The foxes of NCC
Red fox (Photo by Alex Badyaev)
Growing up, my favourite book was Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox. It was no surprise that the Christmas following the first time I read (and then re-read over and over) the ionic children’s novel, I asked Santa for anything and...
You won’t waste your time reading this garbage!
Shore of the Middle Point Woods property, Pelee Island, Ontario (Photo by Sam Brinker, OMNR)
Working as a conservation technician for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) this summer, I feel lucky to experience the beauty of southwestern Ontario’s Carolinian zone. One of my favourite areas to visit is tranquil Pelee Island, where...
If you conserve it, they will come
Swift fox in southern Alberta (Photo by NCC)
A den of swift foxes, a species once extirpated (locally extinct) in Canada, was recently discovered on a Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) conservation site in southeast Alberta. The discovery of this den is proof that the work that...
Where are they now? Intern Alumni Spotlight: Josh Noseworthy
Josh Noseworthy (Photo courtesy of Josh Noseworthy)
This blog marks the third Alumni Spotlight — a series highlighting some of the individuals who have interned with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in the past. Last month, we featured Eve Desmarais, and this month we are following up...
Travels with Cary
Cary Hamel (Photo by NCC)
I really don’t remember many of the specifics from reading John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley. I’m pretty sure Charley was John’s large, curly-haired poodle, which I guess is somewhat similar to my Manitoba counterpart,...
A trip back in time: Exploring the history of Backus Woods
Backus Woods, Ontario (Photo by Mary Gartshore)
A hike into Backus Woods is like taking a step back nearly 200 years in time. Located in southwestern Ontario, this natural wonder is one of the most ecologically diverse areas in Canada. It also contains many cultural remnants. A visit to Backus...
The blitz of the burdock brigade
Conservation Volunteers with bags of invasive common burdock. (Photo by NCC)
Thanks to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I can now cross off my bucket list my long-nurtured desire to hack away at invasive burdock plants with a machete. In truth, I’d never entertained the idea before signing up as a Conservation...
The Nature Conservancy of Canada Conservation Internship: Not your average summer
Open woodland located on the Barachois Brook property (Photo by NCC)
When I started my internship with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, in May 2018, I knew that one of my responsibilities would be to complete a baseline inventory of the newly established...
Why Canada needs to be a global leader in the protection of fresh water
Black Bay, Lake Superior, ON (Photo by Costal Productions)
It’s a luxury to not think about water. Most Canadians watch it flow from the faucet and go down the drain without considering its source or destination. When we do think about water, it’s only about where the nearest tap is. Many...
Sidney's paradise on the edge of the Moose Woods
Lucy Weston and her family (Photo courtesy of Lucy Weston)
To tell our story, you have to go back to November 1999 when I met Scott Lawrence, my life partner, on an idyllic beach on the Baja Peninsula, Mexico. I was hitchhiking with a girlfriend, bound for Costa Rica. Scott had motorcycled from Canada and...