facebook

Leave those leaves on the ground

Tuliptree leaf in fall (Photo by Bernt Solymar)

Tuliptree leaf in fall (Photo by Bernt Solymar)

As a child, I heard somewhere that if you catch a leaf as it falls from a tree, it’s good luck. So, naturally, I spent most autumns staring up at the huge trees in the conservation area behind my house, waiting patiently for a leaf to dance...

Continue Reading »

Nova Scotia through the seasons

Victoria Park, Truro (Photo by Brittany Foster)

Victoria Park, Truro (Photo by Brittany Foster)

Living on the southern coast of mainland Nova Scotia, I have the opportunity to experience each season in all of its natural glory. Winter, spring, summer and fall have their own unique sights, smells and sounds. They are marked distinctions in...

Continue Reading »

Heard it from a Scout: 5 ways to reuse your Halloween pumpkin

Jack-o-lanterns (Photo from Creative Commons)

Jack-o-lanterns (Photo from Creative Commons)

During the Halloween season, a staggering number of pumpkins become jack-o-lanterns on October 31. But by the next morning, we're left wondering how to reuse them. From recipes to candles, here are five creative ways to find a second use for your...

Continue Reading »

5 ways to celebrate a physically distanced Thanksgiving

A fall-themed pumpkin display (Photo by Anna Tukhfatullina, Pexels)

A fall-themed pumpkin display (Photo by Anna Tukhfatullina, Pexels)

The global pandemic has undoubtedly changed the ways we go about our everyday activities, especially how to interact with family and friends. These unusual times call for creative tweaks to how we celebrate the special days, like Thanksgiving....

Continue Reading »

True colours: The science of fall colours

Riding Mountain, MB (Photo by Cathy Shaluk)

Riding Mountain, MB (Photo by Cathy Shaluk)

Canada’s forests are home to many colourful characters. Throughout the year you’ll see vibrant wildflowers, decorated songbirds and gaudily painted insects and fungi. Each has its moment of glory in the annual forest parade. But the...

Continue Reading »

A little help from my friends: How fallen leaves support biodiversity and climate

Leaf litter (Photo by Kaboompics.com via Pexels/Canva)

Leaf litter (Photo by Kaboompics.com via Pexels/Canva)

What’s your favourite part of autumn? Is it carving pumpkins for Halloween or going for long walks in the crisp air? Perhaps it’s spending time with loved ones over a hearty meal. But the main hallmark of autumn is the dramatic...

Continue Reading »

Ode to a nature commute – part 1, fall

Early fall along the Bow River (Photo by Gayle Roodman/NCC staff)

Early fall along the Bow River (Photo by Gayle Roodman/NCC staff)

Living in a city of a million people means noise, traffic, concrete and a need to go, go, go, right? What if I told you it also means immersing yourself in urban nature? The mighty Bow River flows through Calgary, and city planners had their...

Continue Reading »

Something’s Fishy: Back to school

Black crappie (Photo by Eric Engbretson, USFWS)

Black crappie (Photo by Eric Engbretson, USFWS)

September is a time for new beginnings. For many across Canada, a new school year has begun. Some may have just started post-secondary school, thousands of kilometres from their parents, while others might be attending school for the very first...

Continue Reading »

Get your shinrin-yoku on this fall

Bunchberry Meadows Conservation Area, AB (Photo by Kyle Marquardt)

Bunchberry Meadows Conservation Area, AB (Photo by Kyle Marquardt)

The first time I heard about shinrin-yoku, I was stuck in westbound traffic along Highway 401. The radio was tuned to CBC, where the content discussed on the morning show usually offers a reprieve from whatever lies ahead on the commuter-packed...

Continue Reading »

Facing Goliath: My fight with the forest

The forest in a conservation area near my home. (Photo by Raechel Bonomo/NCC staff)

The forest in a conservation area near my home. (Photo by Raechel Bonomo/NCC staff)

It was a brisk, fall morning in late September. I remember waking up and hoping that the reported rain for the previous night had held off. As the sun streamed through my bedroom window, my inner plea had been answered when I saw a dry road...

Continue Reading »

Items 1 - 10 of 22  123Next