Applications for the 2024 season are open! Read on to learn about how you can spend your summer with Ontario Parks. Calling all Ontario students! Do you enjoy the outdoors and have an appreciation for Ontario’s natural and cultural resources? Are you self-motivated, with a positive attitude and a desire to learn? Do you enjoy … Continue reading How to become a park ranger at Ontario Parks
Today’s post comes from Isabella Schives, senior park clerk at Rushing River Provincial Park. Now that the seasons have changed and snow blankets the ground, the natural beauty of this vibrant and popular summertime park takes on an incredible transformation. Icicles begin hanging from trees and buildings, fresh snow crunches underneath your feet, and the brisk, … Continue reading Winter adventures at Rushing River Provincial Park
In today’s post, Awenda Provincial Park‘s Chief Park Naturalist Tim Tully tackles (not literally) a terrifying beast. Pick a negative adjective and it has likely been leveled at the Fisher. There are few predators in North America which suffer from a worse reputation than this mid-sized member of the weasel family. Fishers come with the … Continue reading Should we beware the Fisher… or the Fisher fiction?
Our trees are spectacular organisms. They make oxygen, can live to be quite old, have beautiful foliage, provide homes and food for countless wildlife, and through transpiration of water through their leaves, can even influence the weather. Maybe our trees do deserve some form of decoration or recognition? I was out in my park the … Continue reading Don’t leave it hanging
Today’s post comes from Rick Stronks, the (now retired) chief naturalist at Algonquin Provincial Park. As winter weather rolls in, Black Bears are bedding down for hibernation. Here are some interesting facts about these seasonal deep sleepers:
Today’s post comes from Will Oades, Discovery Program Educator at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Eating in the backcountry should be no different than eating at home! Well-planned and prepared backcountry meals can taste amazing, satisfy your hunger, and foster conversations about your long day of hiking or paddling. Tasty outdoor meals are a simple comfort … Continue reading Master Chef: Ontario Parks backcountry edition
Today’s post comes from Cara Freitag, a past Park Naturalist at Neys Provincial Park. There are many misconceptions about nature: climb a tree to escape bears, moose are friendly, coolers are strong enough to prevent bears getting your food. Before I became a naturalist, I thought that all insects were bugs, not just the Hemiptera … Continue reading Is that lichen killing those trees?
We are so happy to welcome visitors to Ontario Parks… …on the other hand, we are not so delighted to see what accompanies them. We know many of you have also noticed this and have expressed your concerns. We appreciate and encourage park-lovers who are committed to protecting our environment for the future.
While 32 provincial parks remain open for the winter, the rest hibernate until spring. But closing a park isn’t as simple as just locking the gates. Our staff put a lot of elbow grease into prepping each park for the winter. Here are just a few of the tasks we do each fall:
Ecological integrity can be a tricky concept to nail down. But in the simplest terms, it means keeping nature — and all of its component parts — whole. Planning to visits our parks this fall? Here are the top five ways to keep ecological integrity in mind during your visit:
