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It may be your backyard, your balcony or the local park where you delight in spotting butterflies or birds. Maybe it’s your favourite hiking trail, or a cherished memory from the cabin on the lake. It could even be a place you dream of visiting that perfectly captures your image of Canada’s spectacular natural heritage… Your Nature Canada is unique — different than anyone else’s — but together, we all agree to stand up and take action to protect our Nature Canada. Wherever or whatever it may be. Since 1939, we at Nature Canada have been Canada’s voice for nature. Together, we protect wildlife and conserve wild places across the country, and inspire Canadians to understand, love and… read more →

Each week we introduce a new bird from the Ottawa-Gatineau area through our segment on CBC Radio’s In Town and Out. Alex MacDonald, Nature Canada’s Manager of Protected Areas, shares interesting facts about the birds that live in our communities. Be sure to tune-in to “Bird Tweet of the Week” on CBC Radio One 91.5 FM on Saturday mornings from 6am to 9am and listen to past episodes on our website. This episode aired on Saturday December 13, 2014

Each week we introduce a new bird from the Ottawa-Gatineau area through our segment on CBC Radio’s In Town and Out. Alex MacDonald, Nature Canada’s Manager of Protected Areas, shares interesting facts about the birds that live in our communities. Be sure to tune-in to “Bird Tweet of the Week” on CBC Radio One 91.5 FM on Saturday mornings from 6am to 9am and listen to past episodes on our website. This episode aired on Saturday December 20, 2014

The Herring Gull is the quintessential “seagull” of northeastern North America. We typically associate this species with the seacoast, but it actually breeds across much of the country, including along the Ottawa River and on large inland lakes across the boreal forest. Each week we introduce a new bird from the Ottawa-Gatineau area through our segment on CBC Radio’s In Town and Out. Alex MacDonald, Nature Canada’s Manager of Protected Areas, shares interesting facts about the birds that live in our communities. Be sure to tune-in to “Bird Tweet of the Week” on CBC Radio One 91.5 FM on Saturday mornings from 6am to 9am and listen to past episodes… read more →

 This is a guest post from Stephen Hazell, Director of C onservation & General Counsel       Was the Environmental Review Tribunal’s decision to reject the nine-turbine Ostrander wind development project in eastern Ontario based on the evidence of harm to the threatened Blanding’s turtle reasonable? This is a key issue that the Ontario Court of Appeal addressed in hearings on December 8 and 9 reviewing a Divisional Court decision that overturned the Tribunal’s decision. Nature Canada decided to intervene in this appeal because this project would be located in a key wetland complex along the shores of eastern Lake Ontario that is home to numerous species at risk,… read more →

Our very own Stephen Hazell, MSc LLB., donned his court robes and intervened on behalf of Nature Canada, in support of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists at a hearing in the highest court in Ontario on December 8. This hearing is the third in a battle between a small group of retired old ladies that are the driving force of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists, backed by most of the county and Canada’s naturalist community, versus Gilead Corporation, a wind energy developer and the Ontario government’s Ministry of the Environment. The nine turbine project is proposed on Crown land in the centre of the globally significant Prince Edward… read more →

This blog post was written by Pamela Tourigny, who manages terra20’s corporate communications and community outreach. terra20 is Canada’s retail destination for healthier, more sustainable consumer products. She is among Nature Canada’s Women For Nature.  Pamela also blogs about mindful living at www.themindfulmavens.com.  There are few groups of people more conscious of preserving their personal health and the health of our physical environment than outdoor enthusiasts. If you’re seeking holiday gifts that will satisfy both their love of the outdoors and environmental sensitivities, you will find a variety of options at Ottawa retailer terra20; from Canadian-made body and beauty products, to upcycled toys and apparel, to one-of-a-kind reclaimed cutting boards and serving platters.… read more →

In addition to having folk names such as “Devil Diver” and “Water Witch”, the Horned Grebe has the strange habit of snacking on its own feathers. It does this to create a mass in its stomach that’s thought to entangle fish bones as the bird eats, allowing them to stay in the stomach longer to more fully digest. Yum! Each week we introduce a new bird from the Ottawa-Gatineau area through our segment on CBC Radio’s In Town and Out. Alex MacDonald, Nature Canada’s Manager of Protected Areas, shares interesting facts about the birds that live in our communities. Be sure to tune-in to “Bird Tweet of the Week” on… read more →

The climate is changing, which makes future habitat ranges uncertain. This could be a big problem for many species as they fight to find suitable places to survive. The National Audubon Society recently released The Audubon Birds and Climate Report. This report describes the potential future for the climate range of 588 North American birds. What does this mean for the future of Canadian birds? In this series we will explore how these predictions will impact Canadian birds; from our backyard favourites to little known treasures, and Canadian icons. This week, we will explore a bird with regal symbolism; the swan. Swans are one of the most iconic birds known all around the… read more →

Nature Canada unveiled the grand prize photo and several runner-ups from Nature Canada’s 75th anniversary photo contest at an event at the Canadian Museum of Nature. Nature Canada members and supporters, local school children, and the Museum’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Meg Beckel, were given the opportunity to view the winning photos in an exhibit on the Museum’s ground floor. The event was also an opportunity to screen the stop motion video on species at risk created by Ottawa-area children. To see the stunning photography of the top enteries in the contest, visit the Canadian Museum of Nature or visit our website. The photos, which were voted on by… read more →