Hi there:

I hope you are all doing great and enjoying the end of the summer.

I would like to cordially invite you all out to see our fantastic new outdoor education centre on Saturday, September 5. This phase has come together really well and we are excited to get people out to see it.

There's always more to do, but we have super outdoor ponds, native plants, and many brand new educational stations that teach about wetlands in general and turtles in particular. We even have a path leading to a real wetland.

Please let me know if any of the Grays are able to attend, and I can give you more details.

Thanks to you all for helping to make this happen! Our education program has been revitalized this year and we have done a large number of events both at our centre and as outreach. Our outdoor centre will allow us to cater to larger groups, while also illustrating first hand the importance of healthy wetlands and turtle populations.

All the best and hope to see you then.

-Sue

Update on April 7, 2020:

Hi Gordon,

I wanted to provide you with a brief update on the work of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre and the new plans and measures that have been put in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding received from the Gordon and Patricia Gray Animal Welfare Foundation has enabled us to continue our conservation work through this challenging and unprecedented time.

The OTCC hospital is currently allowed to remain open as an essential service to care for injured and overwintering turtles, as well as the non-releasable education turtles that reside at the centre. All recommended procedures and precautionary measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of the small core of staff and volunteers that continue to care for the turtles at the hospital. New measures have also been implemented to allow turtle admissions to continue, without direct human to human contact.
Our volunteer training sessions, education workshops, presentations, outreach events, and facility tours, have all been cancelled at this time. OTCC's Education Coordinator has been implementing on-line alternatives where possible, and has been continuing to plan for future outreach programming.

Over the next week she will be preparing and posting videos on our social media outlets in answer to questions that she has received from the public on topics such as nesting and feeding. She is reaching out to our program partners such as Home Schooling Groups, Guides, Scouts and Community Groups, asking them to spread the word through their communication channels that this on-line resource will be available, and can be accessed from their members' homes. She is also taking the opportunity to develop new activities and resource materials, and is putting plans in place for the eventual move of our education centre to our new location. Renovations and construction at our new location have been progressing very well.

We continue to put new plans and measures in place as the situation evolves. Please contact me anytime with questions.

Thank you as always for your support of OTCC, and please stay safe and well.