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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...
