5 ways to enjoy nature from the comfort of your house

Virtual hike at the Green Mountains Nature Reserve with Google Trekker

Spending time in nature is a great way to de-stress, but going to a park might not always be your best option.

Studies have shown that looking at pictures of landscapes or listening to sounds of nature could be good for the body and mind.

Here are five ways to access nature from the comfort of your couch, bed or yoga mat!

Google Trekker - Virtual hikes

Take a virtual hike through stunning Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) properties across the country!

The Google Trekker’s 360-degree camera was used to capture images of 18 of our properties. Explore them as though you were there!

Visit www.natureconservancy.ca/trekker.

Must-sees:

Incredible views of the Green Mountains in Quebec.
The peaceful atmosphere on the shores of Alberta’s Coyote Lake.
The rich forests of Backus Woods in Ontario.

myNoise

Discover nature through sound!

The website mynoise.net, created by sound engineer Stéphane Pigeon, offers a large variety of natural environment soundtracks.

You’ll find sounds for every taste, mood and occasion — from primeval forests to pebble beaches to caves.

Each soundtrack includes 10 types of sound. You can adjust the volume of each one to fully customize your sound experience.

Note: The noise generators can accommodate different hearing abilities as well as audio equipment so that everyone can enjoy the rich soundscapes.

A 360^ovideo of Kahnawake waters, presented by VR2GO & ProdAqua

Want to take a break from solid ground for a little while? Dive into the waters of Kahnawake, 15 minutes from downtown Montreal, with Manuel AÑÒ.

This immersive video offers a 360^o view of the waters; you can change the viewing angle using your mouse. You can also, through a French-only narration, learn more about this environment at the centre of the Kahnawake reserve.

An underwater cameraman specialized in difficult conditions, Manuel AÑÒ is on a mission to reveal the beauty of lakes, rivers and wetlands in Quebec and other parts of the world. His images and videos bring to light the surprisingly vivid colours of underwater landscapes.

Manuel AÑÒ works with NCC, giving gives talks, participating in research projects and offering guided tours of aquatic environments. Visit his website at manuelano.com/qc/.

explore.org

Contemplate nature in all its forms! explore.org offers a wide range of videos that are a window onto the natural world.

Through live cams, discover natural habitats — from coastal areas to glaciers to tropical jungles — and the species that live there as if you were right there with them! There are also short videos featuring highlights captured by the live cams.