10 facts about fresh water in Canada
Vidal Bay, Manitoulin Island, ON (Photo by Striking Balance)
Fresh water may seem like a ubiquitous substance to some of us, especially if we live near an abundance of it in the form of lakes, rivers and streams. When I take a stroll to my neighbourhood greenspace that has a small tributary running through...
NCC reports back from the first day of the Convention on Biological Diversity summit
Dawn Carr with blooming forsythia in Geneva, Switzerland (Photo by NCC)
After a long and restless flight from Montreal, I arrived in Geneva, Switzerland, late Sunday morning in advance of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) summit prior to COP15. With luggage in hand and my brain and body full of excitement,...
Celebrating women in conservation
Catherine Grenier, president and CEO of NCC (Photo by Geneviève Lesieur)
As I reflect on what International Women’s Day (March 8) means to me this year, I think about my own daily interactions and where my influence can make a positive impact in accelerating equality for all. I’ve been fortunate to have...
Getting bogged down
Megan Quinn leading the field team through the Alfred Bog (Photo by NCC)
It’s easy for me to get to most of the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC) properties in eastern Ontario. I load up the driving directions on my phone, and the GPS takes me right to the trailhead. I might have a strenuous hike when I...
Learning to love wetlands
Crossing bogs in Algonquin Park to study Canada jays (Photo by Sam Knight/NCC staff)
For a few years I looked forward to February because it was the start of the Canada jay research season at Algonquin Park and I assisted with the field work. At that time of year, we crossed frozen bogs to check up on the birds, yet the spring...
Getting my feet wet as a conservation intern
A field of tall grasses in Backus Woods. This area was where controlled burns were conducted in the previous year. (Photo by NCC)
Although I have only been working with Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) for a few months, my relationship with the organization goes back many years. My family have been NCC supporters for as long as I can remember. We attended Conservation...
Seeing hope and opportunity in 2022, naturally. My conservation resolution to protect nature in Canada
Belly River Ranch, AB (Photo by Brent Calver)
Across Canada, people have been ramping up their efforts to protect our planet. In 2021, Indigenous communities, donors, land owners and all levels of government came together with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to protect more than 200...
Take them to feel the forest: Winter sensory activities for kids
Snowshoeing in Parc de la Gatineau, QC (Photo by DJ)
I‘ve walked in the woods all my life, but it wasn't until I took young children with me that I noticed how fascinated they were with the variety of textures found in their surroundings. Kids can spend hours feeling, building, touching and...
A Canadian winter warrior
Snowy owl (Photo by Gregg McLachlan)
A few winters back, during the continued irruption of snowy owls into southern Ontario, I was lucky enough to come across a “snowy hot spot” just 25 minutes from my home in Guelph, Ontario. My husband and I have passed many Sundays...
Leave those leaves on the ground
Tuliptree leaf in fall (Photo by Bernt Solymar)
As a child, I heard somewhere that if you catch a leaf as it falls from a tree, it’s good luck. So, naturally, I spent most autumns staring up at the huge trees in the conservation area behind my house, waiting patiently for a leaf to dance...
