Pollinators and the future of food
Bumblebee, Southern Norfolk Sand Plain, ON (Photo by Mhairi McFarlane/NCC Staff)
Starting my day with a variety of fresh fruits is my version of a fresh cup of coffee. One of my fondest memories is from my time in Vancouver several years ago, visiting a nearby park filled with highbush blueberries. A friend and I would spend...
OECMs are one of the keys to saving biodiversity
Wetland (Photo by NCC)
The conservation world is no stranger to acronyms. From global events like the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (or COP15), to how we reference areas where Indigenous-led conservation is at the forefront (Indigenous Protected and...
Moths: Amazing, beautiful, important and in need of study
Wood nymph moth (Photo by NCC)
Moths are amazing creatures that are only beginning to receive attention from naturalists. Many people have difficulties determining the difference between moths and butterflies. They can be similar looking, as they both have scales that cover...
Leave those leaves on the ground
Tuliptree leaf in fall (Photo by Bernt Solymar)
As a child, I heard somewhere that if you catch a leaf as it falls from a tree, it’s good luck. So, naturally, I spent most autumns staring up at the huge trees in the conservation area behind my house, waiting patiently for a leaf to dance...
No Mow May is over, now what?
Dandelion (Photo by Yinan Chen, Wikimedia Commons)
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) encouraged people across Canada to leave their lawns alone during May. Or if that was too much, people were encouraged to at least delay the inevitable mow for a few weeks. Where I live, this is relatively...
5 ways insects make our world a better place
Dragonfly at Carden Alvar, ON (Photo by NCC)
There are an estimated 10 quintillion individual insects on Earth. That’s 19 zeroes after the one! Insects make up 75 per cent of all animals. Despite their ubiquity, they have a PR problem. People often find them gross, scary or even...
Create a messy garden for nature
Gardening is a great way to connect with nature (Photo by Lisa via Pexels)
As the warmer weather rolls across the country, many people have started tidying their garden for spring planting. But did you know that by leaving some of the stems and stalks that we traditionally clean up in the spring, you can create habitat...
Gardening with native plants this spring
Wild bergamot (Photo by Sarah Ludlow/NCC staff)
I love to garden. I excitedly begin planning for the next year as soon as the autumn chill settles over the Prairies. I’m always impatient for spring to arrive, and it doesn't help when the seed catalogues start arriving in November. I find...
The magic of seaweed
Kelp forest (Photo by Robert Schwemmer/NOAA via Wikimedia Commons)
Along the Pacific Northwest, there are over 640 different species of seaweed. They come in many different shapes and sizes. However, they’re commonly grouped into three colours: brown, green and red. While these different species of seaweeds...
Love is in the air, and in the waters too
Mating arctic grayling (Photo by Charles Summers Jr.)
Did you know the amorous aura of Canada’s most romantic cities can be detected in nearby bodies of water? From coast to coast, and the rivers and lakes in between, there is no shortage of passion…among fishes. Coastal...
