Volunteering abroad for nature
Clearing reed bed vegetation (Photo courtesy of Megan Quinn/NCC staff)
I don’t vacation very well. The problem with loving my job as a conservation biologist is that I have a hard time taking a holiday (and even when I do, I usually keep an eye on my work email inbox). So when I had the volunteer opportunity to...
5 ways to get involved in conservation this Canadian Environment Week
Conservation Volunteers planting Garry oak saplings at CGOP (Photo by NCC)
Since 1971, Canadians have been celebrating the nation’s natural heritage and the strides made in environmental protection during Canadian Environment Week. The week-long observance also includes World Environment Day (June 5) and World...
4 mental health benefits of volunteering outside
Tree planting Conservation Volunteers event, Johnson's Mills, NB (Photo by NCC)
Research shows that spending time in nature benefits benefits us not only physically, but mentally. Just taking a walk in a forest can regulate blood pressure, lower the risk of illness, reduce stress and boost mental health. You may be surprised...
Driving Miss Hazel
Hazel Bird Nature Reserve, ON (Photo by NCC)
Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) staff like to say that science drives our conservation work. This is true, but sometimes while following the science, we stumble into something unexpected and truly amazing. Let me explain. Back about 20 years...
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...
Healthy by nature: Getting outside for the benefit of nature and ourselves
The personal experiences we have with nature help us form a lifelong connection to the environment. (Photo by NCC)
We’ve all been there and felt the negative effects of stress. With the pace of the world today, stress is a familiar companion for many of us. Though stress is a normal physical reaction, it can have negative effects on your health,...
March roundup: Conservation and nature stories from around the world that caught our eye this month
Greater sage-grouse (Photo by Gordon Court)
Every day, countless inspiring and informative stories are published about conservation successes or discoveries in nature and wildlife around the world. Here are some that caught our attention in March 2019. Wands for wildlife Winnipeg’s...
Skis with wolves
Cross-country skiing in search of wolf tracks on the Kenauk property (Photo by Jaimie Vincent)
What do you get when you combine a picturesque winter forest landscape, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and wolf surveying? A dream trip is what I would have said just a few weeks ago. The answer, however, is a very real adventure that I...
Volunteer to learn
A lesson on vernal pools by Jenna Siu (Photo by Daniel Abdelmassih)
On September 29, 2018, I participated in my first Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) Conservation Volunteers event. We planted 175 early succession native trees (i.e., trees typically found in young forests) in Happy Valley Forest to help take...
A budding conservationist
Zoe Saranchuk (Photo courtesy of Zoe Saranchuk)
My name is Zoe Saranchuk, and I love going to Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) events. I love being out in nature and seeing its wonders. I go with my Oma [grandmother], who is also interested. I have always loved animals and learning about...
