Sleepflying is the new sleepwalking: Species and their sleeping patterns
Grizzly bear cub denning (Photo by Sarah Whynne CC BY-NC 2.0)
Sleep. We all need it, and we all want more of it. Whether you’re an early riser or a night owl, sleep is an important part of human development and health. Sleep helps heal and repair your heart and blood vessels, and lack of sleep can...
Your happy place: Find your own paradise island in the Hochelaga Archipelago
Aerial photo of the Hochelaga Archipelago islands, QC (Photo by ALM Par Avion)
When you think of an island, your mind often travels to a distant oasis, with tall palm trees and saltwater waves crashing onto a white-sand shore. In the midst of the busy-ness of day-to-day life, it’s easy to daydream about a peaceful...
Tune in: Let the birds be your guide at Abraham Lake Nature Reserve
Abraham Lake, NS (Photo by Dan Hutt)
Jim Cameron describes Abraham Lake as a quiet oasis away from civilization. That is, until the silence on the trail that weaves through the property is interrupted by one of the area’s many winged residents. “Standing near the...
Natural legacy: Nature comes full circle at Quebec’s pointe Saint-Pierre
Pointe Saint-Pierre, QC (Photo by Mike Dembeck)
Standing on the shores of the Gaspé Peninsula, there is a certain serenity that washes over you like waves. Water from the Gulf of St. Lawrence gently crashes into the rocky sand by your feet, and a dense forest of white spruce and balsam...
Something’s Fishy: Atlantic whitefish
Atlantic whitefish (Photo by Bob Semple)
In the cold waters of Nova Scotia’s Petite Rivière watershed swims a fish so elusive that, without action, it might never be seen again. Size and appearance This silvery-sided species, with its blueish-green back, is commonly...
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...
Game of Toads: How nature intersects with fantasy
Eastern wolf (Photo by Manuel Henriques)
As Thronies everywhere prepare for the new season of Game of Thrones tonight, I can’t help but notice how nature continues to influence fiction and fantasy. While there are no magical, fossilized dragon eggs waiting to hatch in fire out in...
The seasons of nature: Witnessing an ever-changing landscape along the Agassiz Interpretive Trail
Agassiz Trail, MB (Photo by NCC)
At the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) Agassiz Interpretive Trail in southeast Manitoba, a change of seasons brings a different tune to the landscape. In spring, you may hear sharp-tailed grouse rustling in the forest or...
Open for business: Make your own insect hotel
An insect hotel (Photo by Marzena7 CC0)
Many insects and their relatives, such as ladybugs, wild bees, beetles and spiders, require shelter. Make your backyard or green space open for vacancy by making an insect hotel! Similar to a bee hotel, an insect hotel helps provide shelter for...
From the ground up: How Bunchberry Meadows came to be a place for nature exploration
A winter hike on the Bunchberry Meadows property (Photo by Brent Calver)
Just outside of one of Canada’s busiest cities lies an outdoor adventure waiting to be had, with trees as tall as the eye can see. Located just 30 kilometres from downtown Edmonton, the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s)...
