Upcoming Events

• Sunday, October 24, 2021 at 01:00 PM

  Sitler Woods in Southwest Middlesex, ON, Canada

  Passport to Nature: Forest Health

  Is the forest healthy in TTLT’s new nature reserve? Join Donald Craig, a professional forester with over 40 years of experience in southern Ontario woodlands, for a walk in the woods. He will explain how diseases, insects, invasive plants and other factors affect the wide variety of native trees and shrubs in this special site.

  This guided field trip is subject to COVID regulations at the time. If necessary, this event will be held as a webinar.

  This event is subject to COVID-19 guidelines at the time. Please ensure that you practice social distancing and masking. Passing the COVID-19 screening questionnaire and proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will be mandatory to attend the event.

  Photo by David Wake.

  rsvp

• Monday, October 25, 2021 at 10:00 AM

  Hawk Cliff Woods in Union , ON, Canada

  Volunteer Event: Gardening at the Auzins Community Wildflower Garden

  

  Do you love gardening? Then consider helping us out at the Auzins Community Wildflower Garden this spring.

  The Auzins Community Wildflower Garden at Hawk Cliff Woods is planted with native perennial plants that are beautiful and hardy choices for landscaping. The garden serves as a demonstration site for native plant gardening as well as a source of seeds for interested community members who want to grow native plants for their own gardens.

  Why native plants?

  Native plants provide food and habitat for birds, insects, and other creatures while requiring less care in terms of watering, pesticides, and fertilizers, than exotic landscaping plants. Its a win-win for nature and gardeners alike.

  How can you help?

  We are looking for help with garden maintenance including weeding, cleaning up last year's plants, mulching, and clearing the trail. Feel free to drop in anytime between 10am and 1pm, or stay the whole time.

  What to bring

  • This is an outdoor event so please bring whatever you need to be comfortable, such as sunscreen, bug spray, and good shoes. As well, be sure to bring your lunch/snacks, and water.
  • We can provide gardening gloves, knee pads, and tools, but we encourage you to bring your own if you can to reduce sharing of equipment.
    
  • There are lots of flowers, birds, and wildlife to see, so bring your binoculars, camera, and field guides.

  Things to note

  • This event is subject to COVID-19 guidelines at the time. Please ensure that you practice social distancing and masking. Passing the COVID-19 screening questionnaire and proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will be mandatory to attend the event.
  • There are no washroom facilities at Hawk Cliff Woods, so please plan accordingly.
  • We may encounter ticks at this event. Be sure to check for ticks before leaving the site and once you get home. More info on ticks is available here.

  Please note: this event is weather dependent. In the case of any changes or cancellation, we will send out an email to everyone who is registered the day before the event.

  Butterfly photos (top) by Rebecca Launchbury. Butterflyweed photo (left) by Anita Caveney

   

  rsvp

• Saturday, October 30, 2021 at 10:00 AM

  Wardsville Woods in Wardsville Woods, ON, Canada

  Volunteer Event: Seed Collecting at Wardsville Woods

  Join us at Wardsville Woods on October 30th to collect seeds in the meadow. Please RSVP below to secure your spot!

  We'll be collecting seeds from a range of native wildflowers and grasses, which will be used in restoration projects, our community wildflower gardens, and to make seed packet giveaways for community members. We'll provide training in seed head ID during the event, so no prior knowledge or experience is needed (although experts are welcome too!). You're also welcome to take seeds home with you to use in your own garden or restoration project.

  Photo: collecting seeds at Hawk Cliff Woods, by Colin Johnson

   

  What you need to know about this event

  • This event is subject to COVID-19 guidelines at the time. Please ensure that you practice social distancing and masking. Passing the COVID-19 screening questionnaire and proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will be mandatory to attend the event.
  • There are no washroom facilities at Wardsville Woods, so please plan accordingly. The West Lorne On Route on Highway 401 is probably the closest available washroom. 
  • This event will take place primarily off-trail in meadow habitat, where we may encounter ticks. Be sure to check for ticks before leaving the site and once you get home. More info on ticks is available here.
  • The meadow is also full of seeds and they will stick to your clothing. Smooth materials such as rubber boots and rain jacket/pants will be much easier to keep seed free. Otherwise, be sure to wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty.

  What to bring

  • Please bring your own work gloves if you can, although TTLT will provide them if needed. TTLT will provide all other equipment needed.
  • Wear appropriate footwear such as hiking shoes/boots, rubber boots, or other sturdy, ideally waterproof shoes. You might encounter uneven and wet terrain.
  • Bring water, snacks, sunscreen, rain gear, warm clothing, bugspray, and anything else you need to be comfortable outside.
  rsvp

• Wednesday, November 03, 2021 at 10:00 AM

  Wardsville Woods in Wardsville, ON, Canada

  Volunteer Event: Abolish the Olive at Wardsville Woods

  

  Join us at Wardsville Woods on November 3rd to clean up Autumn Olive and other invasive shrubbery from the restored butterfly meadow. Please RSVP below to secure your spot!

  Photo: A large Autumn Olive shrub, by Daria Koscinski

  What is Autumn Olive anyway?

  Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) was introduced to North America from Asia in the early 1800s and has been planted everywhere from gardens to mine reclamation sites. Unfortunately, this prolific, hardy, and resilient shrubs has escaped its planting locations and spread far and wide into natural areas across Eastern North America. It has become very problematic in meadow habitats, where it can quickly spread and form dense thickets that crowd out all other vegetation and reduce biodiversity of insects, birds, and wildlife.

  So, let's abolish the Autumn Olive at Wardsville Woods

  Over the past couple of years, we've been removing Autumn Olive from the butterfly meadow at Wardsville Woods. Our goal is to prevent an infestation and conserve the meadow community that supports native birds, pollinators, and biodiversity. We have a small patch left to finish off. At this event, we will be hand pulling Autumn Olive seedlings and small plants. For larger plants, we will cut at the base and apply herbicide to the cut stump (herbicide will only be applied by a licensed exterminator).

  What you need to know about this event

  • This event is subject to COVID-19 guidelines at the time. Please ensure that you practice social distancing and masking. Passing the COVID-19 screening questionnaire and proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will be mandatory to attend the event.
  • There are no washroom facilities at Wardsville Woods, so please plan accordingly. The West Lorne On Route on Highway 401 is probably the closest available washroom. 
  • Hand pulling Autumn Olive requires you to bend or stoop and some level of physical strength to pull the plants out of the ground.
  • This event will take place primarily off-trail in meadow habitat, where we may encounter ticks. Be sure to check for ticks before leaving the site and once you get home. More info on ticks is available here.
  • The meadow is also full of seeds and they will stick to your clothing. Smooth materials such as rubber boots and rain jacket/pants will be much easier to keep seed free. Otherwise, be sure to wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty.

  What to bring

  • Please bring your own work gloves if you can, although TTLT will provide them if needed. TTLT will provide all the other equipment that's needed.
  • Wear appropriate footwear such as hiking shoes/boots, rubber boots, or other sturdy, ideally waterproof shoes. You might encounter uneven and wet terrain.
  • Bring water, snacks, sunscreen, rain gear, warm clothing, bugspray, and anything else you need to be comfortable outside.
  rsvp

• Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 07:00 PM

  Online via Zoom

  Passport to Nature: Nature Photography Webinar

  Photography is a great way to explore nature. Any camera can snap a photo but, with skill and creativity, you can achieve much more – an image that conveys mood and the essence of a scene.

  Antony Chodas is a professional photographer and president of Camera Canada. He can help you get better images and more from your camera. He has travelled internationally and explored places closer to home to capture exceptional photos of nature and the world around us. Antony’s presentation will allow him to display his brilliant images and give advice on the techniques used to achieve them. While good luck has a role to play, planning, preparation and technique can move your photos from good to great.

  There will be opportunities for questions and comments. 

  rsvp