A win for nature: A community’s determination for conservation in the Upper Qu’Appelle Valley

Last Mountain Lake, SK (Photo by Bill Armstrong)
The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) newly acquired property in the Upper Qu’Appelle Valley — designated as Last Mountain Lake 1 — is relatively small compared to the other eight properties it manages in the...
Show me the spreadsheet: Unveiling the wonders of working landscapes

NCC Stewardship Coordinator, Casey Rempel, engaging with Aberdeen Pasture patrons during a field event. (Photo by Matthew Braun/NCC staff)
What crazy jobs we have. Did you think when you were a young student that shuffling numbers on a spreadsheet for a school project would be the key bit of experience you’d need for conservation? Yeah, me neither. Let me explain by going on a...
Gardening: Small choices make a big difference

Megachile (leafcutter, mortar, and resin) bee on swamp milkweed (Photo by Sarah Ludlow)
Well, it is that time of year again — when the hope of spring and warmer temperatures is edging ever closer, especially in my home province of Saskatchewan. It is also the time when I begin starting my seeds to plant in my garden this...
Sanderlings flock to Mackie Ranch

Sanderlings (Photo by Jason bantle)
For the last blog of my internship with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I chose to write about adorable birds that spend a lot of time in the sand: sanderlings. In fact, a flock of sanderlings is called a grain, which is a perfect name for...
Cave Pasture: A hoppy haven

Northern leopard frog (Photo by Sean Feagan/NCC staff)
As the 2023 communications and engagement intern with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in Saskatchewan, I get to showcase different species and conservation properties that NCC is taking care of. The Cave Pasture property is the most recent...
Champions of conservation: landowners’ commitment to nature

From left to right: Clint Blyth, Anja Sorensen (NCC staff) and Jody Blyth (Photo by Emily Schulte/NCC staff)
Landowners Clint and Jody Blyth made the 2023 Pipestone Creek Bioblitz (held on June 13) possible. It was a great opportunity for people to learn about conservation and the Blyths’ partnership with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). I...
Owl hands on deck: Efforts to conserve burrowing owls

Burrowing owl (Photo by Karol Dabbs)
As a communications and engagement intern with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in Saskatchewan, I have the opportunity to write and share stories about unique species and I thought writing about burrowing owls would be a hoot! It’s an...
The fun-sized swift fox

Swift fox (Photo by RJ Dudragne/ NCC staff)
My name is Emily, and I am the 2023 communications and engagement summer intern for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in Saskatchewan. As part of my job, I get to write stories for Land Lines, NCC’s blog. For my first assignment, I...
It’s a wall! It’s a fence! No, wait, it’s a conservation tool!

Wildlife friendly fence. You can see where the fence bisected a cattle trail, and will change how cattle move across that piece of land. (Photo by NCC)
There could be a joke that starts like this: a wildlife biologist and a rancher stand looking at a fence.... If you’re familiar with all the ways biologists and ranchers push and pull over what types of infrastructure developments are...
Recognition and Reconciliation: The pathway forward is Indigenous-led conservation

Sunset at Hay Bay, Ontario (Photo by Ethan Meleg)
Friday, September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day is intended to provide an opportunity for people to recognize and commemorate the legacy of residential schools. This day has also been observed as Orange Shirt Day since...