Intertidal life

An intertidal zone on Clayoquot Island (Photo by NCC)
Water flows through the fabric of West Coast culture. For those of us steeped in the maritime life, resisting the pull of the ocean is as futile as trying to still the tides. In my twenties, I experimented with living away from coastal British...
5 ways to get involved in conservation this Canadian Environment Week

Building bat boxes at Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area, SK (Photo by NCC)
Since 1971, Canadians have been celebrating the nation’s natural heritage and the strides made in environmental protection during Canadian Environment Week. The week-long observance also includes World Environment Day (June 5) and World...
The pine needle game

Play a game of Guess Who? with pine needles from four species (Painted by Mena Wallace)
Trees are a wonderous thing. Most of the time we barely notice them amid the scurry of our busy days, but every now and then you encounter a showstopper. I’m always on the lookout for a new tree to discover because species identification is...
Between two ears: How horse riding makes me a better conservation biologist

Spending time with Vegas is the best part of Megan's day (Photo by Megan Quinn/NCC staff)
There is no one single way to enjoy time in nature. Some people like to go on multi-day wilderness camping trips and fully immerse themselves in the forest, while others enjoy sitting under a tree and reading a book. A person’s connection to...
The dos and don’ts of birdwatching

Northern cardinal (Photo by NCC)
The creation of my high school’s birdwatching club sparked a passion in me that has lasted years following graduation. The excitement of seeing a new species for the first time was contagious and something I continue to seek, to this day. I...
When tiny things make your heart sing

Selfie of Logan and Breanna hiking in Waterton National Park, AB (Photo courtesy of Breanna Silversides)
In the winter of 2017, I saw an advertisement for the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) Conservation Internship Program. I was in the middle of law school and had planned to return to the summer job that I had worked at and loved...
5 bird species that stay for winter in Canada

Brown creeper (Photo by Mark Dennis, CC BY-NC 4.0)
Some bird species migrate south for winter, and some are year-round residents in Canada. Others migrate to southern Canada from northern forests or the Arctic and hang around until spring. Birdwatching is one of the easiest ways to enjoy nature,...
Beginner's guide to winter tree identification

White ash bud and twig (Photo by Quinten Wiergersma, CC BY 4.0)
Many trees are easier to identify without their leaves. When you’re out for a winter hike, it may seem that there aren’t many clues to identifying the trees around you. Because trees are sporting bare branches, you might think they...
Take them to feel the forest: Winter sensory activities for kids

Snowshoeing in Parc de la Gatineau, QC (Photo by DJ)
I‘ve walked in the woods all my life, but it wasn't until I took young children with me that I noticed how fascinated they were with the variety of textures found in their surroundings. Kids can spend hours feeling, building, touching and...
Yay! The ducks are back!

Mallards — male on the left, female on the right. (Photo by Pia Vahabi/NCC staff)
Here in Toronto, winter and waterfowl don’t necessarily sound like two things that should go together. But the truth is, while some birds (and people) escape Ontario’s cold winter to warmer climes, others migrate from the Arctic to...