Join Urban Naturalists - our nature club for adults! Participants will develop their knowledge, foster a deeper connection to nature as they explore together, and be part of a naturalist community! Experienced leaders encourage participants to learn about the natural world through direct experience, inquiry and observation.
We will meet every other week to:
If our stay-at-home-order is lifted March 8th, we will be offering in-person clubs this March and April. If the stay-at-home-order is extended, we will update this page with club changes (which may include online clubs, or a change in start date for in-person clubs).
Spring 2021 Urban Naturalists
Please see our FAQs for more details about in-person adult programs.
To check out our Kids' Nature Clubs, click here.
We want everyone to have an opportunity to explore nature with us! If cost is prohibitive to you, please check out our Happy Camper Fund Bursary (which can be applied to children's programs or adult programs, like Urban Naturalists).
Participant Testimonials
What did you enjoy most about Urban Naturalists?
“All of it. It was an absolute joy to spend every second Saturday morning learning about birds, trees, fungi, edible/medicinal plants, park history, etc. Julie [the Nature Centre leader] was fabulous: knowledgeable, generous, curious, and with an infectious enthusiasm for the park and for the natural world in general. Although the fungi were my absolute favourites (which involved a lot of looking down and closely), I loved that each week asked us to use our eyes — and other senses — differently. Thank you so much for such an amazing experience, and I will definitely be back.”
“Everything! The hikes, learning about different things I didn’t even know to be curious about before, looking at & experiencing the park in new ways, benefiting from the interests & curiosity of other participants and Julie’s [the Nature Centre Leader] enthusiasm & encouragement. Participating in Urban Naturalists has been one of the highlights of the year & I’m excited to return in the fall. The highlight of this season for me was making garlic mustard pesto – delish!”
“Walking around High Park with an exceptionally knowledgeable and generous guide. Focus on parts of the park that are not as easily seen: small details, histories, etc. Conversation with other members of the group who are also keepers of important knowledges.”
Urban Naturalists will take place at the High Park Nature Centre Forest School located at 375 Colborne Lodge Drive.
Pre-registration is required for all programs. Registration cannot be confirmed until payment has been received.
Programs are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The following outlines our cancellation policy for clubs:
Requests for cancellations or refunds must be made in writing and submitted to the High Park Nature Centre at info@highparknaturecentre.com
Programs will proceed rain, snow or shine. Please be sure to dress appropriately for the weather as we will be outdoors for most of the activities. Indoor programs will be run in the case of severe inclement weather such as heavy rain, thunderstorms, snowstorms or high winds over 35 km per hour. We also advise wearing long pants, socks and long sleeved tops to protect against poison ivy. If you have any questions please call our office at 416-392-1748.
