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Twelve Mile Creek: Niagara’s last remaining cold-water habitat

View of lower pond and adjacent embankment crest at Lathrop Nature Preserve, ON (Photo by Noel Boucher/ NCC)

View of lower pond and adjacent embankment crest at Lathrop Nature Preserve, ON (Photo by Noel Boucher/ NCC)

In the urban landscape of Niagara, Ontario, lies a hidden gem: Twelve Mile Creek. This stream holds significant importance as the last remaining cold-water habitat in the region, serving as a critical lifeline for native species, including brook...

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From dead trees to a living creek

Volunteers and staff on the wing deflector. (Photo by Andrea Moreau/NCC staff)

Volunteers and staff on the wing deflector. (Photo by Andrea Moreau/NCC staff)

In the Minesing Wetlands, an internationally significant wetland just west of Barrie, dead coniferous trees are bringing new life to Willow Creek. This July, I got to see it for myself when I tagged along to a Conservation Volunteers event. Prior...

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A Canadian river story

La Chasse-galerie, 1906, by Henri Julien (Photo by Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec)

La Chasse-galerie, 1906, by Henri Julien (Photo by Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec)

Our rivers carry many responsibilities. For years, they have been pathways for communication, making connections and sharing traditions.Like any great journey, these rivers have stories. From coast to coast, myths and legends have been passed down...

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Intertidal life

An intertidal zone on Clayoquot Island (Photo by NCC)

An intertidal zone on Clayoquot Island (Photo by NCC)

Water flows through the fabric of West Coast culture. For those of us steeped in the maritime life, resisting the pull of the ocean is as futile as trying to still the tides. In my twenties, I experimented with living away from coastal British...

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5 ways to get involved in conservation this Canadian Environment Week

Building bat boxes at Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area, SK (Photo by NCC)

Building bat boxes at Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area, SK (Photo by NCC)

Since 1971, Canadians have been celebrating the nation’s natural heritage and the strides made in environmental protection during Canadian Environment Week. The week-long observance also includes World Environment Day (June 5) and World...

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10 facts about fresh water in Canada

Vidal Bay, Manitoulin Island, ON (Photo by Striking Balance)

Vidal Bay, Manitoulin Island, ON (Photo by Striking Balance)

Fresh water may seem like a ubiquitous substance to some of us, especially if we live near an abundance of it in the form of lakes, rivers and streams. When I take a stroll to my neighbourhood greenspace that has a small tributary running through...

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Diving into winter hibernation

Northern map turtle (Photo by D. Gordon and E. Robertson)

Northern map turtle (Photo by D. Gordon and E. Robertson)

It’s official: winter has made its way across Canada, and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Humans layer up to brave the cold, and migratory birds make their way to warmer climates, but turtles have their own way of toughing out the...

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Yay! The ducks are back!

Mallards — male on the left, female on the right. (Photo by Pia Vahabi/NCC staff)

Mallards — male on the left, female on the right. (Photo by Pia Vahabi/NCC staff)

Here in Toronto, winter and waterfowl don’t necessarily sound like two things that should go together. But the truth is, while some birds (and people) escape Ontario’s cold winter to warmer climes, others migrate from the Arctic to...

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What we know about lake-safe sunscreen

Shoreline of a lake (Photo by Salome Guruli via Unsplash)

Shoreline of a lake (Photo by Salome Guruli via Unsplash)

I always felt very lucky that I didn’t inherit my mother’s propensity to sunburn. I wore sunscreen constantly as a child because I was afraid I’d turn crispy from mere moments in the sun. To this day, I always wear sunscreen on...

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The magic of seaweed

Kelp forest (Photo by Robert Schwemmer/NOAA via Wikimedia Commons)

Kelp forest (Photo by Robert Schwemmer/NOAA via Wikimedia Commons)

Along the Pacific Northwest, there are over 640 different species of seaweed. They come in many different shapes and sizes. However, they’re commonly grouped into three colours: brown, green and red. While these different species of seaweeds...

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