What five months in a cabin taught me about conservation

The view of the southern pond at Graham property (Photo by Alice Xiao/NCC staff)
I always wanted to live in a cabin in the woods, to be away from the city and experience life in the countryside. I imagined it to be like in the picture books of woodland animals: baking, sewing and drinking tea in cozy wood cabins, all with a...
Striving for fluid human-wildlife coexistence

Pronghorn (Photo by NCC)
My name is Evan Mah and I am an ecological restoration technician as a part of the Next Generation Conservation Leaders program with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). My job often involves routine fence maintenance and adjustments; however,...
A hidden paradise

Scarlet tanager seen during the 2023 Spring Song Bird Race (Photo by Jasmine Eagleden/NCC staff)
It all started at a young age; I have always had a passion for all aspects of nature. I would spend hours outdoors exploring and discovering the animals and insects around me. When I had to be indoors, I loved watching Animal Planet and the...
Close encounters: Baffling beavers and tracking elk at Hastings Wildlife Junction

The Large Landscapes Team with beaver baffler (Photo by NCC)
A great day packed with sights and sounds for the large landscapes team at the Hastings Wildlife Junction! Back in May 2023, the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) staff were made aware of flooding along a trail due to beaver...
Stanley the stowaway

Stanely on a branch (Photo by Andrea Moreau)
It was past midnight, and I was just wrapping up my school work for the day when I saw it: a tiny brown lizard, only slightly larger than my thumb nail. The lizard was so small (and I was so tired) that I had to do a doubletake; but there it was,...
Owl hands on deck: Efforts to conserve burrowing owls

Burrowing owl (Photo by Karol Dabbs)
As a communications and engagement intern with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in Saskatchewan, I have the opportunity to write and share stories about unique species and I thought writing about burrowing owls would be a hoot! It’s an...
The fun-sized swift fox

Swift fox (Photo by RJ Dudragne/ NCC staff)
My name is Emily, and I am the 2023 communications and engagement summer intern for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in Saskatchewan. As part of my job, I get to write stories for Land Lines, NCC’s blog. For my first assignment, I...
Sparrows, sparrows, everywhere!

Harris's sparrow (Photo by Mhairi McFarlane/NCC staff)
I must admit to having a bit of a soft spot for sparrows. Often overlooked by people, and underappreciated by many, written off as “just” sparrows by birders, or “just” a brown bird by people in general, I think they do...
The wonder of new discoveries

Sierra Nevada de Santa Maria, Colombia (Photo by Mark Stabb/NCC staff)
It is heartening to know that there are pockets of the planet where, with the right eyes, new natural history discoveries are waiting to be made. I recently had the privilege of visiting the Republic of Colombia for a two-week birdwatching and...
And owl…will always…love you!

A barred owl perched on scaffolding on a roof that’s being re-done. (Photo by Rebecca Clarke)
As an avid nature lover, I am constantly in awe of the beauty and diversity of the natural world, but there's one species that holds a special place in my heart: barred owl. Have you ever heard the distinctive call of a barred owl at night and...