April 13, 2026 - Volunteer Weekly Email
Aaniin/Hello Everyone,
We hope you all are having a good start to your week! We are so excited for the warmer temperatures! Turtles were basking and hatchlings emerged from protected nests today!
Please read this carefully. There is a lot of information once again. Also please read the instructions carefully on how to sanitize your containers transporting hatchlings or injured adult turtles. This is extremely important for the safety of all turtles. Before sending an email with a question, reread it to see if the answer is already included. We appreciate it as we don't have the capacity to monitor emails daily since we too are volunteers.
UPDATES:
Hatchlings emerged from protected nests on Coe Hill Drive and on Stephen Drive. Miigwetch to volunteers Monica, Kitty, Megan, and homeowner David for safely assisting the hatchlings to water!
These hatchlings overwintered in their nests after hatching from their eggs during the summer or fall.
Reminder: If you see an adult turtle in distress, or one that hasn't moved on a cold day or after 24 hours on a very warm day, please call our Hotline
Please remember to complete any relevant attached forms (trainings, schedule, pizza party, Mentor form) within the next few days. We need to know the number of people attending the pizza party after the parade. Miigwetch!
TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK:
Hatchlings tend to emerge after rainfall, during light rain and warm days like this week's forecast.
Please sign up on the schedule to monitor nests and scout the parks for any hatchlings from unknown nests.
Please remember to call the Hotline (647-491-4057) when you see a hatchling.
NEW VOLUNTEERS:
If you attended the Hatchling training this weekend, you can sign up for a shift on the schedule. Please put your name in red to clearly indicate you are a first-year volunteer. We usually have new volunteers wait until they have completed both trainings (Indigenous Ways of Knowing). But we really need more people monitoring nests and scouting the parks. Attending the Indigenous Ways of Knowing Training remains mandatory and must be completed by the end of April to continue volunteering.
We recommend connecting with a Mentor on shift for an oritentation especially if the training didn't happen in your home park. Please check the schedule and include your name in the box where a Mentor is scheduled (the Mentor's name is bold). Once you sign up with a Mentor I will send an email to connect you both.
The map of nests is on the schedule spreadsheet. You can volunteer in more than one park. You can choose to alternate park locations. High Park is divided into areas. You do not need to check all the areas of High Park during one shift.
If neither of the Hatchling training dates works for you, you will unfortunately need to wait for the nesting season to volunteer. We won't have the capacity to offer any more trainings this month. We will begin the Nesting Training in early May. In the meantime, you can attend the Indigenous Ways of Knowing Training and still scout in the park. You just won't be formally on the schedule.
If applicable, please send your $25 for the cost of the t-shirt or tank top.
SCHEDULE:
VOLUNTEER MENTORS:
Reminder to please complete the form as we review our Mentor list and seek additional Mentors. CLICK HERE
SIGNAL APP:
Tomorrow we will begin organizing the groups on Signal. If you are not currently on this app, please download it this week to stay updated on communications. You will receive an invitation to join the group(s)
Once you are added to Signal, there will be several groups: one for each park, park check-in/out, general communication, and one for hatchlings or turtles on land requiring an on-scene volunteer. For this group, we ask that you keep notifications on if possible
TRANSPORTING HATCHLINGS TO WATER OR INJURED ADULT TURTLES: IMPORTANT
Once a container or bin has been used for a turtle or hatchlings from one nest it must be sterilized before being used for a different turtle or hatchlings from a different nest.
Below are two different sterilization methods. We decided to use only these two methods. Choose one of these two methods as we want to ensure consistency:
Miigwetch to Volunteer Mentor Leah for sharing this information:
Steve Marks from Scales Nature Park shared the protocol they use:
Make a bleach/water solution (10% bleach and 90% water OR 1 part bleach:9 parts)
Soak container or bin for 10 minutes
Rinse well - optional if you want to be extra cautious do a rinse with water and an aquarium/pond dechlorinator (neutralizes chlorine and chloramine)
Air dry, as this allows any bleach residue to evaporate and won't leave any fibres behind
Rinse a second time after drying because bleach turns to salt after it dries, so a second rinse after air drying is optimal
At Toronto Wildlife Centre, they:
Wash containers with soap and water
Spray with Prevail and leave for 10 minutes.
Rinse really well
Air dry.
Trainings:
PLEASE MARK THESE DATES ON YOUR CALENDAR
We have scheduled three Hatchling trainings. You only need to attend one of these dates. This training is mandatory for new volunteers or returning volunteerswho haven't been with Hatchlings. Returning volunteers are encouraged to attend for a refresher. We will look into additional dates.
If you can't find us, please call the Hotline at 647-491-4057. Vehicles are prohibited in High Park on weekends. If you can no longer attend the 19th training, you can just show up on the 21st.
April 19th - 9:30am to 11am - High Park. (Meet in front of Grenadier Cafe)
April 21st - 6:30pm to 8pm - High Park. (Meet in front of Grenadier Cafe)
Please register here: CLICK HERE
Indigenous Ways of Knowing Training scheduled for April 18th has been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. Please complete the form again if you selected the April 18th
This training is mandatory before a new volunteer's first shift. You only need to attend one of these dates.
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.
This training will be either outdoors or online. If the weather isn't ideal for outdoor activities, the training will move online. Please dress for the weather!
April 14th: 7pm to 9pm - Online (Zoom)
April 20th: 6:30pm to 8:30pm
April 26th: 10am to 12pm in High Park (weather dependent)
Please register here: CLICK HERE
T-SHIRTS AND TANK TOPS:
We started to distribute the shirts over the weekend at the training and will continue to do so during the upcoming trainings.
UPCOMING PUBLIC EVENTS:
Save the Dates!
Sunday, April 19th 1pm to 2pm - Wetland Walk - meet at Colborne Lodge in High Park
Sunday, April 19th 2pm to 5pm - drop in craft making for our Turtles on the Move Parade with Clay and Paper Theatre. You are encouraged to attend so you can make something for the parade.
Saturday April 25, 2:00 - 4:00 pm - 3rd Annual Turtles on the Move Parade with ASL interpretation in High Park.
Saturday, April 25th, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. - Volunteer Pizza Party in High Park to celebrate after the parade
We want to celebrate after the 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
We hope you all have a lovely week!
Carolynne and Jenny
