Le jour où je me suis mis à enlacer des arbres
MAXIMISER L’INTERACTION ENTRE L’HUMAIN ET LA NATURE EN ENLAÇANT UN ARBRE (PHOTO DE DAN KRAUS/CNC)
Je dois dire pour commencer que je suis un scientifique; je ne suis pas un hippie. Je ne fais pas brûler d’encens, n’utilise pas des pierres ou de cristaux pour la guérison et je ne porte pas de patchwork. Je conduis une...
I hugged a tree, and I liked it
Maximizing the human/tree interface by tree hugging (Photo by Dan Kraus/NCC staff)
I need to start out by saying that I'm a scientist. I'm not a hippie. I don't burn incense, own healing crystals or wear tie-dye. I drive a car, eat meat and enjoy reading things like updates to the income tax act. And, I'll openly admit I...
A tale of two hawks
Red-tailed hawk (Photo by Bill Hubick)
Each spring the hills of the Happy Valley Forest become the stage for a spectacular aerial ballet. They have a short run over the woods, but if you are lucky you may see the swooping, diving courtship display of red-shouldered hawks. If you miss...
Conversations in the forest: The roots of nature's equanimity
Misty Darkwoods forest, BC (Photo by Bruce Kirkby)
"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. If a man walks in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer. But if he spends his days as a speculator, shearing off those woods and...
British Columbia’s forest industry today
Orford Bay, BC (Photo courtesy of Interfor)
I grew up hiking and backpacking with my family in British Columbia’s woods. I chose to become a forester because of my inherent desire to take care of the natural environment; I wanted to contribute to the thoughtful management of our...
The woodpecker bubble
Red-headed woodpecker (Photo by D. Fast)
Protected forests are the kingdom of the cavity-dwellers. This is where woodlands grow to an old-growth state, and where dead, damaged or otherwise wonderfully flawed trees take their rightful place in woodland ecology. As a result, nature...
The elephant in the woods
Backus Woods, Ontario (Photo by NCC)
Settled Southern Ontario still has magical places where you can experience the grandeur of wild nature. Backus Woods, just north of Lake Erie’s Long Point, is such a place. This is where forest cycles play out largely as nature intended....
Historical ecology: Probing the mysteries of ancient landscapes
A sunny Garry oak savannah (Photo by Jenny McCune)
A challenge for humans in our attempts to manage ecosystems is that we’re often dealing with beings much longer lived than ourselves. For example, a Douglas-fir tree can live to be 800 years old or more. A century is a long time for a human,...
Why do forests matter? Our #mywildcanada Twitter chat asked you what you thought
Tamarack forest (Photo by NCC)
On September 24 we hosted a live Twitter chat on the theme of why forests matter and through the #MyWildCanada weekly hashtag. Here's what you told us when we asked you why towering trees, forest creatures, mossy ground and waving branches...
Why forests matter to Albertans
Conservation Volunteers at the HG Lawrence Property (Photo by NCC)
I grew up in Winnipeg. The areas surrounding the city are known for beautiful farmland and open skies that seem to go on forever. Anyone who has lived in the southern prairies has fond memories of staring at the sky while a storm rolled in, or...
