It’s nice to be on a little island: Reflections from the NCC 2015 Sandy Point cleanup
The shores of Sandy Point. (Photo by Kim Olson)
It’s nice to be on a little island. That was one sentiment shared by a Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) Conservation Volunteer at the annual Sandy Point cleanup; one that seemed to be shared by the dozen volunteers who joined that day. We...
Riverbank rescue!
Riverbank Rescue CV event in Crowsnest Pass, AB (Photo by Angela Luck)
The Crowsnest Pass holds a special place in my heart. Whether I’m overnight backpacking with my children to enjoy the serenity of Window Mountain Lake, bird watching in the Alison Creek area, peacefully kayaking around Crowsnest Lake or fly...
Lending nature a hand
Northern leopard frog (Photo by NCC)
If you are a nature lover like myself, you may be interested in participating in one of the many yearly activities organized by the Quebec branch of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). The activities are open to all — you do not need a...
Fence fighting at Fairy Hill
Fairy Hill, an NCC property in Saskatchewan. (Photo by Gail F. Chin)
I have been photographing in this area called Fairy Hill, which is a Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) property, for more than five years. Fairy Hill is 36 kilometres north of Regina on Highway 6. It is one of the most beautiful places in...
The Carden Alvar dragonfly count: An unforgettable learning experience
Volunteers searching for dragonflies at Carden Alvar, ON (Photo by Leanne Gauthier-Helmer)
There truly is an art to learning. I discovered this two years ago when, at the age of 35, I went back to college as a full-time student. I also learned that we all learn differently. I have watched, mystified, my husband and son both take...
Clarenceville Bog BioBlitz
Clarenceville bog BioBlitz (Photo by NCC)
When people asked what I was doing over the weekend, and I replied “Going to a bog,” the reactions ranged from puzzled faces to outright laughter. In the acoustic sense, the word “bog” isn’t particularly charming. And...
Bending Willow Creek: Meandering through Minesing
Volunteers at NCC's River Bends on the Mend CV event. (Photo by Miguel Hortiguela)
It was the summer of 1982 and I'd just finished my first of three years in the Fish and Wildlife Technology program at Sir Sandford Fleming College (since re-branded as Fleming College) in Lindsay, Ontario. I'd been offered a summer job with the...
Jasmine's day at the Carden Alvar Butterfly Count
Jasmine at the Carden Alvar Butterfly Count. (Photo by Mary Kennard)
My name is Jasmine and this summer I went to the Carden Alvar Annual Butterfly Count in Kirkfield, Ontario. I counted butterflies with my mom and Aunty Mary. I caught an eastern comma butterfly in my net. I caught three butterflies, my mom and...
Trail making at Fairy Hill
Volunteers carry sign posts to designated spot at Fairy Hill property for interpretive sign installation. (Photo by NCC)
I now have another reason to appreciate time spent hiking a trail after helping out at a Conservation Volunteers event at Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) Fairy Hill property this summer. I should clarify that NCC manages three...
Liberating the Happy Valley Forest from invaders
Happy Valley Forest, ON (Photo by Miguel Hortiguela)
It was a covert ground-assault by a small group of dedicated resisters, led by Thomas Unrau of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, on an invader to the perhaps not-so-Happy Valley. I'd signed up to participate in a valiant effort to thwart the...
