Toronto Environmental Events March 23 - March 28, 2010

9:30am

Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival

Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Dr Vaughan, ON & Bruce’s Mill Conservation Area, 3291 Stouffville Rd, Stouffville, ON (map)

DescriptionThe Festival will include food and drinks, fun for all ages and lots of entertainment including daily self guided activities at both locations: maple syrup demonstrations, syrup sampling, horse drawn wagon rides, pony rides and petting zoo (at Bruce’s Mill only). There are also hour-long daily maple syrup guided walks. Throughout the day visitors at Kortright will be entertained by a variety of activities including: a birds of prey demo, Earth Rangers Animal Show, face painting, The Doug Barr Children’s Show, Nature Stories, and new this year, strolling unicycle and juggler performances. The Easter Bunny also makes its visit on April 4 from noon- 2 pm. At Bruce’s Mill visitors will get to see presentations and live animal displays from the Muskoka Wildlife Centre, and performances from Robert Davis Children’s Music Show, The Doug Barr Children’s Show, strolling unicycle and juggler performances, face painting, word carver demo, balloon artist, and an appearance by Dora the Explorer on the weekend of April10-11 Both locations offer March Break activities for families looking for fun outdoor activities and programs. For a complete schedule of events, please visithttp://www.maplesyrupfest.com  Cost: $8 for adults $6 for kids and seniors. Children four and under are admitted free with their family and members are free. Parking is $4 per vehicle at Kortright Conservation Centre and free at Bruce’s Mill. For more information:http://www.maplesyrupfest.com  

8am

North York Garden Club Speaker on "Native Plants"

St. Luke’s Lutheran Church 3200 Bayview Avenue Northwest Corner of Finch & Bayview (map)

DescriptionOn Monday March 22, 2010 the North York Garden Club guest speaker will be Coleen Cirillo, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority her topic will be “Native Plants ”. Members and guests are welcome to attend. The meeting commences at 8pm. Flower show and competition to be viewed after the meeting. For more information contact: Phone: 647-296-0402

6pm

Toronto: Lake Ontario Evening

Gladstone Hotel, Toronto ON (map)

Description Biodiversity Edition: Fish Populations and Communities of Lake Ontario, Bay of Quinte, and the upper St. Lawrence River, 50 years of change (John Casselman - Queens University) Preventing the Spread of Asian Carp and Other Threats to Biodiversity in the Great Lakes (Ministry of Natural Resources) The Lake Ontario Biodiversity Conservation Strategy (Nature Conservancy of Canada) Atlantic Salmnon Reintroduction (Ministry of Natural Resources) For more information:http://www.torontorap.ca/news-media/news/releases/76842

6:30pm

Brampton: Tuesdays on the Trail - Birding for Beginners

Wexford Park, Brampton (map)

DescriptionLearn the basics, from using binoculars to attracting birds to your yard. Look for birds that make the trail their home. Cost: FREE For more information: Jessika Corkum-Gorrill - (416) 661-6600 ext.5748

9:30am

Scarborough: Rouge Park Guided Nature Walks

Rouge Park 1749 Meadowvale Road Scarborough, ON (map)

DescriptionJoin us for a guided walk along many of Rouge Park's trails and discover parts of the Park you might not have visited yet, or learn and share a bit more about your favourite spot in the Park. Come out for an afternoon recharge, a kickoff to the day, or stay for 2 walks for a real workout. We have an outing for you! Walks last between 1.5 and 2.5 hours, and meet at various trailheads in the park. Look for your Rouge Park leader. Please arrive about 10 minutes ahead of the start time. Kids able to walk 4-5km are welcome with their parents. If you have smaller ones, a carrier is best instead of a stroller. Cost: Free For more information:http://www.rougepark.com/media/hikes.php  The address below is a guide to help locate the park.

7pm

Brampton Clean City Committee

City Hall, Brampton ON (Clerks Boardroom) (map)

DescriptionThe Brampton Clean City Committee is a committee of City Council made up of concerned citizens who volunteer their time and effort in promoting environmental awareness and a clean community. The Committee meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m., City Hall, Clerks Boardroom. For more information:http://www.brampton.ca/cleancity/

7pm

Grafton Community Gardening Night

Roncesvalles and Queen, Toronto (Grafton Community Garden) (map)

DescriptionJoin the West End Flower Fairies, residents and business owners to help green the community! Participants will be out every Wednesday, Rain or Shine.

7pm

Toronto: Sprouting Class

Centre for Social Innovation, 215 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 2C7 (map)

DescriptionLearn from the pros how to sprout for yourself! In just a couple of hours you will learn all the tips, tricks and techniques to get you sprouting at home. This class promotes healthy, eco friendly, raw, vegan, local, certified organic food. It saves money too; grow your own delicious sprouts year round for just pennies a box! This includes the earthgrown sprouts (sunflower, wheatgrass, pea shoots, etc.) and hydroponics (bean mix, alfalfa, broccoli, etc). Cost: $40, preregistration & payment required due to space For more information:http://www.TorontoSprouts.com  marie +at+ torontosprouts +dot+ com

7:30pm

Brooklin: Local Gardeners Go to Seed

Brooklin United Church, downtown Brooklin, near Cassels Rd. E. (map)

DescriptionFree seed swap and presentation for novice and expert gardeners in the area; dessert, laughs, education For more information:http://www.brooklin.org/hort/events.html

3pm

Dufferin Grove Organic Farmers' Market

South of Bloor on the east side of Dufferin, in Dufferin Grove Park (map)

DescriptionA year-round farmers' market every Thursday afternoon from 3 to 7 pm. Outdoors in the beauty of the park in summer, on the skating rink pad in fall, and inside the rink buildings throughout the winter. Local farmers and city-based food producers bring a great variety of organic foods. A special feature of the market is wood-fired oven breads baked right in the park. For more information contact: Phone: 416-392-0913

5am

St. Lawrence North Farmers’ Market

92 Front Street East, Toronto (at Jarvis) (map)

Description For more information:http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/

8am

Toronto: Green Barn Farmers' Market

Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St. (map)

DescriptionThe Stop's Green Barn Farmers' Market, named Toronto's best Farmers' Market by NOW magazine, continues to amaze and improve each week with a seemingly never-ending array of tasty, seasonal Ontario food products. The market is held (mostly) indoors November through to the spring, 8 am to noon every Saturday. For more information:http://www.thestop.org/green-barn-market

8:30am

The Village Organic Farmers’ Market at Toronto Waldorf School

9100 Bathurst St, Toronto (map)

DescriptionFor more information:http://www.villagemarket.ca/  

9:30am

Pickering: Celebrate Earth Hour and the 5th annual Sustainable Pickering Day

Pickering, ON (map)

Description 1. Register to participate in Earth Hour at sustainablepickering.com 2. Visit Pickering Town Centre on March 27th and take the Energy Quiz. You could win a prize, including a $250 Pickering Town Centre Gift Card. 3. Turn off the lights and electronics for 1 hour starting at 8:30 pm. 4. Take pictures of how you, your family, and friends celebrated. Email photos to sustainability@cityofpickering.com for posting on our Flickr page. For more information:http://sustainablepickering.com/earthhourchallengec573.php

9:30am

Scarborough: Rouge Park Guided Nature Walks

Rouge Park 1749 Meadowvale Road Scarborough, ON (map)

DescriptionJoin us for a guided walk along many of Rouge Park's trails and discover parts of the Park you might not have visited yet, or learn and share a bit more about your favourite spot in the Park. Come out for an afternoon recharge, a kickoff to the day, or stay for 2 walks for a real workout. We have an outing for you! Walks last between 1.5 and 2.5 hours, and meet at various trailheads in the park. Look for your Rouge Park leader. Please arrive about 10 minutes ahead of the start time. Kids able to walk 4-5km are welcome with their parents. If you have smaller ones, a carrier is best instead of a stroller. 9:30am - Vista & Orchard Trails 12pm - Cedar Trail 2:00pm - Mast Trail Cost: Free For more information & meeting places:http://www.rougepark.com/media/hikes.php  The address below is a guide to help locate the park.

4:30pm

Toronto: Regenesis March Monthly General Meeting

252 Bloor Street West - OISE, 7th Floor (Bloor, at St. George Station) (map)

DescriptionRegenesis will be having our monthly meeting on Saturday March 27th from 4:30pm to 7pm at OISE, 7th Floor Peace Lounge. ---------------------------------------- A bit about Regensis: Regenesis is a grassroots environmental, social justice and humanitarian organization. We believe that a healthy planet and a healthy society are mutually dependent. Our ultimate goal is a fulfilling and sustainable living for all, so that our actions no longer tip the balance of the global ecosystem. In order to achieve this, we focus on real, comprehensive and practical solutions to today’s social and environmental concerns. Regenesis is made up of two separate organizations: The Regenesis Project, a charitable organization providing education, research and community support; and Regenesis International, a not-for-profit organization focusing on advocacy and social action. We recognize changes need to occur in our individual lives, in our society, in politics and in commerce to ensure health and happiness for the planet and its inhabitants, in short: Regenesis. Through our growing network of chapters, we intend to facilitate global change through local, national and international projects. Agenda: TBA ALL WELCOME! Please invite friends. For more information:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=227114638846

6:30pm

Toronto: Volunteer with ecoSanity at Earth (EMERGENCY) Hour Toronto 2010

Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto (map)

DescriptionThe climax of our all-March long ecoACTathon... VOLUNTEERS WANTED to help ecoSanity bring urgency to Earth (EMERGENCY) Hour, Toronto! We want a big 'turnout' (get it?) to stage an essential, non-disruptive display and shoot FUN pics and video at the large, outdoor, family-friendly concert at Dundas Square. (Chantal Kreviazuk) Stay with us after and we'll head somewhere as candlelit as possible (location to be confirmed) for a little cheer and good talk about all that's coming up over the next few months. Lights OFF. Live ON. Join us! RSVP/Contact: http://ecosanity.org/contact/ ecoSanity Volunteer Page: http://ecosanity.org/us/volunteers/ Can't make it or not in the Toronto area, but want to support us? Donate one-time or monthly to help sustain our urgent work: http://ecosanity.org/donate/todonate/ Other ways to act now: http://ecosanity.org/donate/ways2actnow/ Earth Hour Int'l: http://www.earthhour.org/Homepage.aspx Earth Hour Canada: http://wwf.ca/earthhour/ Earth Hour Toronto: http://wwf.ca/earthhour/participate/events/toronto_event.cfm * ecoSanity will only engage in FUN, safe, non-arrestable, non-disruptive activity at this event * ecoSanity is NOT associated with WWF and does NOT endorse the corporate sponsors of Earth Hour * Consistent with our mission below, our props, pics and video will characterize the climate crisis as an immediate, global EMERGENCY and threat to most life this century that requires EMERGENCY international action at EMERGENCY speed For more information:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=369332876914

7:30pm

Toronto: Annual Candlelight Walk

Bloor West Village, The Junction, Roncesvalles (map)

DescriptionJoin Your Community by Powering Down and standing up for the Planet. Turn off the lights, turn down the heat, unplug the electronics then.....walk by candlelight Bloor West Village: starting at Alex Ling Fountain, (Jane /Bloor) The Junction: starting at the Junction Train Station Platform, Dundas West & Pacific Roncesvalles: starting at Grafton Park (Grafton street/Roncesvalles) BEFORE/AFTER Inorganic Markets: Drop off old computers, cell phones, printers etc: * Saturday, March 20th 10-3, No Frills 372 Pacific Ave & Dundas West * Sunday, March 28th 10-3, No Frills 2178 Bloor West & Runnymede Pre Walk Rallies: Come early for the entertainment, information about environmental initiatives and refreshments, courtesy of MPP Cheri DiNovo’s team. Join A Walk: Bring your own candle and join in Earth Hour. After the Walk Support local Businesses participating in Earth Hour and continue the Greening of Parkdale - HighPark

1pm

Scarborough Rouge Valley Conservation Centre Guided Nature Walk

749 Meadowvale Road, north of Sheppard Avenue East (map)

DescriptionCome join the Rouge Valley Conservation Centre's Robert Marshall on a guided nature walk through the Rouge Valley. The walk will begin at 1:30pm and last approximately 2 hours. Walks take place rain or shine, except during thunderstorms. Please wear season-appropriate clothing and hiking footwear. Cost: The walks are “pay what you can” with a suggested donation of $2 per person. All money collected goes to the upkeep of the Rouge Valley Conservation Centre and its programs. All donations are greatly appreciated. For more information: info +at+ rvcc +dot+ ca www.rvcc.ca

1:30pm

Toronto: Rouge Park Guided Hikes

Various locations in Rouge Park (map)

DescriptionRouge Valley Naturalists and Rouge Park invite you to join in any of the guided hikes hosted by the Rouge Valley Naturalists The hikes are held the last Sunday of every month starting at 9am. Whether you are an experienced naturalist, want to learn more about Rouge Park and it’s flora and fauna or just want to go out for a nice morning walk you’re invited to participate. For more information: sheryl_santos +at+ rougepark +dot+ com

2pm

Parkview Neighbourhood Garden Info Session

North York Public Library - Meeting Room 2 (map)

DescriptionHave a green thumb? Want to learn? Come find out how to become a local food grower at Parkview Neighbourhood Garden! Learn more about our garden, see what we will be planting this year, and discover how you can be a part of it This drop-in information session will also feature displays on creating natural egg dyes and tips on green home cleaning practices. Come and join us! For more information:www.parkviewneighbourhoodgarden.com