Conservation Groups Toronto

Spring Migration at Cootes Paradise: A Birding Workshop

**Please note the only way to register for this adventure is on [our website.](https://www.wildernessunion.com/adventures/spring-birdwatching-26-2)** **Spend the day exploring one of Ontario's most incredible birding destinations on the western cusp of Lake Ontario.** Our birding workshops are built around a simple idea: different locations reveal different birds, different habitats, and different nature experiences Next up is Cootes Paradise in Hamilton: one of Canada's premier birding destinations and a very different landscape from our last outing at Tommy Thompson. If you missed our Toronto workshop, this is a great place to start. If you were there, you already know why it's worth coming back. Cootes Paradise is a sprawling 250-hectare wetlands conservation area at the head of Hamilton Harbour. It is officially recognized as a globally Important Bird Area and one of the most significant bird habitats in southern Ontario. The marsh, surrounding mudflats and adjacent Carolinian forest support an incredible diversity of species, especially during spring migration when waterfowl, waders and songbirds pour through the area in huge numbers. Whether you’re completely new to birding or looking to discover a new local hotspot, this workshop is a perfect starting point. Enjoy a relaxing, guided birdwatching walk through this stunning area with our expert birder, Pedro. Along the way, you’ll learn how to identify local and migratory birds and use binoculars confidently, while gaining a deeper appreciation for the rhythms of the natural world. Take time to slow down, listen, and connect with nature as you immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of this unique ecosystem, leaving with new skills, fresh perspective, and a renewed sense of calm. **Please note that binoculars are included in the cost of the adventure.** **Highlights** **Wetland Migration Hotspot –** Cootes Paradise is a designated Important Bird Area and one of the richest marsh habitats on the Great Lakes, drawing thousands of birds during spring migration. **Professional Birder -** Learn from Pedro Hernandez, founder of the popular Instagram account Outdoor Commute **Binoculars Included –** Each participant gets to use a pair of high-quality NOCS binoculars for the day. **Event cost: $65+HST - $30 optional transport available.** **Register [here.](https://www.wildernessunion.com/adventures/spring-birdwatching-26-2)** **About Wilderness Union** Wilderness Union is deliberate about building an outdoors community that connects you to the life-changing magic of the outdoors and helps you find your people. Members range from 20-40 years old. The group is a mix of GTA locals and newcomers to Toronto from within Canada and abroad. Attendance numbers on Meetup don't reflect our actual event attendance - we typically have 15-20 community members at each event. Large enough that there's someone new to meet but small enough that it's not overwhelming! ***Learn more at our website [www.wildernessunion.com](https://www.wildernessunion.com/)***

Sunset Yoga

Our friends, please [register for FREE](https://calendly.com/innerpath-yog/sunset-yoga) before the event! Join us for a fun, relaxed yoga practice with a beautiful sunset as your backdrop — right by the Statue of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. Danilo and Tia guide Hatha/Vinyasa flow classes that blend breathing exercises, restorative postures, and active sequences to strengthen both body and mind. All levels are welcome. Classes are donation-based — pay what you can. Please bring a yoga mat or sarong and a water bottle. Follow us on Instagram @innerpath.yoga Come practice, breathe, and connect with our community. 🙏 Namaste.

Survivalist Series: Introduction to Foraging

**Please note the only way to register for this adventure is on [our website.](https://www.wildernessunion.com/adventures/intro-foraging)** **Knowing how to safely and sustainably forage is one of the oldest skills there is, and one that's been largely lost in modern life.** This one-day workshop will reconnect you with the wild plants growing all around us. You'll learn how to spot, identify and confidently harvest a range of common edibles, alongside developing the kind of attentive eye that turns every walk in the woods into something richer. You will learn: * How to identify Ontario's most common wild edibles by their leaves, flowers, roots and seasonal cycles * How to tell edible plants apart from their toxic lookalikes * Where to look for different types of edibles * The principles of ethical and sustainable foraging **Who It's For:** Anyone curious about the food growing right under our feet. No prior foraging experience required. For those with some background, this is a great chance to fill in gaps and build confidence with new species. **About this series:** The Survivalist Series is an expert-led set of courses designed to develop applicable and life-saving skills in the outdoors. Keep your eyes peeled for more courses on many other topics as they become available. ***NB: Foraging comes with its own set of risks. For the purposes of this class, we do not condone the consumption of any wild edibles.*** **Highlights** **Expert Instruction –** Our amazing expert guide will teach you everything you need to know in a safe and approachable way. **Wild Edibles Library –** Build a working knowledge of the most common wild plants in our region, along with the lookalikes you'll want to avoid. **Sustainable Harvesting –** Learn the rules of ethical foraging so you can take only what you need without harming the ecosystems you're walking through. **Event cost: $80+HST (for explorer members) - $40 optional transport available.** **Register [here.](https://www.wildernessunion.com/adventures/intro-foraging)** **About Wilderness Union** Wilderness Union is deliberate about building an outdoors community that connects you to the life-changing magic of the outdoors and helps you find your people. Members range from 20-40 years old. The group is a mix of GTA locals and newcomers to Toronto from within Canada and abroad. Attendance numbers on Meetup don't reflect our actual event attendance - we typically have 15-20 community members at each event. Large enough that there's someone new to meet but small enough that it's not overwhelming! ***Learn more at our website [www.wildernessunion.com](https://www.wildernessunion.com/)***

Service Design Connect

**Welcome to Service Design Drinks** Connect with like-minded service designers, share ideas, grow together, and make friends Join us at the Duke of York for a fun night of design conversation and light activities **Format: Casual meet & greet** **What to Expect** ✅ Fun Icebreakers – Thoughtfully designed to help you connect effortlessl ✅ Exciting conversations – Enjoy connecting with creative professionals in the cit ✅ A Relaxed, Welcoming Atmosphere – Come as you are, leave with new friend 📢 RSVP here so we can plan accordingly. It reflects the actual signup

High Park Yoga

**\~Please [SIGN UP here](https://calendly.com/breathinginnature/yoga-in-nature) for free before the class\~** [Click here for a map of the exact location](https://goo.gl/maps/x1YMV41Bmhcf7chb6). My community classes in High Park are by donation, for all bodies, and no experience is required. What is yoga? We combine breath, movement and awareness, all in the healing nature of High Park. **What to bring?** * Yoga mat (optional - the grass is nice to yoga on) * Water * Weather-appropriate clothing/ blanket for relaxation We yoga rain or shine. There is shelter if we need it. [Exact location](https://maps.app.goo.gl/9424Zn5G1Xf4kTEj7), close the the High Park Forest School by the North Gate (short walk from High Park Subway station, Bloor and High Park intersection). My classes are by donation, or pay what you can. It's also drop-in, so feel free to just show up. Donations can be made at the class in person, via our [Breathing in Nature Gift Economy](https://www.breathinginnature.com/gift-economy/) or e-transfer to nici@breathinginnature.com. On average folks donate between $5-$30 per class. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. 416.885.0583 If you are wondering who I am and what I do, feel free to check out my my [website](https://www.breathinginnature.com/), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breathinginnature/), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/nicole.bohr) page, [my bio](https://www.breathinginnature.com/about/), or [my LinkedIn](www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleczerwinski/).

Canada Immigration-Supervisa Seminar

We are hosting a FREE online information session about the Canadian Super Visa program for parents and grandparents. Topics will include: • Who is eligible for Super Visa • Required income and documents • Insurance requirements • Length of stay in Canada • Common refusal reasons • Application process and timelines • Q&A with an RCIC Date: June 3, 2026 Time: 11:00am EST Location: Online (Zoom) Sign up: https://seminar.yfcanada.com/

Don Valley Wilderness Trail Hike

carnivore dinner

local seasonal and wild foods. quail, venison, bison, boar and rabbit.

Roaming Niagara’s Hidden Hills

**Please note the only way to register for this adventure is on [our website.](https://www.wildernessunion.com/adventures/niagara-hills)** ***Just under two hours from the city, Short Hills Provincial Park offers a peaceful day in one of Ontario's most unique landscapes.*** We're heading down to the heart of Niagara right before the turn of summer for a relaxed hike through a beautiful, yet little-known provincial park. You can expect quiet trails, a surprising waterfall and a forest ecosystem that doesn't exist anywhere else in the country. The route winds across glacial ridges and through stands of mature hardwood trees before opening out at the lookout over Swayze Falls. Along the way, the trail traces the headwaters of Twelve Mile Creek, with small footbridges, mossy banks and a real sense of being deep in the woods despite being so close to St. Catharines. This is the southernmost band of forest in Canada, known as the Carolinian zone, and it's home to plants and animals that thrive nowhere else in the province. Keep an eye out for white-tailed deer along the trail, owls roosting in the canopy and stunning wild flowers. It's a slower-paced, contemplative kind of day. Perfect for trading city noise for birdsongs and getting reacquainted with the last days of spring before the busier summer trips kick in. Please note that the waterfall is seasonal, so while the views remain stunning, the water flow may be limited. **Highlights** **Hidden Niagara Gem** – Skip the crowds at the better-known parks nearby and enjoy quiet trails far from the beaten path. **Carolinian Forest** – Walk through one of Canada's rarest forest ecosystems, with tulip trees, shagbark hickories and other species you won't find this far north anywhere else. **Swayze Falls** – Reach the lookout above the park's signature falls, which tumbles into a steep, fern-lined ravine carved by glacial meltwater. **Event cost: $50+HST - $30 optional transport available.** **Register [here.](https://www.wildernessunion.com/adventures/niagara-hills)** **About Wilderness Union** Wilderness Union is deliberate about building an outdoors community that connects you to the life-changing magic of the outdoors and helps you find your people. Members range from 20-40 years old. The group is a mix of GTA locals and newcomers to Toronto from within Canada and abroad. Attendance numbers on Meetup don't reflect our actual event attendance - we typically have 15-20 community members at each event. Large enough that there's someone new to meet but small enough that it's not overwhelming! ***Learn more at our website [www.wildernessunion.com](https://www.wildernessunion.com/)***

HUMBER RIVER: (Nature Walk & Social Gathering) (Meet Bloor & Old Mill Station)

Hello everyone, **\*\*Kindly Read Carefully\*\*** Please join me and my other groups for a wonderful leisure nature walk along the **Humber River** meeting out front of **Old Mill Station and Bloor.** A beautiful, breathtaking walk for all nature enthusiasts. We will meet at the Corner of **Bloor Street W. and Old Mill Tr.** (North-East Corner) (Just outside of the **Old Mill subway station**) This will give us an opportunity to introduce ourselves as everyone arrives; then make our way down and along the Don River \***Street parking** found along Bloor Street- just west of our meeting spot \*We will most likely go for a bite to eat after too :) Event Details below: Sincerely, Steve Flemming (Organizer/Host) Event Details: **HUMBER RIVER: (Nature Walk & Social Gathering)** (Meet Bloor & Old Mill Station) \*We can stop and rest at different spots along the way, take some photos and share some laughs \*Perhaps play a couple icebreaker games as well to help build some bonds \*This fun, leisure walk will be a great way to make some new connections, appreciate the nature in full bloom, get some fresh air and see the city from a wonderful new perspective :) *Walking of course is great for all of this but why not do it with a little friendly company too :)* \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Event Fee:** 10 dollars (cash only) when you arrive or e transfer in advance to **Steveflemming11@gmail.com** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Time and Location: Where to meet us?** \*Please arrive between 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm (Do your best to arrive early instead of late gang- greatly appreciated) Let's meet at the corner of **Bloor Street W. and Old Mill Tr.** (North-East Corner) (Just a few meters outside of the **Old Mill subway station** towards Bloor. \*Plenty of parking along Bloor Street or simply take the subway \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ***Thanks for reading everyone, remember to RSVP and see you real soon!*** :) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-

Another Opportunity to Learn New Skills - Trekker Training

**Meet up Point:** Algonquin Park - Maggie Lake Entrance **Two Days...sat and sun** **Fee for Trekking Training: $99.** Because it was so much fun, we are offering Trekker Training again in June! We want you (and all our members) out Trekking. Don't give up your Sunday hikes, but hey it's time to up your hiking game! Which is why we are offering skills training for future trekkers so they can join in on trekking adventures outside of Ontario. There is a lot to learn to prepare for a multi day trekk, and we want you to be prepared. It is not just knowing what equipment to buy, how much to carry, tent set up, it's also food prep, attitude, and emergency skills and so much more! So, in order for you to ensure you have a safe and the very BEST trekking experience we are offering an overnight training experience. **Experienced Boots Trekkers feel free to hop in and show them how it's done!** We will cover in one weekend - * your weighted pack * pack pacing * water filtering * trail etiquette * safety * equipment must haves * first aid * atittude adjustment * fire starting * navigation * ...and more

Claireville Conservation Area followed by food at Paranthe Wali Gali

Approx. 8–12 km Around 2.5–3.5 hours depending on pace 🍽️ Food After: Paranthe Wali Gali 499 Main St S Unit 60, Brampton, ON 🅿️ Plaza parking available Bring: Water Comfortable shoes Light jacket/hoodie