What is green and roughly the size of the city of Paris, France? If you guessed Toronto’s natural areas, you’d be correct. Spanning over 11,000 hectares (or 110 square kilometers), they:
- Support the livelihood and wellbeing of over 3 million people
- Provide homes for plants and animals
- Regulate nutrient and water cycles
- Protect us against flooding and erosion
Despite their significance, Toronto’s natural areas are at an ecological tipping point. Invasive species, climate change, overuse, development pressures, and excessive litter threaten the future of the city’s ravines and natural areas.
How Can You Help?
When you join Toronto Nature Stewards (TNS) as a volunteer, you join a community of hundreds of other nature restoration volunteers passionate about building urban ecosystems that are self-sustaining. Spread over 49 sites, our volunteers remove harmful plants, plant native species, remove trash, and educate others in their community about natural ecosystems.
Let’s work together to ensure that our ravines and natural areas thrive.
Toronto Nature Stewards is hosted by the Institute of Forestry & Conservation, Daniels Faculty of Landscape, Architecture, and Design
We extend our sincere thanks to the Institute of Forestry & Conservation, Daniels Faculty of Landscape, Architecture, and Design at the University of Toronto for their support and partnership. By providing a home for Toronto Nature Stewards, the Faculty continues to lead by example in building a more sustainable urban future for all of us.

