A close encounter like no otter
Two river otters peeping their heads above the water (Photo by Nila Sivatheesan/NCC staff)
Walking through fields of wildflowers and towering trees is an incredible feeling. It reminds me that there’s so much more to this life than just me and my bubble. It’s a humbling feeling. But what’s even more incredible is...
What I’ve learned from noticing nature
Common eastern bumble bee on wild bergamot (Photo by Wendy Ho/NCC staff)
As a busy working parent of two young children, my hours and minutes seem to slip away at every turn of the corner, between parenting duties, work and general adulting. When everyone has turned in for the evening, I grasp at what’s left of...
Hop into the new year with these Canadian lagomorphs
Eastern cottontail (Photo by Alain Mochon, CC BY-NC 4.0)
Rabbits are one of the most easily observed species in my suburban neighbourhood. Even during winter here in southern Ontario, you can find hints of their presence. My two young kids gleefully alerted me to a set of eastern cottontail tracks...
A close encounter with ticks that I won't forget
Adult deer tick (Photo by Scott Bauer/Wikimedia Commons)
Anyone who knows me knows I am not a morning person, by any stretch of the imagination. But on this particular morning, it was 8 o’clock, and I’d already stripped the bed and sofa covers, done a load of laundry, and taken a long, hot...
Meeting my first monarch butterfly up close
Monarch butterfly feeding on common milkweed flowers (Photo by Wendy Ho/NCC staff)
A gentle breeze blew on a mid-summer evening, the sky still lit from the setting sun. I set up my step stool along the edge of my driveway for some light weeding among my collection of plants in the front yard. It’s a chore that I...
5 ways to get involved in conservation this Canadian Environment Week
Building bat boxes at Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area, SK (Photo by NCC)
Since 1971, Canadians have been celebrating the nation’s natural heritage and the strides made in environmental protection during Canadian Environment Week. The week-long observance also includes World Environment Day (June 5) and World...
Take them to feel the forest: Winter sensory activities for kids
Snowshoeing in Parc de la Gatineau, QC (Photo by DJ)
I‘ve walked in the woods all my life, but it wasn't until I took young children with me that I noticed how fascinated they were with the variety of textures found in their surroundings. Kids can spend hours feeling, building, touching and...
Yay! The ducks are back!
Mallards — male on the left, female on the right. (Photo by Pia Vahabi/NCC staff)
Here in Toronto, winter and waterfowl don’t necessarily sound like two things that should go together. But the truth is, while some birds (and people) escape Ontario’s cold winter to warmer climes, others migrate from the Arctic to...
Super cool species to know this Halloween
Vampire finch (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)
The leaves have changed, the air has cooled and the pumpkins have been carved. You know what that means — it’s Halloween! This spooky custom has always been my favourite. Growing up, I always took the opportunity to dress up as the...
How the pandemic turned me into an urban gardener
Seedlings in pots layed out on the veggie bed (Photo by Christine Beevis Trickett/NCC staff)
It’s amazing how slowing down and staying put in a place helps you connect with the life around you. I used to have quite a busy travel schedule, moving back and forth across the country several times a year to visit family or for work...
