Connect with Nature: Take a Winter Wildlife Walk

Johnston Canyon Nature Walk
Photo by Sangudo via Flickr

Gifts have been unwrapped. Holiday meals have been eaten. The spirit of the season has been shared with friends and family. What better way to relax after the festivities and reconnect with nature than with a winter wildlife walk?

You don't have to go far at this time of year to notice the beauty of the natural world. It can be as simple as walking through familiar areas and noticing how different they are in the winter. Wander along a favourite route and see if you can identify the trees without their leaves. Look for animal tracks in the snow, matching the prints with the creature that made them. And, of course, indulge in some winter birdwatching, noticing how active nature is even at this time of year.

This is also a great opportunity to find a new nature walk, remembering to explore it throughout the coming year as the seasons unfold to reveal its unique details.

When you're heading out, remember to bring:

• Warm clothes and footwear - walking through a winter wonderland can get chilly, so make sure you're prepared;
• Camera - even in winter it's important to leave nature as we find it, so capture your memories with your camera;
• Binoculars - helping you to get a close-up look at some of the winter sights around you;
• Notebook and pencil - write down your observations from your walk and update your journal as the seasons change.

Enjoy your winter walk, and share your sightings with us in the comments!

Season's Greetings

As 2010 comes to an end, Nature Canada would like to thank you all for your continuous support and dedication - we could not have done it without you.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and may 2011 bring you all many opportunities to enjoy and conserve nature.

All the best!

Photo: Pantanal Jaguar by Jean-François Dionne

Media Advisory: Holiday Announcement Watch

Friday, December 24, 2010

Tis the season for government announcements that just might go unnoticed, so in the spirit of the season we are offering our own hand-crafted gift to the wise men and women of the press. We’ve made our list, we’ve checked it twice. Here then is Nature Canada’s top three government announcements to watch for between December 24 and January 2:

Mackenzie Valley Pipeline
In the wake of the National Energy Board approval of the Mackenzie Gas Project, the federal Cabinet must now decide whether or not to approve the project. Cabinet must also decide if it will put public money into financing the private consortium’s venture, and how much.

Edehzhie
Indian and Northern Affairs Minister John Duncan in November unilaterally removed interim protection that had been keeping mining out of a highly valued area in the northwest territories. The affected Dene people and the government of Canada had been in discussions about establishing a National Wildlife Area to permanently protect the sacred land. Pressure has been mounting on the Government of Canada to reverse Minister Duncan’s action and reinstate protection for the area.

Canadian Forces Base Suffield National Wildlife Area
The Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the government of Canada, must respond to a proposal to drill over 1,200 gas wells inside the CFB Suffield National Wildlife Area. An environmental assessment panel found that the project would interfere with the area’s mandate to conserve wildlife. The panel made 27 recommendations in its final report in January 2009. The government has yet to respond.

Fear not, holiday denizens of the newsroom! Should any of these or other stories related to wildlife and nature break during the holidays, Nature Canada will be available to help you get your quote shopping done early with handy gift-wrapped responses.

In the event of such announcement(s) please contact:

Jean Langlois, MSc, MBA
Strategic Relations Advisor
cell: 613-266-5326


About Nature Canada
Nature Canada is a national non-profit whose mandate is to protect and conserve wildlife and habitats in Canada by engaging people and advocating on behalf of nature. We are the Canadian co-partner, with Bird Studies Canada, in BirdLife International.