A glimpse into the lives of outdoor cats
Ever wonder what your cat is thinking? (Photo by Pixabay)
Have you ever wondered what your cat is doing and where it’s going when it’s outside? For my master’s research at the University of Guelph, I joined a team seeking to answer these questions using custom-built cameras. These...
I am a place that you may not know
Common loon (Photo by slyquetzal, CC BY-NC 4.0)
I am birds that sing and the promise of spring. I am morning mist on marshes, a smiling sun at noon, the first star awake and the cry of a loon. I am turning leaves that fall and rutting moose that call. I am the long winter that comes early and...
My native species bring all the pollinators to the yard
Northern crescent butterfly on swamp milkweed flowers (Photo by Jaimee Morozoff/NCC staff)
Now that spring has finally made its way across Canada (in some places it was slower in arriving than others), gardening season is in full swing! With all of the choices present at our local nurseries and big box stores, it is easy to get carried...
De-stressing with plants
McHugh Lake Loop, MB (Photo by Wikimedia Commons)
During the pandemic, many people experienced increased stress levels due to illness, work difficulties and isolation. But many of us have discovered that there is solace in the natural world. In 1984, biologist E.O. Wilson noted that...
Find the Birds British Columbia location launches
Screen capture of the BC location in Find the Birds game. A player walks along a boardwalk in the midst of a forest. (Photo by Thought Generation Society)
Since its launch six months ago (read my previous blog here), with an initial Arizona simulated birding location, Find the Birds (a free educational mobile game about birds and conservation) now has over 7,000 players in 46 countries on six...
Take them to feel the forest: Winter sensory activities for kids
Snowshoeing in Parc de la Gatineau, QC (Photo by DJ)
I‘ve walked in the woods all my life, but it wasn't until I took young children with me that I noticed how fascinated they were with the variety of textures found in their surroundings. Kids can spend hours feeling, building, touching and...
Pileated woodpeckers in the city
Pileated woodpecker (Photo by vtjohn, CC BY-NC 4.0)
If you go birdwatching, you might take your binoculars and plan on sitting for hours at the edge of a marsh or grassland, waiting for the birds to come. If you want to see pileated woodpeckers, you’ll likely go out into the forest. However,...
Indigenous rights and private land conservation: Opening the door to collective responsibility
The sun setting on a prairie of wildflowers at Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area in southern Saskatchewan. The Nature Conservancy of Canada has been engaging with a group of Indigenous advisors from local nations to develop a Bison Management Plan for these lands, which are part of the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi, Nakoda, Dakota, Lakota, Anishnaabe, and Nêhiyawak Peoples as well as the homeland of the Métis. (Photo by Jason Bantle)
This blog is an accompaniment to a report by Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership entitled: Respect and Responsibility: Integrating Indigenous Rights and Private Land Conservation in Canada. A Guide for Land Trusts and Other...
The best free nature apps
Engaging with nature doesn't mean you have to put down your phone (Photo by ©ysbrandcosijnfotografie via Canva)
Some nature lovers may find technology and the natural world at odds. How can you enjoy tranquility with the ping of your smartphone? While nature may be a refuge to unplug, I would like to present an alternative view. Apps and the technology that...
What’s that stuff on my tree? A guide to Manitoba’s lichens
Lichen on tree (Photo courtesy of Manitoba Museum)
If you’re an observant person, you may have noticed colourful things growing on Manitoba’s trees and rocks. Although some of these organisms are mosses (especially near the base), they are more likely to be lichens. Bright orange...
