Nature London upcoming events

Sydenham River Nature Reserve – 3 of 4 Butterfly Counts (18 Jul 2026)

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Location and Time: 9:00 a.m. to noon. The “closed to the public” property is located south-east of Alvinston. The Nature Reserve Property protects a ribbon of extraordinary plant and animal diversity in a region that is under intense pressure from development. Please note there are no maintained trails on the property and walking can be difficult at times.

Lambton Wildlife Inc. are looking for individuals interested in helping to count butterfly populations in two different locations. You don’t need to be an expert, but we ask that you have some experience in identifying common butterflies. Participants will be divided into groups to include a cross-section of experience levels.

Contact: If you are interested in attending, please contact Sharon Nethercott

nethercottsharon2@gmail.com.

You will be put on a tentative participant list and contacted with more details closer to the event.

Clear Creek – 4 of 4 Butterfly Counts (26 Jul 2026)

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Join the West Elgin Nature Club for the annual Clear Creek Butterfly Count. The count area stretches from the Thames River near Wardsville to Lake Erie near Clearville.

Location: Meet at 8:30 a.m. at 11110 Furnival Rd, south of Rodney, or arrange your route ahead of time with the coordinator.

Contacts: Coordinator George Prieksaitis at george.w.prieksaitis@ca.ey.com or Cathy Quinlan at cathyquinlan2@gmail.com.

Late Summer Hike in Komoka Provincial Park (Members Only) (15 Aug 2026)

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Komoka Provincial Park is one of the most interesting Provincial Parks in our area, with diverse habitats that include open fields, forests and the Thames River. Late summer is when many offspring are added to the mix that includes adults, making it very likely to see deer, songbirds and waterfowl, and hopefully reptiles and amphibians. There will also be many wildflowers along the way.

To become acquainted with Komoka, please take a look at this video filmed there last year: https://youtu.be/wOnb2I1LyKM.

Meet in the parking lot of Gideon Drive.

Hikers should come prepared to traverse uneven terrain, as we will make our way down to the Thames River on this hike. Consider bringing binoculars, cameras and good hiking footwear.

Permits are required for parking in the lot. Available for sale on the Ontario Parks website are vehicle permits – they can be arranged at home before your arrival or in the parking lot using a QR code. This latter method sometimes results in frustration if there are connectivity issues with your cell phone. Passes can also be borrowed from the London Public Library, but it’s best to request them early due to the demand.

Directions: The Parking Lot is located at 503 Gideon Dr, London ON N6K 4N8. To obtain a permit, visit https://reservations.ontarioparks.ca/ and search for “Pay and Display Parking”, then search for Komoka Provincial Park. You can only get a permit on the day of your arrival but don’t select it early. The reservation clock starts at the time of your permit purchase. A map will come up. Select the Gideon Drive location. Then there will be choices for the length of the visit. I would suggest you select 4 hours or a full day, so you are not rushed. A four-hour permit will cost $8.50 (a two-hour permit costs $6.50), whereby your plate number will be registered. No need to lay a permit on your dashboard.

Kathleen Holland hollandkm@hotmail.com

Awards Banquet and Guest Speakers (20 Nov 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 22:30:00 GMT

It will be possible to reserve online after September 15.

The annual Nature London Awards Banquet will celebrate the stellar accomplishments of Nature London’s 2026 award recipients. It’s always a fun evening with social time, dinner, awards, a bucket raffle with nifty prizes and a lively presentation. Delicious dinner fare will once again be provided by Bruinink’s Catering.

The guest speakers are Christa Wise and Joseph Langlois, Interpretive Naturalists at The University of Guelph Arboretum. They will explore the “Naturalists' Calendar” of things they look forward to through the seasons. From spring birding and ephemeral flowers to catching dragonflies and finding galls, each season brings something new to be excited about. Join Christa and Jo to discover how you can start your own naturalist’s adventure!

You will be able to reserve online after September 15. The website will email you an invoice that describes your payment options.

You will be able to reserve using the form that is mailed with The Cardinal and pay by cheque.

For more details, click here.

The Lambeth Legion Hall is at 7097 Kilbourne Road, London, Ontario.