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...
What the knowledge of how trees communicate means for forest conservation
A shady Douglas-fir forest (Photo by Jenny McCune)
Japanese people are generally familiar with shinrin-yoku or forest bathing — the practice of being immersed in a forest. In Germany, the concept is referred to as Waldsehligkeit, a feeling of profound well-being that comes from being...
Grandparents in the natural world
Old-growth forest (Photo by NCC)
I often find similarity in the structure of human society and in nature's ecosystems. Reflecting on how our community is comprised of people from all walks and stages of life, I can’t help but think the same about forests. As Grandparents...
Nature-based solutions: a carbon approach
Misty Darkwoods forest, BC (Photo by Bruce Kirkby)
Many Canadians have been affected either directly or indirectly by some of the more serious effects of our rapidly changing climate. While different regions across the country experience these effects differently, urban and rural residents across...
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...
Plant persistence: Reflecting on the International Year of Plant Health
Graphic by Invasive Species Centre
Of all plants, trees fascinate me the most. I think of the California redwood, standing at enormous heights, resilient and impenetrable. I think of Madagascar’s baobab, evolving in isolation and its branches resembling roots. I think about...
Exploring the boreal forest with an interactive story map
Canada warbler (Photo by Gerald Deboer)
Imagine taking a flight across Canada’s vast and breathtaking boreal region, which stretches across approximately 60 per cent of the country. Now take a step back from this picture of grandeur to focus on the littlest bird residents flitting...
Way up in the trees
NCC staff carefully balancing their steps on the canopy boardwalk at Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve (Photo by NCC)
The Nature Conservancy of Canada's (NCC's) Ontario regional staff visited the Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve in October 2019 as part of a staff conference focused on shared learning and team building. And what better way to bond with...
Hugging trees
Anwar Knight and I hugging a black oak tree in High Park. (Photo courtesy of Anwar Knight)
I’m walking along a well-beaten dirt path in a favourite forest. The brilliant early fall sunshine streams through the leaves, which are gradually dimming from their vibrant summer green to hues of yellow, gold and the first tinges of red. A...
Ode to a nature commute – part 1, fall
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...
