Day 1 - Welcome to Toronto! High Park Eco Program

The eco-adventure begins! Meet as a group at the school in the morning. Load the school bus with your bags and depart towards Toronto (Discount available for Toronto based schools who will take the TTC public transit, rather than needing a school bus pickup).

Arrive in Toronto at High Park and meet your Evolve Tours director, excited to spend the next few days together.

Participate in a full day program at High Park: Organic Gardening + Cooking & Nutrition.

Organic Gardening: Biodiversity in the Garden. Learn about both new and old agriculture techniques in a unique urban garden in downtown Toronto’s largest green space. A main focus on the organic garden program is recognizing the importance of biodiversity in the garden.

Cooking & Nutrition: Choose Veggies. Discover a variety of fruits and vegetables and learn their nutritional value. We’ll also examine the environmental impact of different farming techniques.

After your program at High Park, hop on the subway and head towards Rouge Park. Enjoy some Evolve team building and games in the park. Students will help set up camp and prepare dinner before camping overnight.

Day 2 - Blackcreek Farm & Pioneer Village, Rouge Park

This morning, participate in a “Field to Fork” program at Blackcreek Farm. Students will learn about their food sources first hand, starting by picking vegetables from the farm and then helping prepare a meal at Blackcreek Pioneer Village with their special harvest.

In the afternoon, return to Rouge Park to enjoy a guided “Need for Green” nature hike. While exploring what is set to become Canada’s first urban national park, students will discuss the ways in which green spaces can exist side by side with urban centres.

Overnight camping in Rouge Park.

Day 3 - Evergreen Brickworks, Toronto Zoo

Today features a full day “Eco Club” program at Evergreen Brickworks. In the morning, the group will start with a guided nature hike. In the afternoon after lunch, participate in hands-on interactive activities designed to inspire students to become “eco-ambassadors”. Afternoon programs include:

• Animal Shelter Building Challenge
• Animal tracking and making your own tracks in clay
• Garden and Stewardship: Vermi-composting, greenhouse activity and planting/harvesting
• Eco-Sustainability tour of the Evergreen Brickworks facility

In the afternoon, depart to Toronto Zoo. Arrive at Toronto Zoo and enjoy a guided zoo tour, with a focus on endangered species. After, watch a wildlife conservation program to learn more about the Toronto Zoo’s role in ensuring the continue survival of endangered wildlife populations and their habitats.

Overnight camping in Rouge Park.

Day 4 - Kortright Centre for Conservation, Return Home

In the morning, packup your campsite at Rouge Park, ensuring to follow the “Leave no trace” camping principles, to leave our campsite the way we found it when we arrived.

Depart and head to the Kortright Centre for Conservation, where the group will participate in a full day program focused on climate change, renewable energy and sustainable living. The various effects of climate change on the environment will be discussed. As well, students will have the chance to tour “Archetype Sustainable Houses” which utilize many green technologies and renewable energy resources. The result is a inspiring look at real-world lifestyle changes that can be implemented to reduce the negative effect of climate change on our environment.

Depart home on school bus. Arrive back at your school after an amazing environmental focused trip. Students will be inspired and encouraged to bring what they’ve learned to make their everyday lives “greener”.