Connect with people and nature through volunteering
Conservation Volunteers planting trees at Swishwash Island, BC (Photo by NCC)
For me, spring is a time of new beginnings. As the ground starts to thaw and we begin to shed our winter layers, the rhythm of the season draws us outdoors, where we can breathe in the fresh spring air. Spring bulbs push their way through the cold...
Getting my feet wet with field work (literally)
Excited to be in the field (Photo by Lynn Pinnell)
As university students, we learn the theory behind conservation and read journal articles about the findings of studies that took place out in the field, but rarely do we get the chance to participate in real field work. I feel incredibly lucky...
Plogging: What it is and why you should try it on your next run
Running in nature (Photo from Masterfile)
Plogging, a combination of jogging and picking up litter, is a trend that is dashing across the world. Originating in Sweden in 2016, it has now made its way to other parts of the world, including Canada. It began as an organized activity to...
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,...
Bringing communities together: The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
Hauling foam, a buoy and other marine debris during a 2016 Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. (Photo courtesy of Rachel Schoeler)
As an avid open water swimmer, I learned to respect our waterways while fighting through the smack and splash of ocean waves during long training swims. I fell in love with our waterways during calm, quiet morning swims out on the lake. And I...
A walk with Robert Frost: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
The woods by my parents' house (Photo by Kailey Setter/NCC staff)
While science and logic have the ability to influence our thoughts, poetry has a marvellous ability to move our hearts and capture our imagination. Robert Frost has long been my favourite poet. Not just because his poems are relatively short and...
Wildlife are found where they eat
Red squirrel cache (Photo by J. Schmidt/U.S. National Parks Service)
Middens are one of my favourite things to point out during a nature hike. Although more noticeable in the winter, they are a great way to see evidence of the presence of wildlife in an area, in every season. You might be thinking, “What the...
Lights, camera, nature: An ode to Canadian landscapes in film
Nodwell, AB (Photo by R. Berdan)
One of my favourite things about living in Canada is getting to experience different seasons. However, my personal favourite season may not be on everyone else's list…Oscars season! As an avid film junkie, one of the most exciting times of...
How getting outside can help with the winter blues
Winter bud (Photo by Amanda Cashin Photography)
In 2012, Statistics Canada and the Canadian Community Health Survey on mental health conducted a survey on the Canadian population living with mental illness. The survey showed that 5.4 per cent of Canadians, aged 15 and older, had experienced...
