The colours of early spring
Buttercups (Photo by Brynn Bellingham/NCC staff)
It finally feels like that time of year. One that we here in Canada are so familiar with: warmer days, more sunlight and melting snow. But how do we really know that spring has sprung? Rather than waiting to see a groundhog’s shadow, I like...
Alvar explorations of a wandering biologist (part two)
Esme on the alvar in Malham Cove, U.K. (Photo by Esme Batten/NCC staff)
In part one, I explained what alvars are, where they occur and their importance. Now, I talk about my alvar explorations in the U.K. On Boxing Day in 2018, I set off early in the morning from Cornwall, in the southwest end of the U.K., to drive...
A place that’s for the birds: Newfoundland and Labrador’s Codroy Valley is a haven for wildlife and a boon for bird lovers
Grand Codroy Estuary, NL at sunset (Photo by Mike Dembeck)
The saying “for the birds” is often used to state that something or somewhere has little worth or none at all. But when Claudelle Devoe says that the Grand Codroy Estuary in friendly Newfoundland and Labrador is for the birds, she...
Restoration is super cool... literally!
Left: An image of a restored field on an NCC property in 2013. Right: A thermal image of the same field taken in 2008. (Images by Google Earth and USGS Landsat 5)
Restoration of woodland begins with site preparation and seeding, but monitoring is needed after that to make sure the restoration stays on track for the next 40 plus years. This blog post explains the application of thermodynamic theory to the...
We can recover Canada’s wildlife: Five examples of species NCC is helping save
Small white lady's-slipper (Photo by Melissa Grantham)
These are tough times for many wildlife species and their habitats. Over three-quarters of Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems (excluding Antarctica) have been directly modified by human activities1 , and most of our shrinking global wilderness...
Ecotourism in Canada
Ecotourism offers experiences for people to discover and enjoy natural habitats. (Photo by Galyna Andrushko)
As climate change becomes more of a reality, people are beginning to reconsider the ways in which they travel. Ecotourism, as many travellers already know, is a type of tourism that offers experiences for people to discover and enjoy natural...
Alvar explorations of a wandering biologist (part one)
Esme on the alvar in Malham Cove, U.K. (Photo by Esme Batten/NCC staff)
“You are going to drive seven hours away to go walk around on flat rocks?” my Grandad asked when I told him about my planned trip to Malham Cove in the U.K. at the end of 2018. To most people, alvars, or limestone plains, as they are...
The tool belt
Many of us struggle with our mental health. (Photo by Pixabay)
What? A tool belt for mental health? Close your eyes and picture a place that makes you happy. Maybe it’s your grandma’s house; maybe it’s somewhere outdoors that holds a special place in your heart. Think of things that make...
Kayaking for conservation: A day in the life of a Nova Scotia conservation biologist
Danielle Horne kayaking (Photo by NCC)
Oh, the winter blues. They make you long for summer’s sunny skies, trilling birdsongs and warm breezes. During the winter and early spring — when I'm sitting in my office — I watch a live stream on my computer of birds at a...
Heard it from a Scout: The #Trashtag challenge: 5 essential steps for leading a community cleanup
Since 2002, Scouts across Canada have worked with their communities and the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup to remove over 5,300 kilograms of trash from shorelines. (Photo by Scouts Canada)
Community cleanups are one of the latest social media crazes, as the #Trashtag challenge takes the internet by storm. Individuals and communities around the world are banding together to clean up the environments where they reside. As the snow...
