A personal prairie legacy: The Tim K. Hodgson Prairie Stewardship Challenge Fund
Tim Hodgson at Horseshoe Dam (Photo courtesy of Tim Hodgson)
Caring for land is personal. Over 10 years ago, I realized native wildlife habitat conservation was the most meaningful thing to which I could contribute my energy, expertise and time. It was 2003, and I was re-evaluating what I was achieving in...
Land lines on Old Man on his Back
Evening sky at Old Man on His Back Ranch, SK (Photo by Branimir Gjetvaj)
I was walking with fellow volunteers and Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) staff members when someone — I can’t remember who — shouted, “car!” It was an inspired bit of irony, because while my mind was immediately...
The perfection of the morning at Old Man on His Back
Kailey Setter visits Old Man on his Back, Saskatchewan (Photo by NCC)
There is a peace that finds you on the open prairie. In that vast openness, worry and stress diffuse into the air around you, and your body regains equilibrium. On this unexpectedly wild landscape filled with native grasses and endless sky, there...
An ideal spot for bird viewing
American avocet (Photo by NCC)
The Chaplin-Old Wives-Reed Lake area in southwestern Saskatchewan has always been my ideal location for bird viewing, and especially for shorebirds — my favourite group of birds to watch! Abundant American avocets, sanderlings, sandpipers,...
Shrub planting party in the Qu’Appelle Valley
Shrub planting party at Echo Creek (Photo by Shirley Greg)
This June volunteers, including SaskEnergy and Farm Credit Canada employees, helped to stabilize Echo Creek. Echo Creek is placed within the Lower Qu’Appelle Watershed, which has been heavily altered. Due to these alterations, larger volumes...
What I love about Canada
Bison at Old Man On His Back, SK (Photo by Gail Chin)
Summer road trips were an essential part of my childhood growing up, and they’ve been part of my own family’s summers. They’re a chance for me to turn off the computer, step away from the office and spend time reconnecting with...
Up close and personal with a green heron
Green-backed heron (Photo by Keith Barr)
On May 07, 2014 I noticed a report on the Saskbirds website (a Yahoo discussion forum about the natural history of Saskatchewan's birds) of a green heron sighting at Dunnet Park near Avonlea, Saskatchewan. Two friends of mine went out to see the...
For the love of prairies: celebrating Native Prairie Appreciation Week
Missouri Coteau, Saskatchewan (Photo by Branimir Gjetvaj)
Uncultivated, wild prairie wool has a certain beauty and grace about it, and somehow also a sense of timelessness. Prairie landscapes are dynamic and always changing in subtle ways, yet remain unchanged in many other ways. There is an estimated...
Heterogeneity in grassland conservation? These university students say yes!
Buffalo Valley, SK (Photo by NCC)
Should heterogeneity be a new buzzword in grassland conservation? OK, maybe it’s not the easiest word to say or remember but according to ongoing research, the answer is a resounding, "Yes." During the winter of 2014, students in a...
A nature treasure hunt: Keeping an eye out on the Asquith North properties
Jody Bush at Asquith North, SK (Photo by NCC)
About a year ago I came across a Facebook post about volunteering with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) as a property steward. My partner, John, and I are always looking for excuses to get out of the city and explore nature so this program...
