggles” [Winter 2009] As a long time observer of climate change and occasional lobbyist, I commend you on the Winter 2009/2010 issue of ON Nature. I share Anne Bell’s concern about burning wood “waste,” a source of biomass, to produce energy [“Power struggles,” page 22]. Plants have lots of carbon dioxide, oxygen, water […]
ON Nature Magazine Winter 2009
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This Issue The Big Picture: Working toward a solution to climate change. By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth Watch Forests get sprayed; quarry along Lake Superior shoreline gets the go-ahead; bringing back the chestnut; farming in Frontenac park ends; invasive gobies in the Great Lakes tributaries; climate change and the great lakes. […]
ON Nature Magazine Fall 2009
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueBattling the Bureaucracy: The impenetrable environmental assessment process.By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth WatchNew ideas about old-growth forests; kayakers clean up in Georgian Bay; green alternatives to salt; Guelph development encroaches on rare species habitat. On the cover28 | Urban NaturePlan Bee: In the wake of the mysterious honeybee die-off, a […]
Good Forestry
Douglas Hunter’s fascinating piece “Temperature Rising” [Spring 2007] contained a sidebar that made my temperature rise. The sidebar promotes the erroneous idea that uncontrolled, rapacious logging operations in the boreal forest must be stopped because they are “a cause of global warming.” Included in the sidebar is the statement, “At the same time that greenhouse […]
Crayfish Guide
Did you know that Ontario has nine species of crayfish? Elusive and all too often overlooked, these fascinating creatures can tell us a lot about what is happening in our aquatic ecosystems. These beautiful guides assist the study of crayfish in the field, highlighting the unique characteristics of each species.
Litter
It came as no surprise to me that smoking detritus topped “Canada’s Dirty Dozen,” the littering list featured in Janice Weaver’s “The Beachcombers” [Autumn 2007]. I have been observing the sneaky little habits of smokers since the sixties and long ago concluded that smoking is like a PhD course in littering. Smokers not only rationalize […]
ON Nature Magazine Summer 2009
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This Issue Natural Connections: Our new program takes children outside. By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth Watch Bat populations plummet as white nose syndrome spreads; scientists discover weird and wonderful ecosystems at the bottom of Lake Huron; the Greenbelt may be bigger. 40 | Bird Watch King Rail—Tucked into the marshlands of […]
ON Nature Magazine Spring 2009
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This IssueNature’s Economy: Building on our natural capital is a sound investment.By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth WatchDangerously low calcium levels in boreal lakes trigger a break in the food chain; native wasps fend off non-native beetle infestations; the last road trip; where cars go to die. 36 | Bird WatchRed-headed Woodpecker—A […]
ON Nature Magazine Winter 2008
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This Issue The Decline of Biodiversity: Conservation efforts should be proactive for a change. By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth Watch Birds versus planes: preventing collisions at Pearson airport; round two: saving Second Marsh … again; trash talk: using the Great Lakes as giant waste bins; poor planning: why dig a dump […]
ON Nature Magazine Fall 2008
DEPARTMENTS 5 | This Issue Great Beginnings: Promises of protection for the Boreal. By Caroline Schultz 8 | Earth Watch Talk of the town: pelicans make a surprise appearance; hidden health hazards; a bigger, better Greenbelt; junior scientist: high school kid makes amazing discovery; spirit tree: lumber mill makes for stand-off over eastern white cedar. 34 | Bird […]