Giving the grass a haircut
Maymont 5 property, SK (Photo by Mike Dembeck)
Last summer I gave the grass a haircut. It seemed like a strange idea, but I was excited to learn something new. As I arrived at the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) Maymont 5 property in Saskatchewan, I was struck by the number...
The return of the swamp forest
Conservation Volunteers planting trees at Minesing Wetlands, ON (Photo by Robert Britton)
Imagine, if you will, an abandoned-looking farm in the southern Ontario countryside. You park your car and start walking into the back sections of it. After a while, you find yourself in a thickly grassed and soggy area with a tiny stream running...
Long live loons and their research
I paddled hundreds of kilometres searching for loons and their nests. (Photo by Kent Prior)
In the 1970s, North Americans were already concerned about the effects of human activity on the common loon, a large charismatic diving bird that breeds on lakes. My bachelor’s thesis at Queen’s University examined this concern on...
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...
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...
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’...
Conservation as a pathway to sustainability
Wolf Lake (Photo by John Anonby)
Few of us need to be convinced that there is an important connection between a healthy natural environment and improved human health. But what is perhaps less obvious is nature’s connection with other pressing societal issues. This is...
One million steps: A hike to honour the legacy of conservation (Part two)
Snow-covered trail sign at Hockley Valley, ON (Photo by Dan Kraus/NCC staff)
Hiking north, we crossed the height of land that defines the watershed between Lake Ontario and Lake Huron. This landscape includes Hockley Valley and Mono Cliffs, provincial parks I had only rarely visited in the past. Over a century ago, much of...
