The OCWC has worked, over the years, with organizations and cities across North America to gather and share information on 'best practices' when it comes to wildlife and the environment.

We value the leadership of Mike Callahan and the extensive work of the Beaver Institute to develop and promote progressive practices to coexist with beavers. He connected our Centre to Leonardo Cabrera, the Ecologist Team Lead at the Rouge National Urban Park. We enjoyed collaborating with Leonardo and congratulate him and the Rouge Park for its initiative in installing flow devices and in using public education to further the understanding of beavers as essential ecosystem engineers.
​
Over the past five years, the team at Rouge Park has monitored several beaver dams using on-site visits and cellular trail cameras. Their goal has been to understand the full picture of beaver activity and the broader wildlife communities that rely on these wetlands. What they’ve found is truly remarkable: flourishing biodiversity, ranging from waterfowl and turtles to mammals that utilize the dams as natural bridges.

In 2024, the park built and installed its first pond leveler with help from the Beaver Institute. The system consists of a submerged pipe that allows water to flow through the dam at a controlled rate, effectively managing flooding risks without disturbing the beavers’ habitat. The team constructed a custom metal cage to protect the pipe’s intake from beaver interference, then floated the whole structure into place.

Their work is part of a growing movement to shift how we think about beavers, not as a nuisance, but as essential ecosystem engineers. A recent TVOkids episode titled The Architect, part of the Secrets of the Forest series, helps share that message with a younger audience. The episode introduces kids to the fascinating world of beavers, showing how these animals transform their landscapes and why learning to live alongside them matters more than ever.

At OCWC, we’ve long supported humane and evidence-based approaches to coexisting with wildlife. We’re encouraged to see growing interest in tools like flow devices, tree protection, and public education. These strategies are not just practical solutions, they also reflect a deeper respect for the species that have shaped these ecosystems for generations and for the natural systems that support us all.

Let’s keep working toward a city that makes room for wildlife and learns from them, too!

An important focus of the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre’s programs is not only helping people discover and connect to nature, but also to empower them to work to protect it. We continue to deliver our programs to a wide range of audiences, including schools throughout the Ottawa area as well as hosting groups at the Centre who participate in our Nature Discovery Workshops.
We love that we that we get to connect with and learn about other community groups and organizations. These connections always are fulfilling and have resulted in many positive partnerships. Here are a few of the groups we have had the pleasure of recently working with:
For Our Kids Ottawa Gatineau is a network of parents and families from diverse backgrounds and levels of experience, united by their concern for their children's future and are determined  to take action to reduce the impacts of climate change. This parent-led network of volunteers, is driven to take climate action for their kids, grandkids and future generations. They believe climate action is now an essential parenting skill.
FOK visited the Centre this spring to kick off our Pollinator Protectors Workshop and Garden Initiative, funded by the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.
This is a great enhancement to the stewardship work that we have been leading on Campus. The rich biodiversity on Campus will benefit from the development of this garden.

​We are pleased to announce an exciting new project made possible through the generous support of the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF).
The Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre is launching a Pollinator Protectors Workshop and Garden initiative, which aims to promote biodiversity and educate our community about the vital role of pollinators in our ecosystem.
We are starting work to replace grass with native plants and flowers that will provide essential habitat and food for local wildlife.
We look forward to keeping you posted on this exciting initiative and extend our gratitude to the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.
Together, we are cultivating a future where humans and nature thrive in harmony.

There are many locations across the Ottawa area to go on a hike, including the Old Quarry Trail, Gatineau Park, Bruce Pit, and surprisingly, Carling Campus. Right along Moodie and Carling, the campus is surrounded by a woodlot with an accompanying path leading straight onto the Trans Canada Trail. Though the trails are located on a government campus, they are open to public use. With dense enough forest and winding paths, hikers can easily forget they’re walking between buildings and a large roadway. Along these urban trails, they're brought through a variety of landscapes including woods, grassy areas, a recently restored urban wetland, and naturalized stormwater ponds. The trails, ideal for hikers of all skill levels, have benches and numerous side paths going back to the main road for ease of getting on and off the trail.

The campus is also rich with biodiversity, home to 131 species of birds, 21 species of mammals, 14 species of reptiles, and 250 species of insects! If you look closely, you'll find lots of wildlife as you explore the trail network, including deer, beavers, egrets, and turtles!

If you want to try your hand at identifying the species you come across, below are some resources to help you out!

Kathryn Wu
​Nature Interpreter

​In May, the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre had the pleasure of welcoming 60 grade 5 and 6 students from the Kanata Montessori school to explore our campus. One of their teachers, Ms Jenny, is a former employee of the Center and was very excited for her students to see the unique and interesting activities and information the Center has to offer. It was truly amazing to see the curiosity the students held for nature and its creatures. 

The students from the Kanata Montessori school were a pleasure to have and were so engaged and eager to learn throughout the entire day. It was also very exciting for the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre to see how interested young kids are in wildlife and coexisting. The students wrote the center a nice card afterwards thanking us for the day of learning and exploring nature! One of the teachers said to us afterwards “Thank you for the incredible programming the Centre ran today, it was absolutely spectacular. The students really enjoyed their time and when asked about their favourite part, they replied everything. The kids and educators were so inspired!”. (Senior Elementary Educator). 

​

​

Avery Mack 
Nature Interpreter 

We wanted to celebrate the wonderful people we meet who contribute so much to our work to connect people to nature, protect habitats, big and small and give wildlife a voice. We are fortunate to have so many remarkable people in our ‘wildlife family’, many have been involved for decades, often dating back to our rehabilitation days. 

Doctors, diplomats, artists, homemakers, members of parliament, farmers, teachers, and a tech company CEO who fostered baby rabbits, were involved in our program.  A litter of baby raccoons were actually fostered at one of the embassies in Ottawa.

This diverse group all share a concern and passion for wildlife and nature. One of these remarkable people is Anita Utas. 

We first connected with Anita over a decade ago when she worked tirelessly to challenge the City of Ottawa’s outdated and inhumane practice of trapping beavers. She met with councillors, arranged community meetings, applied tree protection, and even assisted with school presentations to educate children about the value of coexisting with wildlife. 

We knew that Anita was an artist but did not realize the role that nature and wildlife played in her work.

Anita received her honours degree in Art History as well as her Bachelor of Education at Western University. After working as an art teacher with the public school board, Anita traveled overseas and spent seven years teaching in international schools in South East Asia and South America. She has traveled extensively and draws upon these experiences as inspiration for her landscape paintings. Her love for animals is expressed in her continuing series of wildlife paintings.

“My landscapes often capture ephemeral moments as viewed in nature; the quiet magic when the day moves to dusk, the reflection of a forest in a lake, the softness of a misty morning. I am drawn to the calming forces of far-off vistas; landscapes that are beyond simple visual identification.”

Anita’s connection to wildlife is evident in her art, we are so impressed not only by her talent but her ability to capture the spirit and soul of the animals she paints. 
​
Anita has been painting professionally for over 12 years. She is represented in galleries across Ontario, and her work is included in corporate and private collections in Canada, the U.S.A., and Europe. To view her work you can visit www.anitautas.com
​
Anita continues to be an advocate for wildlife and nature and is always on alert. She connects with community members on a range of wildlife issues, actively challenges outdated practices that harm wildlife, such as the coyote killing contest in Belleville and the on-going trapping of beavers in Ottawa.

Working with people like Anita, and seeing their passion and commitment serves as great inspiration to us, particularly on some issues that are decade-long battles. 

The Centre’s slogan “Nature…Discover, Enjoy, Protect” encourages people to get outdoors and appreciate the green spaces available to us in the Ottawa Carleton region. When exploring nature, it is important to do so safely. Following these guidelines will ensure your nature walk is a positive experience.

The best way to avoid contact with plants such as Poison Ivy and Wild Parsnip that can grow along trails is to stay on the trail and avoid picking flowers. Furthermore, being cognisant of their shape is also important (see infographics below). If you are intending to go off the trail, or are looking to be safer, wear long pants and close-toed shoes. The fabric will prevent the sap from coming in contact with your legs. Should contact occur, wash the affected areas with cold water and soap. If a rash develops contact your doctor for further treatment. 

Lyme Disease is of concern in the Ottawa region. Lyme disease can be contracted from the bite of an infected black legged tick (Deer Tick). Ticks like to live in long grasses and are prevalent in the Ottawa area. To limit your exposure to ticks, remain on the trail and wear long pants. Long pants can be tucked into tall socks for added protection. Furthermore, the use of insect repellant containing DEET can also deter ticks. Upon completion of your hike, do a quick scan to see if you’ve been bitten. For more information, review the infographic below.

​*Click the images below to view them at a larger scale. These infographics were created for use on the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre trails. 

In partnership with TD Park People, the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre provided free nature resources and activity booklets to the public for an event at Andrew Hayden Park. From July 4-5th people were encouraged to participate in our Explore Nature Near You Event. Participants explored the park and captured their best nature moment for a chance to win binoculars and a field guide!
The event was a great success with activities for all ages. From bingo, to nature riddles, to a Bio Blitz, there were lots of opportunities to learn about urban wildlife. 
Need some nature inspiration? Check out some of our favourite nature moments below including a submission from Anita, the winner of our draw! 

Anita picking up her binoculars and field guide, she "just loves her regular walks through that park with its variety of wildlife & beautiful scenery!"

​​Thanks to a generous $8000 grant from the TD Friends of the Environment (TD FEF), the OCWC was able to purchase snowshoes, binoculars, and field materials to allow community groups and families to enjoy safe and sustainable exercise in nature. By connecting with their local environment, participants can become stewards for protecting Ontario’s beautiful Greenbelt and meet many local species like White-Tailed Deer, Black-Capped Chickadees, Red Cardinals, and North American Porcupines. This new lending library will be used for years to come by visiting families, individuals, and community groups like the Girl Guides and Boy Scouts. Thank you, TD FEF!