I grew up in North York, now Toronto, near the Humber River and one of its tributaries. Despite admonitions from my parents to stay away from the rivers, we often played along the banks year-round when not playing street hockey or hide and seek. I developed an appreciation for nature and wildlife in the ravine system. As well, based on my parent’s attitude that we should know our country first before going international and due to money being tight, we went camping in our canvas tent trailer. Long weekends were spent in Provincial Parks and vacations were spent traveling across the country.
Now, all grown up, I have a pop-up folding trailer to enjoy time in the Provincial Parks. And I live near the West Don River and its tributaries where I often drop down into the ravine system to get away from it all for a few hours. I always have my camera handy to capture photos of flora and fauna I come across. Always except once when the camera was in the tent while a herd of caribou walked through the campsite splitting around the picnic table we were sitting at.
These all helped develop in me a love for the natural world. And a need to preserve it for my continued enjoyment and for future generations.
After research, I determined that the World Wildlife Foundation supported the ideas I found important. An aside, I also include Greenpeace and Ecojustice in my monthly donations and legacy giving for their complimentary action and advocacy in the same issues from their different perspectives.