Volunteers dig in to help improve riparian habitat
NCC conservation staff and volunteers assess the planting work at Waldron Ranch. (Photo by Kyle Meller)
I was in eighth grade when I first learned about riparian zones and the important role these terrestrial ecosystems play in the conservation of freshwater systems. Little did I know, years later, I would be helping to lead groups of volunteers in...
Beyond the boardwalk at the Garry oak preserve
BC Garry Oak (Photo by Tim Ennis NCC)
I’ve been wanting to visit the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC's) Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve since we moved here, but as an endangered ecosystem it’s not open to the general public. We’d wandered the (short) boardwalk...
Bloomin' flowers at the Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve
In Bloom Wildflower Festival, Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve, BC (Photo by NCC)
Here in the BC Region of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, one of our favourite conservation projects is the Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve. It's a favourite because there is so much that goes on there — university research, Conservation...
Conversations in the forest: The roots of nature's equanimity
Misty Darkwoods forest, BC (Photo by Bruce Kirkby)
"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. If a man walks in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer. But if he spends his days as a speculator, shearing off those woods and...
The importance of kelp
Sea otter, Vancouver Aquarium (Photo by Wikimedia Commons, Stan Shebs)
Sea otters are a keystone species. They play an important role in the health and stability of near shore marine ecosystems. They eat sea urchins and other invertebrates that eat vast quantities of giant kelp. In the absence of sea otters, grazing...
Eel-grass: A moment in time
Eel-grass, Port Joli, Nova Scotia (Photo by NCC)
As we bushwhack through dense alder thickets, we hear the drone of a small plane flying back and forth over the Pugwash Estuary. It is a perfect summer day in August with a clear blue sky, perfect for capturing aerial imagery of Pugwash. The...
Why do forests matter? Our #mywildcanada Twitter chat asked you what you thought
Tamarack forest (Photo by NCC)
On September 24 we hosted a live Twitter chat on the theme of why forests matter and through the #MyWildCanada weekly hashtag. Here's what you told us when we asked you why towering trees, forest creatures, mossy ground and waving branches...
Why forests matter to Albertans
Conservation Volunteers at the HG Lawrence Property (Photo by NCC)
I grew up in Winnipeg. The areas surrounding the city are known for beautiful farmland and open skies that seem to go on forever. Anyone who has lived in the southern prairies has fond memories of staring at the sky while a storm rolled in, or...
For the love of prairies: celebrating Native Prairie Appreciation Week
Missouri Coteau, Saskatchewan (Photo by Branimir Gjetvaj)
Uncultivated, wild prairie wool has a certain beauty and grace about it, and somehow also a sense of timelessness. Prairie landscapes are dynamic and always changing in subtle ways, yet remain unchanged in many other ways. There is an estimated...
Why we celebrate World Wetlands Day on February 2nd
Sandy Island coastal wetland, Ontario (Photo by NCC)
Wetlands have their own day, and rightly so. They are an immense asset for our well-being and safety. Not to mention, they make a great home for all the creatures: plants, animals, amphibians, fish, birds and yes, insects, that live there. In...
