Trials and tribulations of native plant gardening
Oblique streaktail on my wild nodding onion plant (Photo by Wendy Ho/NCC staff)
A few years ago when my Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) colleague Jaimee was still residing in Alberta, we had a fun email exchange on the topic of native plant gardening. She has since moved to Nova Scotia, where she has a new array of native...
Gaining a new perspective: Learning about Two-Eyed Seeing on a Medicine Trail walk
On Wednesday, June 22, the day after National Indigenous Peoples Day, a team of interpreters from the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) Johnson’s Mills Shorebird and Interpretive Centre headed to the Fort Folly First Nation...
A day in the life of a field biologist
There are numerous findings in the world of science, and conservation biology specifically, that would not be possible without field work. As part of my conservation internship with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I have been given the...
Moths: Amazing, beautiful, important and in need of study
Wood nymph moth (Photo by NCC)
Moths are amazing creatures that are only beginning to receive attention from naturalists. Many people have difficulties determining the difference between moths and butterflies. They can be similar looking, as they both have scales that cover...
A glimpse into the lives of outdoor cats
Ever wonder what your cat is thinking? (Photo by Pixabay)
Have you ever wondered what your cat is doing and where it’s going when it’s outside? For my master’s research at the University of Guelph, I joined a team seeking to answer these questions using custom-built cameras. These...
Celebrating Indigenous-led conservation at NCC — today and every day
Waves crash on the northwestern Lake Superior Coast, Ontario (Photo by John Anderson)
The dynamics of conservation in Canada are changing. Today, Indigenous Peoples are increasingly being heard and recognized as conservation decision-makers and stewards of the land. At the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), we welcome and support...
The buzz about bumble bees
Western bumble bee (Photo by sydcannings, CC BY-NC 4.0)
The western bumble bee is a medium-sized (measuring one to two centimetres in length) bumble bee, with a band of yellow hair across its thorax (the area between its head and abdomen), in line with the base of its wings. It also most often has a...
A Canadian river story
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...
Planting trees for a greener planet
Conservation Volunteer planting a tree in Happy Valley Forest, ON (Photo by Mimi Chan)
I recall in the 1990s when a news crew came to my school to film us — a bunch of 10-year-olds — planting trees in the perimeter of our playground for Earth Day. It was a novel experience, as a new immigrant to Canada from a concrete...
Intertidal life
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...
