The Midland Penetanguishene Field Naturalists welcome wildlife photographer and writer Jason George to its montly meeting Thursday evening.
Slated to begin at 7 p.m. at the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre, things kick off with the group's annual general meeting, which will be followed about a half-hour later by the group’s regular monthly meeting and George’s presentation.
A dyslexic BIPOC wildlife photographer, presenter and writer, George recently relocated to Wasaga Beach to get closer to nature when he retired from teaching full-time to chase his passion for wildlife.
He loves to see wild animals in their natural habitat, so he travels around Canada (missing only Newfoundland and Nunavut) and the world (missing only Antarctica).
"Getting to see an animal in its natural habitat is special; being able to photograph it is awesome,” George says. “Luckily, I have seen more than 70% of the animals you could see in a zoo, in the wild. I'm now exploring ways to share my love and passion with those not able to have these experiences.”
Visitors to Algonquin Provincial Park during the winter/spring season of 2021/22 may have enjoyed an exhibition of Jason's photographs in the Algonquin Room of the Visitor's Centre.
In a release, the group notes that George seems to have a magical connection with animals, which helps him capture amazing natural pictures, both ethically and humanely.
“He gets the best pictures of the animals without hurting them or baiting them,” the group says, pointing out that George donates a portion from sales of his photocards to help the animals he photographs.
To check out George’s work, visit his website or join him on his adventures on his Youtube channel (Jason George).
The club will also be selling 50/50 tickets at the event and there will be a “great nature book sale” with members encouraged to bring used nature books they would like to donate. Books donated will be resold for what the buyer thinks they're worth with all proceeds going to club operations.
The Midland Penetanguishene Field Naturalists (MPFN) is one of the oldest affiliates of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists. The objective of the club is to promote public awareness of natural history, conservation and the environment. They have meetings once a month, normally at the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centres, and plan a number of outings throughout the year.
For more information about the club and/or Thursday’s meeting, email the club at [email protected].
