Emblems of Canada: tree edition
Red maple (Photo by Jean Isaacs)
Trees have played a significant cultural role in the lives of many Canadians; they are engrained in our national identity. Take the Canadian flag, for instance. It features a single, prominent red maple leaf in the centre, which speaks to the...
An original poem: The Bluebirds Have Returned
Mountain bluebird (Photo by Leta Pezderic/ NCC staff)
Springtime is making its appearance across the country. Buds are starting to appear on bare branches, blades of grass turn green again and signs of critters abound. One feathered friend is particularly endearing, and a delight to welcome back: the...
Look for these first signs of spring across Canada
Red-winged blackbird (Photo by Bill Hubick)
With the springing forward of our clocks and the increased daylight, many Canadians are getting antsy for the arrival of spring. What can be more delightful than noticing the little signs that signal the arrival of a new season, such as the...
Forces for nature: Celebrating International Women’s Day (part three)
Morgan Higginson at Bohomolec Ranch fence removal event. (Photo by NCC)
In celebration of International Women’s Day (March 8), we are profiling a few Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) friendly female faces from across the country. These women contribute to our mission and our work in different ways. Morgan...
The race against rats: The most successful invasive species in the world
Brown rat (Photo by Dunpharlain, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Everyone has a rat story, except for, maybe, Albertans (the lucky ones); I’ll explain why in a bit. In Hong Kong, where I grew up, rats and mice were collectively called lo shu in Cantonese. The term was probably tossed around by parents to...
Ode to a nature commute – part 2, winter
Nearly frozen over Bow River with downtown Calgary in background. (Photo by Gayle Roodman/NCC staff)
This is part two of a four-part series on bike commuting through nature. Read part one – fall here. What kind of wingnut would bike commute in the dead of winter, you ask? Well, this one does, and I’ll tell you why. I find winter...
Just get out the door
Bluebird sky hike at -30 C. (Photo courtesy of Gayle Roodman/NCC staff)
Back in the day, I was a long-distance runner. When two knee surgeries forced me to finally hang up my Asics for good in 2005, I switched to cycling. And to fill in the gaps in my fitness regime, I threw in hiking, cross-country skiing or whatever...
Celebrating wetland conservation: NAWCA turns 30
Picturesque Cherry Meadows, BC (Photo by Carol Latter)
This month, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) turns 30. Passed on December 13, 1989, NAWCA is one of the most successful pieces of conservation legislation in U.S. history. Under the Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service...
My first de-fencing lesson
Conservation Volunteer removing wire (Photo by NCC)
As a self-proclaimed explorer, I believe that Canada’s biggest charm lies in its beautiful landscapes and vibrant natural expanses. Just two weeks after moving to Calgary from Mumbai, India, I was looking online for a way to experience the...
The magic of nature
Denise Harris with her granddaughter (Photo by NCC)
When I first started going to my neighbourhood park, I often saw disturbing human behaviour; some from children as young as three. In the "School of Life," where my field-testing on educating others about our waterfowl neighbours initially failed,...
