What five months in a cabin taught me about conservation
The view of the southern pond at Graham property (Photo by Alice Xiao/NCC staff)
I always wanted to live in a cabin in the woods, to be away from the city and experience life in the countryside. I imagined it to be like in the picture books of woodland animals: baking, sewing and drinking tea in cozy wood cabins, all with a...
A hidden paradise
Scarlet tanager seen during the 2023 Spring Song Bird Race (Photo by Jasmine Eagleden/NCC staff)
It all started at a young age; I have always had a passion for all aspects of nature. I would spend hours outdoors exploring and discovering the animals and insects around me. When I had to be indoors, I loved watching Animal Planet and the...
Prescribing nature: From passion to international recognition
Melissa speaking about Parks Prescription at the Canadian Medical Association Health Summit 2023 (Photo by Birinder Narang)
Memories and experiences in nature can sometimes evoke a profound sense of wonder that compels someone to share its benefits with others. For Dr. Melissa Lem, president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, encountering...
Unveiling the wonders of Pipestone Creek
Pipestone Creek Bioblitz (Photo by NCC)
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) recently partnered with landowners Clint and Jody Blyth to conduct a bioblitz at their Pipestone Creek conservation agreement property. A bioblitz is an event where NCC staff and volunteers come together to...
The two-way street between a thriving environment and happiness
People spending time in nature (Photo by Joe McFarlane/iStock)
In the Carleton University happiness lab, our biggest line of research explores the idea that environmental sustainability can come via a happy path through nature. This seems especially relevant in the last couple of years, as the COVID-19...
A home away from home
Gaff Point, NS (Photo by Andrew Herygers/NCC staff)
Growing up in Iran, a country with a vast and varying geography, I had little opportunity to explore and enjoy the outdoors. From the peaks of the snow-covered mountains to the hot sandy dunes, some of the world’s most beautiful natural...
Big Backyard BioBlitz: Your cell phone and curiosity can contribute to scientific research
Monarch butterfly (Photo by A. Dabydeen)
Until recently, I thought that "scientific research" was something only done in labs, hospitals and research institutes, by scientists with four different PhDs. Turns out that's not true! When it comes to monitoring biodiversity, community science...
Once you see it, you can’t unsee it
Northern clearwater crayfish (Photo by mahoonta, CC BY-NC 4.0)
As the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) Big Backyard BioBlitz approaches, I have been reflecting on the ways that getting to know the wild species around me has enriched my life. I’ve needed to be able to identify key...
What I’ve learned from noticing nature
Common eastern bumble bee on wild bergamot (Photo by Wendy Ho/NCC staff)
As a busy working parent of two young children, my hours and minutes seem to slip away at every turn of the corner, between parenting duties, work and general adulting. When everyone has turned in for the evening, I grasp at what’s left of...
A great island in a Great Lake
Batchewana Island, ON (Photo by Gary McGuffin)
Like so many residents of Sault Ste. Marie, Lake Superior cottagers and travellers on the Trans-Canada Highway, Batchewana Island floats on the horizon of my summertime memories. I remember childhood picnics with my grandparents at Batchawana Bay...
