Spring has officially sprung! We're all seeing and experiencing it through different perspectives and from different perches. Come for a wander with us to look for tracks in nature left by plants and animals that teach us about this special time of growth and renewal. Please RSVP below to give us an idea of expected numbers.

In honour of Earth Day, we welcome you to spend a relaxing evening tuning into your senses and exploring your interconnectedness with the world around you. Join certified Forest Therapy Guide and Forest Therapy Trainer Carolynne Crawley for an experience of mindfulness and immersion in nature. In this guided walk, you will be led through exercises that offer you opportunities to be present in your mind and body, and to connect with the natural world. Cultivate tranquility and stillness and discover that every day is Earth Day!

If you'd like to learn ways you can support the bees this growing season and beyond, join us for our bee-friendly family nature walks this season! Did you know that most of the 360 native species of bees in Toronto are solitary nesting bees, not hive nesting bees?! Or that bees have co-evolved with flowering plants for over 100 million years?! How about that bees support 1 in every 3 bites of food we eat to be possible!? Studies have revealed that there are many pressures upon bees in cities such as habitat loss, diseases, pesticides & non-native species. Learning about these things is a key part of the solution for bee and wildflower populations in the City! Check out this amazing resource by the City of Toronto: Bees of Toronto Learn about High Park's endangered Black Oak Savannah which has been kept open for all living things to benefit from through Indigenous co-creation, here. See our Indigenous Family Nature Walk schedule to learn more from Indigenous elders and knowledge keepers, here. Please RSVP below to give us a idea of expected numbers.

High Park is home to pockets of Black Oak Savannah (BOS), an endangered ecosystem with significant ecological offerings for animals, insects, plants, fungi and humans. First Nations groups have historically worked in co-creation with the BOS, maintaining it with carefully timed controlled burns. Join our wander to get to know some of the amazing offerings of the BOS, how we can do more to protect it, and ways we can each practice Right Relations with Indigenous people by learning new strategies through which to decolonize our perspectives. Learn more about “The Indigenous Environmental History of Toronto” in Jon Johnson’s article: https://indigenouslandstewardshipto.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/the_indigenous_environmental_history_of.pdf.Learn about High Park's endangered Black Oak Savannah which has been kept open for all living things to benefit from through Indigenous co-creation, here. Learn about Ways of Knowing and Earth’s Teachings here: http://www.torontozoo.com/pdfs...

Learn the basics of birding from naturalist, experienced educator, and long-time birder, Zak Smith. This workshop will teach you how to identify birds by sight and sound, how to use a field guide and binoculars to their maximum potential, and where to look for birds in Toronto's biggest park and beyond. Practice your new skills with a guided birding hike to a few of the birding hotspots in High Park and look for some of the Park's common, rare, and migratory Spring birds. The hike is moderate in difficulty. Please note: This is a 2-part workshop and the cost includes your registration for both parts. Here is what you can expect: Wednesday, May 13th (6:30 pm - 8:30 pm) This portion of the workshop will take place inside the Nature Centre. You will participate in an informative, hands-on workshop that will help you orient yourself to some of the birds found in High Park. Saturday, May 16th (8:00 am - 10:00 am) This portion of the workshop will take place outdoors. You will leave from the Nature Centre to engage in a group birding hike, learning to put some of the skills and knowledge from the earlier portion of the workshop to use!

Learn the basics of birding from naturalist, experienced educator, and long-time birder, Zak Smith. This workshop will teach you how to identify birds by sight and sound, how to use a field guide and binoculars to their maximum potential, and where to look for birds in Toronto's biggest park and beyond. Practice your new skills with a guided birding hike to a few of the birding hotspots in High Park and look for some of the Park's common, rare, and migratory Spring birds. The hike is moderate in difficulty. Please note: This is a 2-part workshop and the cost includes your registration for both parts. Here is what you can expect: Wednesday, May 13th (6:30 pm - 8:30 pm) This portion of the workshop will take place inside the Nature Centre. You will participate in an informative, hands-on workshop that will help you orient yourself to some of the birds found in High Park. Saturday, May 16th (8:00 am - 10:00 am) This portion of the workshop will take place outdoors. You will leave from the Nature Centre to engage in a group birding hike, learning to put some of the skills and knowledge from the earlier portion of the workshop to use!

Learn how to portray birds of prey in this special raptor sketching workshop. Alan Li, experienced artist and naturalist, will guide you as you capture accurate and compelling sketches of these beautiful birds. First, you will work with raptor specimens on loan from the Royal Ontario Museum. After you’ve had the chance to practice your technique with still subjects, you’ll taking on the challenge of sketching live birds! For one hour, you’ll come face to face with raptors from the Mountsberg Raptor Centre. Raptor Centre staff will be present to handle the birds and answer your questions. Whether you’re an experienced artist or just a beginner, this workshop is not to miss! You’ll benefit from a small class size, careful instruction from a professional artist, and the opportunity to get up close and personal with amazing creatures like Red-tailed haw, Great-horned Owl, American Kestrel, Eastern Screech Owl, among others!

It's been a long journey but High Park's migrating birds are back in full force! Come on a hike through the woods to listen and look for our feathered friends. We'll share a few tricks for IDing birds, investigate the five voices of birds - a key developed to understand bird language by Jon Young. We'll also experience a bird sit, and think about ways we can support the birds. This is a beginner birding affair! Please RSVP below to give us an idea of expected numbers.