Volunteer Calendar
Upcoming volunteer-only events including trainings and socials.
For public events see the Events page.
Indigenous Ways of Knowing Training (High Park)
This training is mandatory before a new volunteer's first shift.
Returning volunteers: This training will differ from previous years. We want to ensure all volunteers understand how we discuss our relations, protocols for interacting with Indigenous Elders and community members, and why our organization is Indigenous-led. This will happen during the first hour so you don't need to attend the full two hours unless you desire to do so.
High Park - meet in the parking lot of Grenadier Cafe
Nesting Training (Sam Smith)
Training session for the upcoming nesting season! This is mandatory training for new volunteers, returning volunteers please attend if you can to refresh your knowledge.
Volunteers only need to attend one of the nesting training dates.
Sam Smith - meet in the last parking lot
Nesting Training (Smythe)
Training session for the upcoming nesting season! This is mandatory training for new volunteers, returning volunteers please attend if you can to refresh your knowledge.
Volunteers only need to attend one of the nesting training dates.
Smythe Park - meet at the pool entrance
Indigenous Ways of Knowing Training (Virtual)
This training is mandatory before a new volunteer's first shift.
Returning volunteers: This training will differ from previous years. We want to ensure all volunteers understand how we discuss our relations, protocols for interacting with Indigenous Elders and community members, and why our organization is Indigenous-led. This will happen during the first hour so you don't need to attend the full two hours unless you desire to do so.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89864735788?pwd=suRSBhxqIs6RKfnX2dNoIuKAISE5Kt.1
Meeting ID: 898 6473 5788
Passcode: 729625
Nesting Training (High Park)
Training session for the upcoming nesting season! This is mandatory training for new volunteers, returning volunteers please attend if you can to refresh your knowledge.
Volunteers only need to attend one of the nesting training dates.
High Park - meet in the parking lot of Grenadier Cafe
Nesting Training (Brickworks)
Training session for the upcoming nesting season! This is mandatory training for new volunteers, returning volunteers please attend if you can to refresh your knowledge.
Volunteers only need to attend one of the nesting training dates.
Brickworks - meet in front of the cafe
Indigenous Ways of Knowing Training (Brickworks)
This training is mandatory before a new volunteer's first shift.
Returning volunteers: This training will differ from previous years. We want to ensure all volunteers understand how we discuss our relations, protocols for interacting with Indigenous Elders and community members, and why our organization is Indigenous-led. This will happen during the first hour so you don't need to attend the full two hours unless you desire to do so.
Brickworks - meet in front of the cafe
Indigenous Teachings about Turtle with Elder Mark Phillips
Elder Mark will share Anishnaabek teachings about turtle. Please join the webinar on time for Elder Mark; late volunteers will not be admitted.
Due to limited capacity on the Zoom platform, only the first 100 people will be admitted to the meeting.
ZOOM LINK FOR ALL WEBINARS:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86529186744?pwd=85aJQHobaax5gAkPRnlRRVBSbZPpvc.1
Meeting ID: 865 2918 6744
Passcode: 393859
This will not be recorded.
RESCHEDULED Nesting Training (Smythe)
Aaniin everyone, tonight’s nesting training will be rescheduled due to high risk of thunderstorms and high winds beginning 7pm/8pm. Due to safety reasons we don’t want anyone to be in the park. I will send the weekly email tonight with the rescheduled date
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Training session for the upcoming nesting season! This is mandatory training for new volunteers, returning volunteers please attend if you can to refresh your knowledge.
Volunteers only need to attend one of the nesting training dates.
Smythe Park - meet at the pool entrance
Nest Protector Repair Day (High Park)
As we transition into nesting season, our nest protectors need some TLC (tender loving care). We are focusing on repairing the NPs we currently have before building new ones.
Most of the nest protectors need the mesh re-installed, and a few need the stake holes enlarged so that the stakes can move freely.
Meet at the High Park storage shed.
Map pin for the storage shed. From Grenadier Cafe, walk down any path toward the pond and look for a brown wooden building beside the pond.
All hands and skill levels welcome! Please bring sun protection and a water bottle as it will be warm and sunny outside.
TP Volunteer Mentor Mark Tugwood is hosting this event, please message him to coordinate on the day if needed.
Other parks likely need mini repair parties like this one - if you are willing to host, please post in the General Communications chat! We can help get you the tools and supplies needed for repairs.
Webinar with Jeff from Scales
Turtle Protectors webinar with Jeff Hathaway from Scales Nature Park, May 13, 7:30-8:30 pm.
This session will focus on egg incubation, hatchling emergence, laws around excavation, and Q&A.
Jeff has been doing this work for decades and we really appreciate his place based considerations.
Due to limited capacity on the Zoom platform, only the first 100 people will be admitted to the meeting.
Zoom link for all webinars
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86529186744?pwd=85aJQHobaax5gAkPRnlRRVBSbZPpvc.1
Meeting ID: 865 2918 6744
Passcode: 393859
Jeff is the Founder of Scales Nature Park, a nature centre and park focused on the conservation of Canadian reptiles and amphibians. Jeff co-founded Sciensational Sssnakes!! in 1994 after graduating from the University of Guelph, and has been actively involved with reptile conservation ever since. Jeff has delivered over a thousand public presentations across Canada and maintained the most complete live collection of Canadian reptiles and amphibians to support conservation activities. He has conducted field work and supported research on many species, with particular interests in central Ontario's turtles and snakes on Pelee Island. As part of these efforts, he has worked to identify populations and trends, engage communities, and protect crucial habitat. Connecting people with nature has always been a central theme throughout Jeff's life, whether catching tadpoles with kids for reptile camp, or leading group trips to central America.
Toronto Parks Turtle Population Study Webinar with Ethan Owen, York University
Webinar with Ethan Owen, York University PhD candidate
Ethan will teach us about the techniques used in the turtle population studies in Toronto parks, and share more information about the turtles we know.
Due to limited capacity on the Zoom platform, only the first 100 people will be admitted to the meeting.
Zoom link for all webinars
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86529186744?pwd=85aJQHobaax5gAkPRnlRRVBSbZPpvc.1
Meeting ID: 865 2918 6744
Passcode: 393859
Ethan is a PhD student in the Department of Biology at York University, interested in freshwater turtle ecology and conservation, with a focus on population dynamics, habitat use, and long term monitoring to support species at risk recovery efforts.
He is conducting population assessments across wetlands in the Greater Toronto Area to support urban turtle conservation and stewardship. This project is grounded in a Two-Eyed Seeing framework, which brings together Indigenous knowledge systems and Western scientific approaches in a complementary way.
Cherry Blossom Outreach
Volunteers needed for Cherry Blossom outreach on May 2 and 3 in High Park - volunteers from all parks welcomed and encouraged.
Peak cherry blossom season is our biggest outreach opportunity in the city. Although this takes place in High Park, it is also a great opportunity to let people know that turtles exist in wetlands all over Ontario, not just the parks we steward.
We will have a table near our shed in High Park and our hope is to have lots of volunteers on the hill. Please join if you can! And the blossoms are simply stunning!
Outreach materials include:
Table
Table cloth
TP postcards
Models of Painted, Snapping and Hatchling
A fake road that people can help a turtle cross
Turtle ID sheets
And photo of hatchling with cherry blossoms and presto card to compare sizes
Ideally we would have 4 people per shift below given the thousands of people who will be on the hill.
Here is the schedule so far:
Returning Volunteer Meeting (Virtual)
All returning volunteers must attend a mandatory Returning Volunteer meeting. This meeting will focus on changes to protocols and procedures.
April 15th: 7pm to 8 or 8:30pm
April 27th: 7pm to 8 or 8:30pm
April 30th: 8pm to 9pm
The Zoom link will be the same for all three dates. If your availability has changed, you may attend either date - you do not need to email Turtle Protectors to notify us.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81953615932?pwd=slC83IWGhCqmbi3avb9OO8pBavFWWF.1
Meeting ID: 819 5361 5932
Passcode: 030390
Join instructions
https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/81953615932/invitations?signature=5akIlog4Me70t3T-HXznYWDhjzvgGslqgC5C4sb_ei4
Indigenous Ways of Knowing Training (Virtual)
This training is mandatory before a new volunteer's first shift.
Returning volunteers: This training will differ from previous years. We want to ensure all volunteers understand how we discuss our relations, protocols for interacting with Indigenous Elders and community members, and why our organization is Indigenous-led. This will happen during the first hour so you don't need to attend the full two hours unless you desire to do so.
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89860103232?pwd=f2pWpgbtrvzSVnXfPdZArwVbknlqD2.1
Returning Volunteer Meeting (Virtual)
All returning volunteers must attend a mandatory Returning Volunteer meeting. This meeting will focus on changes to protocols and procedures.
April 15th: 7pm to 8 or 8:30pm
April 27th: 7pm to 8 or 8:30pm
April 30th: 7pm to 8 or 8:30pm
The Zoom link will be the same for all three dates. If your availability has changed, you may attend either date - you do not need to email Turtle Protectors to notify us.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81953615932?pwd=slC83IWGhCqmbi3avb9OO8pBavFWWF.1
Meeting ID: 819 5361 5932
Passcode: 030390
Join instructions
https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/81953615932/invitations?signature=5akIlog4Me70t3T-HXznYWDhjzvgGslqgC5C4sb_ei4
Indigenous Ways of Knowing Training (High Park)
This training is mandatory before a new volunteer's first shift.
Returning volunteers: This training will differ from previous years. We want to ensure all volunteers understand how we discuss our relations, protocols for interacting with Indigenous Elders and community members, and why our organization is Indigenous-led. This will happen during the first hour so you don't need to attend the full two hours unless you desire to do so.
We are meeting in front of Grenadier Cafe. If you can't find us, please call the Hotline at 647-491-4057.
This training will be outdoors. Please dress for the weather!
If the weather isn't ideal for outdoor activities, the training will move online.
Please register here: CLICK HERE
Volunteer Pizza Party (High Park)
We want to celebrate our amazing volunteers after the Turtles on the Move Parade!
Thanks to Volunteer Toronto we won a free pizza party from Panago Pizza. If you plan to join the parade please stick around for the celebration!
CLICK HERE to register any dietary needs.
Hatchling Training (High Park)
This training is mandatory for new volunteers or returning volunteers who haven't been with hatchlings. Returning volunteers are encouraged to attend for a refresher.
We are meeting in front of Grenadier Cafe. If you can't find us, please call the Hotline at 647-491-4057.
Please register here: CLICK HERE
*No need to arrive earlier than 6:30pm. We will give out shirts during the training.