Close encounters of a furry kind
Plains bison (Photo by NCC)
Confession time: I am not a cowboy. There, I said it! My Carhartts have a lot more house paint on them than cow manure. My farming background is in grains (I am a proud agro and I used to be able to unload on the fly, sort of like these guys), and...
Volunteers build resiliency
Volunteers at NCC's River Bends on the Mend CV event. (Photo by Miguel Hortiguela)
Every December 5, on International Volunteer Day, the United Nations recognizes volunteers worldwide for their efforts and celebrates the impact that volunteerism is making toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals — a collection of...
Heard it from a Scout: Turning over a new leaf for forest conservation
Where better to start contributing to forest conservation than within the Scouting community, where youth strive to enjoy, explore and protect nature every day? (Photo by Scouts Canada)
What would a tire swing be without a branch to hang from? How about a summer picnic with no shade, or summer adventuring without camping in comforting forests? Scouts and nature lovers alike understand the feeling of calm and sense of home within...
Nature perspectives through art
Megan Quinn, conservation biology coordinator in Ontario (Photo by Charles T. Low Photography)
I am not an artist by any stretch of the imagination. Don't get me wrong; I do like art. I was the high school student who spent her evenings in the art room, trying to build canvases that didn’t fall apart, and twist wires into the shape of...
The importance of boreal forests
Boreal forest by Fort McMurray, AB (Photo by Michel Rapinski)
This past summer, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) participated in the protection of the largest contiguous area of boreal forest in the world. This amazing feat was achieved in partnership with the Tallcree Tribal Government, the...
No species left behind: Reflections on wildlife conservation for the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s 56th anniversary
Plains bison (Photo by Mark Taylor)
One hundred and thirty years ago, there was not a single living wild plains bison left in Canada. The planet was a few hundred bulls, cows and calves away from witnessing the extinction of one of North America’s largest living land animals....
Hibernation with a hiss
A drawing of a snake (Photo by Darwin Online)
Snakes are such misunderstood creatures. Many people fear them, but that might be because they don’t know how awesome snakes are! Snakes are limbless reptiles with scaly skin. They are very diverse, with different sizes, colours and...
Multi-talented organisms: How seaweeds can affect our daily lives
Dr. Sophie Steinhagen collecting seaweeds (Photo courtesy of Dr. Sophie Steinhagen)
Seaweeds, a type of macro-algae (a group that includes benthic [attached to the bottom] marine algae that are typically visible to the naked eye), provide hope for a more sustainable future, through healthier food, renewable energy and fewer...
If you’re Batman then I must be Robin, right?
Joe Poissant's (a.k.a. Batman's) office in the country (Photo by NCC)
I feel like there might be some real merit in an ecologist superhero movie. Hear me out before you rate me on Rotten Tomatoes. This summer I spent a couple of nights trying my best to help the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s)...
Combating invasive species in a globally rare habitat
Leaders in Conservation in Carden Alvar, ON (Photo by NCC)
On a hot and humid day this past summer, I visited Carden Alvar in Ontario with a group of Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) Leaders in Conservation. We meandered through the forest and stepped onto the limestone plain alvar, which stretched on...
