Visitors to Grant’s Woods Nature Reserve this fall may have noticed increased maintenance activities on the trails. In September, what is technically referred to in the business as a “really huge monster red oak” fell on the Hemlock Trail and took out two sizeable sugar maples on its way down …
Grant’s Woods Nature Reserve Upgrades Accessible Trail
Our newly upgraded accessible trail is officially open! Over the years, Grant’s Woods Nature Reserve has provided local residents and visitors with a serene and captivating environment, offering opportunities for outdoor recreation, education, and relaxation. We estimate that over 7,000 people visit the trails each year, a vital part of …
We’re Hiring: Reserve Steward
If you have a love of the outdoors this temporary position may be for you. JOB DESCRIPTION Reserve Steward Reports to: Executive Director Location: Orillia, Ontario Duration: Full-Time Temporary (Minimum two months with potential for renewal) Wages & Benefits: $20.50/ hr for a 37.5 hr work week The …
Notes From the Field – 2022 Recap
Check out what the Couchiching Conservancy Community Science teams and stewardship staff have been up to in 2022. We also have focused Notes from the field for Winter, Spring and Summer. On March 25, Aiesha and Toby set up acoustic monitoring devices on a tree overlooking a wetland. These devices …
The Church Woods Nature Reserve: Protecting urban wild spaces
Walking through The Church Woods Nature Reserve on a spring day is a sublime experience. Spring ephemerals such as Blue Cohosh, Trout Lily, White Trillium, and Red Trillium colour the forest understory beautifully. If you look closely though, you’ll notice a few things are amiss, thick patches of invasive garlic …
Rosebush Landing comes to life
The dream of a canoe & kayak launch at Ron Reid Nature Reserve is now a reality. This 729 acre nature reserve is surrounded by QEII Wildlands Provincial Park, and has a 4 kilometre stretch of the Black River running through it. It’s an ideal destination for a paddle, yet …
Notes from the Field – Winter 2022
Winter provides an opportunity to explore corners of protected land we don’t see very often. When wetlands freeze over and dense bush disappears under deep snow, it’s time to slip on the snowshoes and go exploring. Through an extended Canada Summer Jobs grant, we were able to keep Ryan Lamoureux …
Notes from the Field: Fall 2021
While most of our Community Science monitoring activities have finished until next spring, the work of Land Stewards and Maintenance teams never stops. This fall, Val Holt and Laurie Stanford picked up the mantle of stewarding Church Woods for the very active group of volunteers living around this popular nature …
Re-defining Ecological Perspectives: An Indigenous-Led Bioblitz.
Join Gary Pritchard of Curve Lake First Nation and principal consultant, 4 Directions of Conservation. On the shores of the Black River in Treaty Territory 20 and Williams Treaties, Gary will teach us about decolonizing conservation and learning to value all of our relations. All life deserves a space on …
Notes from the Field: Summer 2021
Monarch Monitoring Begins: Canadian Conservation Corps Interns Ryan and Claire, along with staff member Aiesha – have spent numerous days mapping out milkweed habitats and setting up new monarch monitoring sites at two Conservancy Nature Reserves. The new protocols for this pilot project are currently being tested in the field …