Stanley the stowaway
Stanely on a branch (Photo by Andrea Moreau)
It was past midnight, and I was just wrapping up my school work for the day when I saw it: a tiny brown lizard, only slightly larger than my thumb nail. The lizard was so small (and I was so tired) that I had to do a doubletake; but there it was,...
Understanding gratitude as a survival skill
NCC’s Black River Bog property, NS. (Photo by Jill Ramsay/NCC staff)
A naturalist and former mentor of mine once told me that gratitude was a survival skill. My initial interpretation took this to be a re-imagining of the various “stay positive” expressions we have all heard over the years. But he...
The two-way street between a thriving environment and happiness
People spending time in nature (Photo by Joe McFarlane/iStock)
In the Carleton University happiness lab, our biggest line of research explores the idea that environmental sustainability can come via a happy path through nature. This seems especially relevant in the last couple of years, as the COVID-19...
When it comes to wetland restoration and maximizing soil carbon storage, location matters
A day in the field at the Long Point Biosphere Reserve (Photo by Amanda Loder)
As appreciation from the public grows for the ecological and cultural values of wetlands, there is increasing demand to bring back those wetlands that have been converted or altered. Wetlands were once widespread across the temperate region of...
A home away from home
Gaff Point, NS (Photo by Andrew Herygers/NCC staff)
Growing up in Iran, a country with a vast and varying geography, I had little opportunity to explore and enjoy the outdoors. From the peaks of the snow-covered mountains to the hot sandy dunes, some of the world’s most beautiful natural...
Big Backyard BioBlitz: Your cell phone and curiosity can contribute to scientific research
Monarch butterfly (Photo by A. Dabydeen)
Until recently, I thought that "scientific research" was something only done in labs, hospitals and research institutes, by scientists with four different PhDs. Turns out that's not true! When it comes to monitoring biodiversity, community science...
Once you see it, you can’t unsee it
Northern clearwater crayfish (Photo by mahoonta, CC BY-NC 4.0)
As the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) Big Backyard BioBlitz approaches, I have been reflecting on the ways that getting to know the wild species around me has enriched my life. I’ve needed to be able to identify key...
Batchewana Island: Protecting paradise
The canoe on the beach, with Batchewana Island in the background. (Photo by Andrea J Moreau/NCC staff)
As a communications intern at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I’ve spent a lot of time looking at photos of the many beautiful properties managed by NCC, carefully selecting the right shot to be included in a blog post or newsletter....
What I’ve learned from noticing nature
Common eastern bumble bee on wild bergamot (Photo by Wendy Ho/NCC staff)
As a busy working parent of two young children, my hours and minutes seem to slip away at every turn of the corner, between parenting duties, work and general adulting. When everyone has turned in for the evening, I grasp at what’s left of...
Reboot at Shoe Lake: Counting piping plovers
Piping plover at Shoe Lake, SK (Photo by Bill Armstrong)
Revisiting a Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) project for a Conservation Volunteers (CV) event is always an interesting experience, for several reasons. It’s an opportunity to renew acquaintances with familiar NCC folk or meet new ones, to...
