When seeing it isn’t enough
Milk River Basin Natural Area, SK (Photo by NCC)
Photos can evoke emotion and connection. This is definitely the case with Canada’s natural landscapes. Think of some of the nature photos you’ve seen that make you pause: beautiful mountain vistas, crystal clear lakes, old-growth...
Bring on the alternative lawns!
A cottontail among a red clover and black medic clover patch (Photo by Mike Dembeck)
Weeds: What are they? Unwanted, non-traditional turf? But what if there was something more to all those pesky patches of plants? For some, there’s nothing more satisfying than a healthy lawn full of lush, green grass. For others, like...
Ain’t no mountain high enough
Hikers in Happy Valley Forest, ON (Photo by NCC)
So, you’re the master of hiking up hills in the Greater Toronto Area, are you? You take the stairs over the escalator at the shopping mall. You’ve conquered the stair climber at your local gym. Perhaps you’ve even climbed the CN...
A thank you letter to NCC
Leigh Gustafson (Photo by Brendan Kelly Photography)
For as long as I can remember, I have loved animals. I used to spend my spare time sprawled in the grass with a pencil in hand, drawing pictures of my favourite animals from my Dad’s Mammals of North America atlas. I incessantly dreamed of...
Saving the bees: Plants to help our buzzing buddies
American bumble bee (Photo by K.S. Gardener/iNaturalist)
Humans have a very delicate relationship with bees. Despite their importance, many of us fail to understand just how much bees impact our daily lives — and how much we’re putting them at risk. Canada has over 850 native bee species,...
The land is our identity
Treaty 4 territory, Qu'Appelle Valley, SK (Photo by Dane Roy)
Indigenous Peoples have lived on, cared for and maintained relations with the land we now call Canada for thousands of years. Their relationship with the land isn’t just one of sustenance and livelihood; it also encompasses a deep sense of...
Heard it from a Scout: Light a campfire like a Scout
Toronto Island campfire (Photo by Scouts Canada)
Whether you are going on an easy day hike or a week-long backpacking adventure, being able to build a fire is an important survival skill. While you may plan to bring a lighter or matches, it’s always best to be prepared with fire-starting...
Support local biodiversity by avoiding invasive plants in your garden
Winged euonymus (Photo by John Ruter/University of Georgia/Bugwood.org)
With gardening season upon us, the warm weather brings hope that your favourite plot of soil will be better than it was last year. At the Invasive Species Centre, we have one request as you mull over your garden plans for 2019: please avoid the...
Paddling through the “Everglades of the North”
Kayaking through the canopy in the Minesing Wetlands, ON (Photo by NCC)
It’s a foggy spring morning, quiet and still, not a whisper of wind in the air, and you’re paddling through a forest of silver maple, hackberry and bur oak trees. The canopy above is perfectly reflected in the glass-like water, which...
Heard it from a Scout: The pleasures and perils of portaging
Portaging will take your canoe and camping adventures to the next level and help you explore nature’s hidden gems. (Photo by Scouts Canada)
Portaging is like going to the gym; you don’t always want to go, but you feel proud of yourself after working out. Portaging (carrying a boat over land, between bodies of water) is a fun activity that will take your canoe and camping...
