The unloved bog
Grass pink in the bog at Escuminac, NB. (Photo by Claire Elliott)
Bogs are the unloved wetland. People like marshes because they’re full of ducks and frogs, and swamps can be fascinating for those who love alligators and turtles. But bogs are commonly viewed as swallowers of machinery and unwary hikers, or...
#HowToNature series: How to butterfly
Cranberry blue. (Photo by Claire Elliott/NCC intern)
Though August may be drawing to a close, butterfly season is not over yet. Many of Canada’s 200 plus species of butterflies remain active well into the fall. Below are some tips to take with you into the field next time you go out searching...
Surveying turtles at NCC's Silver River property
Conservation Volunteers installing fence posts at Turtle Beach (Photo by NCC)
The second week of August has been all about turtles for our team here in Nova Scotia! We had the opportunity to meet with Brad Toms, a researcher from the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute, at the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s...
Photographic evidence that an island is worth protecting
Josh Noseworthy taking a photo of Governor's Island, PEI. (Photo by Sean Landsman)
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), as I’m sure the readers of this blog already know, plays a crucial role in conservation efforts across Canada. Through hard work and determination, NCC keeps ecologically important lands in their...
Conservation Volunteers helping protect snapping turtle habitat in Nova Scotia
Snapping turtle (Photo by Ryan M. Bolton)
Imagine if you can a wide gravel beach overlooking a small, tranquil lake surrounded by rich forests. As the sun rises on the horizon, a turtle breaks the surface to survey the surrounding landscape. This snapping turtle has recently come out of...
NCC meets the Newfoundland Sportsman Outdoor Expo
NL Outdoor Expo booth (Photo by NCC)
When my coworker Megan and I were setting up our booth a few weekends ago at the Newfoundland Sportsman Outdoor Expo, it didn’t take long to realize that things were about to get "wild." We were surrounded by displays of coyotes, ducks and...
Connecting with nature: Early morning sun on water
Large-format camera lens (Photo by Wikimedia Commons, Image Gallery of the Agricultural Research Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture))
Early morning and water: two of my favourite photography elements... Come meet me me this weekend at the Halifax Saltscapes East Coast Expo. I'd love to chat about the Nature Conservancy of Canada, photography and opportunities to...
Lessons learned from the otter meme
Otter meme (Photo from Pinterest.com)
I have mixed feelings every time I see a river otter meme pop up on my Facebook feed. They are my favourite animal, and they are often very funny, and cute as anything, but as a wildlife biologist, I often wonder whether it impacts how people...
Lichen hotspot discovered on Prince Edward Island
North Enmore nature reserve, PEI (Photo by Troy McMullin)
In the fall of 2014 my colleague, Rachel Deloughery, and I travelled throughout Prince Edward Island in search of lichen. We visited 63 locations that had the potential of being good lichen habitat. Many of the areas were rich with lichens, but...
The majestic leatherback sea turtle
Propelling through the water on a relentless journey (Photo by Canadian Sea Turtle Network)
When most of us think of turtles, we think of the little painted turtles that can be seen bathing in the sun’s rays on a summer afternoon on the edge of a pond or lake. Many may not be aware that here in Nova Scotia we have a frequent...
