Upcoming Events

Join Dorset Pier Mental Health and the LRCA at Cascades Conservation Area from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. for the second annual Outdoor Health & Wellness Day! We will be highlighting the importance of being outdoors and how nature can improve your mental and physical well-being through a variety of interactive activity centres. 

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 

• Express Yourself 
  • Talking about your feelings is so important. Many people think that it’ll be better to push their feelings down. This may feel okay in the moment, but over time, feelings build up and may lead to unhealthy coping. We encourage you to take today as a change (if you'd like) to write on our secrets wall and share some of your feelings! This is completely anonymous.
• Mindfulness 
  • Mindfulness is so important to one’s mental health. Many people may get discouraged as they think they can only be mindful if they are meditating or doing yoga, but mindfulness is actually just taking your brain off autopilot and focusing on the here and now! We encourage you to try to just be in the moment in this experience! Check out our 5 senses take home kits to learn more about being mindful!
• Artistic Expression 
  • Being creative is a fantastic way to take care of your mental health! You do not have to be an expert to be artistic and creative! We encourage you to try out our art station and let the creativity flow!
• Treat Yourself 
  • You live in your head 24/7, 365. We sure hope that it is a nice place to be, but we also understand that it is impossible to do all the time. The more we show kindness to ourselves, the easier it can be over time. We hope you take some time today to be kind to your mind! We encourage you to have a sweet treat, pizza, or a beverage! Treat yourself! Pizza by donation thanks to Eat Local Pizza (while supplies last)!
• Meet Poppy!
  • Come and see Poppy show off her amazing tricks!
• Intro to Yoga 
  • Take a moment to yourself this Saturday by dropping in to one of our 15 minute intro to yoga sessions.  Tune into your breath and relax into your body, taking away mindfulness tools to use in day to day life. {meet Jessie at the pavilion}
• Intro to Nature Journaling 
  • Nature Journaling is a mix of art-making, observation, and mindfulness. It’s the intersection of science, art, and mindfulness, and helps to strengthen your art skills, your observation skills, and deepening your connection with nature. Join us for a brief introduction to the skill of Nature Journaling and start your very own homemade field guide. {meet Rachael at the pavilion}
• Guided Mindfulness Walk 
  • Continuing with the ideas explored in the nature journal workshop, Join us for a guided hike to experience the amazing connection between forest communities and human health.  We will learn strategies to cultivate a state of quiet attention, using our 5 senses.  Which of our boreal forest neighbours will we meet? Trees, bees, mushrooms, birds, mammals, flowers, berries, moths. we will note observations in our nature journals! {meet Rachael at the pavilion}

The 2024 Fall Waterfowl Viewing Day will be held from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Mission Island Marsh Conservation Area on Saturday, October 5. Join the LRCA and local expert birder Brian Ratcliff as we guide participants around the Conservation Area in search of migratory birds. No experience is necessary! Be sure to dress appropriately as this event runs rain-or-shine. Be sure to bring your binoculars, cameras and field guides.

This free event is generously sponsored by Ontario Power Generation.

The LRCA is proud to once again offer our Watershed Explorer Programs, thanks to the continued generous support of the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

Join the LRCA and special guests on a series of expert-led guided hikes at several different Conservation Areas. Our Watershed Explorer Programs are geared toward older learners ages 16+, but everyone is welcome.

The tentative programming dates, topics, locations and times are as follows:

• Friday, April 19 - Owl Prowl @ Hazelwood Lake
• Thursday, May 16 - Frogs & Amphibians @ Mills Block
• ***RESCHEDULED*** to Thursday, June 6 Thursday, May 23 - Birding for Beginners @ LRCA Administrative Office
• Thursday, May 30 - Invasive Aquatic Species: Learn from a Lamprey! @ Neebing Weir
• Thursday, June 20 - Spring Photography Workshop @ Fisherman's Park West
• Thursday, June 27 - Pollinators & Plants @ LRCA Administrative Office
• Thursday, July 25 - Nature Journaling @ LRCA Administrative Office
• ***RESCHEDULED*** to Wednesday, September 18 Wednesday, September 11 - Neebing Birding Day
• Thursday, September 19 - Trees & Fall Colours @ Wishart
• Thursday, September 26 - Fall Photography Workshop @ Hazelwood lake
• Thursday, October 3 - Archaeology @ LRCA Administrative Office

NOTE: Event dates, times and topics are subject to change and/or cancellation. 

REGISTER NOW!