Nature Canada congratulates Jasmin Skinner of London, Ontario, as a 2025 Young Nature Leaders Grant recipient

Jasmin Skinner

Nature Canada’s Women for Nature are proud to celebrate Jasmin Skinner of London, Ontario, as a recipient of our 2025 Young Nature Leaders Grant. This grant encourages, fosters and nurtures youth to demonstrate their leadership in nature.

Jasmin will be holding a Restoring Ecological Knowledge workshop on August 22 at the Westminster Ponds Centre in London, Ontario. This free, one-day workshop welcomes all experience levels and offers an introduction to invasive species management with a focus on individual action and reconnecting with local ecosystems.

The event will begin with an interactive seminar that teaches participants how to identify native and invasive plant species within the Carolinian EcoZone. The second half of the event will take place outdoors, with a guided walk to give attendees the chance to apply their newly developed skills in plant species identification.

Participants will also receive a guidebook to London’s Native and Invasive Plants to help reinforce their knowledge after the workshop. Jasmin is receiving support from the London Environmental Network in facilitating this initiative.

Jasmin explains that “restoring ecological knowledge is essential to restoring a connection to the land. By providing free, accessible outdoor education, this project would teach participants about the local native and invasive plants around them, understanding their relationships and impacts on the ecosystem. As well, participants will immediately connect this knowledge to the land with a guided walk around a provincially significant wetland right in the centre of London, Ontario.”

Jasmin is a Young Nature Leader alongside these other amazing local youth leaders:

Wendy Ihama of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Mehvish Khanam of Scarborough, Ontario

Megan Castelino of Thorold, Ontario

Kaite Martin of Kimberley, British Columbia

Aidan Williams Dale of Brampton, Ontario

The Young Nature Leaders Grant began in 2017 to empower youth to develop and implement a youth-led, community-based project centered around nature and sustainability in Canada. This year’s recipients join an impressive list of previous recipients with unique and complementary ideas.