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Keep your coffee mug covered: How spongy moths put a lid on my camping trip

A caterpillar crawling on my pants (Photo by Jensen Edwards/NCC staff)

A caterpillar crawling on my pants (Photo by Jensen Edwards/NCC staff)

As a west-coaster, I’ve come to relish the soothing splats of raindrops on my tent — so long as, of course, I am dry and warm inside. That sound, that damp smell that steams up from rainforest ferns, they awaken in me memories of...

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What's up with the very hungry caterpillars?

Each spongy moth caterpillar can eat one square metre of leaves in one season (Photo by Paul Prior, CC BY 4.0)

Each spongy moth caterpillar can eat one square metre of leaves in one season (Photo by Paul Prior, CC BY 4.0)

If you have young children in your life, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by the late and celebrated children’s author Eric Carle, is probably a familiar read and has been a fan favourite since 1969. This spring and summer though, there is...

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The truth about ticks

Adult deer tick (Photo by Scott Bauer/Wikimedia Commons)

Adult deer tick (Photo by Scott Bauer/Wikimedia Commons)

Ticks seem to be everywhere these days. They’re on the news, on your social media feed and maybe even on your skin. People, especially those in southern Canada, are dealing with blacklegged ticks (also called deer ticks) with increasing...

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The resiliency and significance of cedar

Eastern red cedar (Photo by Onel Guce, CC BY-NC 4.0)

Eastern red cedar (Photo by Onel Guce, CC BY-NC 4.0)

It seems like everywhere I go, I see cedar trees. This isn’t surprising, since Canada’s four species of cedar can be common where they occur. Growing up to 15 metres tall and representing some of the oldest trees in Canada, cedar...

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Whitebark pine research in the Darkwoods Conservation Area

The view from the top of Mt. McGregor capturing some of the remote and wild terrain within the Darkwoods Conservation Area. (Photo by Stephanie Jouvet)

The view from the top of Mt. McGregor capturing some of the remote and wild terrain within the Darkwoods Conservation Area. (Photo by Stephanie Jouvet)

The rugged beauty of the Purcell and Selkirk mountain ranges extend far into the distance, as I follow the calmness of Kootenay Lake from its northern reaches, south to where it fades into the marshlands of the Creston Valley Wildlife Management...

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Twelve spooky facts about Canadian bats

Townsend's big-eared bat (Photo by Brock Fenton)

Townsend's big-eared bat (Photo by Brock Fenton)

There are 18 known bat species in Canada. Although they are subjected to a spooky stigma around Halloween, they’re nothing to be afraid of. Here are 12 things you didn’t know about these not-so-scary mammals: 1. The snooze...

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Giants of the forest: My father's discovery of Ontario's tallest white spruce

White spruce bark (Photo by Rob Duval, Wikimedia Commons)

White spruce bark (Photo by Rob Duval, Wikimedia Commons)

When I was young we lived in Cochrane and Dad worked for the Department of Lands and Forests (now the Ministry of Natural Resources) as a forester. Around 1958 or 1959, he was cruising a lease for Abitibi somewhere in the Hudson’s Bay...

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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...

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Seeing Canada through the trees: How Canadians can lead the world in forest conservation

Whitemouth River Watershed Natural Area, MB (Photo by Mike Dembeck)

Whitemouth River Watershed Natural Area, MB (Photo by Mike Dembeck)

Forests define our Canadian geography and identity. One-third of our country is covered with trees, and forests occur in every province and territory. Jobs in forestry employ more than 200,000 Canadians and support many Indigenous and northern...

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Are you gonna go their way?

Trail tree in Tar Hallow State Forest, Ohio (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

Trail tree in Tar Hallow State Forest, Ohio (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

A walk through a forest can lead to wonderful adventures and new discoveries, both big and small. In most forests, it’s easy to get lost in the tree’s grandeur — figuratively and quite literally. While some of us may use a...

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