Tap into the power of maple trees
Sugar maple (Photo by Liz West)
With maple tree tapping (sap extraction) season now underway, it’s the perfect time to talk about maple trees. I have fond childhood memories of maple trees, and I have witnessed the growth of a maple tree in my front yard over the...
Naturalists notice nature - even in winter
There may be a lot more happening than meets the eye in the dead of winter (Photo by Dispatches from the Field)
For some, it is easy during cold, snowy days (when it’s supposed to be spring!) to curl up with a cozy blanket, a good book, and a hot cup of tea. But where does the wildlife go at this time of year? Sure, some animals migrate to where it is...
Home tweet home: Making a bird feeder
Eastern bluebird (Photo by Cameron Curran/NCC staff)
One of my favourite memories of my mother is of her sitting on the back porch of our new home, looking out into the backyard. With a cup of tea in hand, the sun lightly dancing on her face, she excitedly whispered to me, “Look! Do you see...
Tracking animals by what they leave behind
Fresh coyote scat chock full of deer hair (Photo by Mark Stabb/NCC staff)
Wildlife tracking is one of the many fun nature activities you can take part in. One of my favourite pastimes is pointing out something to a friend or family member that they may have never noticed before, especially something left behind by...
So many species, so many ways to study them
Spotted salamander (Photo by Rosemary Mosco)
I have the best job in the world. I encourage people to get excited about nature. I’m a science communicator — someone who bridges the gap between scientists, the media and the public, helping us understand each other better. One way...
Manitoba's mystery stonefly
An example of a classic spring. Tufa spring, Fort Ellice, MB (Photo by NCC)
Everyone enjoys a good mystery, even entomologists. During my early years of teaching a course in aquatic entomology at the University of Manitoba, the name Capnia manitoba kept appearing in the list of stoneflies in the province. It was a...
Heard it from a Scout: How climate change affects maple syrup production
Scouts pouring hot maple syrup on snow to make maple taffy (Photo by Andrea Burbidge Photography)
Climate change is one of the great challenges of this century. From major natural disasters to large-scale shifts in weather, it's easy to forget about the other ways that climate change is affecting our world. One is on our breakfast...
Cruising for birds
Our 14-deck mammoth cruise ship ― Costa Pacifica (Photo by Rob Alvo)
If you want to see many species of birds, you will undoubtedly be faced with a choice: visit only one or two sites to maximize the chances of seeing what is present, or visiting many sites to maximize the number of species that don’t require...
Something's Fishy: Hook, line and thinker
Child enjoying the weather and fishing (Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Headquarters, CC BY 2.0)
One of my favourite things about fish is how deeply rooted they are in Canadian culture. From traditional depictions in Indigenous artwork to the crispy, flaky haddock served with a side of PEI potatoes at fish and chips joints across the country,...
Connecting protected spaces in Alberta's newest biosphere
NCC conservation property in Beaver Hills (Photo by Brent Calver)
When you live in a major urban centre, it’s easy to feel isolated from nature. But we are fortunate in Edmonton; we have an incredible wealth of natural areas just outside our door. Just east of the city lies Beaver Hills, a natural...
