Land Care Niagara
$0.00
  • Donate Now
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Volunteer
    • Contact Us
    • Support Us
    • Employment Opportunities
    • FAQ
    • Gallery
  • Programs
    • Rural Tree Planting Program
    • Re-leaf Community Tree Nursery
    • Species At Risk
      • Monarch Butterfly
    • Community Programs
  • Library
    • Resource Library
    • Recommended Links
  • Shop
    • Trees
      • Deciduous Trees
      • Coniferous Trees
    • Pollinator Plants
    • Seeds
      • Individual Species
      • Mixes
      • Collections
    • Apparel
    • Events
    • Donate
  • Events & Calendar
    • Events
    • Calendar

Call Us! 905-348-LAND

Find Us
info@landcareniagara.com
Donate Now!
Land Care NiagaraLand Care Niagara
Land Care NiagaraLand Care Niagara
  • Donate Now
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Volunteer
    • Contact Us
    • Support Us
    • Employment Opportunities
    • FAQ
    • Gallery
  • Programs
    • Rural Tree Planting Program
    • Re-leaf Community Tree Nursery
    • Species At Risk
      • Monarch Butterfly
    • Community Programs
  • Library
    • Resource Library
    • Recommended Links
  • Shop
    • Trees
      • Deciduous Trees
      • Coniferous Trees
    • Pollinator Plants
    • Seeds
      • Individual Species
      • Mixes
      • Collections
    • Apparel
    • Events
    • Donate
  • Events & Calendar
    • Events
    • Calendar

About Us

Our Vision and Mission

Land Care Niagara (LCN) is committed to shape a resilient, sustainable region where healthy ecosystems and vibrant communities coexist and flourish in harmony.

As a not-for-profit community-based organization we seek to enhance our natural environment by advancing responsible land use that conserves biodiversity, sustains ecosystem services and fosters education, collaboration and restoration partnerships with landowners, communities and organizations.

Our Goals

  1. Education and Awareness
    Inspire and equip individuals of all ages with the knowledge and skills to protect and enhance the local environment, fostering a culture of sustainability throughout our region.
  2. Stewardship and Restoration
    Lead and support hands-on programs and initiatives that improve the health and resilience of urban and rural ecosystems, utilizing a holistic approach and filling critical knowledge gaps.
  3. Partnerships and Community Involvement
    Advance climate resilience and greener communities by building strategic partnerships and strengthening the capacity of businesses, organizations, and municipalities to achieve measurable environmental outcomes.

Our Team

LCN is one of the original 46 Stewardship Councils throughout Ontario that was formed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Ontario Stewardship Network. There are now only 14 councils remaining since the funding to the Ontario Stewardship Network was discontinued. Other Stewardship Groups have been able to continue to thrive from dedicated volunteer council members.

Members share an interest in conservation, land stewardship, and a genuine respect for land ownership. Council Members bring with them diverse backgrounds and perspectives to help identify stewardship issues of importance to the community. Members listen to other viewpoints, work in the community to pool available resources, and collectively arrive at practical and workable solutions.

Land Care Niagara is a program of the Niagara Community Land Stewardship Council. Council members are volunteers and firmly believe in promoting the merits of responsible land management while respecting the rights of landowners. Selected by a community founding committee, members represent the diverse values the citizens of Niagara place on their land.

 

 

Board of Directors

Adam Boudens

Adam Boudens

Chair, Director

Adam is currently the Chair of Land Care Niagara. He was born and raised in the Niagara Region and currently resides in the City of Welland.

View profile
Mariane Vocal Ferencevic

Mariane Vocal Ferencevic

Vice-Char, Director

Mariane completed a B.Sc. in Physical Geography at Brock University and a M.Sc. at the…

View profile
Cedric Samaha

Cedric Samaha

Treasurer, Director

Cedric is passionate about environmental preservation, viewing it as a crucial strategy to counteract climate…

View profile
Alexa Root

Alexa Root

Secretary, Director

Alexa was born and raised in the Niagara Region and currently resides in St. Catharines.…

View profile
Jacqueline Cornwall

Jacqueline Cornwall

Director

Jackie grew up in Niagara, and returned to the area in 2010. Since her return she has been an advocate for the conservation and promotion of all that Niagara naturally provides.

View profile
Jason Henry

Jason Henry

Director

Jason attended Trent University, graduating with a Bachelor of Environmental Science, followed by a Master’s…

View profile
John Goodier

John Goodier

Director

John received a BSc degree in Geography/Zoology and MSc degree from the former Institute for…

View profile
Jillian Booth

Jillian Booth

Director

Jillian has obtained both a Bachelor of Environmental Geoscience and a Master of Sustainability from…

View profile
Karley Cianchino

Karley Cianchino

Director

Karley is an Environmental Project Specialist for the City of Brampton, responsible for supporting the…

View profile

New Board Members Needed

Land Care Niagara is seeking to fill a limited number of vacancies on its 13 member volunteer stewardship Council. Board Members share a strong commitment to the program purpose that represents landowners, land interests and the natural resources within the Niagara Peninsula.

Interested applicants must live within the Regional Municipality of Niagara and be willing to serve for a two-year term. This includes attending council meetings every 5 weeks and participating in one or more sub-committees that meet as required. Please click here to download the application package (PDF). For more information or to send in your application form, please send us an email.

Staff

Michelle Karam

Michelle Karam

Executive Director

Michelle was born in Scotland and moved to Canada as she had a keen interest…

View profile
Sarah Fuller

Sarah Fuller

Senior Environmental Technician

Sarah completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Geological Sciences…

View profile
Laura Hanes-Silverthorne

Laura Hanes-Silverthorne

Restoration Technician

Laura completed the Environmental Technician diploma program and the Ecosystem Restoration graduate certificate program at…

View profile
Helen Hermansen

Helen Hermansen

Restoration Ecologist

Helen has a Bachelor of Science in Forestry degree from the University of Toronto, and…

View profile
Beatriz Nogueira e Figueira

Beatriz Nogueira e Figueira

Ecology Technician

Beatriz Nogueira e Figueira completed her Master’s of Science in Biology at the University of…

View profile

Volunteer Corps

The Volunteer Corps is a group of dedicated, reliable volunteers that help Land Care Niagara achieve goals and complete projects. Member responsibilities include:

  • Dedicating time towards Land Care Niagara programs and events

  • Assisting with community outreach by hosting volunteer events and providing social media support

  • Maintaining a volunteer network

If you are interesting in becoming a volunteer member please go to our Volunteer page for more information.

Alicia Robinson

Alicia Robinson

Volunteer

View profile
Lisa Whitwell

Lisa Whitwell

Volunteer

Lisa is a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner-in-Training with a graduate certificate in Ecosystem Restoration from…

View profile
Sara Testani

Sara Testani

Volunteer

After moving to Niagara from Mississauga, Sara enjoyed the quieter pace of the area and…

View profile
Alisha Rizvi

Alisha Rizvi

Volunteer

Alisha completed her Bachelor of Science in Zoology and is a recent graduate of the…

View profile
Karine Ohanian

Karine Ohanian

Volunteer

Karine Ohanian is a passionate Health Promoter of four years. She holds a Bachelor of…

View profile
Delainey Stevenson

Delainey Stevenson

Volunteer

Delainey is a Niagara College student pursuing an Environmental Technician diploma. A former volunteer at…

View profile
Imraj Bahniwal

Imraj Bahniwal

Volunteer

Imraj is a student at Niagara College in the Environmental Technician program. He has a…

View profile
Kayla-Jane Barrie

Kayla-Jane Barrie

Volunteer

Kayla-Jane is currently studying Ecosystem Restoration at Niagara College. She began her environmental stewardship journey…

View profile
Christine Nagy

Christine Nagy

Volunteer

Christine is originally from Niagara and loves the outdoors. She has a minor in Environmental…

View profile

Contact Us

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Restore Niagara Naturally
Land Care Niagara

Committed to creating a healthy and sustainable rural and urban environment, consisting of citizens who are knowledgeable and active in land resource management.

Learn More

Contact Us

  • Land Care Niagara
  • PO BOX 28099 Lakeport Road, St. Catharines, ON. L2N 7P8
  • 905-348-LAND (5263)
  • info@landcareniagara.com
  • www.landcareniagara.com
All are welcome here

landcareniagara

Committed to creating a healthy and sustainable rural and urban environment in the Niagara Region

This week’s field find is a Tartarian honeysuckle This week’s field find is a Tartarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) spotted by Liv, one of our Volunteer Corps members, along the Niagara Parkway. 🌱

Of the 16 honeysuckle species found in Ontario, 4 are considered invasive, including the Tartarian honeysuckle. This woody shrub can be identified by its hairless green-blue leaves and bright pink flowers that bloom in the spring. 

This species can be incredibly damaging to young trees, as it often leafs out earlier and grows in dense strands which shades out tree seedlings. It is also an allelopathic plant, releasing biochemicals that can suppress the growth and seed germination of a number of native plant species.

To help manage the spread of this invasive species, post your sightings on iNaturalist or report them to the Invasive Species Centre of Ontario by going to https://www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/Report-A-Sighting/. 🔎

#honeysuckle #tartarianhoneysuckle #invasivespecies #niagara
Thank you to everyone who joined us for LCN's firs Thank you to everyone who joined us for LCN's first-ever Pollinator Workshop on September 12th! We are so glad you learned something new, had fun, and got your hands dirty!🌱

What we covered:

🔸Types of pollinators, how they benefit us, and how their habitat benefits us
🔸A deeper dive into the Monarch butterfly's life cycle and its significance 
🔸Native vs. non-native gardens 
🔸Citizen science initiatives and their local importance 
🔸Participants also enjoyed some hands-on learning, including a tour of our native tree and plant nursery, a Mission Monarch activity in our milkweed patch, and created some native pollinator planters for their own gardens! 

This workshop was made possible through funding from the Species Conservation Program (SCP)!

Stay tuned for more workshops in 2027! 🦋

#pollinators #nativeplants #pollinatorgardens #monarchbutterfly
The wait is finally over! 🌳 With funding from @ON The wait is finally over! 🌳

With funding from @ONGreenbelt, Land Care Niagara completed Niagara's first evidence-based "A Field Guide to Planting Trees in Niagara", and it's available now! 

Drawing on field research, historical planting data, and insights from local tree experts, this guide brings together practical, evidence-based advice to help landowners, community groups, and conservation organizations give native trees their best chance to thrive.

From site preparation and species selection to post-planting care, this guide tackles some of the biggest challenges facing young trees in Niagara, helping to improve tree survival and expand nature cover across the region. 

A local resource, for local native trees, in a local landscape. 🌱

🪏Ready to dig in? Visit our resource library on our website to explore the full digital guide (link in bio)!

#greenbelt #treeplanting #niagara #nativetrees
Safe travels, Monarchs! 🦋🍂 As the cooler weather Safe travels, Monarchs! 🦋🍂
 
As the cooler weather settles in, and the days become shorter, we are saying farewell to the Monarchs that visited Niagara this summer. We wish them a safe ~4000km journey south to their overwintering areas in the mountain forests of central Mexico! 

From June to September of 2026, Land Care Niagara staff conducted various Mission Monarch Expert (MMx) surveys,  as part of our Monarch restoration project, funded by the Species Conservation Program. Swipe through to see some of our favourite Monarch finds from our surveys, site visits, and fieldwork this year, from egg to adult!

As we continue working to restore Monarch habitat across the Niagara region, we can't wait to welcome them back next spring with more milkweed, fewer invasive species, and a greater diversity of native nectar plants! 

Want to help Monarchs too? 🌱 Check out our Best Management Practice: Agricultural Landowners Guide to Creating Habitat for Monarchs & Other Pollinators in the Niagara Region on our website (linked in our bio).

#monarchmigration #monarchbutterfly #speciesatrisk  #restoration
Follow on Instagram

Land Care Niagara operates within the boundaries of what is now known as the Niagara Region, and we take this moment to recognize the significance of these lands and the Indigenous Peoples that have lived here since time immemorial. The Niagara Region is situated on treaty and traditional land, carrying the rich culture of the Hatiwendaronk, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe, encompassing First Nations such as the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Six Nations of the Grand River. We also pay respect to the diverse First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples from across Turtle Island who live and work in Niagara today. In our commitment to creating a healthy and sustainable environment, we stand in solidarity with all Indigenous peoples, both past, present and future who are advocating for the wise stewardship of the lands we inhabit. We recognize the cultural and historical harm inflicted by colonization on Indigenous peoples, resulting in generational trauma, stolen land and systemic injustices. In light of this continuous history and understanding our role as Treaty People on Turtle Island, may we dedicate ourselves to moving forward in the spirit of partnership, collaboration, and reconciliation together.

© 2026 — Land Care Niagara.