Creating homes for waterfowl in the Codroy Valley
Kathy Unger (NCC) and Danielle Fequet (DUC) showing the students a nest box prior to installation (Photo by NCC)
On May 30, 2016, my colleague Kathy Unger and I had the pleasure of partnering with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) to offer a waterfowl and wetland education event to the students of Belanger Memorial Elementary School. The Nature Conservancy of...
Celebrate the environment
People spending time in nature (Photo by Joe McFarlane/iStock)
Canadian Environment Week, celebrated every year on the first week of June, gives Canadians an opportunity to celebrate the environment and encourage conservation efforts year-round. The week kicks off with World Environment Day. We’ve...
Wise seedling spree
Seedlings ready to be planted (Photo by NCC)
When I went on to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) website and read over the Conservation Volunteers (CV) events, I noticed the Wise Seedling Spree. I had planted trees before when my son was in Cubs and Scouts. I registered myself for the...
Cadence: Reflections from the trail
Trail at Many Glacier (Photo by Erica Thompson/NCC staff)
“Humans are animals and like all animals we leave tracks as we walk: signs of passage made in snow, sand, mud, grass, dew, earth or moss.... We easily forget that we are track-markers, though, because most of our journeys now occur on...
In praise of perch power
Yellow perch swimming (Photo by USDA)
When I was 10 years old, I spent my first morning on Lake Erie reeling in yellow perch. By early afternoon, we caught our legal limit, and I found out first-hand why these little striped bandits are a great way to introduce kids to fishing and...
A walk through the prairies with Jared Clarke (Podcast)
Aerial view of Fairy Hill South, Saskatchewan (Photo by Shaylee Booty Sebastian)
After work on April 25, I went out with Jared Clarke from The Prairie Naturalist radio show (CJTR community radio) to Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC's) Fairy Hill property. Our conversation starts after we’ve walked down the hill...
Cracking down on garlic mustard: A delicious and therapeutic experience
Garlic mustard are no match against our staff (Photo by NCC)
On May 12, Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) staff had the opportunity to step away from their desks to crack down on invasive garlic mustard at the Happy Valley Forest. Commanders of the day, Todd Farrell and Mark Stabb, asked us to form pairs...
Memorizing bird songs made easy with mnemonics
Yellow warbler (Photo by Wikimedia Commons)
I recall when I first heard a yellow warbler’s song; it was music against the backdrop of residential traffic in my suburban neighbourhood. At the time I had no clue where the bird was and I had no idea what bird was making this sound. I...
So you'd like to see a warbler...
Black-and-white warbler (Photo by NCC)
I like birding at just about any point of the year, but spring birding brings a certain excitement after a long winter season. Throughout Canada, warblers and other songbirds are starting to flock to landscapes that were recently quiet. Many are...
Thanks Florida, thanks Virginia…They made it to Canada!
Palm warbler (Photo by Marshall Faintich)
With a mild winter and an early start to spring, the palm warblers have already arrived. They are starting to nest throughout Canada, and it is a joy to hear their lovely trills filling the woods. The forests here truly come alive with colour and...
