Into the wild: UTM biology course gives students hands-on field experience

Wading through a river, crouching in the undergrowth and trekking through woodlands, a group of undergraduates from the University of Toronto Mississauga got to study a range of terrestrial and aquatic environments as part of a new biology course this summer.

But this wasn’t a field course in Ecuador or the Galapagos; it took place in the varying landscapes of the Greater Toronto Area.

The urban field ecology and evolution course, partially funded by a UTM Experiential Learning Grant, was launched with the aim of providing more affordable hands-on field study for students for whom this kind of training might otherwise be out of reach.

“From the very first day, we're out making observations, doing breeding bird surveys, learning how to sample environments using the most cutting edge tools for things like pH in the water or the soil,” said course instructor and Professor Marc Johnson, who is also Canada Research Chair for Urban Environmental Science.

“Our focus really was on trying to give students those hands-on skills that they could then apply to jobs once they leave here.”

University of Toronto Mississauga students take part in field work at the Crawford Lake Conservation Area as part of the BIO444 field course with Professor Marc Johnson. 

Members of the urban field ecology and evolution course make observations during a field excursion. 

During the first week of the intensive two-week summer course, Johnson and 13 third- and fourth-year biology students studied environments that included conservation areas, parks and rivers. 

They were working to understand how urban changes to air, water and land influence the ecology and evolution of populations, communities and ecosystems.

In the second week, students designed independent research projects based on their findings. 

UTM students make field observations during the urban field ecology and evolution course.

UTM students wade into the Credit River to gather samples for analysis during the BIO444 field course.

Basma Alkhateeb, a biology specialist and environmental sciences major, tapped into her love of birds to examine how socioeconomics influence the diversity and abundance of species in an urban area.

“I have been involved in research in the past, but this was my first opportunity doing field work and being able to fully complete my own research project from start to finish,” said Alkhateeb.

“We got to hike through a lot of forests, wade through bodies of water – each day brought on something new. It was a great immersive experience, and it also was a great help that the additional course fee was not extremely expensive and that it was located in the GTA, which made it accessible.”  

Students from UTM gather samples from the Credit River during the BIO444 field course during the 2026 summer term.

UTM students sort through samples at the banks of the Credit River as part of the urban field ecology and evolution course.

Johnson said the first iteration of the summer course was a success. 

“The biology department has long aspired to offer more experiential learning through field courses for students,” he said. 

For many of the students, the program was their first chance to engage in hands-on learning in the real world, Johnson added.  

“I think it was quite empowering for them," he said. "And it was very clear they had a blast.”

A member of the BIO444 course studies the aquatic environment in a section of the Credit River. 

A student wades into the Credit River as part of field work conducted during the urban field ecology and evolution course at UTM.