Nature at McMaster

June 17th through 23rd is officially ! An initiative started by Pollinator Partnership, it encourages everyone to get involved in the discussion of pollinators and their role in the environment, as well as their direct impact in our lives.
Pictured here are some pollinators spotted on campus: An Eastern Carpenter Bee pollinating a Northern Catalpa, a Marsh Fly pollinating a Common Yarrow, and a Spurred Ceratina pollinating a Mayweed. This week, take a walk around campus and see what unique pollinators you can find!
You may be familiar with butterflies, bees, flies, and wasps, but did you know that birds, bats, and even lemurs are also pollinators? Check out our newest blog post to learn more! Link in bio⬆️

Mosquitos: Deadly Pests or Ecological Wonders?

You may be surprised to learn that mosquitos have important ecological roles and provide more to humans and the ecosystems they live in than itchy bites. Mosquitos play a role in pollination, ecosystem connectivity, and are an important food source for many predators. Common mosquito control strategies may be doing more harm than good, as they may target mosquitos and other insects indiscriminately, including those that rarely feed on humans. The best strategies for controlling mosquitos are those that deter them without harming the ecosystem in the process, such as bug spray and electric fans.

Link in bio⬆️

🌼🌲 Spring into nature with us! 🌲🌼
Join us for a magical morning hike through McMaster Forest Nature Preserve on May 5th from 10 AM to 1 PM. 🥾📅 Led by the passionate Noah Stegman, this hike is your chance to discover the fleeting beauty of spring ephemerals like white trilliums and trout lilies!
👀 What’s in store?
* Exclusive guided tour
* Learn fascinating facts about these rare wildflowers
Spaces are limited, so don’t miss out! 🏃💨 RSVP now by clicking the link in bio-

Share your ideas for exciting nature-themed events on campus! Have you attended one of our previous events and loved it? Do you have creative ideas on how we can engage students with nature? Help shape our future events by filling out our survey

Hey friends! We’re hosting an epic community engagement and trivia night tomorrow at the epic brewery in Dundas! Come for some delicious eats, a TON of info on our local eco corridor and the chance to show off your environmental knowledge during the trivia night!
We have partner agencies presenting critical information about our local ecological corridor and even empowering you with stewardship ressources! Can’t wait to see you there!
Btw the qr doesn’t seem to be working so follow this link to register! Only a few spots left! https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/814174637257?aff=oddtdtcreator

Join us! No need to register!
Looking forward to seeing you all :)

Our Cootes Drive restoration project will enter phase 2 this spring/summer. We are very excited to continue our work on the project, creating new wetland habitats, prairies, restored forests, and an Indigenous gathering place for land based learning. This restoration work is graciously funded by Parks Canada through their Ecological Corridors Pilot Program in partnership with Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System

McMaster University

The Indigenous Land Advisory Committee and Nature at McMaster presents the Rawhide Tanning workshop on campus! Join us on one or all days or drop in during the morning or afternoon to connect with likeminded folks and learn some land based teachings! Event is free to attend and only a few spots remain!
Link in bio for more details!

Hello McMaster students! Are you looking for a way to de-stress before exam season? We heard that exercise and the outdoors is a great way to do so! Come out this Wednesday to plant some trees at the carbon sink!

We have over 100 trees that need to be planted before winter, and could use some helping hands. This event is a drop-in style, no need to sign up, just come out and do what you can. Every little bit helps!

Hope to see you there!

If you found this post interesting, check out the Nature at McMaster website for more information about Hamilton ecology!

Nature at McMaster would like to present the official McMaster Forest Nature Preserve Trail sign! On October 27th, McMaster President David Farrar, former Chief of Six Nations Mark Hill, McMaster staff and community members gathered to watch the sign unveiling. Check it out at 1105 Lower Lions Club road.

This past Saturday, Steven Burgess and Kyle McLoughlin took McMaster students and Community members on a tree walk through the McMaster Forest. The pair talked about the importance of urban forests and educated the group on forest ecology. Thank you to everyone who came on our hike and a special thank you to Steven and Kyle for leading this educational and engaging experience!

iNaturalist is a free app that allows you to post observations that you make in nature. The app uses AI to identify your observation which other naturalists can confirm the accuracy of. Whether you find a funky mushroom or an unfamiliar bone, the app helps you determine the species by sharing your findings.

Your observations on iNaturalist are extremely important for scientific data of local flora and fauna. Both naturalists and scientists can use these observations to track the spread of invasive species, nature’s response to climate change and the locations of ecologically significant species.

The Nature at McMaster team uses iNaturalist to track the biodiversity of McMaster-owned land and neighbouring properties. Download iNaturalist and be a citizen scientist to help collect data on Hamiltons ecology!

Hi friends!

Are you curious about how the ecosystem approach is relevant to the 21st century and your place of work? What is valuable and actionable about this approach? Do you have recommendations to enhance this approach?

If these prompts seem interesting to you, join Dr. John Hartig and Fani Tsaroucha from the university of Windsor for an interactive workshop on re-energizing the ecosystem approach in the 21st century!

This workshop will take place on November 27th from 6:30pm - 8:30pm at The First Unitarian Church of Hamilton.

You can find the Eventbrite sign-up here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/ecosystem-approach-workshop-tickets-757918353197?aff=oddtdtcreator

Thank you to everyone who participated in our events this past weekend! We appreciate everyone’s hard work and dedication in making Hamilton a more sustainable city🌿

This Sunday, November 12th, Nature at McMaster is collaborating with Carolinian Canada to conduct a seed-collection workshop. This will take place from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at McMaster Forest (1105 Lower Lions Club Road Hamilton, ON L9H 5E3)

🌱We will begin the day with an introduction to seed biology and the importance of native plants in sustainability.
🧤We will then move to seed identification and collection, where you will gain hands-on experience with identifying and collecting seeds.
🚶This will be followed by a guided walk, where you can put your knowledge to the test!
🍃At the end of the workshop, you will learn how to treat and store your seeds

This Saturday, join Nature at McMaster and the Canadian Wildlife Federation at the Wentworth Sports Complex to plant trees and clear invasive species! 🌱🌱This event will run from 12pm to 3pm, ending off with pizza for lunch!🍕🍕
Please remember to bring:
🥾sturdy footwear
🧣warm clothes
🧦long socks
💦reusable water bottle
To sign up, check out our bio for the eventbrite link, we look forward to seeing you there!

*UPDATED ADDRESS*

Hello friends! Our planting event scheduled for this Saturday, originally at lower campus, has now been moved to the McMaster Carbon Sink, located at 1213 Wilson Street East in Hamilton, right by McMaster Forest Nature Preserve. Parking is available at 1175 Wilson St East.

We have over 200 trees that need to be planted and could use your help! If you’re interested in coming out, please register using the Eventbrite in our bio!

Hope to see you there! 🌞🌻🌳

Hello friends! Our planting event scheduled for this Saturday, originally at lower campus, has now been moved to the McMaster Carbon Sink, located at 1169 Wilson Street East in Hamilton, right by McMaster Forest Nature Preserve.

We have over 200 trees that need to be planted and could use your help! If you’re interested in coming out, please register using the Eventbrite in our bio!

Hope to see you there! 🌞🌻🌳

🌱Tree planting alert🌱
This Sunday, November 5th, come join the Nature at McMaster team at 1966 Main Street West to plant trees and remove invasive species!!
Be an environmental steward and help us renaturalize Hamilton this weekend!

Hey Mac students! Are you ready to get your spooky on, and help make Hamilton beautiful while you’re at it? The Hamilton Bay Area Restoration Council is hosting a Spooky Litter Clean Up on Monday, October 30 from 10-12. Custom Halloween pins, treats and refreshments will be given to all volunteers, plus, there’s a prize for the best Halloween costume!!

If you’re interested, sign up using the link in our bio. Hope to see you there!

Hey McMaster students! Nature @ Mac is hosting a restoration event THIS SUNDAY, October 22, from 10am to 1pm. We will be removing invasive species and planting native trees along the creek on Lower Campus, in front of lot P by the baseball diamonds. All tools and trees will be provided by us.

If you are interested in coming out, meeting new people, and making a positive impact on campus, sign up using the link in our bio. Hope to see you there! ☀️🍃

Yesterday Professor J-P Xu lead an educational hike through the McMaster forest to teach about the local fungus visible on the trails. In this hike, he explained:
🍄 the different medicinal and dietary benefits of local fungi
🍄 the poisonous mushrooms in the area and what they do to your body
🍄 what mushrooms visible in the forest are sold commercially
🍄 the different ways fungus grow and how to identify them
🍄 the scientific understandings behind the tv series The Last of Us (although unlikely, possible)

Some fungus found during this hike include (in order of the photos):
🌱Lion’s Mane
🌱Honey Fungus
🌱False Turkey-tail
🌱Puffballs
🌱Birch Polypore
🌱Slime Mold

To learn more about our upcoming events, check out the link in our bio or our website nature.mcmaster.ca
We hope to see you at our next adventure!

🌧️ Weather Update: New Event Date! 🌧️
Hey Nature Lovers! ☔ has moved us, but it can't stop us! Our originally planned event for October 14th is now happening on October 15th! Swipe 👉 to see all the deets!
🌱 What's Going Down
We're rolling up our sleeves to say bye-bye to invasive plants and hello to gorgeous native trees. 🌳 This is your chance to contribute to a greener campus and a healthier planet. Our super knowledgeable team will be there to guide you. Plus, we've got PIZZA! 🍕
🗓️ New Date & Time
* 📆 October 15 (that's tomorrow!)
* ⏰ 1 pm - 3 pm
📍 Location
* Meet us at McMaster Lower Campus, Parking Lot P 🗺️

👟 Pack These
* Sturdy boots or shoes
* Long pants and high socks (bye-bye ticks 🦟)
* A hat or sunscreen 🧢
* A refillable water bottle 💦
All are welcome! You don't need to be an expert, just come ready to learn and make a difference. 🌍
Got questions? 🤔 DM us or email [email protected].
See you there for some good, muddy fun! 🌿

On October 10th, author and native plant gardening specialist Lorrain Johnson will be hosted by Action 13 for a ‘Beers and Blooms’ evening, at SHED Brewing, 65 Hatt Street in Dundas.

Joined by Jen Baker of the Hamilton Naturalists Club, they will discuss the intersects of climate change and biodiversity, and what we can do to help at a local level through Hamilton’s new Biodiversity Action Plan.

Whether your climate action journey is just beginning, or you are an experienced naturalist, all are welcome to discuss and make great community connections.

The link for registration can be found in our bio.

McMaster University

This week, the Nature at McMaster team assisted the Hamilton Conservation Authority in creating sweepers to redirect a braided channel in Ancaster Creek. Braided streams cause variable flow patterns and shallow channels making it difficult for larger fish to swim through. These sweepers collect sediments over time and help to redirect the stream’s flow into a singular branch.