Community Outreach
Our team runs high-energy, engaging workshops and events for community groups and the general public.
If you are nature lover, local community member, post-secondary instructor, or are interested in The Meadoway project in any capacity, we would love to meet you!
UPCOMING EVENTS
PROGRAM OPTIONS
1. Book a talk
TRCA staff will visit your group or organization to explain why The Meadoway matters and how it will enhance the landscape for plants, people, and wildlife. We can cater talks for adults, post-secondary students, or for families with children.
To book a talk, please contact tisha.tan@trca.ca.
Please provide the following details during your program request: Name | Group or Organization Name | Expected number of participants | Age group | Your Location | Program Requested | Accessibility Accommodations
CHOOSE FROM THESE OPTIONS:
Get into The Meadoway!
All year | Ages 6+ | 1 – 2 hours
Learn all about one of the most exciting greenspace revitalization projects in Canada and how you can get involved in creating it with us!
Located right here in the GTA, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and our partners are working to restore an existing portion of the Gatineau hydro corridor into a flourishing natural meadow and community greenspace.
Eventually encompassing over 200 hectares and spanning 16 kilometers, The Meadoway will connect the East Don Trail gateway and Rouge National Urban Park, connecting fragmented greenspaces and communities across Toronto via an ecologically sustainable and active transportation network.
In our workshop, we’ll explain why The Meadoway matters and how it will enhance the landscape for people, plants, and animals.
Make Your Own Meadoway
Spring, Summer, Fall | General | 1.5 – 2.5 hours
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and partners are creating The Meadoway by turning a 16 km hydro corridor into a flourishing natural meadow.
The native plants that are planted there will provide a home for pollinators and create a healthier natural community, but it doesn’t need to stop there! You can create your own Meadoway by naturalizing your space too!
We’ll teach you how to build your own Meadoway in your yard, patio or balcony and reap the benefits of your own wildflower meadow.
Beautiful Native Plants
All year | General | 1.5 hours
Native plants are beautiful, easy to grow options for any space. Get inspired and gain the resources to plan your own natural garden oasis!
Receive a free copy of the Greening Your Grounds Homeowner’s Guide with detailed instructions on how to implement these projects at home!
Befriending Bees and Butterflies
Summer | Ages 6+ | 1 hour
Did you know there are over 700 native species of pollinators in Canada?
Learn about the importance of bees and other pollinators in our local communities in an interactive presentation! We will provide simple tips on how to support pollinators in green spaces and your backyard.
Gardening in a Changing Climate
All year | General | 1.5 hours
Join us for an introduction to stormwater-friendly landscaping at home. Learn how to adapt to the changing climate with rainwater harvesting, native plants, rain gardens, and permeable paving.
Receive a free copy of the Greening Your Grounds Homeowner’s Guide with detailed instructions on how to implement these projects at home!
The Magic of Rain Barrels
All year | General | 1.5 hours
Rain barrels are an easy, inexpensive way to re-use rainwater for your garden or lawn. This workshop will teach you how to install a barrel and start using rain to your advantage.
Receive a free copy of the Greening Your Grounds Homeowner’s Guide with detailed instructions on how to implement this project at home!
Brushes and Butterflies
Spring, Summer, Fall | Ages 6+ | 2 hours
Learn painting techniques while immersed in the unique beauty of The Meadoway!
Participants will be guided in customizing their own canvas tote bag with painted illustrations of flowers and plants native to Southern Ontario.
We’ll enjoy a short hike through The Meadoway’s trails and gain inspiration from nature to create our own works of art.
Gardening for Birds, Butterflies, and Beyond
All year | General | 1.5 hours
Helping the environment starts in your own backyard. Learn how to attract and protect native pollinators, such as Monarch butterflies and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds with beautiful landscape features.
Receive online gardening fact sheets and guides to help implement these projects at home!
Saving Seeds: From Gathering to Sharing
Summer, Fall | General | 1.5 hours
Learn how to save seeds from native species and what they need to survive from storage to propagation. Share and trade seeds with neighbours and friends to re-wild your whole community!
Receive online gardening fact sheets and guides.
Bird Sounds: Understand your Feathered Neighbours
Spring, Summer | Ages 6+| 1 hour</b<>
Listen to the sounds of spring! Join us for an interactive presentation about how birds communicate.
Enjoy interesting bird songs, calls and more, and learn some tips to remember them!
From Milkweed to Monarchs
Summer | Ages 6+ | 1 – 3 hours
Did you know monarch butterflies migrate 4,800 km to Mexico every fall?
Join us to learn about the special relationship between monarchs and milkweed, the fascinating transformation from egg to butterfly, and discover how you can get involved in citizen science programs like MonarchWatch!
Species at Risk in the Urban Jungle
All year | General | 1.5 hours
Did you know that the Toronto Area is home to lots of amazing, rare, and threatened animals?
Learn about some of the Species-At-Risk that share your city, your neighborhood, or even your home!
From Chimney Swifts to Red-sided Dace, the Toronto area contains far more amazing biodiversity than many realize, and there are concrete steps you can take to help protect them!
Spring into Native Plants
Spring, Summer | Ages 6+ | 1 hour
Join us for a fun introduction to native plants! Discover some of the amazing ways butterflies and birds use native plants.
Afterwards, learn how to create your very own garden nursery with upcycled materials to get ready for spring!
Nature in your Neighbourhood
All year | Ages 6+ | 1 – 1.5 hours
How well do you know your local wildlife? You don’t have to leave the city to experience some of the incredible wildlife living nearby!
Learn about the unique traits and adaptations of animals living in and around urban spaces. We’ll also explore some of the clues wildlife leave behind!
Custom Program
Interested in a program but don’t see it here? Like an idea but want to modify it for your audience? Reach out to us for our custom program options.
2. Book a visit to The Meadoway!
Visit The Meadoway with your group or organization while engaging in fun learning opportunities or enhancement activities including guided hikes, community science programs, litter clean-ups, invasive species management, and wildflower plantings.
To book a visit, please contact tisha.tan@trca.ca.
Please provide the following details during your program request: Name | Group or Organization Name | Expected number of participants | Age group | Your Location | Program Requested | Accessibility Accommodations
CHOOSE FROM THESE OPTIONS:
Bumble Bee Watch
Summer | Ages 6+ | 1.5 – 3 hours
Discover the diversity of native bees! Learn how to tell a bee from a wasp, and how to identify common bumble bees in the Greater Toronto Area.
Then, contribute to community science efforts and meet our new bumble bee friends up close!
All About Bats
Summer, Fall | Ages 6+ | 1.5 – 2 hours
Did you know that a little brown bat can eat over 1,000 insects in one hour? Join us to learn more about bat species in the Toronto area and how to identify them!
We will bust common myths about these incredible animals and learn how to support their declining populations.
Pollinator Hike
Summer | Ages 6+ | 1.5 – 2 hours
What are pollinators? Why are they important? Enjoy an interactive nature exploration as we learn all about butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and other pollinators!
Discover how to attract and support these species at home with pollinator-friendly gardening tips.
Bird Watching 101
All year | Ages 6+ | 1.5 – 3 hours
Join us to learn all about birding! We will look at everything from binocular basics to species identification while exploring the beauty of The Meadoway.
Exploring Nature Beyond Sight
All year | General | 1.5 – 2 hours
Let your senses guide you as you discover nature in unique ways!
During this guided walk, your perceptions of how nature works will be sharpened as you uncover nature’s subtleties through the magic of smell, sound and touch!
Litter Clean-up
All year | Ages 6+ | 2 – 3 hours
Enjoy an interactive presentation about microplastics, storm water pollution, and discover how storm drains are linked to local water bodies without any purification.
Next, we will head into The Meadoway to participate in an action project – a community clean up!
Invasive Species Management
Spring, Summer, Fall | General | 2 – 3 hours
Invasive plants can overtake our local greenspaces, throwing the ecosystem off-balance.
Join us to learn all about invasive species and how to recognize and manage them on your property.
Then, we’ll head into The Meadoway and get our hands dirty, managing invasive plants that are impacting the meadow habitat.
Wildflower Planting
Spring, Fall | Ages 6+ | 2 – 3 hours
Bring the family out to plant native wildflowers and learn how wildflowers help pollinators like hummingbirds, butterflies and native bees
Custom Program
Interested in a program but don’t see it here? Like an idea but want to modify it for your audience? Reach out to us for our custom program options.
3. Book a Tour
Request a group site visit to see this restoration project in action, pending staff availability.
Groups can come on a guided technical tour of a site in The Meadoway providing greater detail into the project.
To schedule a technical tour, please contact us at info@meadoway.com.
4. Book a Corporate Volunteer Event
Look After Where You Live is a unique team-building program that empowers corporate groups, increases morale, and helps participants to understand their local environment and how they can make an immediate, visible impact.
From clean-ups to restoring native habitats, these hands-on environmental and educational activities engage participants in in team-building while giving back to the community.
Check out the gallery below to see highlights from our community outreach events.
