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What the knowledge of how trees communicate means for forest conservation

A shady Douglas-fir forest (Photo by Jenny McCune)

A shady Douglas-fir forest (Photo by Jenny McCune)

Japanese people are generally familiar with shinrin-yoku or forest bathing — the practice of being immersed in a forest. In Germany, the concept is referred to as Waldsehligkeit, a feeling of profound well-being that comes from being...

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Tackling invasive European common reed

Me on a six-foot ladder amidst European common reed, to illustrate its height and density. (Photo by Courtney Robichaud)

Me on a six-foot ladder amidst European common reed, to illustrate its height and density. (Photo by Courtney Robichaud)

The highs and lows of monitoring the large-scale suppression of Phragmites australis spp. australis My field crew and I are covered in scratches. I’m a PhD student studying the recovery of native vegetation after invasive species control,...

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Connection and conservation during COVID-19

Exploring Burntcoat Head Park in Noel, Nova Scotia. (Photo by Kyle Erickson)

Exploring Burntcoat Head Park in Noel, Nova Scotia. (Photo by Kyle Erickson)

A year ago, my husband and I sold our house, packed up everything we owned — including two cats — and relocated from Edmonton to Halifax. Between new jobs, a new home and a new city, we didn’t have a lot of time to get involved...

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Grandparents in the natural world

Old-growth forest (Photo by NCC)

Old-growth forest (Photo by NCC)

I often find similarity in the structure of human society and in nature's ecosystems. Reflecting on how our community is comprised of people from all walks and stages of life, I can’t help but think the same about forests. As Grandparents...

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Keep your eyes peeled for turtles

A baby snapping turtle, estimated to have hatched the morning when this photo was taken, spotted travelling from a busy four-lane road in Newmarket, Ontario. (Photo by Aileen Barclay, program manager for Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust and forest education specialist with the Regional Municipality of York)

A baby snapping turtle, estimated to have hatched the morning when this photo was taken, spotted travelling from a busy four-lane road in Newmarket, Ontario. (Photo by Aileen Barclay, program manager for Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust and forest education specialist with the Regional Municipality of York)

Each year, from May until July, Ontario’s freshwater turtles leave the wetland or water body where they live and look for nesting sites. This means they often have to cross roads to get to their destination. Some turtles even see the...

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A landmark moment for conservation in Canada

People in nature (Photo by Getty Images)

People in nature (Photo by Getty Images)

I joined the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) more than a decade ago. At the time, I couldn’t imagine how quickly time would pass, the challenges we would undertake and the successes we would celebrate. In my time with NCC, I’ve...

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So you’ve acquired a property. Now what? (part two)

Invasive dog-strangling vine (Photo by NCC)

Invasive dog-strangling vine (Photo by NCC)

In my previous blog, I defined the term baseline inventory, described the behind-the-scenes planning stages, and laid out how we classify vegetation communities on the ground. Read on to find out what other important data we collect in the field,...

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So you’ve acquired a property. Now what? (part one)

Is this what you think of when you hear conservation biology? ( Photo by Mike Dembeck)

Is this what you think of when you hear conservation biology? ( Photo by Mike Dembeck)

New things are exciting. In my first few years as the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s coordinator, conservation biology for eastern Ontario, I couldn’t figure out why my favourite property kept changing. At first, it was the Emma Young...

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Monarch migration reflections

One of the millions of monarchs I saw in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán, Mexico (Photo by Alberto Becerra)

One of the millions of monarchs I saw in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán, Mexico (Photo by Alberto Becerra)

I am an immigrant to this country, as are most people across this diverse continent with such a complex history. In fact, all who are not indigenous to this land are immigrants. When I was just a toddler, my family and I immigrated to Canada from...

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World Conservation Day 2020: What is a conservancy and why does the word matter?

Conservation Volunteers, Crowsnest Pass, Alberta (Photo by NCC)

Conservation Volunteers, Crowsnest Pass, Alberta (Photo by NCC)

The word “conservancy” can be a mouthful. Even after 17 years at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I sometimes feel like I have marbles in my mouth as the word leaves my lips. I say the words “nature” and...

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