How a fragmented forest helps a flying fish
Redside dace (Photo by K. Schmidt)
The tall trees in the MacMillan Nature Reserve stand like an island of green within the urban matrix of Vaughan, Ontario. Sprawling and sparkling new subdivisions splash up against three sides of this natural area; a five-lane roadway borders the...
Dip your toes into World Water Day
Walking on the Barrens in NS (Photo by NCC)
Water is one of the most essential elements on our planet. Almost nine per cent, or 891,163 square kilometres, of Canada's total area is covered by fresh water. Our country's portion of the Great Lakes alone makes up nearly 10 per cent of the...
Something's Fishy: An impending invader
Northern snakehead (Photo by National Aquarium, Washington, DC)
I have an inherent fear of the dark. I’m not ashamed to admit that, without the company of my snoring pug, Molly, taking up half of my bed, I need to sleep with the light on. It’s not so much the darkness that scares me; it’s the...
Why Canada matters on World Wetlands Day
Wetlands in the Marion Creek Benchlands, British Columbia (Photo by Tim Ennis/NCC)
While other nations have picked wetland wildlife, such as Finland’s whooper swan or Pakistan’s Indus crocodile, to represent their country, Canada is the only country in the world that has selected a wetland engineer as its national...
Something's Fishy: Somewhere over the rainbow
The Rainbow Fish (Illustration by Marcus Pfister)
It’s no surprise that my favourite childhood book to cuddle up with my mom to read before bed was The Rainbow Fish, by Swiss author and illustrator Marcus Pfister. After my mom tucked me in, I would close my eyes and dream of swimming...
An ode to whale (Part Two)
Blue whale (Illustration by Denise Wong)
morning! /he takes in the salt /retiring to depth / (Inspired by Eden Killer Whale Museum) Facts: Baleen, also known as whalebone, is not bone. Baleen is the bristly drapery that lines the mouth of a dozen species of whales, including the...
Something's Fishy: A feast for fish
Illustration by Frits Ahledfedt
My favourite holiday memory is learning to make mashed potatoes in my grandma’s kitchen, her hand gently clasping mine as I firmly squished down into a large yellow bowl using an old wooden-handled masher. I recall the way she recited the...
Keeping Kettle Island out of hot water
Volunteers clear debris from Kettle Island (Photo by NCC)
On a sunny Saturday morning in early fall this year, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) team prepared to meet 20 or so members of the community from the Ottawa River Valley area, who all had one thing in common: they all cared deeply about the...
Something's Fishy: Colder waters
Bull Trout in Cultus Creek, Darkwoods, British Columbia (Photo by Bruce Kirkby)
Snow and colder temperatures are synonymous when it comes to talking about Canada. Whether they’re a fan of the fluffy white stuff or they’d rather snuggle up with a hot cup of cocoa, Canadians across the Great White North have adapted...
An ode to whale (Part One)
Sperm whales (Illustration by Elena O'Neill)
royalty’s fish / radiating into the night / to fathoms and float / (Inspired by Moby Dick) Facts: I’ve been reading Herman Melville’s Moby Dick during my lunches. Needless to say, this book is markedly different from my...
