Earthroots traces its roots to 1986, when a powerful grassroots movement emerged in response to logging threats in the Temagami region of northeastern Ontario. Founded by wilderness advocates Hap Wilson, Brian Back, Terry Graves, and others, The Temagami Wilderness Society (TWS) emerged in response to government plans to extend the Red Squirrel Road into one of the last remaining oldgrowth red and white pine forests in northeastern Ontario. Fueled by a passion for Temagami’s ecological and cultural significance, the group set out to challenge flawed logging assessments and defend Ontario’s wilderness.

Conflict peaked on September 3rd when the proposed Red Squirrel Road became the site of a tense standoff between environmentalists, the Teme-Augama Anishnabai, and local logging supporters. Protesters clashed, canoes were vandalized, and voices like Margaret Atwood and Farley Mowat called for a halt to logging. The blockade marked a watershed moment in Canadian environmental history and placed Temagami at the center of national debate over land use, Indigenous rights, and forest conservation.

Despite record public opposition, the Ontario government approved the contentious Red Squirrel environmental assessment. In response the Teme-Augama Anishnabai set up blockades on the road at Sharp Rock Portage, and the Temagami Wilderness Society commenced legal action.

The Temagami Wilderness Society launched the “Tall Pines Project” in collaboration with Dr. Peter Quinby to understand the ecological characteristics of old-growth pine-establishing vital data that would inform future protections and raise awareness about the importance of old-growth forests in Ontario.

The Internation Union for the Conservation of Nation (IUCN) lists the core protected area of the Temagami region, Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park, as a Threatened Protected Area. Citing roadbuilding and logging which put long-term protection of the park at risk, the IUCN Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas (CNPPA) recommended that a Temagami area council be established to develop a consensus on management of the region. Although some recommendation made by the IUCN were met; in a letter to Norm Richards, H.K. Eidsvik, President IUCN stated: “It is our understanding that the old growth red and white pine to the south and west of the provincial park warrant further protection. It would not appear to be in the longterm public interest to extend the life of a precarious local forest industry for a short time by the elimination of biologically valuable old growth forests. In our view, the natural resources of the region have achieved a level of public recognition which warrant strong conservation value.”

One of the most defining moments in the group’s early history came in 1989, when a series of nonviolent road blockades were led by the Temagami Wilderness Society and supported by Teme-Augama Anishnabai land defenders. These actions brought national attention to the destruction of old-growth forests and the broader issues of Indigenous land rights in the Temagami area. Hundreds of people participated in the 84-day blockades. Over 300 were arrested, including then opposition Leader Bob Rae, in what became one of Canada’s most high-profile environmental campaigns of the decade. For the first time, the Ontario government recognized the existence of old-growth pine. National and international attention grew, and Earthroots’ founding values of civil disobedience, science-based advocacy, and Indigenous solidarity took root.

Gordon Lightfoot, Murray McLauchlan, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Margo & Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies with special guest Farley Mowat hold a benefit concert at the University of Toronto’s Convocation Hall raising awareness and much needed funds for the Temagami cause.

In response to biased OMNR land use-plans The Temagami Wilderness Society launched the “Shadow Project” which aimed to develop an alternative vision for land use in Temagami - one that prioritized the protection of old-growth forests, Indigenous rights, ecological integrity and sustainable use over industrial logging. The “Shadow Project” offered a science and community-based alternative, integrating ecological research with traditional knowledge.

Art and Advocacy - Cultural icons like Blue Rodeo joined the Temagami movement while Robert Bateman and 45 artists setup the Art for Preservation camp at Obabika North.

A Reprieve - Bob Rae’s election as premier ushered in a temporary moratorium on logging and road construction in Temagami.

Recognizing the need to expand beyond Temagami and address province-wide environmental threats, the Temagami Wilderness Society evolved. In 1991, the organization officially became Earthroots, marking a shift from a regionally focused group to a broader environmental advocacy organization working across Ontario. Earthroots was established to carry forward the legacy of the Temagami Wilderness Society while expanding its reach across Ontario. The goal was broader: to advocate for wilderness and wildlife protection across ecosystems, species, and communities. The lessons of Temagami - community engagement, political accountability, and ecological interconnectedness - became central to Earthroots’ mission. The new organization retained its strong commitment to Temagami and wildlands protection, but also began focusing on endangered species, old-growth forest mapping, and public education. The fight for Temagami helped shape a generation of environmental advocates and cemented Earthroots’ approach: grassroots activism rooted in science, storytelling, and community engagement.

Earthroots led a bold series of direct actions to stop logging operations threatening the ancient pine forests near Rabbit Lake in the Temagami region. Building on a legacy of resistance that began with the Red Squirrel Road blockades in the late 1980s, Earthroots staff and volunteers returned to the front lines of environmental protection, this time targeting access roads near the Owain Lake old-growth forest. In late August, Earthroots activists established a Forest Action Camp along Rabbit Lake Road, successfully halting machinery and blocking logging crews. Protesters used lockboxes, concrete barricades, and even a tripod structure to disrupt operations. On September 4, Earthroots campaign director Lea Ann Mallett was arrested without warning-one of over 20 people taken into custody in a series of high-profile arrests that drew provincial media attention and public support. High profile lawyer and Earthroots supporter, Clayton Ruby immediately headed to Temagami. All it took was the news of his immanent arrival and i Lea Ann was released without charge. Over the following weeks, more protesters were arrested during renewed actions, including locking themselves to bridges and logging equipment. The Ministry of the Environment dispatched, District Manager, Gord Miller to inspect sewage and solid waste management at the protest site. Years later, Gord Miller would join the Earthroots Board of Directors as Chair. These acts of peaceful civil disobedience marked a defining moment for Earthroots. The Rabbit Lake Road campaign galvanized public awareness about the importance of protecting Ontario’s old-growth forests and reinforced Earthroots’ reputation as a fearless voice for wild places and the communities that depend on them.

At the first World Conservation Congress held in Montreal in October 1996, the international conservation community reaffirmed the urgent need to safeguard Temagami’s old-growth forests. The IUCN emphasized that extending the life of local forest industries should not come at the cost of destroying ecologically significant old-growth ecosystems. The Congress called on the Province of Ontario to implement the recommendations of the local Planning Council to protect the headwaters of key rivers and lakes surrounding Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park. It also urged Ontario to adopt a comprehensive protected areas strategy to conserve its remaining roadless wilderness and biologically rich landscapes-reinforcing the need for long-term, community-based forest stewardship.

Earthroots launched one of Ontario’s first major campaigns to defend wolves. At a time when wolves could be legally hunted and trapped with few restrictions, Earthroots exposed the province’s lack of science-based policy and challenged the deep-rooted misconceptions about these keystone predators. The campaign focused on public education, advocacy, and collaboration with scientists and local communities to raise awareness about the ecological importance of wolves-particularly the threatened Eastern wolf. By promoting greater respect and protection for wolves, Earthroots helped shift public perception and laid the foundation for future policy reforms aimed at preserving large carnivores and their habitats across Ontario.

Earthroots launches the Wolves Ontario campaign, a series of youth educational programs that targeted appreciation and understanding for wildlife, including re-writing fables to elucidate myths about wolves, public school presentations about wolf ecology and youth letter-writing campaigns and contests.

Earthroots launched a major campaign to stop renewed logging operations in Temagami after the Ontario government lifted a moratorium on logging 4,000 hectares of forest between Obabika Lake and Lake Temagami. This decision followed a controversial rewriting of Ontario’s 1994 regulations on clearcutting, allowing more aggressive forestry practices in areas previously considered ecologically sensitive. The forests at risk included old-growth red and white pine stands, rich biodiversity, and lands deeply connected to the cultural heritage of the Teme-Augama Anishnabai. Earthroots responded with a coordinated campaign combining public mobilization, scientific evidence, and political advocacy. The organization argued that logging in these areas threatened rare ecosystems, endangered species habitat, and the integrity of a globally significant wilderness landscape. Through on-the-ground research, media outreach, and direct pressure on the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), Earthroots worked to halt the proposed logging and called for permanent protection of the region. The campaign built on the legacy of decades of resistance in Temagami and reinforced Earthroots’ commitment to defending old-growth forests and advocating for truly sustainable forest management.

Earthroots released a landmark report titled Ontario Wolves Under Threat, which exposed the province’s weak and inconsistent policies surrounding wolf conservation. The report highlighted how wolves in Ontario-particularly the Eastern wolf-faced significant threats from unregulated hunting and trapping, habitat fragmentation, and a lack of scientific oversight in wildlife management. The report criticized the absence of province-wide protections, pointing out that wolves could be legally killed in much of their range, often without bag limits or seasonal restrictions. It also called attention to how the Eastern wolf, a genetically distinct and threatened species, was especially vulnerable due to limited protected habitat and hybridization with coyotes. Earthroots used the report to call for: • A ban on recreational wolf hunting and trapping in core wolf ranges • Expansion of protected areas, especially in Algonquin Park’s buffer zones • Science-based management policies rooted in ecosystem health and predator-prey dynamics Ontario Wolves Under Threat helped shift public and political discourse about wolves and served as a foundation for future advocacy aimed at improving legal protections and increasing public awareness of wolves’ ecological importance.

Earthroots stood in solidarity with the Grassy Narrows Women’s Drum Group, supporting their frontline efforts to protect their traditional territory from industrial logging. The women, part of the Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation), led a powerful grassroots movement to defend their lands, rights, and way of life in the face of clear-cutting and mercury contamination. Earthroots amplified their voices, shared resources, and helped to raise public and political awareness of the long-standing environmental injustices faced by the community. This collaboration highlighted the importance of Indigenous-led resistance, environmental justice, and the protection of boreal forests. Earthroots’ work alongside the Drum Group continues today and reflects a deep commitment to allyship and reconciliation in the fight for environmental and cultural survival.

Logging activity in Temagami came to a halt following a formal challenge by Earthroots to the Ministry of Natural Resources’ (MNR) forest management plan. Earthroots petitioned the Minister of the Environment for an individual environmental assessment, citing the MNR’s failure to uphold the Temagami Land Use Plan (TLUP), particularly regarding recreation planning and access control. As a result, road-building and logging were paused while the Ministry reviewed the concerns. Earthroots argued that key ecological, recreational, and tourism values are being overlooked in favour of industrial development and warned that the MNR’s disregard for the TLUP in Temagami undermines land use planning across Ontario.

Earthroots began pioneering efforts to increase public understanding and protect the Eastern Wolf-a species long misunderstood and politically vulnerable. 10,000 “Wolf Defenders” - wrote letters and submitted comments on the Environmental Registry to influence wolf protection policy.

Together OPIRG Toronto, Earthroots, Greenpeace Canada, and George Brown Student Union, developed and launched - Tools for Change - which helps concerned citizens develop skills to advocate for social, economic, and environmental justice. By 2014, 400 people had attended the workshops and developed their skills to advocate for social and environmental justice.

Water coming out of tap In a powerful show of grassroots action, Earthroots joined forces with the Council of Canadians and the STORM Coalition to host a water justice rally at Queen’s Park, where over 100 Ontarians gathered, each carrying a bottle of water from their home community. The rally protested the provincial government’s failure to enforce key legislation like the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan and opposed the newly proposed “Open for Business” and “Water Opportunities” Acts, which threatened to accelerate sprawl and undermine water protection. Earthroots’ called for a comprehensive Provincial Water Strategy, emphasizing the need for strong leadership, reliable data, and enforcement to safeguard Ontario’s most essential resource. The event brought together local water protectors from across the province, who stood up-despite the rain-to voice their commitment to defending watersheds from pollution, overdevelopment, and neglect. The message was clear: communities will not stand by while their drinking water is put at risk.

Earthroots focused public attention on the plight of woodland caribou in the Boreal Forest, warning that proposed logging and mining projects threatened the species’ survival despite protections under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act. Earthroots recognized the importance of urban engagement and concentrated its outreach efforts in Toronto-organizing rallies, conducting door-to-door canvassing, and building awareness around critical issues like habitat loss and water protection.

First Nations Earthroots supported Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation (KI) in a year-long community process to develop the KI Watershed Declaration. In July of 2011 the KI community voted 96% in favour of protecting their entire 13,000 square km home watershed from industrial extraction - an intact area of boreal lakes, rivers, wetlands, and forests nearly double the size of Algonquin Park.

The Save Wolf Lakeoar Coalition was formed in response to renewed mining threats in the Wolf Lake area, home to the world’s largest remaining old-growth red pine forest, located in the Temagami region of northeastern Ontario. Although the area is part of the Chiniguchi Waterway Provincial Park, the core old-growth forest at Wolf Lake remained under active mining claims, leaving it vulnerable to exploration and development. The coalition worked to raise awareness and built a grassroots movement to defend this irreplaceable natural treasure and celebrated stopping of Ontario’s plan to remove Forest Reserve status from Wolf Lake. https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/wolf-lake-saved-for-now/

Earthroots contributed to a University of Guelph study that concluded that old growth red pine forests are ecologically important and provide a scientifically irreplaceable system for assessing baseline ecosystem function, processes and services. As the largest remaining old-growth red pine forest in the world, Wolf Lake Forest Reserve deserves intensive study, monitoring and full protection from future development.

Back in 2010 Earthroots identified a major environmental threat: the dumping of millions of tonnes of poorly regulated, and often contaminated, commercial fill across Ontario. Working with Ecojustice and the Save the Oak Ridges Moraine Coalition, Earthroots exposed how this “dirty fill” was polluting farmland, wetlands, and aquifers-posing risks to drinking water and food security. The organization played a leading role in launching the Ontario Soil Regulation Task Force and pushed for a Clean Soil Act, advocating for clear, enforceable soil standards. Despite significant public concern and media coverage, Ontario’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) continued to rely on a voluntary “Best Management Practices” policy that lacked transparency, accountability, and legal enforceability. Earthroots has consistently challenged this weak regulatory approach, calling for a comprehensive soil policy that prioritizes environmental protection, public health, and equity for rural communities impacted by unregulated dumping.

Earthroots helped lead opposition to Schedule 6 of Bill 229, a sweeping amendment that undermined the power of Ontario’s conservation authorities. Through legal analysis, coalition-building, and public pressure, Earthroots played a critical role in challenging government overreach and defending environmental oversight.

Earthroots, Ontario Nature and EcoSpark launched a campaign to strengthen protection of the Oak Ridges Moraine’s water, land and rural communities ahead of a review of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and Greenbelt Plan in 2015.

Earthroots helped organize and promote Alex Mathias', an Ojibway elder, annual Changing of the Seasons Ceremony to celebrate the fall equinox on his traditional family territory in the Temagami region of Ontario. Over 70 people participated in the ceremony, which was followed by a group potluck lunch, visits to Spirit Rock and guided hikes through the old-growth forest.

As part of the Oak Ridges Moraine Partnership and Ontario Greenbelt Alliance, Earthroots joined over 100 community groups in urging the Ontario government to expand the Greenbelt by 1.5 million acres to safeguard critical water resources. This proposed expansion would permanently protect essential headwaters, groundwater recharge zones, wetlands, and moraines that supply clean drinking water to millions in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Earthroots emphasized that the Greenbelt Plan Review was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a more resilient, connected natural landscape that supports watershed health and climate adaptation. Under mounting pressure from urban sprawl, these vulnerable natural features continue to deliver enormous ecological and economic benefits, including over $3 billion annually in water filtration, flood protection, and watershed services. With land already designated for urban growth well beyond 2041, Earthroots and its partners called on the province to act boldly and ensure Ontario’s source water areas are protected before they’re lost.

The people of Grassy Narrows actively resist the continued destruction of their territories, re-occupation of their lands, and fight for control over their lands and self-determination. Earthroots advocated for and was successful in convincing EACOM, one of Ontario’s largest lumber companies, to avoid using Grassy Narrows conflict wood and collaborated with Grassy Narrows in the submission of a request to the Ministry of the Environment for an Individual Assessment of the Forest Management Plan.

As part of a collaborative research project with The University of Queen’s environmental science graduate program, Earthroots supported and advised an eager group of students who were tasked with providing policy recommendations for improving the Permit to Take Water (PTTW) program as it relates to the upcoming Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan review.

Earthroots joined 18 other organizations in opposing the Ontario government’s decision to permit hunting and trapping of Eastern Wolves across most of their range, despite their being officially up-listed to “Threatened” status under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act (ESA), putting the recovery of this rare species in jeopardy. The decision represented a dangerous rollback of protections supposedly guaranteed by law. Earthroots has continued to call for full, range-wide protection of the wolves and science-based policies that prioritize conservation over convenience.

Earthroots launched its Ontario Wolves Survey, a non-invasive genetic research project pioneering efforts to understand and protect the Eastern wolf. During winter months when wolves are easy to track in the snow, frozen urine, scat and hair samples are collected either by Earthroots’ team of researchers or by citizen scientists are equipped with a DNA capture kit that they can take with them while recreating or driving around wolf habitat. Over the next few years the project garnered an array of media attention including CBC Quirks and Quarks, Earth Island Journal and TVO and was featured twice in the Environmental Commissioner Annual Report on the Environment (2017 and 2018 editions).

Earthroots played a leading role in the coordinated push to strengthen environmental protections across the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH), a region facing intense development pressure. Working alongside partners EcoSpark, STORM, and Ontario Nature, Earthroots welcomed Ontario’s proposed amendments to land use plans that safeguard the Greenbelt, Oak Ridges Moraine, and Niagara Escarpment. The coalition advocated for bold implementation, including the creation of a “bluebelt” to protect vulnerable water sources like the Oro Moraine, and stronger protections for the region’s natural heritage system. Earthroots emphasized the importance of curbing sprawl, enhancing monitoring, and securing long-term ecological resilience.

Earthroots supported efforts to uncover and expose new evidence of ongoing mercury contamination near the Grassy Narrows First Nation. Working with journalists, scientists, and community members, Earthroots helped bring public attention to the discovery of mercury waste pits near the site of the old Reed Paper mill in Dryden, long suspected as the source of the devastating mercury poisoning that has affected generations of Grassy Narrows people. Despite decades of denial and inaction by provincial and federal governments, this discovery confirmed that mercury was not only a historic problem but could still be leaching into the Wabigoon River system. Earthroots helped amplify the voices of the Grassy Narrows Women’s Drum Group and other community leaders demanding accountability, clean-up, and justice. The campaign contributed to increased public pressure and renewed government commitments to remediating the site and addressing the ongoing health crisis caused by mercury poisoning. Read the full Toronto Star Article here - https://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/mercury-taintedsoil-found-upstream-from-grassy-narrows-first-nation/article_3ac9c2a2-64dc-5af9-85bef5db4861ab8d.html

Earthroots joined a powerful coalition of human rights and environmental organizations, including Amnesty International, the Council of Canadians, CUPE Ontario, and the David Suzuki Foundation-to demand justice for the people of Grassy Narrows First Nation. In an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, the coalition urged both governments to fund and establish a specialized medical treatment centre in Grassy Narrows for residents suffering from mercury poisoning. Decades of contamination from a pulp mill upstream devastated the health, culture, and economy of this Anishnaabe community, yet federal and provincial responses remained inadequate. Earthroots supported Grassy Narrows’ call not only for long-overdue river cleanup but also for proper, community-based care rooted in the right to health and self-determination. As Earthroots Chair Gord Miller stated, “This preventable tragedy has gone on far too long,” and every effort must be made to repair the harm inflicted through environmental negligence and government inaction.

The release of the 2019-2029 Forest Management Plan for Temagami raised serious concerns for Earthroots. Despite the region’s ecological and cultural importance, the plan failed to adequately protect old-growth pine forests, carbon-rich ecosystems, and traditional canoe routes. Earthroots submitted several technical reports highlighting the plan’s shortcomings, including: Temagami’s Old-Growth Pine Forests in a Changing Climate, The Carbon Dynamics of Old Growth Forests, Effects of Increased Access on the Temagami Canoe Culture, The Importance of Intact Forest Landscapes and The Problems with the Enhanced Forest Resource Inventory (eFRI). Earthroots co-founder, Hap Wilson, released a comprehensive report documenting decades of failures by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) in managing Temagami’s forests and called for a full Environmental Assessment (EA) of the plan. Earthroots formally requested that the Temagami Forest Management Plan be subjected to a full EA and filed multiple appeals outlining the plan’s flaws. Unfortunately, every appeal was rejected without explanation or opportunity for challenge. Just as Earthroots was preparing to bring the case to court, the provincial government changed the rules, eliminating the public’s right to request an environmental assessment of forest management plans. This abrupt policy change effectively blocked any further challenge to the flawed plan, undermining efforts to achieve truly sustainable forest management in Temagami during this planning period.

In 2018, Earthroots joined a broad coalition of environmental and community groups to oppose Schedule 10 of Bill 66, a proposal that would have allowed municipalities to pass “open-for-business” by-laws, overriding critical environmental protections. These by-laws could have bypassed the Clean Water Act, Greenbelt Plan, Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, and Lake Simcoe Protection Plan, putting drinking water sources, provincially significant wetlands, forests, farmland, and species at risk habitats in jeopardy. The proposal also threatened to eliminate public transparency by allowing such by-laws to be enacted without notice, comment, or appeal, and would have repealed the Toxics Reduction Act, removing safeguards against industrial pollution. Thanks to widespread public outcry, amplified by Earthroots’ advocacy, the Ontario government ultimately withdrew Schedule 10, marking a major victory for environmental and community protections across the province.

Earthroots stood in firm opposition to Ontario’s passage of the More Homes, More Choice Act, legislation that significantly weakened the province’s Endangered Species Act (ESA). The amendments granted sweeping new powers to the Minister of Environment, allowing delays, exemptions, and even the outright removal of protections for Ontario’s most vulnerable plants and animals. Earthroots joined allies like Ontario Nature, Environmental Defence, and the David Suzuki Foundation in denouncing the bill, which opened critical habitat to sprawling development and industrial activity without meaningful oversight or public consultation. As Earthroots Chair and former Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller warned, the changes came just weeks after a UN report revealed that a million species globally are at risk of extinction-making Ontario’s legislative rollback dangerously out of step with scientific urgency. Despite widespread opposition from scientists, Indigenous communities, and thousands of Ontarians, the government forced the bill through, threatening biodiversity, ecological health, and the future of conservation in the province.

picture of a Cormorant Earthroots, in coalition with Animal Alliance of Canada and the Animal Protection Party of Canada, stood firmly against the Ontario government’s controversial proposal to implement an unregulated hunt of Double-Crested Cormorants. In 2019, the groups jointly submitted a forceful opposition to EBR Registry Number 013-4124, denouncing the plan as one of the most regressive wildlife management proposals in Canadian history. Earthroots, challenged the unscientific and harmful claims that cormorants damage fish populations and ecosystems. As native birds integral to Ontario’s biodiversity, cormorants play a vital ecological role, including preying on invasive fish species and co-nesting with federally protected birds. Despite lacking current population data, the Ministry proposed a near-unrestricted cull, risking the eradication of this once-threatened species and the collateral harm to other birds. Earthroots called for science-based, non-lethal management solutions, highlighting the successful approach at Tommy Thompson Park where habitat preservation and public education reduced cormorant-tree impacts. Earthroots advocacy underscored the urgent need for conservation rooted in ecological evidence, not misinformation and scapegoating.

Earthroots joined the Environmental Law Association, Ontario Nature; Cooper Price, a 16-year old activist with Fridays For Future Toronto, Climate Strike Canada and Michel Koostachin, who was born and raised in Attawapiskat to defend the health and prosperity of communities and the environment by filing an application asking the Divisional Court to issue declaratory relief and other remedies in relation to the omnibus legislation, which overhauls the Environmental Assessment Act and amends other provincial laws. https://cela.ca/legal-action-launched-against-ontarios-omnibus-bill-197/

Earthroots joined Ontario Nature, the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA), youth and Indigenous activists in launching a legal challenge against the Ontario government’s passage of Bill 197-legislation that expanded the use of Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) without public consultation. On September 3, 2021, the Ontario Divisional Court ruled that the government had acted unlawfully and unreasonably by failing to comply with the consultation requirements of Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR). The court confirmed that Ontarians have a legal right to be consulted on environmentally significant decisions, a principle the government ignored despite direct warnings from the Auditor General. Represented by CELA, the coalition argued successfully that bypassing public input on MZO changes undermined environmental accountability. This landmark case reaffirmed Earthroots’ core mission: defending the rights of people and nature through action, education, and the rule of law.

Earthroots and Friends of Temagami, represented by Ecojustice, launched a legal challenge against the Ontario government over its failure to consider climate change in the 10-year forest management plan for the Temagami Forest. The nearly 430,000-hectare unit contains almost half of the world’s remaining old-growth red and white pine forests-critical carbon sinks and biodiversity hotspots. Under provincial law, forest plans are only exempt from full environmental assessments if they include climate mitigation measures. Yet the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry approved the Temagami plan after quietly cancelling its carbon management efforts. Earthroots argued this violated legal requirements and ignored the ecological and carbon consequences of industrial logging. As Earthroots Chair and former Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller noted, the province’s disregard for climate impacts is a systemic issue that undermines any claim to sustainable forest management.

Earthroots played a leading role in challenging a controversial coyote hunting contest organized by a Belleville gun shop that offered prizes for killing the largest and smallest coyotes. Condemning the event as cruel and unethical, Earthroots argued that the contest violated Ontario’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, which prohibits incentivizing the killing of wildlife. The organization raised public awareness and coordinated a campaign that generated nearly 6,000 emails to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, demanding enforcement action. Alongside allies like Coyote Watch Canada, Earthroots highlighted the broader ecological threat such contests pose-especially to the at-risk Algonquin wolf, often mistaken for a coyote. This campaign exemplified Earthroots’ long-standing commitment to protecting predators, upholding wildlife laws, and advocating for science-based, ethical conservation in Ontario.

Earthroots had been actively monitoring the Algonquins of Ontario (AOO) land claim settlement process, particularly around Trout Lake and East Ferris, where local residents have raised alarm over a lack of public consultation. The Agreement-in-Principle, signed in 2017 and later supplemented in 2020 with additional land and funding commitments, proposes transferring over 117,500 acres of provincial Crown land and $300 million-without meaningful engagement of local communities or clear government communication. Of concern to Earthroots was the risk of unrestricted development on previously protected lands, such as provincial park areas, without environmental impact assessments or municipal planning oversight. This case exemplified a broader, troubling trend in Ontario: a systematic erosion of public input in land use decisions, from MZOs overriding wetland protections to sweeping changes in forest planning under Bill 197. A consortium of environmental groups, including Earthroots took the province to court and in September the Ontario Divisional Court ruled the Province broke the law with Bill 197. Earthroots continues to advocate for transparency, environmental accountability, and the public’s right to participate in decisions affecting our shared natural heritage.

Ontario's woodland caribou are threatened with local extinction and unsustainable forestry is the driving force behind their decline. Caribou are a protected species who have crucial forested habitat on Crown Land that forestry can now freely destroy. Earthroots brought this issue to light in a new campaign and fought for the protection of caribou habitat.

Following two winters of increased mining exploration and increased damage protecting Wolf Lake became even more urgent. The Wolf Lake Coalition, in which Earthroots is a member, held numerous meetings with First Nation and government representatives to discuss the special values of Wolf Lake and explore ways forward that protect the forest and support Indigenous rights and stewardship. In an effort to amplify our voice and get the province on board with protecting Wolf Lake, Earthroots launched a letter writing campaign to include Wolf Lake in Canada’s commitment to protect 30% of lands and water by 2030.

Earthroots hosted old-growth experts and authors of the recently published book, Ontario's Old-Growth Forests, Michael Henry and Dr. Peter Quinby for a one-hour virtual event hosted by Earthroots’ Chair, Gord Miller. Gord, Michael and Peter provided an "on-the-ground" scientifically inspired perspective on Ontario's old-growth forests: why they're so magnificent, what's threatening them and what we need to do to preserve them.

Ahead of the Provincial election, Earthroots’ Chair Gord Miller hosted a weekly podcast featuring a discussion of current environmental issues and answered viewers questions.

Earthroots launched the Pollinator Highway Project to help restore and protect critical habitat for pollinators-especially bees, butterflies, and other insects essential to healthy ecosystems. The project focused on transforming underused urban and rural corridors, such as roadsides and hydro lines, into continuous stretches of native wildflower habitat across southern Ontario. By working with municipalities, community groups, and conservation partners, Earthroots aimed to combat pollinator decline, increase biodiversity, and reconnect fragmented habitats. The initiative combined science-based restoration with public education, empowering communities to take part in protecting the species that help keep Ontario’s ecosystems and food systems thriving.

In a major legal win for environmental accountability and public participation, Earthroots joined a coalition of advocacy groups-including Ontario Nature, Environmental Defence, and Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition-in successfully challenging the federal government’s refusal to assess the controversial Bradford Bypass highway. Represented by Ecojustice, the coalition argued that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change had acted unreasonably by denying a federal impact assessment despite mounting concerns over the project’s long-term environmental effects. The Federal Court agreed, ruling in 2023 that the minister failed to adequately consider public input and key evidence, undermining the principles of the Impact Assessment Act. Earthroots celebrated the decision as a critical affirmation that large infrastructure projects cannot bypass public scrutiny or environmental safeguards. The ruling strengthens the legal tools available to communities and conservationists fighting to protect ecosystems, like Lake Simcoe from unchecked development and reinforces the federal government’s duty to uphold science, transparency, and democratic participation.

Earthroots partnered with Greenbelt Guardians (a volunteer organization) to stop the destruction of farmland and natural areas in Ontario’s Greenbelt. Together we coordinated “Land Scouts” who monitored the threatened lands for any sign of development, made phone calls, distributed flyers, shared information through our social media channels and launched a letter writing campaign, so Ontarians could tell Minister Calandra to stop carving out our Greenbelt. On September 21st we celebrated the return of the Greenbelt lands.

In 2021, the Ontario government appointed a working group of conservation experts-responding to calls to expand the province’s protected areas. Their report, A New Approach: Advancing Protected and Conserved Areas in Ontario, recommended bold action, including a clear strategy to protect 30% of Ontario’s lands and waters by 2030. When the report was quietly shelved, Earthroots joined 123 other organizations in demanding its immediate implementation. We emphasized the need to fund Indigenous-led conservation and community-based efforts like the People’s Summit and the Your Protected Places Project. With biodiversity loss and climate change intensifying, Earthroots continues to advocate for the political will, resources, and partnerships needed to turn Ontario’s vast ecological potential into real, lasting protection.

Earthroots responded forcefully to Ontario’s proposed regulatory exemption (ERO 019-8016) that would allow mining companies to build and use trails in sensitive boreal forests with minimal oversight. Drawing on over 30 years of experience monitoring the ecological impacts of land use in northern Ontario, Earthroots warned that these so-called “trails” chance becoming roads that fragment habitats and threaten species at risk. We submitted detailed recommendations to ensure true trails, narrow low impact temporary paths, would not be exploited as access routes for heavy equipment. Our position emphasized strict limits on trail width, vehicle types, vegetation clearing, and use duration, along with the exclusion of trails in old growth and intact interior forests. This effort reflects Earthroots’ longstanding role as a science-informed voice for wilderness protection and ecological integrity in Ontario’s Crown lands.

For over 30 years, Earthroots has been challenging the inadequacies of forest management practices implemented under the direction of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Now scientists led by an Australian group have vindicated that effort. The study concluded that major changes are needed if ecological integrity of our forests is to be maintained. Earthroots Chair Gord Miller's comments on the study were published in the Hill Times on January 10th and in the Toronto Star.

In its longstanding commitment to wildlife conservation, Earthroots contributed to a groundbreaking study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology on the threats facing Eastern Wolves in Ontario. The research, which analyzed telemetry data from canids in and around Algonquin Provincial Park, found that human-caused mortality is significantly higher outside protected areas. It concluded that expanding the Eastern Wolf population beyond park boundaries is unlikely without stricter protections, such as a ban on harvesting all canids, including coyotes. This study reinforces the urgent need for stronger landscape-level protections, an advocacy priority for Earthroots for over two decades.

Earthroots announced its intent to begin a multiyear comprehensive ecosystem-focused risk assessment of the Temagami Region using the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Ecosystems (RLE) model. The IUCN RLE is a powerful internationally recognized evidence-based tool to inform and spur action for biodiversity conservation. It provides a unified standard for assessing the conservation status of ecosystems. Thousands of ecosystems have been assessed around the world at different geographic scales using the Red List of Ecosystems approach resulting in a rich compendium of information. By evaluating the overall health of the Temagami ecosystem and understanding the risks it is facing Earthroots can inform policymakers, guide conservation strategies, inform land use planning, and support public awareness initiatives.

Earthroots pushed the Ontario government to modernize its outdated Forest Resource Inventory (FRI), which fails to accurately identify old growth pine stands by lumping all trees over 125 years into one category. While newer eFRI maps based on satellite imagery proved unreliable, the Ministry is now testing LiDAR technology, which offers more precise forest data. Earthroots urged the Ministry to use this opportunity to create a truly accurate inventory by distinguishing older age classes, such as 200 and 300 year-old stands, and by ground-truthing the data against known old growth sites to ensure these irreplaceable ecosystems are properly mapped and protected.

We continued working to educated people about the important role the Eastern Wolf plays in Ontario’s ecosystems and its conservation with the July release of the short documentary “Finding the Eastern Wolf”, was produced in collaboration with students from the University of Guelph/Humber. The documentary followed the release of a video series of the same name. The documentary has gone on to win accolades from the College Media Association with a First Place Pinnacle Award.

Earthroots began the process to secure a place for the Temagami Wilderness on Canada’s Tentative List for UNESCO World Heritage designation. This effort marked a bold step to elevate the global significance of Temagami’s ancient forests, interconnected waterways, and deep cultural heritage. The campaign emphasized the region’s outstanding ecological value, including some of the largest remaining stands of old-growth red and white pine in North America, as well as its importance to Indigenous communities, particularly the Teme-Augama Anishnabai. By pursuing UNESCO recognition, Earthroots aims to strengthen long-term protection of Temagami’s wildlands and promote collaborative stewardship grounded in both ecological science and Indigenous knowledge.

Earthroots launched a campaign against the Ford government’s proposed dismantling of Ontario’s Endangered Species Act (ERO 025-0380). The replacement legislation, the misleadingly titled Species Conservation Act, would gut habitat protections, eliminate recovery planning, sideline independent science, and allow industries to bypass oversight entirely. Under the proposal, political discretion would replace scientific assessment, and species recovery would no longer be a legal priority. Earthroots warned that the law signaled open season on vulnerable wildlife, calling it “permission to wipe species off the map.” As part of a growing coalition, Earthroots mobilized public opposition through policy briefings, social media advocacy (#SaveSpeciesON), and direct action, including public submissions to the Environmental Registry and calls to Ontario’s political leadership. With over 230 species at risk in the province, Earthroots continues to fight for science-based, enforceable protections and a government that puts biodiversity ahead of industry interests.

Earthroots launched its new Eyes in the Forest Program which uses trail cameras to obtain critical data about Ontario’s wildlife and their habitats. The data we collect through the Eyes in the Forest Program will help inform policies and practices that protect these species and their ecosystems.

Earthroots joined a national coalition of environmental and Indigenous organizations in signing an open letter calling on all federal parties and candidates to make freshwater protection a top election priority. The letter responded to growing threats, including proposed U.S. water diversions, dismantling of key environmental agencies, and increasing pressure to privatize and export Canada’s water. Earthroots demanded that Canada uphold and strengthen laws like the Boundary Waters Treaty Act and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and respect Indigenous sovereignty over water governance. With Canada’s watersheds under growing strain, Earthroots affirmed that freshwater is not for sale. Protecting aquatic ecosystems, investing in restoration, and ensuring Indigenous leadership in water stewardship are essential for a just and sustainable future.

Earthroots joined 13 other leading conservation organizations in urging federal party leaders to ensure Canada’s response to U.S. tariffs on forest products does not come at the cost of primary and old-growth forests. The joint open letter called for public funds to support workers directly, not subsidize corporate over-harvesting, and emphasized the importance of maintaining forest ecosystem health as a foundation of long-term economic security. The coalition warned against short-term exploitation, calling for forest policies that respect Indigenous rights, prioritize sustainable forestry, and ensure Canada meets growing international expectations, such as new EU regulations against deforestation. Earthroots continues to advocate for forest protection that puts workers, communities, and ecosystems before profits.