Join Pride Outside and the Peterborough Field Naturalists for a nature walk

On June 27 at 6 p.m., LGBTQ2S+ nature lovers and allies are invited to join Pride Outside and the Peterborough Field Naturalists for a nature walk. 

The group will meet at Roger’s Cove in the grassy area between the splash pad and Little Lake. From there, folks will wander over to Beavermead and Ecology Park. 

Peterborough Field Naturalists organizer Tamara Brown will lead attendees in noticing and learning about interesting plants and birds along the route.

After a nature-themed scavenger hunt, anyone interested can join for ice cream and/or beverages at Silver Bean (Canoe Museum) to cool off. 

Pride Outside organizers Em and Emmett started gathering local queer folks for a weekly walking group back in 2022, with the goal of creating a safe space for LGBTQ2S+ people and their allies to connect with nature and each other.

“We now do a range of events but the aim is always to get queer and trans folks outside and in nature as much as possible,” Em said. “Queer folks sometimes feel unsafe or unwelcome in other social environments that aren’t queer focused. We really aim to create a space that celebrates queer folks and allows them to connect with nature and move their bodies in a way that feels good and is accessible to them.”

Em added that one of the most fulfilling aspects of their organizing has been watching friendships develop through the weekly meet-ups. “It’s also so wonderful to see the way this group allows people to further explore and experiment with their identity in collaboration with our community,” they said. Em noted that the group has become a space where people feel supported to try out different names or pronouns, and talk about their experiences of gender and sexuality. 

The Pride Outside organizers shared their excitement around having the Peterborough Field Naturalists join them for this upcoming nature walk.

“They bring a ton of knowledge about nature that we are eager to share with our community,” Em said. “Our walks tend to be a social environment, and we’re excited to incorporate an educational component as well.”