A world without wetlands
Brighton Wetland, Eastern Lake Ontario Coast (Photo by David Coulson)
I live next to a swamp. After 20 years of having this swamp as my neighbour, it’s kind of grown on me. I enjoy the spring flush of marsh marigolds, the annual reawakening of spring peepers, and I still smile when I see a colourful wood duck...
Climate change, fire and their implications for species
Will forest fire hazard signs be over into the red more often because of climate change? (Photo by Aaron H Warren CC BY-ND 2.0)
The role of fire in forest ecosystems Forest fires are powerful and devastating. But they are also necessary for the rejuvenation of some ecosystems. Many plants are well adapted to fire. Some trees have dense bark or shed their lower limbs to...
No species left behind: Reflections on wildlife conservation for the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s 56th anniversary
Plains bison (Photo by Mark Taylor)
One hundred and thirty years ago, there was not a single living wild plains bison left in Canada. The planet was a few hundred bulls, cows and calves away from witnessing the extinction of one of North America’s largest living land animals....
10 facts about Saskatchewan's species
Wideview, SK (Photo by Bill Armstong)
Located right in the middle of Canada, Saskatchewan is full of amazing species and ecosystems. To celebrate the prairie province, here are 10 amazing facts about species that you can find in Saskatchewan. 1. Prairie aerial acrobatics Songbirds...
Why I'm getting rid of my hostas
Hostas at my cottage (Photo by Dan Kraus/NCC staff)
I love going to the cottage. We have a little cabin nestled between a hill and a lake near Algonquin Park, in the heart of Ontario’s cottage country. There are so many things I love about this place. Water, moose and amazing autumn colours....
Can you hear me now? Using remote technology to record birds and other wildlife
Black bear captured by camera trap (Photo by NCC)
In various Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) properties across Alberta, the secret lives of wildlife are being discovered using camera traps, sound recording units and other technology. Scientists are generating new and valuable data on wildlife...
20,000 days of nature conservation
At the end of this summer, on August 30, 2017, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) will mark exactly 20,000 days of conservation. This milestone provides an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the work done by NCC and our partners each day,...
Overlooked plants and new discoveries: Moss and liverwort surveys in Manitoba
New liverworts to Manitoba on decaying log (Photo by Richard Caners)
As part of updating the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) Natural Area Conservation Plan for the Whitemouth River Watershed in southeastern Manitoba, I spent a day assisting Royal Alberta Museum botany curator and good friend Dr....
The wonderful world of sparrows
House sparrow (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)
When asked to picture a sparrow, I think a lot of us, especially city dwellers, think of the common house sparrow. Though ubiquitous across southern Canada, this little sparrow is not actually native to North America. This introduced species hails...
Adventures restoring Lake Erie Farms
Norfolk, ON (Photo by NCC)
Not everything goes according to plan. It was June 2009, the third growing season at the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) Lake Erie Farms ecological restoration property in Norfolk County, Ontario. I was the ecological...
