Stewards cutting down Japanese knotweed at Middle Mills, 2021
Stewardship on Public Land

Toronto Nature Stewards

Come for the plants, stay for the people

We all enjoy the benefits of the ravines and natural areas.  Our unique urban forest is home to abundant wildlife and an oasis for citizens in Canada’s largest City.  The ravines connect important ecosystems, connect our communities, and connect us to nature – one of the pillars of a sustainable planet and sustainable living.

Despite the importance of nature in the City, Toronto’s natural areas are at an ecological tipping point. Invasive species, climate change, overuse and misuse by people, intensive land development, and excessive litter threaten the current and future health of the city’s wild species and natural communities.

Toronto Nature Stewards (TNS) believes that stewardship is part of the solution. Protecting and caring for the land is essential. Our vision is a Toronto with healthy biodiverse ecosystems where plants, animals and humans can thrive together. Site Map and Schedules.

Let’s work together to restore and maintain healthy natural areas to improve the quality of life for all Toronto residents.

YOU CAN HELP

Latest from Our Blog

  • Video testimonials

    Here are some words from our stewards on why they volunteer with TNS.

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  • TNS In the News!

    The Globe and Mail Toronto Nature Stewards volunteer to protect ravines (link to Globe and Mail) pdf copy of article Joel Rodriguez, September 10, 2022 Toronto’s ravine system makes up a significant part of the city’s green infrastructure, as natural parklands and urban forests provide countless environmental, health and recreational benefits. However, the city’s ravines […]

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  • From our Stewards – Stories from the Field: Index

    The Toronto Nature Stewards are working hard but still having fun while removing invasive species in our ravine and park sites. Each Lead Steward organizes their volunteers and have many different experiences to share with each other. The following posts are specific to a site, how to improve the experience and personal reflections. Follow the […]

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  • How we Steward our Sites 

    TNS has over 30 sites in 2023 and around 100 trained Lead Stewards (in 2023) but there is much more to do. There are 6,600 hectares of public ravine land and we are stewarding approximately 74 hectares on 23 sites (2022).  Each hectare needs active regular stewardship to improve biodiversity and ecosystem health.  Each site […]

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  • Site Stories – Cherry Beach

    Anna Hoad, Lead Steward This spring we thought our site at Cherry Beach was doomed. The empire (of invasive plants) strikes back! We took off half the old phragmites stalks in one area, but the rhizomes were so thick they had killed off all the undergrowth and were in the process of choking out the […]

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  • Site Stories – Ashbridge’s Bay Park

    by Clyde Robinson, Lead Steward Oct 28, 2022 Thank you once again for another super successful stewarding effort at Ashbridge’s Bay Park.  As you remember how glum we all felt (tee hee hee), when confronted with the Phragmite patch (please see the first picture below).   Then our jubilation and thank you to all for it’s removal. Unfortunately […]

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  • Site Stories – Glen Stewart Park

    Glen Stewart Park – A Year in Review By Sylvie Dion, Lead Steward We completed our last work session of the season on Oct 27. The weather was really beautiful for a fall day. The leaves in the trees were a mix of golden colour, dark orange and bright red. The sun came out shining […]

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  • Site Stories – Northline

    Photo essay: From Landfill to Nature Renascence by the Northline Nature Stewards (October 14, 2022) The thrill of spotting wildlife takes on new meaning when you find it at a site that you’re stewarding. Two regular Northline stewards, Paul Reeves and Conrad Barrington, are also talented nature photographers who have been capturing the magic at […]

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