Why I spent Mother’s Day 200 miles away from my daughter
Kayla Burak with her daughter (Photo courtesy of Kayla Burak)
It was Mother’s Day weekend and I was hundreds of kilometres from my daughter, my back was sore, my hands hurt, but I was happy. I spent the day helping a group of Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) staff and Conservation Volunteers plant...
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...
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...
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...
Getting your hands dirty: How to build a contemporary chickadee nest box
Black-capped chickadee (Photo by Bill Hubick)
Ever since I started working for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), where I was exposed to the world of conservation science and communications, I grew fond of birds and wanted to share this newfound interest with my family. My dad was an...
Ten tips for finding a job in conservation
Volunteer measures tree root collar diameter with calliper. (Photo by NCC)
There’s a lot I love about my job at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). Working on endangered species, landscape planning and protecting some of Canada’s most important habitats is not a bad way to spend the day. I also like...
NCC's Pelee Island fox squad on a mission to clean up Ontario's deep south
Gray fox pup (Photo by Ken Canning)
Making homes for Ontario’s rare and elusive gray fox takes a lot of work. In the fall of 2017, the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) Pelee Island fox squad travelled to the island in the province’s deep south to do...
Tips on how to squeeze in time for nature
Skating at –41 C (Photo by Gayle Roodman/NCC staff)
We all lead busy lives, full of work and family commitments, errands and to-do lists that, over the course of a day, seem to magically grow longer. It’s easy to become consumed by it all, but there’s nothing like a little nature to...
Heard it from a Scout: Lessons learned while tree planting in Fort McMurray
St. Albert and Fort McMurray Scouts planting a symbolic tree (Photo by Shayne Kawalilak)
In early 2017, my mom presented an idea to our St. Albert, Alberta, Scout troop — an idea that I didn’t realize would result in our small group doing something really big. My mom is a leader with Scouts Canada and she planted a seed...
The value of volunteers
Conservation Volunteers selfie (Photo by NCC)
How do you measure the value of a volunteer? At the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), volunteers contribute their time, skills and passion toward our mission of conserving natural landscapes. They help us save money and achieve more with less....
