Puttin’ the boots to junk at Shoe Lake
Conservation Volunteers at the Shoe Lake West property (Photo by Bill Armstrong)
Sometimes the best way to show your appreciation for critters and their habitat is to clean up what us humans have left lying around. That about sums up the purpose of a late-August Conservation Volunteers (CV) event at a Nature Conservancy of...
Volunteers build resiliency
Volunteers at NCC's River Bends on the Mend CV event. (Photo by Miguel Hortiguela)
Every December 5, on International Volunteer Day, the United Nations recognizes volunteers worldwide for their efforts and celebrates the impact that volunteerism is making toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals — a collection of...
How plastic waste threatens marine organisms
Plastic waste is often seen washed up on shorelines (Photo by Kevin Krejc/Wikimedia Commons)
Ocean plastic pollution has grabbed worldwide attention in quite a short period of time. This is because the impact of plastic waste on marine plants and animals is tremendous. Plastic garbage patches the size of small countries floating on the...
You won’t waste your time reading this garbage!
Shore of the Middle Point Woods property, Pelee Island, Ontario (Photo by Sam Brinker, OMNR)
Working as a conservation technician for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) this summer, I feel lucky to experience the beauty of southwestern Ontario’s Carolinian zone. One of my favourite areas to visit is tranquil Pelee Island, where...
Conservation 101 for urbanites
Garbage clean up at Percival River, PEI (Photo by Sean Landsman)
As a born and raised city dweller, I tend to jump at opportunities that allow me to experience the great outdoors — in all its glory. Connecting with nature has always been an important part of my life, from simple walks in the park to...
From hot and buggy, to warm and fuzzy: Inspiration abounds at Conservation Volunteers events
Volunteers at the annual dog-strangling vine seedpod collection event (Photo by NCC)
In my five years working at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I’ve led countless Conservation Volunteers (CV) events. Working together, volunteers and I have pulled invasive species, planted trees, stabilized riverbanks and counted...
Heard it from a Scout: How we can take a LEAP for the environment
Hiking allows you to explore nature and get moving! (Photo courtesy Scouts Canada)
No matter who we are, where we live or what we do, we interact with the environment daily. For children, nature is often a playground. For some adults, it can be a place of silent refuge. Regardless of one’s relationship with the outdoors,...
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...
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....
Heard it from a Scout: Why it's important to promote nature stewardship among youth
Oakville Scouts hold a community cleanup during Good Turn Week. (Photo from Scouts Canada)
Nature is a magnificent thing, from waking up to the sweet sound of birds in the spring, to floating in cool, salty water on a hot, summer day, to majestic, snowy mountaintops in the winter. So much beauty can be found in nature, yet humans have a...
