Peterborough Field Naturalists

Polar bears and black bears inhabit different ecosystems and employ different survival strategies. Yet after decades of studying, one similarity between the two species still surprises renown Canadian bear biologist Dr. Marty Obbard: “The bond between a mother and her offspring—it’s extraordinary.” Whether observing black bear dens in winter or handling polar bear family groups on the tundra, Dr. Marty Obbard witnessed the same fierce maternal connection. Cubs huddled against immobilized mothers. Cubs charging in defence—then retreating. Behaviour shaped not by instinct alone, but by learning and care. 🐻 Hear these stories firsthand at Dr. Obbard’s keynote address Bears I Have Known – What bears taught me when I was prepared to watch and listen at PFN’s 2026 AGM. Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 6:00PM to 8:30PM McDonnel Street Community Centre Peterborough Field Naturalists AGM To attend in person, please purchase your tickets via CanadaHelps by end of day on Monday March 11th. Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Click HERE to register, link in bio on Instagram: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/peterborough-field-naturalists/events/peterborough-field-naturalists-85th-agm-1/ If you have items to donate to the Annual Online Auction, held virtually in conjunction with the Annual Meeting, contact Fiona McKay at fcmckay@peterboroughnature.org or reach out to info@peterboroughnature.org. Deadline for donations is March 15, 2026. #PFNAGM2026

PFN’s 2026 AGM.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 6:00PM to 8:30PM

To attend in person, via CanadaHelps by end of day on Monday March 11th.

Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Click HERE to register, link in bio on Instagram:
www.canadahelps.org/en/charities...

#PFNAGM2026

The Land Between aims to protect Ontario’s at-risk turtle species with groundbreaking ecopassage designs | kawarthaNOW By Megan Gallant. Designed to steer turtles and other wildlife away from roadways, the durable passage have been installed at four locations in Haliburton County and Peterborough County.

The Land Between aims to protect Ontario's at-risk turtle species with groundbreaking ecopassage designs. Designed to steer turtles & other wildlife away from roadways, the durable passage have been installed at four locations in #Haliburton County & #Ptbo County. kawarthanow.com/2026/03/01/t...

Black bears roam forests. Polar bears hunt seals from sea ice. Different ecosystems—but the same underlying driver: food availability. As Dr. Marty Obbard explains, polar bear ecology is shaped by access to seals, just as black bear ecology is shaped by berries and mast crops. When sea ice disappears, polar bears are forced ashore—testing the limits of adaptation. From boreal forest to Arctic tundra, Dr. Obbard connects the dots in his keynote address Bears I Have Known – What bears taught me when I was prepared to watch and listen at PFN’s 2026 AGM. Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 6:00PM to 8:30PM McDonnel Street Community Centre Peterborough Field Naturalists AGM To attend in person, please purchase your tickets via CanadaHelps by end of day on Monday March 11th. Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Click HERE to register or in Profile on Instagram: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/peterborough-field-naturalists/events/peterborough-field-naturalists-85th-agm-1/ If you have items to donate to the Annual Online Auction, held virtually in conjunction with the Annual Meeting, contact Fiona McKay at fcmckay@peterboroughnature.org or reach out to info@peterboroughnature.org. Deadline for donations is March 15, 2026. #PFNAGM2026

PFN’s 2026 AGM.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 6:00PM to 8:30PM

purchase your tickets via CanadaHelps by end of day on Monday March 11th.

Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Click HERE to register or in Profile on Instagram:
www.canadahelps.org/en/charities...

#PFNAGM2026

Black bears roam forests. Polar bears hunt seals from sea ice. Different ecosystems—but the same underlying driver: food availability. As Dr. Marty Obbard explains, polar bear ecology is shaped by access to seals, just as black bear ecology is shaped by berries and mast crops. When sea ice disappears, polar bears are forced ashore—testing the limits of adaptation. From boreal forest to Arctic tundra, Dr. Obbard connects the dots in his keynote address Bears I Have Known – What bears taught me when I was prepared to watch and listen at PFN’s 2026 AGM. Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 6:00PM to 8:30PM McDonnel Street Community Centre Peterborough Field Naturalists AGM To attend in person, please purchase your tickets via CanadaHelps by end of day on Monday March 11th. Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Click HERE to register: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/peterborough-field-naturalists/events/peterborough-field-naturalists-85th-agm-1/ If you have items to donate to the Annual Online Auction, held virtually in conjunction with the Annual Meeting, contact Fiona McKay at fcmckay@peterboroughnature.org or reach out to info@peterboroughnature.org. Deadline for donations is March 15, 2026. #PFNAGM2026

PFN’s 2026 AGM.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 6:00PM to 8:30PM

To attend in person, please purchase your tickets via CanadaHelps by end of day on Monday March 11th.

Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Click HERE to register:
www.canadahelps.org/en/charities...

#PFNAGM2026

Climate change doesn’t just affect bears—it reshapes their life history. Black bears mate in June, but implantation doesn’t occur until fall—and only if the female has enough fat reserves. When drought shrinks berry crops, reproduction can fail across entire regions, synchronizing low cub production and increasing human–bear conflict in subsequent years. These patterns have already been documented in Ontario. Learn how food, climate, and behaviour intersect in Dr. Marty Obbard’s keynote address Bears I Have Known – What bears taught me when I was prepared to watch and listen at PFN’s 2026 AGM. Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 6:00PM to 8:30PM McDonnel Street Community Centre Peterborough Field Naturalists AGM To attend in person, please purchase your tickets via CanadaHelps by end of day on Monday March 11th. Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Click HERE to register: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/peterborough-field-naturalists/events/peterborough-field-naturalists-85th-agm-1/ If you have items to donate to the Annual Online Auction, held virtually in conjunction with the Annual Meeting, contact Fiona McKay at fcmckay@peterboroughnature.org or reach out to info@peterboroughnature.org. Deadline for donations is March 15, 2026. #PFNAGM2026

PFN’s 2026 AGM.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 6:00PM to 8:30PM

To attend in person, please purchase your tickets via CanadaHelps by end of day on Monday March 11th.

Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Click HERE to register:
www.canadahelps.org/en/charities...

#PFNAGM2026

Bears don’t just react—they learn, remember, and generalize. Dr. Marty Obbard documented black bears traveling over 100 kilometres to find food when berry crops failed—then returning to those locations in later years. In cottage country, that same intelligence explains why unsecured garbage leads to repeat visits. The takeaway? 🧠 Bears are exceptional problem-solvers. 🗑 Human behaviour often determines conflict. Dr. Obbard explores both in his keynote address Bears I Have Known – What bears taught me when I was prepared to watch and listen at PFN’s 2026 AGM. 📅 Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 6:00PM to 8:30PM 📍 McDonnel Street Community Centre 🎤 Peterborough Field Naturalists AGM To attend in person, please purchase your tickets via CanadaHelps by end of day on Monday March 11th. Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Click HERE to register: www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/peterborough-field-naturalists/events/peterborough-field-naturalists-85th-agm-1 If you have items to donate to the Annual Online Auction, held virtually in conjunction with the Annual Meeting, contact Fiona McKay at fcmckay@peterboroughnature.org or reach out to info@peterboroughnature.org. Deadline for donations is March 15, 2026. #PFNAGM2026

PFN AGM

Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Click HERE to register:
www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/peterborough-field-naturalists/events/peterborough-field-naturalists-85th-agm-1

#PFNAGM2026

💧 Conservation authorities prevent over $150M in flood damage each year!
Don’t let the province consolidate 36 into 7 — local knowledge matters.
✍️ Sign the petition to re-empower conservation authorities:
ontarionature.good.do/conservation...

#conservationauthorities #ontarionature

Bluff charges aren’t about attack—they’re about communication. While studying black bears in northern Ontario, Dr. Marty Obbard documented a graduated system of displays used to maintain distance and avoid injury: posturing, huffing, jaw-popping, and—sometimes—a charge that stops short. These are the same signals bears use with each other—and with us. Understanding them changes fear into awareness. Learn how bears “talk” with Dr. Obbard’s keynote address Bears I Have Known – What bears taught me when I was prepared to watch and listen at PFN’s 2026 AGM. Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 6:00PM to 8:30PM McDonnel Street Community Centre Peterborough Field Naturalists AGM To attend in person, please purchase your tickets via CanadaHelps by end of day on Monday March 11th. Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Click HERE to register: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/peterborough-field-naturalists/events/peterborough-field-naturalists-85th-agm-1/ If you have items to donate to the Annual Online Auction, held virtually in conjunction with the Annual Meeting, contact Fiona McKay at fcmckay@peterboroughnature.org or reach out to info@peterboroughnature.org. Deadline for donations is March 15, 2026. #PFNAGM2026

PFN’s 2026 AGM.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 6:00PM to 8:30PM
McDonnel Street Community Centre
Peterborough Field Naturalists AGM

Purchase by end of day on Monday March 11th.

Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Click HERE to register:
www.canadahelps.org/en/charities...

Re-empower Conservation Authorities Join me in opposing changes to the mandate, resourcing and independence of conservation authorities that make it harder for them to fulfill their crucial role.

Join me in opposing changes to the mandate, resourcing and independence of conservation authorities that make it harder for them to fulfill their crucial role.
ontarionature.good.do/conservation...

Jackson Park Management Plan The City of Peterborough is developing a Park Management Plan for Jackson Park to create a grounded and action-oriented plan which will help guide the long-term protection, maintenance and stewardship...

PFN encourages all members to comment on the Jackson Park Management Plan survey, which is due Friday, February 20th. People can also send emails to the lead city staff, noted in ConnectPtbo at: www.connectptbo.ca/jackson-park

Here is the link to the survey: www.connectptbo.ca/jackson-park...

Mississauga teen’s incredible invasive species discovery sparks rapid response at Lake Aquitaine Mississauga teen’s incredible invasive species discovery sparks rapid response at Lake Aquitaine.

🌍🦞 Wow, just wow. A Grade 10 student in Mississauga discovered a prohibited invasive species, the red swamp crayfish, at Lake Aquitaine in Ontario, prompting a rapid response effort from conservation teams.
More by @anushkayadav.bsky.social here:
thepointer.com/article/2026...

#ontarionature

The Society for Ecological Restoration - Trent University chapter hosts monthly events called the Ecological Restoration Speaker Series (ERSS) throughout the academic year. The purpose of these events is to promote open discussion regarding ecological restoration and related discourses and to help foster an open dialogue between those actively practicing it in the field to students, faculty and community members. As such, these events are open to anyone who would like to join! The next scheduled speaker is: Tyler Jamieson - Friday, February 27th Location: BL 103 Time: 4:30 pm Tyler Jamieson will be presenting on ecological restoration in the private sector. Reflecting on his experiences implementing ecological restoration standards & principles in the private sector while overcoming the challenges encountered and lessons learned along the way.

Camp Kawartha Environment Centre Falling in Love with Nature: Family Day and Valentine’s Day 50/50 Draw Join thousands of community organizations - big and small - who raise more funds for their worthy causes with Rafflebox.

Camp Kawartha Environment Centre reach its goal of raising $5,000 to support our environmental education programs, stewardship activities and community partnerships. Win an Early Bird Draw of 1 week of March Break Camp!**

** or Nature School Equivalent

www.rafflebox.ca/raffle/campk...

“Bears are social animals with complex social structures.” Long before GPS collars and big datasets, biologist Dr. Marty Obbard learned his most important lessons by watching and listening. From black bears in Ontario’s boreal forest to polar bears on Arctic sea ice, Dr. Obbard has spent decades observing how bears communicate, avoid conflict, raise young, and respond to changing environments. Hear Dr. Obbard’s keynote address Bears I Have Known – What bears taught me when I was prepared to watch and listen at PFN’s 2026 AGM. 📅 March 25 📍 McDonnell Street Community Centre 🎤 Peterborough Field Naturalists AGM Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Registration opens soon. #PFNAGM2026

Happy Valentines Day from the Peterborough Field Naturalists

Today was the first day of the global Great Backyard Bird Count. Time to get outside, count birds and post your finds to eBird. Help scientists track where birds are before migration.

Climate change and biodiversity loss aren't always easy to talk about. We asked communications experts from @davidsuzukifdn.bsky.social, @greenpeaceca.bsky.social, @sierraclubcanada.bsky.social and @ontarionature.bsky.social how to navigate these conversations.
🔗: ontarionature.org/how-to-talk-...

A poster with catails in bloom in the background. The text reads: From failed crosses to runaway hybrids: How plant hybridization can shape ecosystems. Mar 10, 7:30 pm, the publican, Dr Joanna Freeland, Trent University

When species meet, do they always get along? Do they perhaps sometimes get along all too well? Trent's own Dr Joanna Freeland brings us into the weird world of plant hybrids + ecosystem action on March 10th.

Same plant time (7:30 pm), same plant channel (Upstairs at the Publican) 🌿

Don McLeod was kind enough to share some of the tracks he saw around this house this morning. By 11 am all of these tracks were gone!

Don McLeod was kind enough to share some of the tracks he saw around this house this morning. By 11 am all of these tracks were gone!

Don McLeod was kind enough to share some of the tracks he saw around this house this morning.

By 11 am all of these tracks were gone!

“Bears are social animals with complex social structures.” Long before GPS collars and big datasets, biologist Dr. Marty Obbard learned his most important lessons by watching and listening. From black bears in Ontario’s boreal forest to polar bears on Arctic sea ice, Dr. Obbard has spent decades observing how bears communicate, avoid conflict, raise young, and respond to changing environments. Hear Dr. Obbard’s keynote address Bears I Have Known – What bears taught me when I was prepared to watch and listen at PFN’s 2026 AGM. 📅 March 25 📍 McDonnell Street Community Centre 🎤 Peterborough Field Naturalists AGM Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Registration opens soon. #PFNAGM2026

Dr. Obbard’s keynote address Bears I Have Known – What bears taught me when I was prepared to watch and listen at PFN’s 2026 AGM.

📅 March 25
📍 McDonnell Street Community Centre
🎤 Peterborough Field Naturalists AGM
Seating for this must-attend event is limited. Registration opens soon.

#PFNAGM2026

Heads up: iNaturalist will be offline for 1 hour beginning Wednesday, February 11 at 9pm Pacific Time (UTC-8). More details: forum.inaturalist.org/t/scheduled-...

A gorgeous coloured pencil (?) drawing of three Alpine swifts soaring over a town's terra cotta roofs and a white clocktower with an orange clock face. The swifts are shown in a rotating set of poses, with their distinctively long and tapered wing shapes and buff/brown feathers with white patches on their bellies and throats. The text reads: Who keeps the house after divorcing? Partner and nest (in)fidelity in the​ long-lived Alpine swift​. Feb 10 7:30 pm Upstairs at the Publican 294 Charlotte St Dr. Michela Dumas Wildlife Research Analyst Ministry of Natural Resources, Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section

Attention birders (and bird gossips): On Tues Feb 10th we'll be treated to a tell-all account of the domestic habits of the Alpine swift by the talented Dr Michela Dumas. Come by early for seats + drinks, upstairs at the Publican, anytime before 7:30pm 🪶

Petroglyphs Provincial Park always a great place for a wander. Make sure you remember to bring eats for the chickadees and nuthatches.

Petroglyphs Provincial Park always a great place for a wander. Make sure you remember to bring eats for the chickadees and nuthatches.

Petroglyphs Provincial Park always a great place for a wander. Make sure you remember to bring eats for the chickadees and nuthatches.

Rewild Your Backyard
In this webinar, she will demonstrate how thoughtful plant choices and simple garden design tweaks can turn your space into a thriving nature reserve.

Any questions please email Jocelyn at enage@couchconservancy.ca

lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/7njvp...

What birders can tell us about our connection to nature

davidsuzuki.org/story/what-b...

World Wetland Day

World Wetland Day

World Wetland Day