So you’ve acquired a property. Now what? (part one)
Is this what you think of when you hear conservation biology? ( Photo by Mike Dembeck)
New things are exciting. In my first few years as the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s coordinator, conservation biology for eastern Ontario, I couldn’t figure out why my favourite property kept changing. At first, it was the Emma Young...
How spending time in nature benefits your baby’s gut health
Sleeping infant (Photo by Daisy Laparra from Pexels)
Being close to nature has motivated my life choices — where I live and how I spend my free time. In these times of COVID-19, where I work is now where I live, and I am lucky to live on a ravine in one of Edmonton’s natural areas, as...
Monarch migration reflections
One of the millions of monarchs I saw in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán, Mexico (Photo by Alberto Becerra)
I am an immigrant to this country, as are most people across this diverse continent with such a complex history. In fact, all who are not indigenous to this land are immigrants. When I was just a toddler, my family and I immigrated to Canada from...
Nature therapy (part two): Expressive art therapy
Rose, Maymont, SK (Photo by Don Dabbs)
In part one of our nature therapy series, we heard from a Regina-based mom and social worker about how nature-based art projects have helped her tap into the creative side of her mind and how the experiences have benefitted her mentally during...
World Conservation Day 2020: What is a conservancy and why does the word matter?
Conservation Volunteers, Crowsnest Pass, Alberta (Photo by NCC)
The word “conservancy” can be a mouthful. Even after 17 years at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I sometimes feel like I have marbles in my mouth as the word leaves my lips. I say the words “nature” and...
To leash or not to leash — should that even be a question?
Winona enjoying some off-leash time at a dog park. (Photo by Samantha Cava)
From one dog lover to another, there is nothing better than seeing your canine companion happy in nature without the constraints of a leash. Whether it is running freely in an open meadow, jumping over boulders or zig zagging through trees, there...
Exploring the Fraser River Estuary
Low tide at Swishwash Island, BC. (Photo by Fernando Lessa)
The Fraser River is one of the most important rivers in Canada. Its waters, running for almost 1,400 kilometres before reaching the Pacific Ocean, are a major salmon waterway that is used by all five species of Pacific salmon and salmonids to...
A peak experience at Buffalo Pound
Buffalo Pound Lake, SK (Photo by Bill Armstrong)
Many Canadians, I think, perceive Saskatchewan to be one billiard table-flat, never-ending field of wheat. Not so. To prove my point, I recently made a second visit to a property at Buffalo Pound Lake, where the Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC) is...
15 fun facts about Canadian snakes
Massasauga rattlesnake (Photo by Aaron Goodwin)
Whether you're a snake savant or a citizen scientist, it's the time of year that our slithery friends are out and about. Here are some interesting tidbits about our native snake species to share with your friends: In Canada, the...
The voice of nature
"Beaver," ink with watercolour wash. (Painting by Leanne Cadden)
Capturing ecosystem health through sound When I was six years old, my family moved to a suburban neighbourhood on Vancouver Island. We came from Ontario, so we were not at all acquainted with the incredibly wild and lush biodiversity of British...
