On the wings of recent positive reports from conservation scientists, the Monarch Festival and Race hosted by the Monarch Ultra is returning to Peterborough on September 19 for its fourth year.

This volunteer-led event celebrates and raises awareness for the monarch butterfly, which has been recognized as an endangered species in Canada since 2023 under the Canada’s Species at Risk Act.

Carlotta James, co-founder of The Monarch Ultra, spoke to kawarthaNOW about the significance of hosting this event in light of recent reports about a rebound in the butterfly population.

“The team is uplifted by this news,” she says.

In 2019, along with filmmaker Rodney Fuentes, run director Clay Williams, and chef and driver Guenther Schubert, James organized a relay run from Peterborough to Mexico where ultra-marathon runners followed the path of the monarch butterfly’s western fall migration. Fuentes later released a documentary about the 4,300-kilometre multi-national ultra run.

For The Monarch Ultra team, the monarch’s migration to Mexico each year is an ultra-marathon and, as an ultra-runner herself, James admires these ultra-flyers. She said that monarchs represent how “so much is possible.”

Over the past seven years the organization has raised over $40,000 for conservation efforts in North America. Beneficiaries of their work have included Camp Kawartha, Monarch City USA, and Nación Verde.

James explained that working with conservation partners likes these allows them to see the real impact of their work and have confidence in the charities that funds raised are supporting.

“We know that the funds we raise here go directly to tree planting,” James said.

In 2023, The Monarch Ultra hosted the first annual Monarch Festival and Race in Peterborough’s Millennium Park. The event featured a 10-kilometre race, a one-kilometre kids’ fun run, educational booths, community activities, and artist performances.

Going into the fourth year of this event, James highlighted the way in which the community comes out to show their support. As the whole event is volunteer-run, it is the support of individuals and businesses that enable the event to remain accessible and able to raise funds for monarchs.

“We want to get together and make change,” James said.

This year’s event at Millennium Park will once again give participants the choice between a 10-kilometre and one-kilometre run and will feature a host of local vendors and organizations.

The festival schedule for 2026, available at www.themonarchultra.com/peterborough, highlights activities and workshops at the event including a pollinator garden workshop and drumming performances by Janet McCue.

James said the festival is a “celebration of the waterways” in a space that also features butterfly and pollinator gardens.

As well as raising awareness, the Monarch Festival and Race is a key fundraising event for monarch conservation efforts. James said this year’s goal is to raise $5,000 for Nación Verde, a non-profit organization based in Mexico that engages in conservation through tree-planting, youth education, and advocacy for environmental justice.

According to a media release, funds raised by the event will support tree-planting and reforestation efforts at Mexico’s Cerro Pelón Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. This site is a vital winter home for monarch butterflies following their fall migration from Ontario.

“The relationship happened serendipitously,” said James, explaining how she met the team at Nación Verde after the Monarch Ultra was nominated for a Monarch Ambassador award.

The Monarch Ultra team has visited Mexico in partnership with Nación Verde on two occasions to see in person the habitat that their work supports.

“When we go to Mexico, we can see all the trees and nurseries,” said James.

For James, it is the ability to see the impact of their workand efforts of community members at the Monarch Festival and Race has that continues to inspire the Monarch Ultra team. She also shares these experiences and updates with supporters to engage them in continued action.

Also a co-founder of Peterborough Pollinators and Three Sisters Natural Landscapes, James spoke about the significance of the monarch butterfly as a representation of the impact of environmental decline on all insects and pollinators.

“Monarchs are a symbol of resilience and a call to action to do more,” she said.

Due to habitat loss and climate change, all insects and pollinators are facing endangerment and declining populations. Canada is the summer home to two distinct migratory populations of monarch butterflies. On the east coast, the monarchs travel from B.C. to California and, further west, monarch butterflies migrate from southern Ontario to Mexico.

James explains that despite recent positive reports showing that eastern monarch population has increased by around 65 per cent over the past year, marking one of the
most significant rebounds in nearly a decade, there is still work to be done to protect monarchs and their habitat especially in the long-term.

Eastern monarch populations in particular continue to face ongoing population decline despite conservation efforts, James noted.

In addition to the environmental impacts represented by the decline in monarch populations, these butterflies are also an important cultural and spiritual feature of indigenous cultures in Mexico and North America.

The Monarch Ultra and their conservation partners espouse the importance of stewarding the land that makes up the habitat of monarchs, not only for the butterflies themselves but also in respect of the Indigenous communities that have conserved the land for generations.

“This land is so important and so is the connection to the monarch butterfly,” James said of the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the monarch.

Monarch butterflies return to Mexico during the celebration of Dia de los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”. It is believed that monarchs carry the souls of loved ones who have passed on, and the migration during this celebration is a representation of those souls returning home.

Nación Verde is also committed to furthering environmental justice and addressing environmental inequalities. They work directly with Indigenous communities to determine need, provide training, and vocational opportunities.

“If the monarch disappears, their culture disappears,” James said.

James added about that Indigenous values and teachings are embedded in all of the work done by the Monarch Ultra, including the community festival. The event will feature offerings of milkweed and other native plant seeds to promote sustainable gardening in Peterborough.

Community members can support the Monarch Ultra and ongoing conservation efforts by registering to participate in the race and by attending the festival.

“Come to the festival and hear about all the great things happening in our community,” said James.

She also encourages people to talk about the importance of conservation work with their friends and families and promote charities and organizations actively involved in this work.

“Continue to talk about the importance of supporting pollinators, because from talk is action,” James said.

The Monarch Festival and Race takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 19 at Millennium Park in downtown Peterborough, with one-kilometre kids’ fun run starting at 9:30 a.m. and the 10-kilometre race starting at 10 a.m. An awards ceremony at 11:30 a.m. will follow the race.

To register for one-kilometre kids’ fun run and the 10-kilometre race, or to donate, visit raceroster.com/events/2026/117030/monarch-ultra-10km.

In a world that’s increasingly online and increasingly artificial, more and more people are looking for authentic human connection.

That’s one of the reasons Courtney Carter saw the need to create PTBO Ballroom, a space that not only leads dance classes, but hosts community social events that invite you to reap the benefits of various styles of dance, meet new friends, and dance your worries away.

“I’ve been so driven to build not just a dance studio, but a place where people can go to connect and share this real human experience that we’re craving by connecting through dance,” says Carter. “I want more than anything to build a community and continue having these social opportunities for everyone.”

Dancing in Peterborough since she was five years old, Carter knows as much as anyone how the activity is good for the mind, body, and spirit. But after graduating high school, she found there weren’t a lot of opportunities to continue to dance and ended up taking time away from it throughout college.

“People will join their beer league hockey teams after they’ve gone into their career world, but for dance, there weren’t as many opportunities, and especially not here in Peterborough,” she says. “I felt so lost when I didn’t have dance in my life. It was always such a huge part of my life, and it always brought me so much community and belonging.”

While in Toronto, she had the opportunity to learn and teach ballroom dance and quickly realized it was something she wanted to bring back home with her to Peterborough. Since then, she has been leading wedding dance lessons and hosting drop-ins, series, pop-ups, and private lessons for adults in a range of ballroom and Latin dance styles, including salsa, bachata, merengue, swing, and more.

“It’s something that we need more of in our small regional communities,” Carter says. “There’s nowhere for people to really go enjoy dancing besides an adult ballet class, but this offers a completely new way for you to experience dance throughout your life and changes the way that you experience it.”

“Now you have a new skill and community that you can tap into when you travel, when you go to a wedding reception, even when you just go out for a night with your friends, where you can really connect with people and share this joy and movement.”

Though Carter says there’s a “lack of awareness” towards ballroom and Latin dance in smaller communities, people are often curious about it because of pop culture influences like Dancing with the Stars and the salsa-inspired moves from Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga during the Super Bowl halftime show.

“I think some people are learning about it or maybe seeing it online and then really wanting to try it,” Carter explains. “Even watching a video of people’s social dancing brings so much joy.”

“I think people really want to experience more real human connection now more than ever, because our lives are becoming increasingly disconnected through technology. This is a very unique way to find community and share connection with people while learning.”

As a full-body workout, ballroom and Latin dancing has many proven benefits that extend beyond just putting an end to the doom-scrolling.

Dancing supports strength, cardiovascular fitness, posture, and balance as well as relieving stress and boosting confidence. According to some studies, it can even lower the risk of dementia.

“We’re all so happy listening to music and just moving our bodies and it does release serotonin and dopamine, and when you’re sharing that experience with a partner, there’s lots of oxytocin,” says Carter, referring to three key neurotransmitters and hormones that regulate mood, motivation, and social bonding.

“There are lots of proven facts about the mental health benefits and it lights up parts of your brain that you’re not using as often these days. It’s great cardio, but also just practising the posture and the stance you require and having a dancer poise is also very beneficial for your back and bones. It just ties into everything.”

Despite the benefits and proven desire for this type of social event, Carter says she knows people are often hesitant or feel uncomfortable and awkward in their own bodies.

“If you haven’t grown up training in ballet, or you feel like you’ve never danced before and you have two left feet, it can be a really vulnerable thing taking that first step,” she says. “I think people are really shocked to find out how easy and approachable these classes are.”

“I want it to always feel like an easy and fun process where everybody feels welcome. No matter who you are or what your culture is, rhythm and music come so naturally to us and everybody can find a dance that blends to their personality, whether that’s Latin, waltz, swing, or disco music. There’s something for everybody.”

To get over a fear of the dance floor, Carter says sometimes “all you need is a bit of structure.”

“We’re learning the same steps and now you are building your own dance vocabulary that you can use with anybody, and it just takes a little bit of a nice posture and a bit of movement, and practising your footwork. It’s a lot easier than people think. Then it becomes addictive once you’re progressing, learning, getting better, and sharing it with other people.”

Carter says PTBO Ballroom helps students gain this practice by offering those “real-life situations” through the social events.

“You have somewhere to actually use it,” she says. “It truly is for everybody, so I want to encourage a space where you can dance with anybody and talk to anybody, and we’re all sharing the same passion for something.”

For more information about PTBO Ballroom and classes, visit ptboballroom.ca.

Taking time to walk slowly and mindfully in a forest is not a luxury. It has profound benefits not only for personal wellbeing, but it can also enhance one’s ability and commitment to promote environmental and climate justice, and to show up in effective, realistic, collaborative, creative ways.

Christiana Figueres, climate leader, activist, and one of the architects of the Paris Accord, came to understand the value of taking time to nurture emotional awareness and self-regulation after finding herself overwhelmed by personal and global challenges.

She found that prioritizing self-care is not simply an indulgence, but an absolute necessity which allows her to work in a way that is aligned with her values, while remaining committed to her goals.

Thereafter, Figueres grounded herself in practices that helped her stay within her “window of tolerance,” a concept promoted by Dr. Dan Seigel.

Operating from one’s “window” allows one to function optimally: to think clearly, rationally, and creatively; to regulate emotions; to be open to different perspectives; and to work collaboratively.

Stress can push people outside of their window of tolerance into states of fight, flight, or freeze, which can result in aggressive or impulsive choices. They can also lead to burnout and withdrawal. A powerful way to return to and expand that “window” is to slow down and mindfully engage with nature.

Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, combines the wisdom of animism, embedded in Shinto — Japan’s Indigenous spirituality — with mindfulness practices drawn from Buddhism. The act of forest bathing offers simple but profound ways to connect with nature, with oneself, and has many cognitive, psychological, and physical benefits.

Rigorous scientific research quantifies these benefits. The Canadian Psychological Association recommends time in nature for improved immune response and emotional self-regulation, mood, sleep, energy, focus, creativity, and memory, along with reduced levels of stress, anxiety, blood pressure, and depression. Further, it increases social connection, generosity, and cooperation.

It’s no wonder that the practice of forest bathing is also referred to as forest and nature therapy. Medical professionals worldwide are beginning to “prescribe” time in nature. Locally, the Peterborough Public Library lends Ontario Park passes, helping to reduce barriers to those wishing to spend time outdoors.

Not only can mindful time in nature help individuals stay within their window of tolerance, forest bathing is an opportunity to be open to the lessons that nature can teach.

The field of biomimicry, for instance, looks to natural systems to inspire solutions to human challenges. One such example is the invention of velcro, designed after an engineer took notice of the burrs that stuck to his dog during a walk.

One obvious lesson from nature is the reality of change. In her book The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on a World of Change, American writer, historian, and activist Rebecca Solnit frames the chaos of these times as a radical and often painful re-structuring of our civilization. She reminds readers that change is inevitable, and beneficial.

Solnit points out that the emerging worldview emphasizes and values the reality of interconnection, interrelatedness, and interdependence. Forest bathing is an opportunity to experience connection with nature, and can inspire people to care for what they love.

Another lesson inspired by the healing balm of nature: each individual has the freedom to turn towards what brings them a sense of peace and strength.

Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl empowered many with his insight that no one can take away the freedom to choose one’s attitude, regardless of the circumstances.

Spending mindful time in nature enhances well-being, increases resilience, and fosters collaboration and commitment — qualities essential for building a healthy future.

As filmmaker Michael Moore writes: “Take a breath. The rest of the choir will sing. Rejoin, so others can breathe. Together we can sustain a very long, beautiful song.”

In caring for ourselves, we strengthen our capacity to care for the world.

“Experience Forest Bathing: Finding Peace in Nature II,” a morning session offered by the Unitarian Fellowship of Peterborough, takes place at the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre on Saturday, April 25. To learn more and register, visit www.peterboroughunitarian.ca/wonderandinquiry/.

Beth McKinlay is an educator, a volunteer with For Our Grandchildren and the Kids Help Phone Crisis Text Line, and a trained forest and nature therapy guide. For more information on her approach to forest bathing, visit sites.google.com/view/mindfulnatureconnection.