Reconnecting Ecosystems

06/03/2026

Can't get enough of these beautiful maidenhair ferns! 😍

They're happiest in a part shade to mostly shade setting, with well draining moist soil. A fern from deciduous forests, they appreciate a nice layer of fallen leaves for winter protection and a source of nutrients.

I love to add them along the edge of a pathway, so you can really appreciate their structure and beauty!

05/28/2026

👋 Hey Wakefield and Chelsea - Garlic mustard is blooming now and it's really easy to spot! It's also easy to pull out of the ground, so get it now before it goes to seed!

Garlic mustard is an invasive plant that spreads rapidly and blocks the growth of native species.

📝 Read more about how to identify it and properly get rid of it in our Biodiversity Killers blog post (link in the comments).

05/21/2026

This American toad sure appreciates the shelter provided by the leaves in this garden!

And the fact that he or she can find refuge here means that so can all of the critters that toads enjoy feeding on. In fact, they can consume around 1000 insects per day! So their presence is not only a good sign of a healthy ecosystem, it's also a reminder that our gardening practices have a direct impact on the wildlife around us.

05/15/2026

Even famous authors can help in the battle against invasive plants! 🤩

Pulling up invasive garlic mustard on Pelee, imported originally because someone thought goats would like it. (What don’t they like?.) It kills native species, turning diverse ecosystems into monocultures. Have to pull it up before it seeds!

04/23/2026

{The link to the article is in the comments}
🌿 Garlic mustard is an easy invasive plant to spot in the spring - the low rosette of leaves stay green over the winter months. Check your property or your local park, identify and report them to iNaturalist.org and learn more about how this plant can be managed and potentially eradicated.
If you've identified it on your property, we can set you up with a management plan, and recommend native plants to replace it with. Leave a comment or send us a message and help !
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🌿 L'alliaire officinale est une plante envahissante facile à repérer au printemps: sa rosette de feuilles basses reste verte tout au long de l'hiver. Inspectez votre propriété ou votre parc local, identifiez-la et signalez-la sur iNaturalist.org pour en savoir plus sur les moyens de la contrôler et, éventuellement, de l'éradiquer.
Si vous en avez repéré sur votre propriété, nous pouvons vous aider à mettre en place un plan de gestion et vous recommander des plantes indigènes pour la remplacer. Laissez un commentaire ou envoyez-nous un message et contribuez à !

04/17/2026

It's so nice to be out working in our yards in the spring, but it's important to remember that we share our outdoor space with so many other beings!🐝🐦🐛🐞🐸
By slowing down and choosing more eco-friendly ways to garden, we can provide healthy habitats for the wild things around us.
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Il est si agréable de travailler dans nos jardins au printemps, mais il est important de se rappeler que nous partageons notre espace extérieur avec tant d'autres êtres! En ralentissant et en choisissant des méthodes de jardinage plus respectueuses de l'environnement, nous pouvons créer des habitats sains pour les espèces sauvages qui nous entourent.

04/07/2026

❓What do you think about Gatineau Park's ecosystem management strategies?

📑 Now's your chance to have your voice heard - fill in this survey before April 13th and let them know what you want to see more of!

How about...
✅ Intensive removal of invasive plants, like periwinkle, European buckthorn and wild parsnip
✅ Replacing invasive plants with communities of native plants
✅ Providing education and support to neighbouring properties that are contributing to the on-going movement of invasive plants (for example, neighbouring landscapes of periwinkle)

📣 Be creative and be loud! This is a huge area of land that supports so much biodiversity - but it's up to us to make sure that it remains protected and properly managed.
Amis du parc de la Gatineau / Friends of Gatineau Parktiveplants

Every day, we work to build an inspiring capital that is a source of pride for all Canadians.

04/06/2026

🌱This is an excellent resource for figuring out which native plants are suitable for your specific site.
🐝 It's a good place to focus some of that spring gardening excitement while waiting for all of the small beings that are still hibernating on our land!

Planning your garden? Choose native species! 🌱

Check out our Native Plant Database! In it, you can filter by region, type of plant, soil type, and light conditions to find the perfect match for your property.

Find it here: https://naturaledge.watersheds.ca/plant-database/

03/27/2026

❗️Now's your chance to add your input! Let Gatineau Park know that the periwinkle, wild parsnip, European buckthorn and dog-strangling vine that grow within the park are huge threats to biodiversity and require active management now! Gatineau Park Amis du parc de la Gatineau / Friends of Gatineau Park
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❗️C'est le moment de donner votre avis! Faites savoir au Parc de la Gatineau que la pervenche, le panais sauvage, le nerprun commun et la liseron des champs qui poussent dans le parc constituent une menace majeure pour la biodiversité et nécessitent une gestion active dès maintenant!

Every day, we work to build an inspiring capital that is a source of pride for all Canadians.

02/18/2026

🍂 If you skipped the usual garden cleanup in the fall, your yard will now be providing shelter for many overwintering insects and small animals that rely on layers of leaves and hollowed out stems to survive the cold months. Birds will be stopping by to feed on seeds and collect materials for upcoming spring nests.

🐝 Great work! By not removing the debris from last year's garden, you're helping to increase populations of butterflies, moths, bees and birds next spring!

Winter is a time of incredible adaptation - from luna moths that wrap their cocoons in leaves, to frogs that freeze and thaw, animals have unique ways of surviving the cold.