The School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Guelph is please to welcome everyone to the 2025 Public Hammond Lecture and discussion with Dr. Teresa Kramarz. Her talk will focus on some often-overlooked impacts of the renewable energy transition, particularly the socio-ecological displacements caused by critical mineral extraction. It will contrast the triumphalist clean

Step into the healing power of nature with a guided Shinrin Yoku session at the Arboretum in Guelph. Also known as “forest bathing,” Shinrin Yoku is a gentle, meditative practice that originated in Japan, inviting you to slow down, awaken your senses, and deepen your connection to the natural world. Over the course of approximately

Join us for an afternoon tour of The Arboretum’s Victoria woods with Terry Schwann who will talk about the long history of this woodlot. This tour will describe the evolution of the forest in Victoria Woods from the time of white settlement to present time, and discuss how people and natural forces have affected forest

Neither great trees nor a carpet of bloom, the often overlooked but ecologically important shrubs and vines in our landscape will be our focus. Fresh specimens and an easy to use key for shrubs will be used. We will be outdoors for half of the day discovering southern Ontario's native and naturalized shrubs at The

In this day-long workshop, participants learn about the fascinating life stories and identification tips about our most important invertebrate predators, the spider. Participants will venture outside for part of the day learning how to find and identify some of our amazing local arachno-fauna, discover first-hand why most insects are arachnophobic, and how we can (and

What is a gall? If you’ve ever noticed a strange bump, ball, or swelling on a leaf or stem, you’ve likely spotted one—but what caused it? Galls are abnormal plant growths triggered by a diverse range of organisms, including insects, mites, and fungi. Far from being mere deformities, these structures serve as protective homes and

This introductory workshop will open your eyes to the amazing and mysterious world of moths. Participants are introduced to what makes a moth so unique; learn about the families or groups of moths that you are most likely to encounter in the Guelph area; and how to find, identify, and appreciate moths. This workshop is

This workshop has been designed to educate participants about butterflies and how to identify them in the wild. Topics covered include, butterfly natural history, capture techniques, field identification, tagging, migration, and creating and maintaining butterfly habitat. The workshop concludes outside catching and identifying the butterflies of The Arboretum. Those who register in attendance will receive

This full-day program helps participants refine their skills to identify trees in Ontario. The focus of the workshop is on learning the important identification characteristics of difficult tree groups such as the cherry, oak and walnut families as well as the easier groups such as ash and maple. The afternoon is spent outside identifying trees