Do you get enough Vitamin N?
Father and child by the lake (Photo by Laubenstein Karen, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Wikimedia Commons)
You find yourself breathing more deeply, taking in the sharp scent of pine and the sweet mustiness of leaves returning to dust on the forest floor beneath your feet. For a moment, the quiet is broken only by birdsong — the notes that...
5 tips on how to enjoy winter if you’re not a winter person
Pug wrapped up in a blanket — how I feel about winter. (Photo by Unsplash, Matthew Henry)
Have you ever seen the commercials where people frolic about in the snow or cross-country ski in the woods, and thought, “Canadian winter is great, but I’m more comfy on my couch”? I have, and I don’t think I’m alone...
How spending time in nature benefits your baby’s gut health
Sleeping infant (Photo by Daisy Laparra from Pexels)
Being close to nature has motivated my life choices — where I live and how I spend my free time. In these times of COVID-19, where I work is now where I live, and I am lucky to live on a ravine in one of Edmonton’s natural areas, as...
Backpack Essentials: Don’t let the ticks bite!
Backpack Essentials (Image by NCC)
This blog post is part of the Backpack Essentials series, a series that explores the items that Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) staff carry with them when heading outside. It is inspired by the quarterly Nature Conservancy of Canada Magazine...
Get cookin' with NCC this summer
Atlantic salmon with creamy pesto zoodles (Photo by NCC)
In my opinion, nature is the single greatest provider that we, as humans, have. Nature gives us the opportunity to explore beautiful and unique landscapes, and there’s so much inspiration to be found in the forest or on the water. Since...
Where the river stops: Why habitat connectivity is critical for healthy fish populations across Canada
Spawning Chinook salmon (Photo by Fish On in the Yukon)
Before you read any further, stop and think about a fish migrating up a river. Chances are that fish is a salmon and that river is in BC. There’s good reason that salmon in BC have come to symbolize fish migration. The return of millions of...
This holiday, take time to enjoy the winter wonderland
Winter hiking on the Niagara Escarpment (photo by Al Thompson)
With winter storms battering the country from coast to coast and the mercury dropping, it's easy to want to huddle inside by the fireplace. But most of us find that we're happier when we get outside. For my husband and me, some of our happiest...
The clock is counting down: It’s time to have a tick talk
Adult deer tick (Photo by Scott Bauer/Wikimedia Commons)
Whenever I hike with my non-naturalist friends, I give them the usual safety spiel: wear long sleeves and long pants, stay hydrated, watch for poison ivy and nettles, and bring along some bug spray. But, as of late, I find myself adding a fifth...
Get your shinrin-yoku on this fall
Bunchberry Meadows Conservation Area, AB (Photo by Kyle Marquardt)
The first time I heard about shinrin-yoku, I was stuck in westbound traffic along Highway 401. The radio was tuned to CBC, where the content discussed on the morning show usually offers a reprieve from whatever lies ahead on the commuter-packed...
Hummingbirds: The forgotten pollinator when it comes to pesticides
Female rufous hummingbird (Photo by Jennifer Kepler CC BY-NC)
When life is leaping forth in its freshest tender green and shrubs are casting their best wine-rich blooms of colour, there comes a humming. Not just from the song of spring rising in the world, but from wing beats — 52 to 62 per...
