Forests and freshwater food systems – comprised of plants, animals, birds, fish, and fungi – are important sources of nutrition for many people in northern Ontario. They are also key indicators of functioning forest ecosystems and food webs.
Natural resource policy and planning often fails to adequately account for forest and freshwater food systems. Instead, industrial uses have been prioritized in our forests. Promoting forest and freshwater food systems can help protect our environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and food industry pollution.
What We Are Doing
Ontario Nature promotes engagement in forest and freshwater food systems in northern Ontario to improve our capacity to understand and manage our forests. Each year we host edible wild plant workshops to share our knowledge of the benefits of adding wild plants to our diets and how to harvest these species respectfully and sustainably.