Our History

We pay our respects to the traditional stewards of the land on which the AWRS exists and of Algonquin Provincial Park in its whole. The AWRS and much of Algonquin Park are located within unceded Algonquin territory. Algonquin Provincial Park as a whole also contains territory of the Anishinaabeg, specifically the Chippewa, Ojibwa and Nippissing, and lands under the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850 and the Williams Treaties of 1923.

This land has also been used by Métis and other Indigenous peoples as it includes major travel routes on its rivers and waterways.

We are always open to learning and discussion.

Since the 1940s, the AWRS has been home to influential long-term ecological research and an inspiring classroom to thousands.

Founded in 1944, the AWRS was first an entity of the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests (now Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry). The facility and associated Wildlife Research Area of Algonquin Provincial Park was to serve as an outdoor lab for ecological research. Following provincial government budget cuts in the early 1980s, operations of the AWRS were assumed by numerous Ontario universities. The AWRS was incorporated as an independent Canadian not-for-profit organization in 2010, and received charitable status in 2023.

A detailed page that explores our rich history is under construction. Please check back soon to learn more!

Learn more about specific projects

Research Projects