Conservation Action Team
Toronto Zoo

The Conservation Action Team (CAT) at the Toronto Zoo is a dynamic and community-focused group dedicated to fostering real-world conservation through education, outreach, and ecological restoration. Rooted in the Zoo’s mission to connect people, animals, and conservation science to fight extinction, the CAT bridges the gap between environmental awareness and meaningful, hands-on action.

Operating across Zoo grounds, the Conservation Action Team offers seasonal programs that invite schools, nonprofits, corporate teams, and community organizations to participate directly in habitat restoration, species protection, and climate resilience work. From pulling invasive species to planting native meadows and forests, CAT programs help rewild urban spaces while empowering participants with the knowledge and tools to make a lasting impact.

Some of the core projects facilitated by the CAT include:

Invasive Species Pullouts: Removing harmful plants like dog-strangling vine and garlic mustard from sensitive park areas to protect native biodiversity.
Mini Forest Program: Planting dense clusters of native trees to promote carbon capture, biodiversity, and urban reforestation.
Native Meadow Plantings: Restoring pollinator-friendly grasslands with wildflowers and native grasses that support bees, butterflies, and birds.

The Conservation Action Team ensures that all activities are safe, accessible, educational, and ecologically sound, aligning with best practices in sustainability and stewardship.

Importantly, the CAT is open to working with a broad range of partners. Whether you're a teacher looking to bring your class outdoors, a nonprofit seeking a local impact opportunity, or a business aiming to meet sustainability goals through employee volunteering, the CAT offers customized experiences to match your mission and capacity.

By hosting these hands-on environmental programs, the Conservation Action Team at the Toronto Zoo is not only restoring the land but also cultivating a more connected, informed, and empowered community of conservationists.

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Invasive Species Pullout 🌱
Invasive species like Dog-Strangling Vine and Garlic Mustard are quickly spreading through natural areas at our Toronto Zoo, threatening native plants, animals, and ecosystem health. These fast-growing plants displace native plants, reduce food and shelter for wildlife, and change soil chemistry, making it harder for native species to return.

This volunteer-based project invites the public to help remove invasive plants before they go to seed, as part of a larger conservation efforts.

Why Pull These Invasive Plants Out?

These species pose a serious threat to local ecology:
- 🌿 Dog-Strangling Vine wraps around and smothers shrubs and trees, spreads aggressively, and disrupts monarch butterfly reproduction.
- 🌱 Garlic Mustard releases chemicals in the soil that harm fungi beneficial to native plants, quickly outcompeting them and taking over forest understories.
Who Can Participate?

This project is open to a wide range of participants, to ensure effective coordination and safety:
- Maximum group size: 150 participants per session
- Larger groups can reach out via email!
  - Individuals who care about their green spaces
  - Youth groups, school programs, and environmental clubs
  - Corporate teams looking for sustainable team-building activities!
  - Kids are welcomed age 7+ (under adult supervision)
Project Timing and Schedule

Pullout sessions are a day event scheduled during the optimal removal window:
- May to early-August
- Ideal days: Weekdays or weekends, during operational hours
- Session duration: 2–3 hours (with breaks and water stations)
Collaboration & Community Partnerships

We are always open to collaborating with schools, nonprofits, businesses, and community organizations who share a commitment to conservation and sustainability. If your group is interested in partnering or supporting the program, we’d love to hear from you.

Cost / Participation Fees

There is no cost to participate in this project!
- All tools, gloves, and training are provided
- Participants are encouraged to bring their own items for gardening!
Mini Forest Program 🌳
Restoring Biodiversity, One Tiny Forest at a Time

The Mini Forest Program at the Toronto Zoo is part of a global movement to restore biodiversity and combat climate change through dense, fast-growing native forests in small urban spaces. This initiative brings forest regeneration directly into the city, providing habitat, carbon storage, and community connection to nature.

🌿The Mini Forest Program is a:
- Native tree and shrub planting project designed for urban ecological restoration
- Focused on building biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and education
- Powered by community action and long-term impact
Mini forests provide powerful environmental and community benefits:
- Rebuild native ecosystems using locally sourced species
- ️Cool urban heat islands and sequester carbon
- Support pollinators and wildlife with food and habitat
- Improve soil and water retention
- Engage communities in meaningful environmental action
Who Can Participate?

This project is open to a wide range of participants, to ensure effective coordination and safety:
- Maximum group size: 150 participants per session
- Larger groups can reach out via email!
  - Local residents who care about their green spaces
  - Youth groups, school programs, and environmental clubs
  - Corporate teams looking for sustainable team-building activities!
  - Kids are welcomed age 7+ (under adult supervision)
Project Timing and Schedule

Planting season for mini forests:
- Spring (April–June) to Fall (September–October)
- Ideal days: Weekdays or weekends, during operational hours
- Each event runs for approximately 2–3 hours
- Reach out for more detail via email
Collaboration & Community Partnerships

We are always open to collaborating with schools, nonprofits, businesses, and community organizations who share a commitment to conservation and sustainability. If your group is interested in partnering or supporting the program, we’d love to hear from you.

Cost / Participation Fees

There is no cost to participate in this project!
- All tools, gloves, and training are provided
- Participants are encouraged to bring water bottles and lunch!
Native Meadow Plantings
The Meadow Planting Program at the Toronto Zoo focuses on reintroducing native grasses and wildflowers to degraded or unused areas within the Zoo grounds. These meadows mimic the natural prairie and savanna ecosystems that once thrived in the Toronto region and now play a critical role in supporting pollinators, birds, and local biodiversity.

This initiative transforms open spaces into vibrant, self-sustaining habitats while offering education, hands-on experience, and climate action opportunities for the community.

The Meadow Plantings initiative is:
- A native species restoration project using regionally appropriate wildflowers and grasses
- Aimed at creating and expanding pollinator-friendly meadows
- An educational and conservation opportunity for community and school groups
- Designed to support the Zoo’s biodiversity and sustainability goals
Meadow plantings serve many critical functions:
- Provide habitat and nectar for native pollinators like bees, butterflies, and moths
- Offer food and shelter for grassland birds and small mammals
- Prevent invasive species by occupying open soil with native plants
- Support climate resilience by improving soil health and carbon storage
- Educate the public on native ecosystems and their importance
Who Can Participate?

This project is open to a wide range of participants, to ensure effective coordination and safety:
- Maximum group size: 150 participants per session
- Larger groups can reach out via email!
  - Local residents who care about their green spaces
  - Youth groups, school programs, and environmental clubs
  - Corporate teams looking for sustainable team-building activities!
  - Kids are welcomed age 7+ (under adult supervision)
Project Timing and Schedule

Meadow planting events are seasonal:
- May to September
- Ideal days: Weekdays or weekends, during operational hours
- Each event runs for approximately 2–3 hours with breaks and educational components included
Collaboration & Community Partnerships

We are always open to collaborating with schools, nonprofits, businesses, and community organizations who share a commitment to conservation and sustainability. If your group is interested in partnering or supporting the program, we’d love to hear from you.

Cost / Participation Fees

There is no cost to participate in this project!
- All tools, gloves, and training are provided
- Participants are encouraged to bring water bottles and lunch!