Nature's chorus

Catherine Grenier (Photo by Geneviève Lesieur)

A few weeks ago, on one of my daily runs, I heard a familiar sound: a red-winged blackbird, back from its wintering grounds. Along with the melting snow and running sap, this song reminds me of spring.

This winter has perhaps felt longer than most, since the world changed with the global pandemic. Throughout the past year, nature has never been more important. For many of us, it’s been a healing balm, even on the shortest, coldest days; a fact that the results of a recent Ipsos poll conducted for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) confirmed. In fact, 94 per cent of Canadians said being in nature helps relieve stress or anxiety. Eighty-six per cent said spending time in nature has been important to their mental health during COVID-19.

These results were not surprising to us here at NCC. We believe, like you, that it’s important to care for nature just as it cares for us. As the weather continues to warm, nature will continue to be there for us. I invite you to get outside, perhaps onto one of our many properties, to enjoy all that nature has to offer.

What better way to celebrate spring than by taking a stroll along a trail, observing the regreening of our landscapes and welcoming back our birds? As nature’s chorus begins to echo across the country, I wish you a season full of memories in nature. Stay safe.

Yours in conservation,

Catherine Grenier

President & CEO