One million steps: A hike to honour the legacy of conservation (Part one)
Rockway Conservation Area, a conservation area that NCC helped the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority protect in the 1970s. (Photo by Chris Knaggs)
I’ve been working at my dream job at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) for 15 years. In addition to the deep satisfaction of lasting conservation impacts, NCC is also a great place to work. One of the opportunities NCC provides is that...
Your winter getaway is a lot closer than you may think
Ancient cottonwoods (Photo by Steve Ogle)
Who says you can only enjoy nature when the snow has melted? There’s nothing like breathing in the crisp, fresh air on a winter nature hike as you take in the sights and sounds of wildlife around you while braving the cold. I love hearing...
A Nature Destination with a big view: Maddox Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador
Iceberg off of Maddox Cove, NL (Photo by Ronald Stone/Stone Island Photography)
I’m going to be honest, I’m not a bushwhacker at heart. I’ve done field work for more than a decade, including coring trees, assembling plant inventories and digging soil pits in all types of forests, all over Atlantic Canada....
Heard it from a Scout: Why nature is good for the brain
Nature can present some exciting challenges, such as canoeing through some white-water rapids! (Photo by Edward Tse)
Many of us have busy lives and hectic schedules. Whether it’s responsibilities at work, school or home, we often spend too much time indoors. Compared to lifestyles of the past, modern urban life often doesn’t provide us with the many...
Staying fit while exploring nature
Hiking along Horseshoe Canyon, AB (Photo by Brett Gilmour)
When I was applying for jobs, I focused on positions that would get me outside and that were in the conservation field. During my job hunt, I applied for a position with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) as a summer conservation technician,...
Heard it from a Scout: Exploring Alberta trails
Scout troop hiking along trail in a forest (Photo courtesy Scouts Canada)
There are many trails in Alberta to explore in a variety ways, including hiking, biking, cross-country skiing and much more. Trails are in national parks, open-to-the-public conservation areas and all around us. While there are probably hundreds,...
Hidden gems in the Darkwoods
Devil's Hole Lake (Photo by John Anonby)
In the Nelson Range of the southern Selkirk Mountains in eastern British Columbia lies a large area of great natural variety and beauty, much of which has been set aside to protect and manage its ancient forests and habitat for rare caribou herds...
Finding peace in nature
Walking through a BC forest dripping with witch's hair lichen (Photo by NCC)
Do you ever just wake up in a bad mood? Or something, or someone, has you unsettled? Sometimes the best way to clear your mood, and silence those “mice talking to each other in your head” (as my brother-in-law puts it), is to go for a...
My winter hike at Big Valley
Looking out over Big Valley, SK. (Photo by Bill Armstrong)
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has a knack for giving their properties memorable names. On a (relatively) mild February day, I set out to get acquainted with Big Valley, north of Regina, at the southwestern edge of Last Mountain Lake in...
Heard it from a Scout: Hiking tips for rookies
Hiking in the Swiss Alps (Photo courtesy Scouts Canada)
The worst mistake I ever made while hiking was unintentionally stepping on a fresh cow patty. I would have been less embarrassed if it hadn’t happened while leading a group of giggly international Scouts. At the time, I was guiding in the...
