The Grand River trails at rare, which were closed to the public in November 2022, are now reopen, although visitors should continue to take care to watch out for icy conditions and weather patterns. The Alvar, Woodland, Osprey and River trails splitting off from the City of Cambridge’s Grand Trunk Trail were closed for the…
March Species Madness is On! (Click here for match results)
(Click on the image above to see it at its full resolution) Our second-annual March Species Madness tournament is on, pitting 34 of the 5,000 species that call rare home in a friendly popularity contest to see which species get into the final four and win the hearts and minds of our followers. Thanks to…
Guest Post: On Diversity in Conservation
By Alannah Grant (In honour of Black History Month, we are happy to present Alannah Grant, MSc student at the Newman Ecophysiology Lab at the University of Guelph, and recipient of the Ages Foundation Fellowship, conducting research at rare) The main goal of Ecology and Conservation is to understand, promote and preserve ecosystem diversity, but…
Spring Plant Sale Vendor Applications Now Open
The fifth annual Spring Plant Sale and EcoMarket at rare’s ECO Centre and Slit Barn (768 Blair Road in Cambridge and the Haldimand Tract), is a fundraising event for rare’s Springbank Farm food bank garden taking place on Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event is a great opportunity to…
Thank You, TMMC!
We are very pleased to announce that TMMC has partnered with us through our new sponsorship model. Instead of focusing on funds and branding, starting with @TMMC, we look forward to working with our sponsors more directly, tailoring their contributions in ways that are particularly meaningful to each corporation and their employees. TMMC is sponsoring…
Bill 23 does little to build more affordable housing while doing much to threaten ecological integrity
The following article was printed in the November 16 issue of Ayr News. Conserving environmentally sensitive lands is an issue for all of us. Certainly, as a land trust and environmental institute, it’s rare’s priority. At rare, our mission is to ensure that natural spaces are conserved within our urbanizing region. We know that protected…
Seasonal Trails at rare closed until March 15, 2023
Once again, the seasonal trails at rare have been closed to the public for the winter. The River, Woodland, Alvar and Osprey Tower trails on the Grand River side of Blair Road will be shut down effective Tuesday, November 15. The Butterfly Loop trail at Springbank Farm is also closed for the season. These trails…
October is Pawpaw Month! Join the Pawpaw Parade!
Post by Jessica O’Connell Let’s make October Pawpaw month and join Carolinian Canada’s Pawpaw Parade!! rare has been invited to be a host for this parade! If you would like to adopt pawpaws or a Native Plant Garden Kit from Carolinian Canada, apply and pick rare as your pickup location. Submit your story, and you may be selected to receive…
Guest Post: Celebrating 10 years of Public Education in the Cambridge Pollinator Preserve
by Jim Dyer and Lorna Ferguson For ten long years it has stood quietly by the river, exposed to the elements – straight and tall, with images and words telling one of the most important stories circulating in the world today. The message it carries must be heard and taken to heart by those of…
The Endangered Monarch
By Jade Anderson Monarch butterflies are one of the most well-known butterflies in North America. With beautiful orange and black wings that mimic stained glass windows, they are easily the most recognizable of the butterflies. Unfortunately, the monarch populations have continued to decline over the last decade and have recently been listed as endangered by…
Pollinator Profile: Gardeners Alf Bogusky and Ann Pappert
For Alf Bogusky and Ann Pappert, their garden thrives off the tension of balancing different worlds: the built and natural environment, urban and rural settings, and their preferences and interests that they’ve expressed and followed throughout their lives. The energy of planting their garden between these elements has allowed them to create a natural retreat…
Congrats to the Winners of the Trail Party’s Early Bird Draw
We are pleased to announce that Nikki and Stephen Gobbi of Waterloo are the winners of the Trail Party Walk & Run’s Early Bird Draw. The two registered to participate in the 5km walk on Sunday, September 25, and are now the recipients of a gift certificate towards a stay at Living Water Resort and…
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