Three ways to get closer to nature
Busenius Property, AB (Photo by Kyle Marquardt)
Canadians are more disconnected from nature than ever before. We spend more and more of our time indoors, and a large per cent of us live in an urban setting away from large natural areas. We’re losing touch with the natural world, one that...
You don't have to be a scientist
Evan Young kayaking (Photo by NCC)
As an amateur naturalist, I’ve found it’s easy to learn new things; however, it’s getting much harder to retain everything I learn. Growing up on a farm in rural Nova Scotia, I’ve always had a passion for the outdoors,...
Cozy one-bedroom bird house available for a low price
A bird box (Photo by NCC)
This spring, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) held a Conservation Volunteers event at NCC’s Edenwold property to install bird boxes. In typical Saskatchewan fashion, it had been 30 C all week, but as soon as the field day came, the...
The best defence is an eco-fence!
Conservation Volunteers, NCC staff and Bruce Peninsula National park staff (Photo by NCC)
Ontario’s Saugeen Bruce Peninsula is well known for its unique biodiversity and natural beauty. As budding naturalists with a particular interest in reptiles and amphibians, my husband and I jumped at the chance to participate in the Nature...
National Appreciation Week for Animal and Rescue Shelters
Me volunteering at the Funds for Animals Wildlife Center in Ramona, California. (Photo by the Humane Society of the United States)
As an animal lover, my social media feed tends to be filled with animal-related posts. It consists of heartwarming stories, such as animal rescues, adoption stories, species reintroductions, etc. If you also have a soft spot for animals,...
Close encounters with a peregrine falcon
Peregrine falcons (Photo by Evan Young/NCC)
NCC’s Johnson’s Mills Shorebird Reserve and Interpretive Centre in New Brunswick, on the Bay of Fundy, is located on the route of one of the world’s most spectacular bird migrations. The Bay of Fundy is a stopover site for...
Location, location, location: Building real estate for cavity dwellers
Black-capped chickadee (Photo by Lorne)
The number of tree cavities are often limited on the landscape, but there are many different species that require cavities for their home (such as squirrels, bats and birds). As a result, cavities that suit the needs of a given species are a hot...
Demystifying spooky species this Halloween
Black purse-web spider (Photo by Rob Craig, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry)
Why do some species spook us more than others? Some say it is an evolutionary adaptation, some say it is an irrational fear, while still others say that is because some (like spiders) are always shrouded in myths. If you’re not a fan of...
Science is for the birds
MAPS station at Big Valley property, SK (Photo by NCC)
As a summer intern for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I have had the opportunity to participate in many cool conservation activities. One of the neatest projects I got to work on this past summer was the MAPS station that NCC is running...
Vinyl siding and the greater sage-grouse (really!)
Greater sage-grouse (Photo by Gordon Sherman © Audubon Canyon Ranch)
I expect that most of us are aware of the hazards that office towers and other large buildings in urban areas pose to birds. Buildings are not much of a problem in rural Saskatchewan, but fences are. Those barely visible wires can be hazardous to...
