Carolinian Canada

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Grow Wild! in Carolinian Canada

Take the Next Step: Canada's Biggest Wildlife Garden
Take the In The Zone Challenge and help to grow Canada's Biggest Wildlife Garden! Thousands of volunteers and partner groups across diverse sectors, landscapes and communities are coming together to create a healthy habitat network of native plants across the Carolinian Zone. Start with just one plant, grow a wildlife garden, or even plan a whole-yard makeover. Anywhere that you want to save, grow or care for native plants can be counted as part of Canada’s biggest wildlife garden – from a balcony pot to a yard to a field. Take the Challenge - Register Your Garden Today!

Take the Next Step: Canada's Biggest Wildlife Garden

Take the In The Zone Challenge and help to grow Canada's Biggest Wildlife Garden! Thousands of volunteers and partner groups across diverse sectors, landscapes and communities are coming together to create a healthy habitat network of native plants across the Carolinian Zone.

Start with just one plant, grow a wildlife garden, or even plan a whole-yard makeover. Anywhere that you want to save, grow or care for native plants can be counted as part of Canada’s biggest wildlife garden – from a balcony pot to a yard to a field.

Take the Challenge - Register Your Garden Today!

Take the Grow Wild Challenge and pledge to do more for wildlife. Pledge to help nature by committing to a Habitat Action! If you already Grow Wild, tell us your story!

Carolinian Canada is a natural treasure – a biodiversity hotspot for the nation, and we need your help! Thousands of people are taking action here, at home and work, to slow the loss of biodiversity, a global threat to the planet’s health. You can join us in 3 simple steps to healthy habitats.

Save Local Nature. Explore, hike or paddle an EcoTrail and get to know your rare and wild neighbours.

Steward Your Landscape.
Connect to habitat help for your urban or rural backyard or your community.

Seed a Native Plant. Grow Habitat for local pollinators and other wildlife.

Make your actions count and green the future of Carolinian Canada!

Join the thousands who are participating in Grow Wild actions to help wildlife, rare species and healthy landscapes in Carolinian Canada. Let’s green the future together.

Grow Wild! Learn How to Grow Wild! and Pledge or Share Your Story	Be a Landowner Leader Develop a Carolinian Habitat Action Plan for Species at Risk on Your Land	Learn About Local Biodiversity Use our Species at Risk in Action Education Kit
Don't Let Your Pet Be A Threat	Respect Forest Boundaries O'Neill Nature Preserve Seeks Good Friends and Neighbours	Stop Garden Escapees Landscape to include native plants #RotaryEcoTrail
Become a Citizen Scientist Watch for Wildlife! Join a Citizen Science Species Monitoring Program	Clean Up Participate in a beach or trail clean up	Do not Feed Wild Animals Leave wildlife alone
Do Not Plant Invasive Species Grow local, native plants	Donate Support a conservation-related cause or organization	Get Outside Explore the unique nature on your doorstep
Join a Nature Club Learn more about local nature by joining a nature club	Keep Wild Animals Wild Do not collect wildlife as pets	Participate in the Elgin Natural Heritage Inventory Help Track Elgin County's Amazing Biodiversity!
Participate in the Elgin Natural Heritage Inventory Volunteer to have your property surveyed	Plant a Native Plant Grow Wild!	Practice Low Impact Hiking Take only photographs, leave only footprints
Protect Carolinian Canada Care for natural rarities, species and habitats at risk	Support a Land Trust Leave a legacy by financially supporting a Land Trust or gifting a piece of your land	Use natural gardening techniques Grow Natural
Volunteer Donate your time for conservation

Carolinian Canada is a network of leaders growing healthy landscapes for a green future in the Carolinian Zone in the spirit and practice of reconciliation.

Carolinian Canada will make every effort to provide assistance making materials accessible on request. Contact info@carolinian.org for more information

Grow Wild! Stories

This uniquely red plant stands out amongst many of the other species that we grow at St. Williams Nursery & Ecology Centre.
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Here are some thoughts and ideas to consider whether you have dreams for your own property or a desire to pursue a fulfilling career in natural garden design.
Lance Lane
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Gary Rodger was born in Chatham and has lived his whole life in Blenheim. He is a business owner, a land owner, and a father of a seven year old son. It was truly inspirational to find out that Gary has been continuing a habitat restoration project that his father started. The project began with the planting of some ash trees on part of the farm by his father, Jim Rodger, and for the past 25 years Gary has been investing more time, land, and effort to expand on what his father started.
Josh Kim
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Allen Woodliffe, a retired MNR ecologist, grew up on a farm just outside of Rondeau Provincial Park. As a youth, Allen would spend endless days with friends, hunting, fishing, or biking to Rondeau. His grandparents also owned a cottage in the park where Allen would spend a few weeks each summer. Allen’ s connection to the Chatham-Kent area has held strong for his entire life because Allen and his family still live in the area and Allen still goes to Rondeau a few times a week.
Jenn South
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Encouraging and promoting activities that lead to the appreciation, preservation, and conservation of Chatham-Kent’s natural heritage is part of the Sydenham Field Naturalist’s mission, explains President Denise Shephard. Denise is a naturalist and landowner in Chatham-Kent. She has lived and worked in the area all of her life. Denise resides in Wallaceburg, which is also the base for Sydenham Field Naturalists.
Breana Harkins
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John Skakel is a local toymaker, historian and retired farmer, and has lived with his family in Chatham-Kent for as long as he can remember. Living on a farm has kept John in touch with nature. “We see things like deer and coyotes every now and then, as well as turtles,” John explains. But with the rapid and ongoing urbanization of the agricultural center, it is hard to keep up.
Amanda Ifejika
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“I grew up there, but most likely will never move back to Niagara Falls,” says Dawne Mudford, who moved to Chatham-Kent from Niagara 30 years ago. Though she is often told how beautiful and amazing Niagara is, Dawne regularly reminds people that Chatham-Kent is equally as beautiful and amazing. When she points out the incredible things that are found here, others start to realize the beauty that is right in their backyard.
Elaine Chu
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Ken Bell is a lifelong resident of the Chatham-Kent area who understands the importance of respecting and conserving the environment. Now residing in Shrewsbury, Ken fosters a strong connection to nature, actively participates in conservation efforts, and promotes environmental respect in the community.
Steven Shaw
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It was a bright sunny day when I took a walk with Larry Cornelis through his family farm just north of Wallaceburg. Larry is a self-employed landscaper, naturalist and natural heritage surveyor. He and his family moved to the farm that backs on to the Sydenham River, from Sarnia in 1987. He remembers his life as a child on the farm when his grandparents lived there.
Alexandra Shade Silver
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You know those teachers? The teachers you had in elementary school, who stand out in your mind and remind you of how great your childhood was? I believe I have found one of those teachers in Dresden. Lynda Weese is a retired teacher who enjoyed sharing her love of science with her students. She loves nature and always tried to incorporate it in her lessons. Driven by that passion, Lynda has also devoted a lot of her time to helping restore the natural environment in her own community over the years.
Ana Micic
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For the past two years and continuing this spring, I am in the process of creating a arboretum on our property. The arboretum of approximately 2 acres is being developed in partnership with the UTRCA. To date, we have planted about 50 Carolinian trees and about 30 more are scheduled to be planted in April. There are also walking trails among the plantings and, in the longer term, I plan to develop information on each species to educate others in the importance of promoting native trees.
Jim Rule
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Carolinian Canada

Grow Wild! in Carolinian Canada

Take the Next Step: Canada's Biggest Wildlife Garden

Make your actions count and green the future of Carolinian Canada!

Grow Wild! Stories

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