The Hamilton Naturalists' Club

THE HAMILTON NATURALISTS’ CLUB

The Hamilton Naturalists’ Club (HNC) has promoted environmental protection, research and education in the Hamilton area since its founding in 1919 as the Hamilton Bird Protection Society (HBPS). By 1959, the HBPS had evolved into the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club. Through the Club’s efforts, Cootes Paradise was officially declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1927. In the 1990s, the HNC helped finance and implement an ambitious fish and wildlife habitat restoration project in Cootes Paradise. In 1961, the HNC became the first volunteer organization in Ontario to purchase a nature sanctuary. Between 1960 and 2000, the Club donated nearly half a million dollars to purchase and permanently protect additional natural areas. Club members have maintained records of bird species for decades, providing an invaluable barometer of changes in the local environment. They participated in the first Christmas Bird Count in the Hamilton region in 1921. Four years later, the HNC began keeping “Noteworthy Bird Records” of the Hamilton area and has published them in its journal, The Wood Duck, since 1947. In 1991 HNC completed a comprehensive study of local natural areas. The resulting report became the authoritative guide to wildlife in this area. Throughout its history, the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club has provided education about protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat. The HNC continues this important work through public meetings, nature walks and publications. In partnership with Royal Botanical Gardens, the club provides special programs such as the Junior Naturalists’ Club, to introduce children to the natural world.

City of Hamilton

Submitted by Owen Anderson