Our Mission
Foster awareness, appreciation, and protection of nature in North Durham: Townships of Brock, Scugog, and Uxbridge.
What We Do
We provide educational opportunities and foster awareness of nature, particularly the flora and fauna, as well as earth sciences and astronomy.
We lead and facilitate field trips to learn and experience nature. We promote the protection of nature, biological diversity and sustainability within North Durham.
We carry out projects in co-operation with other community groups, to conserve and protect the environment within North Durham.
Next Meeting
May 26, 2026 - Flying Squirrels with Jeff Bowman
7pm at Scugog Memorial Library, Port Perry
Flying Squirrels are one of our most interesting yet rarely seen forest mammals since they only come out at night. One moves from tree to tree by leaping off a high branch, then spreading its legs to stretch out a flap of skin creating a sail. It then gracefully glides to land on another trunk. Jeff will share his expertise in population and landscape ecology and genetics as he helps us understand the special adaptations of flying squirrels.
Dr. Jeff Bowman is a Research Scientist with the Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and also an Adjunct Professor in the Environmental and Life sciences Graduate Program at Trent University. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of New Brunswick in 1999, and has been with MNR since August 2001.
For more on our upcoming meetings, check out our Talks Page.
Next Outing
Saturday, May 16, 2026 - Later Spring Wildflowers with Mark Dorriesfield
1 pm - Uxbridge
Two weeks can make a big difference in flowering species on the forest floor. This will be a follow-up walk at the same location as early May to witness the change in what is blooming in the deciduous forest. The show of White Trilliums should be in full bloom by mid-May, and we'll look for what other new species we can find on this second round. Note that you don't need to have come on the first walk to join this one (or vice versa).
Registration is required: to sign up for this event or for more information fill out this form. For more information on our upcoming walks, check out our Walks Page.
Announcements and News
Support the 2026 Birds Canada Birdathon
North Durham Nature once again supports member Geoff's effort at raising funds for Bird Conservation with Birds Canada's Birdathon. Birds Canada supports bird research and conservation initiatives across Canada.
See Geoff's letter here for more information and a link to make your donation to help our birds.
Funding for Youth Nature Camps - Spring Application Deadlines
North Durham Nature has funds available to support local North Durham youth in their teen years to participate in nature camps. Here are the programs and application deadlines:
- Ontario Field Ornithologists - Young Birders Camp (Deadline March 23, 2026) http://www.ofo.ca/content/young-birders/camp
- Birds Canada - Young Ornithologist Workshop (Deadline April 30, 2026) https://www.birdscanada.org/discov.../training-and-workshops
- Ontario Nature - Youth Summit (Deadline August 2026) https://ontarionature.org/events/youth-summit/
If you know a family that might be interested, check out our Youth Programs page for more details on how to apply for funding.
Volunteer Opportunities
Need a ride to in-person NDN meetings? Can you be a volunteer driver to help others get to in-person meetings?
In order to make our club more accessible for those that don't or no longer drive, we would like to invite people to contact us to sign up--EITHER as a volunteer driver or to inquire about getting a lift. To make the system flexible and accommodate everyone's busy and unpredictable schedules (and weather conditions!), we would not expect a regular commitment but are willing to organize such arrangements on a month-by-month basis. Contacting us well in advance of the meeting date will ensure a greater chance of facilitation, and we will do our best to match riders and drivers.
Our club services the Townships of Brock, Scugog, and Uxbridge so if you live in these regions and are interested, please email the NDN admin team at northdurhamnature2@gmail.com.
Please be a Nature Walk volunteer!
Are you interested in helping out with one of our Walks in Nature, either by leading or assisting with a walk on a topic you are comfortable with? We would love to have you! In addition, we are always looking for new locations and/or nature topics to explore in North Durham so if you have experience or ideas to share, please contact Derek: ndnature7@gmail.com. Thanks!
North Durham Nature Newsletter
Looking for some interesting, local nature content, but you've already finished January's installment of NDN's Newsletter? Well you're in luck! Old copies of our newsletter are now downloadable from our website for your reading pleasure.
Click here to check out seven years of content starting with our very first newsletter back in January 2014, or find the link under the "Friends and Links" tab up in the navigation bar.
Not a club member yet, but like what you see? Become a member to receive our most recent newsletters straight to your email.
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