Our connection to nature
Kids in nature (Photo by NCC)
“Go outside and play.” I can still hear my grandmother saying these words to me when I was a little kid. I bet you’ve heard this a few times yourself. Maybe you’ve even said it to your own kids. The truth is, “go...
Tales of recovery: Cooper's hawk
Cooper's hawk (Photo by Jim Johnson, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Not that long ago, we used the “Santa Claus method” to classify wildlife. There was the nice list. Animals like deer and trout and ducks were on that list. These were mostly animals that we liked to hunt and fish, but also animals that...
Navigating a course for Canada's Marine Protected Areas on World Oceans Day
Rocks and ocean as seen on the Dr. Bill Freedman Nature Reserve (Photo by NCC)
Oceans and coasts are a key part of Canada’s environment, economy and identity, and yet most of us are unaware of how they are protected, and why conserving them is critical. Precious resources rich in life Oceans touch every Canadian...
Nature-based solutions: a carbon approach
Misty Darkwoods forest, BC (Photo by Bruce Kirkby)
Many Canadians have been affected either directly or indirectly by some of the more serious effects of our rapidly changing climate. While different regions across the country experience these effects differently, urban and rural residents across...
Gotta catch 'em all? Count me in!
Carden Alvar butterfly count, 2017 (Photo by NCC)
As part of the 2019 Carden Alvar Butterfly Count, we were armed with a few nets and catching jars as our mighty group of eight, comprised of Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) staff and conservation volunteers, set out on a mission: to identify...
Field work equals teamwork
Stewardship tasks, like removing invasive species, are a lot easier when you work together. (Photo by NCC)
Stewardship staff for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) spend many hours completing field work. When I say field work, I mean just that: work that takes place outside in nature, whether it be a field, marsh, forest or a stream. In other...
Smile for the camera
Deer caught on trail cam (Photo by NCC)
We use a lot of intricate technology at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). When I’m out surveying an ecosystem in eastern Ontario, radio waves are bouncing between satellites in the sky and a receiver in my phone, to precisely locate...
Could there be an invasive species in your backyard?
Person taking picture of a plant (Photo by iStock)
The changing of the seasons in Canada brings back some of our most beloved species. Migratory birds fly back north, our gardens come alive and buds reappear on the trees. However, the warming weather can also bring some less-than-desirable...
Canada’s role in saving wildlife
Blanding's turtle (Photo by Gabrielle Fortin)
Endangered Species Day was established 15 years ago. It is a day for the human species to learn about the other species that are at risk of disappearing and, perhaps most importantly, what we can do about it. Related content Stopping...
Tales of recovery: Greater short-horned lizard
Greater short-horned lizard. (Photo by Leta Pezderic/NCC staff)
I’ve been lucky to have seen many reptiles that are at risk in Canada. I started my ecological career at Point Pelee National Park counting Blanding’s turtles and map turtles. I’ve seen queen snakes poke their heads through the...