Multi-talented organisms: How seaweeds can affect our daily lives

Part-of-a-seaweed-ecosystem-Photo-Sophie-Steinhagen

Samanta Hoffmann, Nature Conservancy of Canada Seaweeds, a type of macro-algae (a group that includes benthic [attached to the bottom] marine algae that are typically visible to the naked eye), provide hope for a more sustainable future, through healthier food, renewable energy and fewer plastics. Over the last few years, not only have scientists developed […]

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Where the river stops: Why habitat connectivity is critical for healthy fish populations across Canada

Fish On in the Yukon

by Dan Kraus, guest contributor Before you read any further, stop and think about a fish migrating up a river. Chances are that fish is a salmon and that river is in BC. There’s good reason that salmon in BC have come to symbolize fish migration. The return of millions of sockeye, Coho, chum, Chinook […]

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Something’s fishy: A whirlwind of a problem

by Raechel Bonomo, guest contributor As I spend most of my free time outdoors, I’ve been fortunate enough to see many great examples of Canadian nature. I have watched a family of deer feeding by a stream in Alberta, seen tracks of several elusive mammal species, such as porcupine and white-tailed deer, hiding in the […]

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Long live loons and their research

Robert Alvo, guest contributor, Nature Conservancy of Canada In the 1970s, North Americans were already concerned about the effects of human activity on the common loon, a large charismatic diving bird that breeds on lakes. My bachelor’s thesis at Queen’s University examined this concern on 10 lakes in Ontario in 1980. On busy lakes, boats […]

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It’s complicated, honey: Bees vs… bees

Kevin Van Tighem, Nature Conservancy of Canada Spring draws nigh: the season of the birds and the bees. Birdsong is a welcome gift, but where would we be without bees? Their obsessive quest for pollen and nectar keeps much of Alberta’s native flora alive. There would be fewer willows, flowers and garden crops without pollinator […]

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