Heterogeneity in grassland conservation? These university students say yes!
Buffalo Valley, SK (Photo by NCC)
Should heterogeneity be a new buzzword in grassland conservation? OK, maybe it’s not the easiest word to say or remember but according to ongoing research, the answer is a resounding, "Yes." During the winter of 2014, students in a...
Impressions of a preserve
BC Garry Oak (Photo by Tim Ennis NCC)
The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC's) Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve personifies old. The gnarled Garry oak trees stand staunchly in a fading fall meadow, resolute in their sense of place. A 120-year-old farmhouse sits among the oaks like...
A nature treasure hunt: Keeping an eye out on the Asquith North properties
Jody Bush at Asquith North, SK (Photo by NCC)
About a year ago I came across a Facebook post about volunteering with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) as a property steward. My partner, John, and I are always looking for excuses to get out of the city and explore nature so this program...
Spring cleaning: Conservation Volunteers give piping plovers a helping hand in Nova Scotia
Piping plover (Photo by Andrea Drake)
One of the most endangered species in Canada received a helping hand through the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC's) Conservation Volunteers program this past weekend.The piping plover is a shorebird that relies on sand and pebble beaches...
A natural partnership: The Stewardship Credit Program
Sandstone wagontrek (Photo by NCC)
Imagine a world where a rancher has the ability to turn their hard-earned and well-cared for grassland and waterways into cash in their pockets! It’s always been a personal dream of mine to better connect the good work that cattle...
Economy vs. ecology: Where do we find the balance in Canada’s grasslands?
Top Grass Beef Ranch, AB (Photo by Mara Erickson)
Comprising only 14 per cent of Alberta’s land base, the Grassland Natural Region is home to a staggering 75 per cent of the province’s species at risk. From burrowing owls to swift foxes to the western spiderwort, populations of...
From wasteland to wonderland: Why we need wetlands, before it’s too late
Sunset at Minesing Wetlands, ON (Photo by Ethan Meleg)
I sometimes think I need to find a support group for people that are haunted by ecological guilt. To be honest, I mostly feel pretty good about my past as an environmental consultant before joining the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). People...
Making peace with the Scotch pine (I mean, Scots pine)
Young volunteers tackling Scotch pine on an NCC reserve, ON (Photo by NCC)
When it comes to Christmas trees, I am a balsam fir man through-and-through. I like the form, the smell and the smooth, soft needles. I also admit that I am not crazy about Scotch pine, a main alternative here in Ontario. You could say we have...
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree...Why cutting down trees is sometimes a good thing
Christmas tree cutting event at Marion Creek Benchlands, BC (Photo by Stephanie Van Kemp)
Under the backdrop of the spectacular Purcell Mountains, the Nature Conservancy of Canada's (NCC's) Canadian Rockies office hosted their first-ever Christmas tree cutting event on the Marion Creek Benchlands property in southeastern British...
What does the fox say? Well, that wasn't really the focus of this study
Gray fox on Pelee Island, ON (Photo by NCC)
I find it quite bizarre how Canadians were overwhelmingly curious about what the fox says this year. As the video went viral over the last few months, I found myself joking with colleagues that any biologist worth their weight has been aware of...
