By Nada Salem, Physics & Astronomy editor On dark Alberta nights, far away from the man-made glare of street lights and fluorescent-lit office buildings, you may come across a photographer camped out in an open field, waiting patiently with a camera on a tripod. And if you’re lucky — if the skies are clear and […]
citizen science
Small but mighty: How citizen science can have a positive impact on the planet
Silvie Harder, Policy and Politics editor The Anna’s hummingbird is a tiny, bejewelled bird with shimmering fuchsia and lime green feathers. It weighs about as much as a cherry or grape, between three and six grams, and measures around 10 centimetres in length, about the same length as an apple. Their nests are four centimetres […]
Citizen science dives into water quality
Kirsten Grant, General Science co-editor With millions of lakes in Canada, monitoring water quality is no small feat. Canada’s vastness means it’s impossible to collect data everywhere. The situation is made ever more difficult by a lack of funding for long-term environmental monitoring. But Water Rangers Executive Director Kat Kavanagh says citizens can play a […]
Call of the wetland
Nicole Kahal, guest contributor Have you ever heard frogs or toads calling in an urban environment? Or spotted a secretive salamander as it makes it way to an urban pond? If you live in Calgary, Alberta, the Miistakis Institute is interested in your observations. With Miistakis’ partners, we’ve designed a citizen science program called Call […]
10 species protected, thanks to Nature Conservancy of Canada Conservation Volunteers, coast to coast
by Raechel Bonomo, guest contributor So far this year, hundreds of volunteers from across the country have gathered to lend a hand for nature at events hosted by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). Whether it was removing invasive species wreaking havoc on a delicate forest, or cleaning up shorelines along Canada’s rocky, saltwater coasts, […]