Spotting the spotted wintergreen: Research on rare woodland plants in Ontario
A tagged spotted wintergreen plant (Photo by Amy Wiedenfeld/NCC staff)
As summer approaches, I look forward to getting out into the field. This includes visiting many of the spotted wintergreen populations in Ontario for my PhD research, supported by the Weston Family Conservation Science Fellowship Program. Spotted...
Collaborating for conservation
The cutting crew, comprised of staff from NCC, Georgian Bay Forever, Parks Canada, and the Severn Sound Environmental Association (Photo by Carolyn Davies/NCC Staff)
The natural world really is incredible. Spending time in it is a continual process of discovery, which is great for someone like me who is a life-long learner. For the past year and half at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I’ve had...
The swamp’s unlikely hero: a beetle
Purple loosestrife at Beaver Meadow wetland, ON. (Photo by Jen Arbeider/NCC staff)
When I first started as a conservation technician with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in May, I was very excited to observe unique species of plants and wildlife, as well as work in a diversity of habitats and make a difference in...
A blazing start: Restoring habitat with a prescribed burn
Prescribed burn at Upper Big Creek Block of Norfolk County, ON (Photo by NCC)
How is burning a form of restoration and how does it work? Prescribed burns can be used for many different purposes: they can remove invasive species in an ecosystem, remove undergrowth on the forest floor, create new habitat for wildlife, provide...
Learning not to eat a newt
Beaver pond (Photo by Lenore Atwood)
Our encounters with the natural world are often unexpected and surprising. Lenore, an ardent nature photographer, looks over an ancient beaver pond while perching motionless on a log. “They also serve who only sit and wait” is her...
What five months in a cabin taught me about conservation
The view of the southern pond at Graham property (Photo by Alice Xiao/NCC staff)
I always wanted to live in a cabin in the woods, to be away from the city and experience life in the countryside. I imagined it to be like in the picture books of woodland animals: baking, sewing and drinking tea in cozy wood cabins, all with a...
The healing power of nature
Town Island, ON (Photo by Patty Nelson)
As a conservation technician with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I’ve come to intimately understand the rejuvenating effects of nature. During my recent visit to Town Island, located about two kilometres from the mainland on Lake of...
Meet NCC’s 2023 summer interns: Misha Golin
Misha Golin hugging a tree (Photo by NCC)
As my internship with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) comes to an end, it has been an honour to connect with fellow interns from across the nation to share their stories and inspire future NCC interns and volunteers to work in this...
From dead trees to a living creek
Volunteers and staff on the wing deflector. (Photo by Andrea Moreau/NCC staff)
In the Minesing Wetlands, an internationally significant wetland just west of Barrie, dead coniferous trees are bringing new life to Willow Creek. This July, I got to see it for myself when I tagged along to a Conservation Volunteers event. Prior...
Meet NCC’s 2023 summer interns: Sabrina Hasselfelt
Laced up and ready for what the field day may bring (Photo by Sabrina Hasselfelt/NCC staff)
As I stepped into this internship at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), connecting with fellow interns and sharing their stories and passions has been something I’ve been looking forward to. I gladly introduce to you our next intern in...
