October roundup: Conservation and nature stories from around the world that caught our eye this month
Polar bear (Photo by Ansgar Walk)
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 October 2018. Climbing back from...
Citizen science 101
The Wildpaths maritimes project is a citizen science project that helps protect wildlife by using the iNaturalist app. (Photo by NCC)
Close your eyes and picture a scientist. What do you see? Lab coats, goggles and beakers of bubbling liquids? A perplexed set of eyes staring back at you through a window filled with complex equations beyond comprehension? Ask the internet and it...
10 facts about Saskatchewan's species
Wideview, SK (Photo by Bill Armstong)
Located right in the middle of Canada, Saskatchewan is full of amazing species and ecosystems. To celebrate the prairie province, here are 10 amazing facts about species that you can find in Saskatchewan. 1. Prairie aerial acrobatics Songbirds...
Why I'm getting rid of my hostas
Hostas at my cottage (Photo by Dan Kraus/NCC staff)
I love going to the cottage. We have a little cabin nestled between a hill and a lake near Algonquin Park, in the heart of Ontario’s cottage country. There are so many things I love about this place. Water, moose and amazing autumn colours....
Something old, something new
Tending a community garden (Photo by Bob Nichols/US Department of Agriculture, Wikimedia commons)
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been enchanted with the magic of gardening. The way I see it, gardening has the power to give life and mark new beginnings, turning something old into something new. Better yet, there’s nothing like...
Conservation needs a common language to describe Canada’s ecosystems
Tatlayoko Ranch, British Columbia, (Photo by Bernadette Mertens)
“The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name.” ~ Ancient Chinese proverb For organisms, we use the concept of a “species” to assign proper names. Having standard names for species is critical in both...
Stopping habitat loss is the key to saving Canada’s endangered species
Evening grosbeak (Photo by Anna Tchoulik)
Canada has been losing and saving species for a long time. Since European settlement, over 100 species have been lost here. These include plants and animals that are extinct and extirpated and species that are considered historic (no one has seen...
The Swishwash Island bioblitz
L-R: Shannon, Robin and Dave (Photo courtesy of BCIT students)
We are three students in our final year of the fish, wildlife and recreation program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. We were excited to choose Swishwash Island for our final research project because it gave us the opportunity to...
It's complicated, honey
Sweat bee on Flax (Photo by Marika Olynyk/NCC staff)
Spring draws nigh: the season of the birds and the bees. Birdsong is a welcome gift, but where would we be without bees? Their obsessive quest for pollen and nectar keeps much of Alberta’s native flora alive. There would be fewer willows,...
Earth Day 2018: Buddies, boundaries and nearby nature
Red trillium (Photo by Sherry Nigro)
Earth Day is a good time to think about the future. How do we ensure our children grow up healthy and happy? Research suggests that the answer is right outside our back door: help them connect with nature. Benefits of time in nature Spending...
