Adjusting to change
Assiniboine Delta, MB (Photo by Jordan Becker)
“According to Darwin’s Origin of Species, it is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the...
Acknowledging change
Growing up on a farm in southwestern Manitoba, some of my clearest memories are of the extreme temperatures I experienced. (Photo courtesy of Steven Anderson)
“Everything changes and nothing stands still.” ~ Heraclitus of Ephesus, as quoted by Plato Growing up on a farm in southwestern Manitoba, some of my clearest memories are of the extreme temperatures I experienced in that lovely...
My bucket list adventure in the Galapagos Islands
Kristyn Ferguson in the Galapagos Islands (Photo by Jeff Verberne)
For many biologists, the Galapagos Islands are usually near the top of their list of places to see in this lifetime. On my bucket list they were annotated with an “!”. When my mentor and good friend James Duncan passed away suddenly in...
Five of nature's most fascinating families
Pod of orcas (Photo by Robin Agrarwhal CC BY-NC)
If you thought human families were the only relatives with complex relationships, think again. In honour of Family Day, check out some of the animal kingdom’s fascinating families below: Orcas Orcas (also known as killer whales) are...
A trip to dive for
Diving next to the Cozumel sign (Photo by Stephen Mancuso)
Last November, I went to Cozumel, Mexico, on a scuba diving trip. This Caribbean island is a diver’s paradise and is renowned for its crystal clear, aqua-coloured waters, pristine coral reefs and drift diving, a type of scuba diving where...
Wetlands in the Frontenac Arch
A wetland in the Frontenac Arch, ON (Photo by NCC)
Late last autumn, I was travelling with a friend through the Frontenac Arch. For me, this is a daily occurrence, but I sometimes forget that other people don’t see forests, lakes and wetlands on their morning commutes. It’s always a...
A world without wetlands
Brighton Wetland, Eastern Lake Ontario Coast (Photo by David Coulson)
I live next to a swamp. After 20 years of having this swamp as my neighbour, it’s kind of grown on me. I enjoy the spring flush of marsh marigolds, the annual reawakening of spring peepers, and I still smile when I see a colourful wood duck...
Climate change, fire and their implications for species
Will forest fire hazard signs be over into the red more often because of climate change? (Photo by Aaron H Warren CC BY-ND 2.0)
The role of fire in forest ecosystems Forest fires are powerful and devastating. But they are also necessary for the rejuvenation of some ecosystems. Many plants are well adapted to fire. Some trees have dense bark or shed their lower limbs to...
New guidelines for privately protected areas
Alpine Lake on Darkwoods, BC (Photo by Bruce Kirkby)
Privately protected areas (PPAs) are protected areas under private governance, as defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Private governance includes non-governmental organizations, corporations, for-profit owners,...
Ten good news nature conservation stories from 2018: Our collective actions can have a big impact
Lands within the Jim Prentice Wildlife Corridor (Photo by Brent Calver)
Around the world, we are at a crossroads in our relationship with the planet. For the first time in human history our environmental impacts are happening at a scale that is affecting all life on Earth. Our collective experience in solving big,...
