Moths and butterflies: What we're doing to help these little-known pollinators
Sphinx moth (Photo © Manitoba Museum)
Bees are well known for their ability to pollinate flowers but there are other pollinators out there, including moths and butterflies. Moths pollinate flowers both during the day and at night. This summer, Nature Conservancy (NCC) staff will be...
Progress on the Rice Lake Plains!
Stewardship progress on the Rice Lake Plains, ON (Photo by NCC)
The Hazel Bird Nature Reserve in Northumberland County, Ontario is a key property for grassland birds and tall grass prairie habitats. One threat on this property includes invasive species such as the Scotch pine seen in the photograph. Scotch...
What nature means to my family and me
Hull family, summer 2014 (Photo by Maggie Deuitch Photography)
When I was growing up, my Dad, a fish biologist with the Department of Fisheries & Oceans, really wanted one of his kids to become a scientist. I did not want to be a scientist, but always wanted to talk about nature and share the stories...
Why I volunteer with the Nature Conservancy of Canada
Ellen and Heidi explore a crevice in the alvar landscape (Photo courtesy of Ellen Weatherbee)
The combination of being a botanist and owning land on Cockburn Island has been a natural fit for doing work with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). I have concentrated on doing what I do best — surveying the plants and their...
Reflections on James L. Baillie
James Baillie (Photo courtesy of Bird Studies Canada)
Whenever I see reference to Bird Studies Canada’s James L. Baillie Memorial Fund for Bird Research and Preservation, I think about my friendship with Jim Baillie and feel privileged to have known him for so many years. I wanted to share my...
A tale of two hawks
Red-tailed hawk (Photo by Bill Hubick)
Each spring the hills of the Happy Valley Forest become the stage for a spectacular aerial ballet. They have a short run over the woods, but if you are lucky you may see the swooping, diving courtship display of red-shouldered hawks. If you miss...
Le petit polatouche : mon animal canadien favori
Southern flying squirrel (Photo by Judy Frederick)
Le petit polatouche est un mammifère nocturne, vivant au Québec et en Ontario, principalement autour des grands lacs. Petit rongeur semblable à l’écureuil, il est très à l’aise dans les arbres...
An inordinate fondness for weasels
Fisher, Clear Creek, Riding Mountain Aspen Parkland Natural Area, Manitoba (Photo by NCC)
I suppose I’ve always been a cheerleader for the underdog so it’s only logical that I am a fan of the Fisher (Mustela pennanti). Weighing between seven and 13 pounds, fishers are the second-largest of North American weasels. Like their...
A call to nature conservation
Cold Creek Stewardship receiving a cheque for improvements to the CA building at Benjamin Moore Award presentation. (Photo by Bill Wilson)
I have been involved in nature conservation since 1964 — as a student, as a professional and as a volunteer. During ny 25 years with the Ontario Civil Service, it became evident to me that we all need to lend a hand in protecting and...
It's never too late to celebrate: A decade of partnership on the Rice Lake Plains
The partners in the Rice Lake Plains Joint Initiative (RLPJI) must be a busy lot, because we missed celebrating our big 10th anniversary! And we missed it by a country mile. On October 14, 2003 a number of conservation partners gathered at the...
