Environment

I used to wonder why I would stumble across railway spikes along the forested trail across the street. As a kid, I just saw the Upper Canada Heritage Trail as a tunnel through the woods, an avenue to explore, right out of my own backyard.  I remember looking for frogs, turtles and the like, off the side of the trail, when I would begin to hear voices and a distinct, … [Read more...] about Endless visions, possibilities for heritage trail endless

Do biologists, climate scientists, and general nature enthusiasts have their hearts broken by their own work? Or are they professional and stoic while the world keeps spinning? It would seem that things are literally always greener on this side. But biology, the study of life, is very broad. Let’s remember that biologists study cells, humans, plants, illnesses, wine grapes, … [Read more...] about Keeping science and emotion separate important, but not easy

As 2019 comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on what opportunities to raise environmental awareness, what may lie ahead in the new year, and where they are picking up from this year. It’s been a wild one! Since April, I’ve been sitting in front of this 13-inch screen picking away at editing Hidden Corners: Tropical North Queensland, from last winter’s filming excursion in … [Read more...] about Turn of the decade projects and awareness

One of my favourite components of the spring hiking tour I run is explaining to people that nature has a pre-planned rulebook to follow every season. The head of each species pushes up through the newly thawed ground in a textbook, predictable order every year. We know that trout lilies and wild leek will be first to burst on through to the other side. These two species are … [Read more...] about Plants and animals create their own balance in nature

As a new employee at the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN), I find my “offices” at Woodend Conservation Area and Short Hills Provincial Park, guiding students of all ages across Niagara out into our precious and exciting forests. During a taste of the job a year ago, I saw that the school board was emphasizing a more loosely-structured style of learning outdoors. It … [Read more...] about Love of outdoors leads to job teaching students