What is a legacy?
Threshing machine, a modern version of one that was used on the family farm back in the day (Photo by Ben Franske)
It wasn’t until I became a grandparent that I started pondering the question, “What is my legacy?” Separating the wheat from the chaff took a great deal of time and thought. It was while reviewing my past experiences that led me...
Natural legacy: Nature comes full circle at Quebec’s pointe Saint-Pierre
Pointe Saint-Pierre, QC (Photo by Mike Dembeck)
Standing on the shores of the Gaspé Peninsula, there is a certain serenity that washes over you like waves. Water from the Gulf of St. Lawrence gently crashes into the rocky sand by your feet, and a dense forest of white spruce and balsam...
Driving Miss Hazel
Hazel Bird Nature Reserve, ON (Photo by NCC)
Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) staff like to say that science drives our conservation work. This is true, but sometimes while following the science, we stumble into something unexpected and truly amazing. Let me explain. Back about 20 years...
Conservation is a labour of love
J. Bruce Falls, Richard Pough, Aird Lewis and David Fowle. First exploratory meeting for the Nature Conservancy of Canada, 1961 (NCC archives)
Valentine’s Day has become a time to celebrate the ones we love. But this year, I’m also thinking about those whose passion for natural areas has led to their long-time conservation of the places that Canadians love and enjoy. I was...
Engaging interns in building a legacy
Laura Rincon, former GIS intern for NCC's Atlantic region (Photo by NCC)
Across Canada, there is an abundance of natural areas, from endangered grasslands in Saskatchewan to the rare, lush Acadian forested region of the Maritimes. These natural areas sustain a diversity of wildlife and plant species. Here at the...
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...
Women in conservation: Marcella Zanella
Marcella at Waterton Park Front, AB (Photo by NCC)
In honour of International Women’s Day (March 8), we’re celebrating six female staff members at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) who are working to create a stronger future for Canada’s landscapes. Growing up in the...
Sustainability makes for great-fitting jeans
Atelier denim jacket made from repurposing the finest vintage materials. (Photo by Triarchy)
With the constant ins and outs of fashion, it’s no wonder that more and more of our discarded clothing is ending up in landfills. According to CBC News, about 85 per cent of clothing we throw out ends up in landfills, rather than...
Former TLC lands are in good hands
Talking Mountain Ranch, BC (Photo courtesy TLC)
Habitat conservation, simply put, is about protecting nature. But like most things worth doing, great conservation can be challenging and complex. In the fall of 2015, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) announced it had accepted...
Pricing the priceless: How the economics of natural capital can help us all better value nature
Walking through Emma Young forest, ON (Photo by Mike Dembeck)
Putting a price tag on nature is challenging. Some people don’t believe it can be done. Some people hate the idea of it. Most will have no idea what it means. But there are new and emerging approaches to help us put a price on the services...
