Connecting with nature under COVID-19
Danielle Horne (Courtesy of Danielle Horne/NCC staff)
On the last weekend in April, I joined the City Nature Challenge 2020, an international effort to document nature in cities around the world, by taking pictures of plants and animals in my neighbourhood in Halifax. This was my second time...
Meeting wildlife in the wilds of Cape Breton
Canada lynx (Photo by Shutterstock)
This story was written by Kathryn Morse, as told by Danielle Horne. My work on the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) stewardship team in Nova Scotia means that I spend several months in the field every summer and fall, monitoring...
In nature, the ordinary can be awe-inspiring
NCC's Danielle Horne with dogwood (NCC photo)
My friends are good natured about going hiking with me. Those who aren’t naturalists know that it can often be slow. I find that there are so many interesting species out there, and sometimes the most beautiful sights can be found in the...
Kayaking for conservation: A day in the life of a Nova Scotia conservation biologist
Danielle Horne kayaking (Photo by NCC)
Oh, the winter blues. They make you long for summer’s sunny skies, trilling birdsongs and warm breezes. During the winter and early spring — when I'm sitting in my office — I watch a live stream on my computer of birds at a...
What's in a salt marsh?
Wilson Lake and Lobster Bay, NS (Photo by Anthony Crawford)
My field work for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) often takes me through a number of different habitats, including salt marshes. Some are big, some are small, most are just right. One of these salt marshes is located in Yarmouth County,...
Conservation Volunteers helping protect snapping turtle habitat in Nova Scotia
Snapping turtle (Photo by Ryan M. Bolton)
Imagine if you can a wide gravel beach overlooking a small, tranquil lake surrounded by rich forests. As the sun rises on the horizon, a turtle breaks the surface to survey the surrounding landscape. This snapping turtle has recently come out of...
Eel-grass: A moment in time
Eel-grass, Port Joli, Nova Scotia (Photo by NCC)
As we bushwhack through dense alder thickets, we hear the drone of a small plane flying back and forth over the Pugwash Estuary. It is a perfect summer day in August with a clear blue sky, perfect for capturing aerial imagery of Pugwash. The...
Sometimes, not knowing the answer makes life a little more interesting
Danielle Horne in the field (Photo by NCC)
I first heard of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) during my undergraduate degree, which I completed a few years ago. NCC’s focus on working with willing landowners and taking a non-advocacy stance was what initially drew me to the...
Nova Scotian adventures
Danielle Horne in the field (Photo by NCC)
Having spent my summers in Cape Breton, I am no stranger to the fickle weather found here in Nova Scotia. So far, we have been lucky to have mostly decent weather for our field work (so far anyway). Whether it is tromping through the bush in...
