Bringing nature to you: The power of houseplants
Office plants (Photo by J. Pilsack, Wikimedia Commons)
I’ve always loved plants. I like their colour, their smell and the feeling I get when I’m surrounded by them, both inside and outside the house. Last year, I started covering the entire windowsill of my bedroom with plants and...
Conservation 101 for urbanites
Garbage clean up at Percival River, PEI (Photo by Sean Landsman)
As a born and raised city dweller, I tend to jump at opportunities that allow me to experience the great outdoors — in all its glory. Connecting with nature has always been an important part of my life, from simple walks in the park to...
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...
Top 10 invasive species to stop this summer
Man fishing in New Brunswick (Photo by NCC)
Our Canadian summers are short and fleeting. Warm and sunny days are best spent enjoying the outdoors and connecting with nature. While you are out exploring nature’s wonders, you can also help control the spread of invasive...
Plugs for the prairies
Team hike to the planting area (Photo by Robert Britton)
Since I was a child, I was fascinated by the way a seed could spring to life inside moist soil. I remember faithfully planting seeds in my mini-greenhouse and marveling at the miracle unfolding before me. This fascination carried on for me in...
Something old, something new
Tending a community garden (Photo by Bob Nichols/US Department of Agriculture, Wikimedia commons)
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been enchanted with the magic of gardening. The way I see it, gardening has the power to give life and mark new beginnings, turning something old into something new. Better yet, there’s nothing like...
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...
Why I spent Mother’s Day 200 miles away from my daughter
Kayla Burak with her daughter (Photo courtesy of Kayla Burak)
It was Mother’s Day weekend and I was hundreds of kilometres from my daughter, my back was sore, my hands hurt, but I was happy. I spent the day helping a group of Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) staff and Conservation Volunteers plant...
An emblem worthy of a mother’s love
Pink lady's-slipper, ON (Photo by NCC)
Every Mother’s Day, I buy my mom her favourite chocolates and a bouquet of fresh flowers. This may seem like an easy-out gift for this day, but I’ve yet to come across a mother who doesn’t love flowers. Mine loves yellow...
It's the little things that matter
Miner bee on wild strawberry (Photo by Marika Olynyk/NCC staff)
A trip to the cottage is often a reminder to stop and enjoy the small things in life. And the small things can be rather small indeed. On any given summer day, we are surrounded by thousands of pollinating insects going about their business. The...
