September 30, 2026
On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, I donated 24 organic apples that my Dad and I had picked recently from our place near the Saugeen-Bruce Peninsula and a gift of sacred tobacco from the Jocko Bay First Nation when we had recently come from a canoe trip along Chiniguchi and Wolf Lakes and sweetgrass from Tobermory and Manitoulin Island after we had visited Flowerpot Island. I also I met and said Aani-Hello to and Miigwetch-thanked several people including a man who welcomed me that I gave sweetgrass to and a young native woman I bought a beaded TMNT Michelangelo from and I offered an abalone shell to. I also painted a rock orange, thanked one of the trees in the park and felt very grateful and appreciative over the half hour. I’d also like to reflect that I learned a new-to-me phrase near Jocko Bay and Lake Nipissing that I would hope to have the chance to use moving forward; We-Dook-A-Da-Min in Anishnaabe, which is said to mean “We help each other”.
There is a naturalized area with trees and wildflowers behind a local school and on a pathway along the Don River watershed but which also has invasive species including dog-strangling vine and litter that I plan to now help remove and remediate – such that I removed about three dozen DSV invasive plants with seed pods and about six pounds of mostly plastic litter from the schoolyard and public park area and stream system.
I also deposited six hard copy books I’d read into two different local lending libraries before heading home for the day.
October 2, 2026
Just visited Michael Garron and donated 16 stuffed animals from the gift shop to children and adult patients in need .
I was also able to help provide 3 loaves of challah bread and 4 hearty chicken sandwiches from a local bakery to needy individuals along Danforth Avenue.
I also noticed, and felt humbled by, that about a half dozen transient people I asked weren’t interested but thanked me and seemed genuinely appreciative I offered.
I then visited the Garden of the Greek Gods by the Rose Garden at Exhibition Place by Lake Ontario. I was fascinated to learn that there are no Hellenistic temples to ancient Greek gods in Toronto, except for these statues of the ancient deities. I was sure to visit Hercules, the Three Graces, Aphrodite, a mermaid and a minotaur, as well as a centaur and Cerebus and others too including Poseidon! I was also sure to pay tribute and left a small rose granite Canadian Shield stone with Aphrodite.
I was also able to help provide two more chicken sandwiches, a fifth and six, at a community foodshare program in my travels en route home.
October 6, 2026
Recently, I learned that there is a very large wetland next to the historic Ontario Science Center. Over the last few years, the Ontario provincial government shut down the Science Centre saying that the roof was unstable and might collapse under heavy snow. Several years later, and after a society of architects said they would survey and repair the roof for free, declining this – the original Ontario Science Center is closed and to relocated to Ontario Place in coming years. Meanwhile, access to scientific education and access to the beloved science-focused institution was contentiously taken away by the province – mourned by many as they in the community and beyond who loved the historic Ontario Science Center and the valuable awareness, experience and services it provided – also giving rise to more concerns about children and communities no longer having substantive access to scientific education, meaning if people are not as educated about the environment or educated about science-backed impacts they can not understand as well or speak to today’s impacts on the environment or the meaningfulness of connecting to and understanding the environment – all which seem to benefit the current governments agendas(???). All this time, the province sponsored a large, and questionable, subway expansion which also included the project to usher at least or around 50 tall new condominium buildings along this area and corridor. The impacts of which are notably concerning for the residents who worry about more traffic, more noise, less tranquility, more pollution and overall less pleasant neighbourhoods here. The above is a lengthy explanation towards that upon discovering this healthy large intact wetland with at-risk and sensitive wildlife, including wood ducks, kingfishers, black-crowned night herons, barn swallows and more that I have seen so far – I became concerned for the well-being of this very special wetland area, because there is likely going to be not only people from the 50 new buildings who may not respect the natural area well, in addition to the litter that is likely to occur from the construction as well as residential and commercial litter that is likely to culminate. So, to avoid additional notable insult to the already grievous injury, I wrote a public letter and blog asking official planning managers what the plan to include more maintenance, protections and otherwise meaningful updates to the wetland area next to the former Ontario Science Center is. I have so far received a response from a senior manager regarding the question of the plan for the wetland area next to the former science center was that they are not aware of an existing plan, but will consult with technical staff and review information from multiple program areas. So that currently, presumably on behalf of the partners, TRCA asks for a bit more time before providing a further response.
October 8, 2026
I joined 60 other volunteers, newcomers, residents, Toronto Parks and environmental group volunteers to help plant 60 native trees and 300 native shrubs which will contribute to naturalizing Sweeney Park along the Don watershed, biodiversity, increasing urban tree coverage, learning, opportunities to be outside and connect to nature. First, we observed a tree planting demo, then got into it. We helped to establish a small woodlot within the central park to help benefit these goals. We learned how to plant correctly (dig a hole twice as wide as the plant base and as deep as the plant base, then will back in with the soil dug out, ensure it is nicely secured and compacted and the bottom of stem should be flush with surface level, put a hemp fibre mulch mat around the plant and a ‘doughnut’ of mulch around the plant). I also had the chance to meet someone in the Toronto Parks programs office who had attended one of the community bird walks I led at Tommy Thompson Park 10 years ago during a Spring Migration Bird Festival
community program opportunity, this kind and thoughtful person said she loved it, this was before she decided to work for Toronto Parks, and remembered when I showed the group the rose-breasted grosbeaks in aspens.
I spoke to several people including about how to pursue a career in Toronto Parks & Forestry and forest stewardship, I helped others with their tree planting goals and how to identify an oak, I spoke to another person regarding concern about many new tall condos going up around the city including the area of contentious concern around the historic Ontario Science Center site, given that Conservation Authorities will be operated by the province as of 2027 and that there has been so much deregulation massive construction projects with very little meaningful planning regarding the impacts on the surrounding communities and environments, and disgust at the provincial government and how it seems to use environmental deregulation to manipulate development with notably poor and concerning planning. He also asked how he could earn references now also beyond volunteering – and I explained that perhaps a volunteer manager could help with this, or a reference from an employee, a school, a doctor or lawyer may help. I also found a few more Toronto-based environmental groups who help coordinate events that I could help further support and volunteer for to help protect the environment around Toronto. It was also very good energy at the tree planting event. People really loved, learning to tree plant helping out to benefit the environment and establish a natural area in Victoria Village’s Sweeney Park.
I deeply reflected on this as I continue my quest to re-establish myself in a meaningful great career, after resigning from my former role of helping to protect natural areas and natural systems for 15 years – based on safety concerns I have and an ethical crossroads. It was so nice to be in that energy, it was uplifting and bore opportunities to create more hope and on the ground environmentally beneficial and sustainable actions.
I feel really good, after the past two weeks, as well as additional meaningful environmentally-beneficial contributions I have made this year. Naturally, though I am concerned about the future, I believe making the opportunities to take actions like these will help our communities, benefit natural systems, create raison d’etre and show the true altruistic, philanthropic, more environmentally sustainable, benevolent and hopefully compelling and inspiring rewards that will deeply benefit our greater society – if we all help towards this where we can.
