The resiliency and significance of cedar
Eastern red cedar (Photo by Onel Guce, CC BY-NC 4.0)
It seems like everywhere I go, I see cedar trees. This isn’t surprising, since Canada’s four species of cedar can be common where they occur. Growing up to 15 metres tall and representing some of the oldest trees in Canada, cedar...
Twelve spooky facts about Canadian bats
Townsend's big-eared bat (Photo by Brock Fenton)
There are 18 known bat species in Canada. Although they are subjected to a spooky stigma around Halloween, they’re nothing to be afraid of. Here are 12 things you didn’t know about these not-so-scary mammals: 1. The snooze...
Weaving beads, inspired by trees
Beading outdoors is where I'm most at peace. Here, I'm beading while camping at Bon Echo Provincial Park, Ontario. (Photo by Chase Wastesicoot)
Beading is more than a hobby to me, it’s how I connect to my culture and to the land. My traditional name is Mein-gun kwe, and I identify as Mohawk and European. My family is wolf clan from Tyendinaga territory, but I was born and raised on...
Are you gonna go their way?
Trail tree in Tar Hallow State Forest, Ohio (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)
A walk through a forest can lead to wonderful adventures and new discoveries, both big and small. In most forests, it’s easy to get lost in the tree’s grandeur — figuratively and quite literally. While some of us may use a...
Something's Fishy: Out of sight, but not out of mind
Redside dace (Photo by K. Schmidt)
The land has a magical ability to transform the way people look at nature and all it encompasses. I used to be someone who looked for issues in our environment and assessed their level of urgency by what was in plain sight. I took this approach...
Something’s Fishy: Crossing into a new world
Me playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons during Ontario's stay-at-home order. (Photo courtesy of Raechel Bonomo/NCC staff)
COVID-19 has taken a lot of things away from Canadians. Our physical connections to nature and to each other have taken a back seat when it comes to limiting the spread of the virus. With group hikes, outdoor volunteer events and social gatherings...
Something’s Fishy: Living like salmon
Fish jumping over a cascading river (Photo by Drew Farwell, Unsplash)
As part of my identity journey and reconnecting to my Haudenosaunee culture, I’ve been slowly learning Kanien'kéha. Every morning, I start the day with a cup of coffee, and several open tabs on my computer filled with text and audio...
Get cookin' with NCC this summer
Atlantic salmon with creamy pesto zoodles (Photo by NCC)
In my opinion, nature is the single greatest provider that we, as humans, have. Nature gives us the opportunity to explore beautiful and unique landscapes, and there’s so much inspiration to be found in the forest or on the water. Since...
Cultivating climate change solutions
Springbank clover has an edible root (Photo by catchang, CC BY-NC 4.0)
In the face of a changing climate and biodiversity loss, more and more we are looking to nature-based solutions. Lo and behold, the answer to these problems may be hidden just under our feet – deep within the roots of Indigenous...
Something's Fishy: Homeward bound
Lake sturgeon (Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
There’s really no place like home. Whether you’re returning from a vacation or simply coming home after work or school, there’s nothing like being greeted by the familiarity of your humble abode. This feeling is multiplied when...
