Show the love on National Tree Day - Give a leafy friend a hug!

Hi Folks!

How many trees have you seen since you woke up today? Did you wish any of them a happy National Tree Day? What about a happy National Forest Week? Dig you hug any of those trees??

Don't worry if these questions take you by surprise, since 2011 is the debut year for Canada's National Tree Day celebrations, spearheaded by the Tree Canada Foundation, which focus on the "great benefits that trees provide us - clean air, wildlife habitat, reducing energy demand and connecting with nature". Nature Canada's celebrations today include our Hug A Tree Photo Contest, which we're asking all of our supporters to enter for their chance to win!

I started National Tree Day thinking about the innumerable ways that trees (and forests) benefit me and my family each day. For example, we have 16 species* of trees and woody shrubs in our small Ottawa yard, which offer us shade, improve our air quality and attract lots of birds and insects to our backyard. I also have several beautifully handcrafted pieces of wood furniture in my home. Those items represent a market for value-added forest products that can be a big incentive for ecologically and economically sustainable forest management, including things like Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification of forests. Plus, markets for non-timber forest products are growing in Canada and elsewhere, which makes me think of how much I love wild blueberries and cranberries! Not to mention Canada's amazing forest protected areas!

I've also been thinking about how important trees and forests (such as the Boreal forest) are to many of the migrating birds we're watching head south right now, as well as other wildlife that rely on forests seasonally and year-round. Just think of all the bird species that use trees for nesting, from Woodpecker species to Great Blue Herons!

And having spent time as a kid in 'working forests' with my then-silviculturist father, I can't overlook the importance of trees and forests to many communities across this vast country. The Canadian Forest Service reports that the forest industry - in all of its forms - is the "largest non-urban employer in the country".

In closing, there's really not a better time to kick-off Canada's National Tree Day celebrations than the 2011 United Nations International Year of Forests. Here are some quick facts about global forests from the UN's International Year of Forests (IYF) website:

• Forests are home to 80% of Earth's terrestrial biodiversity
• Forests are central to the livelihoods of over 1.6 billion people worldwide
• Forests cover 31% of the Earth's total land area

For more on what Nature Canada is doing for the IYF, check out our website and our interactive map of Canada's forests. And don't forget to enter our Hug A Tree Photo Contest for your chance to win!

Have a wonderful National Tree Day, and a thoughtful National Forest Week!

All photos by A. MacDonald

* No, not all of these are native species, but I'm working to increase the proportion that are native over time.

Top Bird Photos from Our Flickr Pool

Photo: jem8red via Flickr

It's only been a few months since we started the Nature Canada Flickr Group, but in that time, hundreds of fantastic nature photos have been added to our pool! From those photos, we have selected some of the best bird photography and created an online gallery that’s worth a visit.

Can you identify the bird species in these photos? Have you come into close encounters with them in nature? Add your comments and observations to each photo and share your knowledge! To join the conversation, you must have a Flickr account.

If you have photos of nature that you would like to share, add them to the Nature Canada Flickr Group and it could be selected as the Photo of the Month. Make sure to tag it with “POM”!

Celebrate Parks Day 2011 - Send an eCard!

This Saturday, July 16 is Parks Day in Canada, which celebrates our natural and historic places across the country. This year is particularly special - it marks Parks Canada's 100th birthday!


Share your love of Canada's national parks with friends and family - send a beautiful eCard featuring a selection of stunning photos of our natural spaces.

Do you have photos of national parks, historic sites or marine conservation areas? Share them on our Flickr Group and we will post a selection on our Facebook page and send a tweet at @NatureCanada.

And if you haven't already, check out our 10 tips to making the most of your trip to a national park, historic site of marine conservation area this summer.

May Photo of the Month

Framed against a bright blue sky, this stunning photo reminds us of the elegant beauty of our migratory birds.

With its long black legs contrasting sharply with an all-white plumage, the Great Egret is a stunning large heron that inhabits parts of Ontario, the southern praries, south-western Quebec, the United States and wetlands throughout Central and South America. It can be identified from other herons by its long, straight yellow beak, and by the way its neck forms an s-shaped curve during flight.

The Great Egret nests in colonies with other herons and Egrets – its nest can be found in trees or shrubs and is built of sticks covered in green vegetation. Wetlands – such as marshes, rivers and tidal flats – provide the ideal habitat for nesting and feeding. The Great Egret is also the symbol of the National Audubon Society, one of the oldest environmental organizations in North America.

Cool fact: The longest living Great Egret was lived to be 23-years-old.

Do you love this photo? Put it on your desktop!

And why not share your photo with us for the chance to be featured as Nature Canada's photo of the month.

Final Profile of Robert Bateman Art Contest Series

Untitled
Photo by Jan Jansinski

Jan Jasinski, winner in the photography category of the Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest, is a 7^th grader from Sherbrooke, Quebec. He has been interested in photography for the past three years and especially loves taking pictures of aircrafts! He always has his camera at the ready whenever anything interesting crosses his lens. Although his hobby takes patience, he still feels it is something well worth doing and hopes to inspire others to do the same

Nature Canada is looking forward to next year’s new crop of upcoming artists so get outside, get inspired and capture the beauty and essence that is mother nature.

For a complete list of all Get to Know winners please follow this link.

Robert Bateman Art Contest Profile #9

Huron County Serenity

The beautiful picture you see above is of Maitland River in Ontario. It is one of twelve winning pieces in the photography category of the 2010 Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest. This stunning portrayal was taken by Rachel Henry.

Rachel is a 19 year old photographer from the small town of Wingham, Ontario. She can frequently be found at live music events across Southwestern Ontario, front row, with camera in hand. When she's not taking pictures, Rachel also longboards, paints, and does yoga.

Through your lens Rachel has captured the beauty and essence of the Maitland River. Thank you Rachel for sharing it with us.

For a complete list of all Robert Bateman contest winners please follow this link.

Nature Photography Contest Winner

Kaitlin Lane age 9 from Calgary, Alberta is now a winner of the Robert Bateman Get to Know Photo contest for a second year in a row. She is amongst the twelve talented young Canadians who through their lenses captured the beauty and wonders of our natural world. Kaitlin enjoys taking pictures, drawing and painting. She is currently in grade 3 and enjoys playing squash, golfing, and skiing.


Two of Kaitlin's photos were selected as winning entries in this year's contest: top, Rubber Duckie; bottom, Untitled.