Bring nature home
Person digging (Photo by Lisa Fotios via Pexels)
Nothing beats summer in Canada. After the snow melts and the wildflowers begin to bloom, landscapes across the country morph into a lively canvas teeming with life. This summer, though, things will look a bit different. We are in an unprecedented time. Since mid-March, Canadians have hunkered down in their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While some provinces are beginning to ease restrictions, the physical isolation to combat COVID-19 has influenced how we travel and our access to each other and to nature. This has meant that we haven’t been able to send our staff and photographers out to capture images for the summer edition of the magazine, as we normally would have done.
So, in this issue of the Nature Conservancy of Canada Magazine, we’re breaking with our traditional format, and making you our Force for Nature. Connecting with nature, even virtually, can benefit your health and wellness and help you form positive new habits. The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) invites you to connect with nature at home in easy, fun and accessible ways.
Here are 5 ways you can connect with nature remotely this summer from the comfort and safety of home:
1. Become a citizen scientist
Illustration by Adela Kang
Explore what nature has to offer, just steps away from home. From that mystery tree growing along your street, to the insects beneath the rocks in your garden, your backyard is thriving with life just waiting to be discovered. Record what you hear, see, smell and touch, and share what you find online and on social media.
2. #Take5withNature and green your feed
Illustration by Adela Kang
This Earth Day, NCC launched its #Take5withNature program to help bring nature into homes across the country. This daily dose of “greenspiration,” shared online through NCC’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram platforms, encourages you to #Take5withNature from the comfort and safety of your home. Follow along with our daily inspirational activities and share your experiences on social media using #Take5withNature!
3. Attend a virtual nature talk
Illustration by Adela Kang
Put on a pair of your best sweatpants and join NCC for a NatureTalks webinar. This program engages audiences in urgent Canadian conservation topics. Led by experts, the talks bring communities together to share knowledge and enhance connections.
4. More nature, less Netflix
One of the green linings of staying inside is the quality time spent with family, especially children. There’s no better time than now to inspire your children or grandchildren to learn more about our country’s landscapes and species. Stop streaming and help foster a life-long love for the great outdoors, by participating in the hands-on activities in our online Kids’ Corner.
natureconservancy.ca/kidscorner
5. Make a virtual connection
Illustration by Adela Kang
Did you have to postpone your trip to an NCC property this summer? Well, now you can visit some of NCC’s natural areas without leaving your home — with our virtual hikes.
We’ve also created a resource centre to help you connect with nature virtually. You can find online hikes of properties, fun activities (like recipes, puzzles and crosswords), a conservation learning centre and nature videos to watch. Whether you’re alone, with your family or roommates, in a house or an apartment, nature is closer than you think. natureconservancy.ca/bringnaturehome
This story originally appeared in the Summer 2020 issue of the Nature Conservancy of Canada Magazine. To learn more about how you can receive the magazine, click here.
