#ontarionature — Public Fediverse posts on home.social

2026-09-13

Caught this gorgeous lady giving a Mississauga boulder the absolute text-book, full-body forensic sniff test. If your hind legs aren't lifting off the ground, you're simply not looking hard enough for clues.🦊🌿🪶🦉🍁

#Sauga #OntarioNature #CanGeoWild #RedFox #OhMyDouglas #Nature #Geology #Wildlife

#nature #wildlife #geology #redfox #cangeowild #ontarionature

DoomsdaysCW @[email protected]

2026-08-02

#OntarioGreenbelt is a Refuge for Species at Risk

#Toronto, May 22, 2026 – "On World #Biodiversity Day, a new report published by #OntarioNature demonstrates the critical role that the Greenbelt plays as a safe haven for some of Ontario’s most vulnerable species.

"The report – Species at Risk in the Greenbelt: Successes, Challenges and Opportunities – shows that since 2004, the number of species at risk living in the Greenbelt has increased by 68%, rising from 72 to 121 species. That growth far outpaces provincial trends, confirming the Greenbelt’s critical importance for biodiversity in southern Ontario.

"The 121 at-risk species that inhabit the Greenbelt represent 42% of the total species at risk in Ontario – including rare birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and plants. Some, like the hooded warbler, are showing signs of recovery thanks to protected habitats and coordinated conservation efforts. Others, like redside dace and Jefferson salamander, are struggling as habitat fragmentation and pollution harm breeding and feeding grounds. The habitats the Greenbelt provides for the hooded warbler, redside dace, Jefferson salamander and many other species not only sustain this diversity of life but play an essential role in human health by ensuring the flow of clean water, filtering the air and providing a natural buffer against flooding.

" 'The Greenbelt shows us what’s possible when nature is given space to breathe,' said Ontario Nature’s Acting Conservation Science and #Stewardship Director, Jenna Quinn. 'But we can’t expect it to do all the work on its own. Species at risk need action to ensure their recovery.'

"According to Ontario Nature’s Conservation Policy and Campaigns Director, Tony Morris: 'The #Greenbelt isn’t just a buffer against #UrbanSprawl, it’s a refuge for a diversity of life. Greenbelt #forests, #wetlands and #rivers are vital strongholds for many species that have lost habitats elsewhere in southern Ontario.'

"The Greenbelt is a cherished public policy that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025. On this #WorldBiodiversityDay, we reflect on the importance of the variety of life on Earth and encourage actions to protect it. The Greenbelt’s role in protecting habitats and vulnerable species is more important than ever. Collectively, we must do everything we can to protect, strengthen and expand the Greenbelt to keep Ontario self-reliant, secure and ready to meet future challenges."

Learn more:
https://ontarionature.org/news-release/greenbelt-is-a-refuge-for-species-at-risk/

#SolarPunkSunday #WildlifeCorridors
#PreserveTheForest #ReconnectNature #Canada #Biodiversity #ProtectNature #Interconnectedness #NatureCorridors #EndangeredSpecies #HabitRestoration

#ontariogreenbelt #toronto #biodiversity #ontarionature #stewardship #greenbelt

DoomsdaysCW @[email protected]

2026-08-02

The #OntarioGreenbelt is a 'safe haven' for 70% more species at risk than 2 decades ago, a new report says

#OntarioNature says protected area now acts as refuge for 121 vulnerable species

by Shawn Jeffords, May 23, 2026

Excerpt: "The number of species at risk using the Greenbelt as a 'safe haven' has jumped by nearly 70 per cent over the past two decades, a new report says as opposition critics press the government to start a long-delayed review and enhance the protected zone.

"The new study from the environmental charity Ontario Nature looks at available government data on species at risk in 2004, a year before the protected area was created by the province. The study traces the progress of birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and plants that were vulnerable at that time to present day, and finds that the number of species at risk in the Greenbelt has jumped from 72 to 121.

" 'It reflects … the growing importance of the Greenbelt for vital habitats, particularly in southern #Ontario,' said Tony Morris, conservation policy and campaigns director at Ontario Nature.

"The Greenbelt is an over 800,000-hectare ecologically sensitive zone around the #GreaterGoldenHorseshoe, which was defined in 2005. It provides #EnvironmentalProtection and specifies where development should not occur."

#SolarPunkSunday #WildlifeCorridors
#PreserveTheForest #ReconnectNature #Canada #Biodiversity #ProtectNature #Interconnectedness #NatureCorridors