The great Canadian lizard hunt
Eastern short-horned lizard (Photo by Leta Pezderic/NCC staff)
One of the privileges that come with working for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the opportunity to explore some of our country’s most endangered ecosystems and — if you’re lucky enough — encounter some of the...
Wading through the wonders of wetlands
Forested wetlands in summer (Photo by Mary Gartshore)
Wetlands are dynamic places, where the land is, quite literally, wet. From day-to-day fluctuations, to seasonal changes, the amount of water in a wetland can change over time. As water levels shift, you might not know exactly what to expect when...
Environmental values: the heart of the matter
Sunset at NCC's Bunchberry Meadows, AB. (Photo by NCC)
Why do we care? I’ve always been passionate about the environment. I love learning about nature, I love spending time outside and, most of all, I love to work toward saving it. Everything I do and every decision I make takes environmental...
From office to woods: NCC’s 2018 National office field trip
NCC National and Ontario staff at annual field trip, Backus Woods, ON (Photo by NCC)
On May 25, many Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) National office staff visited our Backus Woods property in Norfolk County, Ontario, for our annual staff field trip. I’ve been working for NCC for almost two years and this was my second...
Giving back to the next generation
Monarch (Photo by Steven Russell Smith)
I have a lot to thank the monarch butterfly for. Well, not just the monarch butterfly; I should give my Grade 6 teacher some credit too. My teacher helped our class raise and release monarch butterflies as part of a school project. Raising a...
Conservation needs a common language to describe Canada’s ecosystems
Tatlayoko Ranch, British Columbia, (Photo by Bernadette Mertens)
“The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name.” ~ Ancient Chinese proverb For organisms, we use the concept of a “species” to assign proper names. Having standard names for species is critical in both...
NCC staff’s small acts of conservation
Wild bergamot being visited by a bee fly (Photo by Diana Bizecki Robson)
When it comes to nature conservation, a little can go a long way. Small-scale conservation efforts can have a huge impact and help ensure that we and future generations can enjoy our precious natural spaces. This spring, the Nature Conservancy of...
Bunchberry Meadows: The sweet city escape
Bunchberry Meadows entrance (Photo by NCC)
In May, I moved from my hometown of Ottawa, Ontario, to Edmonton, Alberta, to start my new summer job with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). With no friends or family there and little to no knowledge of the area, it was the beginning of my...
Regeneration ablaze on the Rice Lake Plains
A black oak engulfed in smoke from the prescribed burn at Hazel Bird Nature Reserve. Black oaks are tolerant of low-intensity fires, allowing them to thrive in tall grass prairie ecosystems. (Photo by NCC)
“Why is that on fire?” ― a burning question I have received from many curious folks on my Instagram account after posting videos of a prescribed burn that took place at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) Hazel Bird Nature Reserve...
Call of the Wetland
Volunteers search the wetland shoreline for amphibians. (Photo by Melanie Rathburn)
Have you ever heard frogs or toads calling in an urban environment? Or spotted a secretive salamander as it makes it way to an urban pond? If you live in Calgary, the Miistakis Institute is interested in your observations! With Miistakis’...
