Grandparents in the natural world
Old-growth forest (Photo by NCC)
I often find similarity in the structure of human society and in nature's ecosystems. Reflecting on how our community is comprised of people from all walks and stages of life, I can’t help but think the same about forests. As Grandparents...
Getting pushy in a puddle
Two American robins refusing to share a puddle (Photo by Janis Turner)
This is the story of two American robins not very successfully sharing one road puddle for bathing. I observed this down by the front street from my condo, and the sun was just up over the buildings in the east. I heard a lot of robin activity...
Murder hornets: What’s all the buzz about?
Asian giant hornets have orange-yellow heads and alternating bands of black, orange and yellow. (Photo by Yasunori Koide, Wikimedia Commons)
If you’ve been following the news this summer, you’re sure to have seen mention of murder hornets. After isolated discoveries of this invasive species in British Columbia and Washington state, news about the Asian giant hornet has...
Nature therapy (part four): Homeschooling in nature
The Sandersons are a nature-loving family (Photo courtesy of Amy Sanderson)
As engagement manager, I have the great privilege of exploring Saskatchewan and meeting many new people along the way. Every Conservation Volunteer holds a special place in my heart, and getting to know them and learn from them is one the best...
Keep your eyes peeled for turtles
A baby snapping turtle, estimated to have hatched the morning when this photo was taken, spotted travelling from a busy four-lane road in Newmarket, Ontario. (Photo by Aileen Barclay, program manager for Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust and forest education specialist with the Regional Municipality of York)
Each year, from May until July, Ontario’s freshwater turtles leave the wetland or water body where they live and look for nesting sites. This means they often have to cross roads to get to their destination. Some turtles even see the...
Something's Fishy: Out of sight, but not out of mind
Redside dace (Photo by K. Schmidt)
The land has a magical ability to transform the way people look at nature and all it encompasses. I used to be someone who looked for issues in our environment and assessed their level of urgency by what was in plain sight. I took this approach...
Nature therapy (part three): Sit spots, sound walks and yoga
Water lily in a pond (Photo by Pexels, CC0)
Connecting with nature, even for five minutes a day, can have tremendous benefits for your health and wellness while helping to reinforce positive new habits. Nature is quiet and resilient and provides an opportunity for us to re-connect with...
A landmark moment for conservation in Canada
People in nature (Photo by Getty Images)
I joined the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) more than a decade ago. At the time, I couldn’t imagine how quickly time would pass, the challenges we would undertake and the successes we would celebrate. In my time with NCC, I’ve...
The Green World Hypothesis
Sea star (Photo by Samantha Ceci)
Why is the planet filled with the colour green? What if I told you that the answer to this question originates from an experiment conducted using starfish? In 1963, professor Robert Paine stood on the shore of the Makah Bay in Washington state....
So you’ve acquired a property. Now what? (part two)
Invasive dog-strangling vine (Photo by NCC)
In my previous blog, I defined the term baseline inventory, described the behind-the-scenes planning stages, and laid out how we classify vegetation communities on the ground. Read on to find out what other important data we collect in the field,...
