Cave diving in the Ottawa River, Canada
Dressed and ready to enter the water - note the yellow loggers on my right. (Photo by Cheryl Buzzacott)
Before coming to Canada I contacted renowned Canadian cave diver David Sawatzky, whom I knew had mapped these caves in the 1990s before moving to Nova Scotia. David kindly sent me his detailed map and some background information, including that...
Bending Willow Creek: Meandering through Minesing
Volunteers at NCC's River Bends on the Mend CV event. (Photo by Miguel Hortiguela)
It was the summer of 1982 and I'd just finished my first of three years in the Fish and Wildlife Technology program at Sir Sandford Fleming College (since re-branded as Fleming College) in Lindsay, Ontario. I'd been offered a summer job with the...
#HowToNature series: How to canoe
Jennifer McCarter canoeing on the Grand River (Photo by Gabhan Chalmers).
Canoeing is a quintessentially Canadian way to travel and experience the landscape (indeed, it was the primary mode of transportation and trade for the First Nations and early European settlers in North America). There’s nothing like being...
Lasting memories
Sailboat, Key West (Photo by Eric Salard/Wikimedia Commons)
I’m not sure why Celine Daoust’s journey across Canada resonated with me so deeply, but I can’t shake her story. I love the water, and being in Calgary for my entire life has cut down on the time I could spend on it. To be honest...
The nature of creativity
Lake Superior shoreline (Photo by Cara Copeland/NCC staff)
Growing up in northern Ontario, I was fortunate to have regular exposure to the outdoors. Every summer we camped in provincial parks and visited my grandparents' cottages. Even so, when my parents decided to purchase a piece of land on Pancake...
Water world
In the spring of 2015, Canadian Voyageurs will cross the country by canoe (Photo by Canadian Voyageurs)
Water: the giver of life. Water is essential to all living things. Almost three quarters of the Earth is covered by water (70 per cent). Yet less than three per cent of all water on Earth is fresh water and more than two thirds of that small...
Volunteers dig in to help improve riparian habitat
NCC conservation staff and volunteers assess the planting work at Waldron Ranch. (Photo by Kyle Meller)
I was in eighth grade when I first learned about riparian zones and the important role these terrestrial ecosystems play in the conservation of freshwater systems. Little did I know, years later, I would be helping to lead groups of volunteers in...
Water: A treasure worth protecting
Paddling in Lake Ontario (Photo by Michael Paskewitz)
Having seen the poor quality of water that’s available in some parts of the world and hearing stories of droughts in the other parts, I’ve realized that as Canadians we should be thankful for the abundance of fresh and potable water...
Water: A gathering place
Exploring Banff with some good friends (Photo by Jamila Jones)
I have always lived down the street from bodies of water. From the ravine behind my house, where I used to splash around as a kid, to Lake Ontario, where I would meet up with friends for walks and go for bike rides with my dad along the pier. Most...
Water: A place for wonders
Lake Ontario, view from Oakville (Photo by NCC)
Here are some images of water taken from some of my favourite places in the world. The first is the view of Lake Ontario taken from my hometown in southern Ontario. When we were kids, my dad used to take my sisters and I to the lake to feed the...
