A migrating monarch butterfly feeds on woodland sunflower at Point Pelee National Park, Sept. 12, 2025.

John Muir, considered the foundational figure for the U.S. National Parks system, and a champion for the restorative power of nature, wrote in Our National Parks (1901), “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life. Awakening from the stupefying effects of the vice of over-industry and the deadly apathy of luxury, they are trying as best they can to mix and enrich their own little ongoings with those of Nature, and to get rid of rust and disease.”

I took these photos over the course of five days - one at the Ojibway Prairie Complex and four at Point Pelee National Park as I attempted (and failed) to see monarchs roosting at the tip. These places, in addition to a few others, are this area’s wildness, and where restorative power for the body and soul will be found.

Let’s talk for a moment about Goldenrod. Viewed incorrectly as a major cause of seasonal allergies, or as untidy or invasive looking, Goldenrod was historically treated as a weed and removed by homeowners and municipalities. But in fact, Goldenrod, or Solidago spp, in its support for wildlife and pollinators, plays one of the most crucial roles in our ecosystem. As many plants and flowers begin to wither in the fall, goldenrod steps in as a critical nectar source. Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators flock to its blossoms, building up their reserves for the winter months. This is observable while walking the trails at Point Pelee National Park where stands of the plant are buzzing with activity.

The Natural World