Toronto Field Naturalists

since 1923

NATURALISTS' CODE OF ETHICS

Help preserve plants in our parks, ravines and other natural spaces by:

• walk only on established trails. Compacted soil is not easily penetrated by plant roots and does not absorb water as well as loose soil.
• don't pick wildflowers. A plant cannot produce seed without flowers. Some plants take many years to accumulate enough energy to flower.
• don't harvest plants from natural areas. Plants can quickly become extirpated from overuse (for example, fiddle head ostrich ferns no longer grow in some Toronto ravines). When plants are harvested by people, they are no longer available for wild animals which may depend on them.
• don't dig up plants for your garden. Not only is this theft but many plants will not survive transplanting.
• don't collect seed. Many animals rely on seeds for their food. If you wish to grow native plants in your garden, seeds and plants can be bought at local native plant and seed sales.
• don't plant your own plants into natural areas! Garden plants may disturb native plants and sometimes become invasive.