Connect with Nature: Join a Christmas Bird Count

Chickadee Photo by Lynn Pady

Did you know that the Christmas Bird Count is the oldest citizen science survey in the world?

In 1900, American ornithologist Frank Chapman asked birders to head out on Christmas Day to count the number of birds they see and submit their results to the first "Christmas Bird Census." Today, over 2200 Christmas Bird Counts take place across Canada, the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean, with the results amassing a huge database that reflects the distribution and number of winter birds over time.

Christmas Bird Counts are organized by local birding clubs or naturalist groups and take place on any one day between December 14th and January 5th. Volunteers follow specified routes through a designated 24km diameter circle or can arrange to count birds at their backyard feeder and report results to a local leader. The great thing about the Christmas Bird Count is that every bird you see counts - whether it's a common backyard bird or an exotic visitor to your neighbourhood. Each count is added to a larger tally that scientists use to identify conservation success stories as well as areas in need of help.

Community events like the Christmas Bird Count are a great way for beginner birdwatchers to learn from experienced birders and enjoy a fun filled day outdoors. Luckily, finding a count close to you is as easy as visiting this database from our Birdlife International co-partner Bird Studies Canada, who administer the program in Canada. 

Are you planning to join a Christmas Bird Count? Let us know in the comments below!

Discover, Connect & Share from Sea to Sea to Sea

 We've entered an idea in the Aviva Community Fund challenge! But we need your help to make this vision a reality. The next round of voting starts on Monday, October 24 and every vote brings us one step closer to empowering young nature leaders across the country. Sign up now to be ready to vote or read on to learn more about our idea.

The Project

"It was in the Arctic that I started to realize the significance of a sustainable lifestyle."
– Donovan Taplin (17 years old)Bell Island, Newfoundland

Photo by Lee Narraway/Students on Ice

City traffic, air and noise pollution, cell phones, shopping malls and a daily deluge of e-mail are a reality for most Canadians. We spend our days indoors, sitting under fluorescent lights and breathing re-circulated air.

Our children play video games; they don't play outside. They know how to navigate the internet, but don't know what birds live in their backyards. They learn about big issues like climate change, but don't have the connection with nature that will let them truly understand the problem.

We are isolated from nature. We are isolated from each other.

Nature Canada and Students on Ice want to provide a life-changing opportunity for Canadian youth from sea to sea to sea. We will help them discover nature first-hand on the Arctic Expedition 2012, connect with peers and mentors in community dialogue, and share their experiences with other young people at a national Youth Leadership Summit. We hope that each person who is touched by the SEA to SEA to SEA experience is inspired to lead positive change in their own individual communities.

The Partners

For more than 70 years Nature Canada, a membership-based not-for-profit conservation organization, has been a leader in connecting Canadians to nature.

We have worked with hundreds of local groups in every province and territory to deliver community-based projects including the Parks & People program, allowing youth to experience nature first-hand; the Community Action Fund, enabling on-the-ground conservation activities; the Important Bird Areas Caretaker Network, engaging stewards for habitat and species protection; and Nature Explorers, an integrated program that will see one million children and their families participating in multiple experiences in nature over the next five years. 

Students on Ice is an award-winning program that provides youth from across Canada and around the world with ship-based education expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic.

The Students on Ice mandate is to educate and inspire the next generation of leaders and responsible global citizens, and in doing so help provide them with a greater understanding and respect for the planet.

The Plan

Nature Canada and Students on Ice are seeking $150,000 of support from the Aviva Community Fund to assist with on-the-ground delivery of the 2012 SEA to SEA to SEA experience that will empower Canadian youth through a transformative journey.

Photo by Lee Narraway/Students on Ice

In August 2012, 75 students from around the world will participate in the Students on Ice Arctic Expedition 2012. Through a nationwide selection process, a young Canadian from every province and territory will be chosen to participate on the expedition thanks to this support from AVIVA. These funds will facilitate this journey of discovery and the development of young nature ambassadors.

Highlights of the expedition will include a welcome event hosted by the community of Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, and a visit with community leaders and Inuit elders in Pagnirtung to learn about their observations of climate change and its impacts on their community and way of life. The team will stop at National Parks, Important Bird Areas, and spectacular fjords along the way to immerse themselves in learning directly in the spectacular landscape. Participants will have a chance to see magnificent Arctic wildlife, including seabirds, whales, and polar bears.

Throughout the expedition, students will have a chance to learn from each other and connect with mentors. Ongoing discussions will let them reflect on their experiences and energize them to become leaders for environmental and social change in their own individual communities when they return home.

In November 2012, 130 youth from across Canada will converge at a Youth Leadership Summit to explore what the Arctic means to Canada, how our country is connected from SEA to SEA to SEA, and why healthy sustainable communities are critical for our future, the Arctic's future and the planet's future.

The AVIVA Nature Ambassadors from the expedition will serve as youth leaders, motivating their peers as they share their recent Arctic journey, experiences and new knowledge.

The Youth Leadership Summit will empower participants as young leaders, changing their lives and communities. They will make lasting connections that will link Canadian communities from sea to sea to sea in a sustainable future.

"I am taking on the world as an ambassador of positive change."
– Victoria Wee (17 years old)Coquitlam, British Columbia

Please vote to empower change, from sea to sea to sea.

Connect with Nature: Join a Christmas Bird Count

The Christmas Bird Count is a wonderful holiday tradition that allows nature lovers to spend an entire day outdoors, in the company of other naturalists and bird enthusiasts, gathering important information on the birds in their neighbourhood. The 111th edition of this citizen science intiative is taking place now, through January 5, 2011.

Christmas Bird Counts take place in a set circle 24 kilometres in diameter during a single day. Depending on your location, you may even be able to count the birds at your backyard feeder and report them to the group leader. Each count then feeds into a larger tally and scientists use the collection of data to better understand how birds and the environment are faring - both areas that need to improve, and conservation success stories.

The great thing about this particular program is that every bird you see counts - whether it's a common backyard bird or an exotic visitor who found their way to your neighbourhood! It's also a great way for beginning birdwatchers to learn more about the species that can be found in their area.

Find a count near you and discover the Christmas Bird Count's history with our BirdLife Canada co-partner Bird Studies Canada, who administers the program in Canada.

Help us find 250 people who "Like" Nature Canada!

We're now on Facebook and looking to connect with all of the wonderful supporters of nature out there. One of the first 250 people to "Like" Nature Canada on Facebook will win a copy of the Bird Songs Bible from Raincoast Books!

Wondering what this book is all about? It features almost 750 breeding birds from North America, in both beautiful illustrations and digital recordings. Check out this video to see how it works:



And don't forget to "Like" Nature Canada on Facebook today for your chance to win this great giveaway!

Water - We Can't Live Without It!

Without clean, abundant freshwater, life on Earth would not exist. The majority of the world's population depends on freshwater environments to provide water for drinking, irrigation, food, employment and recreation.

Luckily, Canada is blessed with plenty of water:

• Almost 9% (891 163 square kilometers) of Canada's total area is covered by fresh water.
• Wetlands cover an additional 14% (more than 1.2 million square kilometers) of the land area of Canada.
• Annually, Canada's rivers discharge 7% of the world's renewable water supply – 105 000 cubic meters per second.

Balanced, healthy ecosystems, including freshwater rivers and lakes, perform many amazing services that cannot be replicated – and that we depend on for survival. In Canada, these ecosystems:

• purify the air and water
• maintain biodiversity
• control agricultural pests
• preserve soils and renew their fertility
• pollinate crops and natural vegetation
• and much more...

These services are so fundamental to life that they are easy to take for granted, but we must remember that they are far beyond the ability of human technology to replace.

The way we treat our water resources can have an effect on healthy ecosystems. Runoff of pesticides, fertilizers and waste, introduction of non-native species and destruction of wetlands all reduce the ability of water ecosystems to perform their functions and provide these services.

We can all protect our freshwater resources through conservation action at home. Do your part to reduce global demand on our precious water resources - take the Water Conservation Pledge today! Join people across the country and around the world as we save more than 1 million gallons of water each year.

This post is a part of Blog Action Day, an annual event that sees blogs from around the world post about the same issue on the same day to spark global discussion and drive collective action.

Lights, Camera, Action! Nature Canada joins Margaret Atwood on the Red Carpet

Margaret Atwood with a Nature Canada
bookmark during the Year of the Flood tour

The countdown is on to Canada's largest environmental film festival! The worlds of birders, movie celebs and environmentalists will collide as Planet in Focus kicks off this year with the Ron Mann film In the Wake of the Flood, a documentary about author Margaret Atwood's worldwide Year of the Flood book tour – and Nature Canada makes a small appearance.

Nature Canada joined Atwood for four stops on the Canadian leg of her tour, which were also fundraisers and awareness raising events for Nature Canada. Donations made at performances in Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver went directly to support conservation work at Important Bird Areas throughout Canada.

Mann, director of Comic Book Confidential and Go Further, chronicled Atwood's journey from Edinburgh to London to New York and across Canada. Former Nature Canada board member, Anne Murray, has a fleeting glimpse at fame as she was filmed taking Atwood birdwatching along Vancouver's coast!

Nature Canada Executive Director Ian Davidson will brave the paparazzi to attend the premiere, as well as a special Nature Canada fundraising reception at which Atwood and her partner Graeme Gibson will receive Planet in Focus' Canadian Eco Hero Award.

Atwood and Gibson are the Joint Honourary Presidents of the Rare Bird Club within BirdLife International, a global alliance of conservation organizations working together for the world's birds and people. As BirdLife in Canada, Nature Canada and Bird Studies Canada deliver the Important Bird Areas Program, which aims to identify, conserve and monitor a network of sites that provides essential habitat for bird populations.

On the tour, and in the film, Atwood cited bird conservation as a cause dear to her heart, and the members of BirdLife International as effective protectors of birds and their habitat.

The 11th Annual Planet in Focus International Environmental Film & Video Festival opens on Wednesday, October 13. The Opening Night screening of In the Wake of the Flood will also include a musical performance of passages from the novel. Tickets are on sale now!

Not in the Toronto area? A second Nature Canada fundraising event to promote the DVD release of the film is planned for December 2, so mark your calendars and we will keep you posted with details in the coming weeks.

Protect Canada's "Pocket Desert"!

The desert grasslands of the South Okanagan are home to over one-third of British Columbia's endangered species and other species at risk, including the bighorn sheep.

As the human population in the South Okanagan rapidly increases, the bighorn sheep's home is under growing threat by suburban sprawl and agricultural expansion. The time to act is now.

Help Us Establish a South Okanagan-Similkameen National Park Reserve!

Fact: There are more species at risk in the South Okanagan-Similkameen Valley than in any other part of BC, including white-headed woodpeckers, burrowing owls, badgers, tiger salamanders, spadefoot toads, pallid bats, spotted bats, flammulated owls, scorpions, and great basin spadefoot toads.

Fact: The South Okanagan-Similkameen Valley contains part of the Interior Dry Plateau Natural Region, also known as Canada's "pocket desert", one of the most endangered habitats in the country. The valley is all that connects the dry landscapes of BC's interior with the desert lands of the United States, allowing species to migrate north and south.

Fact: A national park would permanently protect 5 Important Bird Areas, each of which is home to at-risk bird species and other endangered plant and animal species.

Help protect Canada's only desert ecosystem. Ask the Canadian Government to create a National Park in the South Okanagan-Similkameen Valley.

Embrace Biodiversity and Submit your Entry Now

Celebrate biodiversity by entering the 2010 Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest! The contest launched on Earth Day, April 22 and is open to all young Canadians aged 19 or younger. We invite you to "get to know" local plants and animals and submit your work of art, writing, or photography. The contest is open until May 28 and you could win wild prizes – including a week-long stay at Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, hosted by Parks Canada. Other prizes include gifts from Scholastic, Panasonic, and Opus Framing and Art Supplies, cash prizes (NEW for 2010!), and the opportunity to have their work published in the 2011 Get to Know Contest Calendar. For more information, visit http://www.gettoknow.ca/.

Did you forget about Earth Day?

Don't despair if you missed last week's celebration of the planet. You can choose to make a difference any day of the year. An easy way to green your lifestyle is to go back to basics: follow the three Rs - with an extra C.

It may seem elementary, but remembering to reduce, reuse and recycle is one of the best ways we can help the planet. It’s also important to follow them in order:

Reduce – Before you purchase something new, ask yourself if you really need it. Is there another option that would have a lesser impact on the environment? Buy things in bulk when you can to cut down on waste from packaging.

Reuse – Once you’re done with an item, think about whether or not it has any other uses. Empty yogurt containers can be used to start seeds and plastic bags have many potential uses. If you can’t use it, find out if there’s someone who can; for example, books can be donated to the local library or a community sale.

Recycle – When a product is finally coming to the end of its lifecycle, look into whether or not it can be recycled. Most municipalities collect paper, cardboard, cans and glass; check to see which plastics are collected locally (the plastic number is usually on the bottom of the container). Don’t forget about items like printer cartridges and paint – there are often special drop-offs for these materials where they can be collected and refurbished or repurposed.

Compost – Although it isn’t traditional to include composting with the three Rs, it’s an important step in diverting more waste from the landfill. If your community collects kitchen and yard waste, make sure to fill the bin and put it out for pickup. You can also start your own compost at home, either using a vermicomposter (composting with worms!) or a traditional yard bin. Composting allows you to reclaim some nutrients to make a rich soil for your garden and keeps waste that can easily decompose out of the landfill.

What do you do to make Earth Day every day? Let us know in the comments below.

Climate Change Bill Getting Closer!

There's a bit of good news for action on climate change in Canada.

Yesterday, the House passed Bill C-311, the Climate Change Accountability Act. Last week we asked you to help us raise awareness about yesterday's vote and your support worked!

In addition to the Bill passing to third reading, the Liberals tabled a motion for climate change action. Listen to Bruce Hyer as he introduced the bill last year or read the reaction of Climate Action Network Canada's Graham Saul for more details on what this means for climate change action in Canada.

The Bill still needs to make it through one more debate and one more vote, so we can't let our guard down, but we are a bit closer to changing course.

Climate Change Bill Faces Imminent Vote: Tell Your MP to Support It!

Remember Bill C-311, the bill that many of us were hoping would set a scientific target for Canada's commitments in Copenhagen? Well, we know how sadly Copenhagen turned out. But the Bill might still make a difference. That is, if we all contact our MPs before April 14th and ask them to support it! The situation the Bill is under is urgent and complex; best explained by the MP who introduced the Bill:

"An urgent message from Bruce Hyer, MP Thunder Bay - Superior North who introduced Bill C-311 - The Climate Change Accountability Act:

Because of a surprise procedural motion foisted upon the House of Commons by the Conservatives just as the debate on Bill C-311 was about to begin, things are drastically different from what was originally expected. The debate on the bill was cancelled, and there will now be a crucial vote in the House on April 14 that will determine its fate. It will be a simple vote: support the Climate Change Accountability Act going forward to Third Reading, or not. If the vote fails, the bill dies. Our fear is that with a procedural vote coming with so little notice, many MPs won't realize the significance of the vote...

We know the NDP and Bloc caucuses will be there on April 14 to vote in support of C-311. But many years of work on the only climate change bill in Parliament will come to an end, in obscurity, if Liberal MPs are not there in force to support it too."

For the Bill to survive, Liberal MPs must be made aware of the significance of this vote for climate change action in Canada. If this bill is defeated on April 14, the legislative process would have to start from scratch for any new legislation to ensure Canada takes significant action to reduce green house gas emissions and does its fair share to mitigate climate change. You can help Canada become part of the solution to climate change.

Nature Canada and the International Year of Biodiversity

Recalling the commitment made by Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction in the current rate of loss of biodiversity, and realizing the magnitude of efforts required to achieve this target, the United Nations General Assembly declared, in 2007, that 2010 be the International Year of Biodiversity.

Nature Canada is strongly positioned to endorse the International Year of Biodiversity. We have joined Countdown 2010, an initiative of the IUCN to help mobilize action to ensure that all governments and members of civil society, at every level, take the necessary actions to halt biodiversity loss in 2010.



As partners in this initiative, we have agreed to take action to save biodiversity and add momentum to reach the 2010 Biodiversity Target. In addition, we have pledged to:

1) Monitor the implementation of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) by the Canadian Government and engage, where appropriate, to ensure the effective protection and recovery of endangered species and their habitat
2) Monitor the Canadian Government’s promises to establish new protected areas and expand those already established. We are also pushing for completion of an effective network of parks to protect and connect species and their habitats, and enable them to adapt to a changing climate
3) Support and mobilize a network of people who care about nature
4) Protect key sites for breeding and non-breeding Canadian birds through the Important Bird Areas Program of BirdLife International (co-partner with Bird Studies Canada)
5) Recommend measurable, identifiable and feasible targets for the Post-2010 Target of the CBD (2020 Strategic Plan) to the Government of Canada
6) Spread the word about the International Year of Biodiversity at events, workshops and conferences held by Nature Canada, and frame upcoming events and communication products around the International Year of Biodiversity and various ‘awareness days’ such as the World Environment Day.

We encourage all of our members, supporters and all those who are keen on achieving this target to engage in enriching and important activities throughout 2010 to help us – and everyone around the world – achieve it.

Some proposed activities:

- Become an Important Bird Area (IBA) Caretaker and help us conserve our birds and their habitats

- Become a Species Watchdog and assist us in ensuring our species at risk are provided with legal protection (Please contact Nature Canada for more information)

- Put up bird and butterfly feeders around your home to promote the coexistence of humans and wildlife

- Build and erect a nest box for migratory species such as swallows or bluebirds on your property

- Join a naturalist club in your area and participate in regular outings – you might even participate in a Christmas Bird Count in your area

- Find out if you can volunteer with a wildlife rehabilitation centre in your region to help wildlife cope with the impacts of an expanding human population and habitat loss

- Find out what environmental by-laws are in effect in your community and make sure you follow them

- Learn at least 10 new things related to nature in your region. Then share them with 10 more people.

- Contribute some of your time by volunteering for a nature-related cause

- Make a donation to a group engaged in biodiversity conservation – and don’t forget about the potential benefits at tax time!

- Learn about at least 5 environmental initiatives in your own community, city or region

- Read at least one book with a biodiversity or environment theme this year

- Create an album of at least 12 nature photographs this year (e.g., 1 photo per month) and describe what aspect of each photo helps you appreciate nature

- Challenge yourself to buy local, organic food during the harvest times in your region

- Go on at least one outdoor expedition, such as a bird watching trip, to connect with nature

- Organize a native tree planting event in your community, or check with your town or city to see if a sponsored tree planting program exists

Nature Canada Pipes Up Against Enbridge

Twenty-one years ago, the Exxon Valdez ran aground, spilling 40 million litres of crude oil into Prince William Sound and causing irreversible damage. Now, Enbridge wants to bring the same risk to B.C.'s pristine coastal waters and rainforest.

The proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline would carry oil from the tar sands to a port at Kitimat, B.C. Supertankers fed by the Enbridge pipeline would travel the same waters where the Queen of the North ferry sank in 2006.


Nature Canada is one of over a hundred signatories - including First Nations, businesses and prominent Canadians - to an open letter opposing the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline and crude oil tanker traffic in BC's northern coastal waters. The risk oil spills pose to First Nations, communities and the environment is too great.

Add your voice and pipe up against Enbridge by sending a letter to Enbridge CEO Patrick Daniel today.

Contest Alert - Nature Matters!

Calling writers, videographers and nature lovers! Environment Canada has the perfect contest for you.

As part of the International Year of Biodiversity declared by the United Nations, Environment Canada is holding the national Nature Matters! Contest. Until February 28th, Canadians between the ages of 9 and 35 can submit written or video essays answering the question:

"Why is nature important to you?"

Grand prize winners will be invited to Ottawa to attend the re-opening of the Canadian Museum of Nature on International Biodiversity Day, May 22, 2010 and will also have their winning entries displayed at the Biosphère in Montreal during 2010.

Grand prize winning and runner-up essays will be announced through the Environment Canada network, reaching over a million people, and will be published on the website of the Canadian Biodiversity Information Network.

For the entry form and more details, visit www.cbin.ec.gc.ca/nature/concours-contest.cfm?lang=eng.

Update: Deadline extended until March 28, 2010.