NCC Magazine, Summer 2019

SUMMER 2019 

Conservation 

goes digital 

Advancing the science of conservation with new technologies

Nature Conservancy of Canada 

245 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 410 

Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4P 3J1 

magazine@natureconservancy.ca 

Phone: 416.932.3202 

Toll-free: 877.231.3552 

The Nature Conservancy of Canada 

(NCC) is the nation’s leading land 

conservation organization, working 

to protect our most important natural 

areas and the species they sustain. 

Since 1962, NCC and its partners have 

helped to protect 2.8 million acres 

(more than 1.1 million hectares), 

coast to coast. 

The Nature Conservancy of Canada 

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COVER 

Adam Cheeseman monitors the Chignecto 

Isthmus for WildPaths Maritimes. 

Photo by Mike Dembeck. 

THIS PAGE 

Chignecto Isthmus, NB. 

Photo by Mike Dembeck. 

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* 

2 SPRING 2019 natureconservancy.ca

SUMMER 2019 

CONTENTS 

Nature Conservancy of Canada 

Dear Friend, 

TKTKTKTKTKTKT 

If you’re reading this magazine, there’s a strong 

chance that you already feel quite connected to 

nature. You might have a favourite neighbourhood 

tree, spend most weekends outdoors and 

consider hiking boots a fashion accessory. 

But a recent survey, released by the Nature 

Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in partnership 

with Ipsos Public Affairs, reveals a growing 

disconnect between Canadians and nature. 

Canadians say they feel happier, healthier 

and more productive when they are connected 

to nature. Yet you might be surprised to 

find out that 74 per cent say that it is simply 

easier to spend time indoors and 66 per cent 

say they spend less time in nature today 

than in their youth. 

That’s why this summer, NCC is offering 

you a number of ways to strengthen your connection 

to nature. Our Nature Score program 

(page 4) launches this month. It offers you 

the opportunity to test your level of connectedness 

with nature. You’ll then be matched up 

with a Nature Coach, who’ll send you weekly 

tips to help improve your score. 

Our feature story is about the many ways 

that technology can help connect you with nature 

and conservation through citizen science 

apps such as iNaturalist or eBird. Once you 

download the apps, why not document the 

species you encounter when you visit one of 

our close to 40 Nature Destinations across the 

country, and upload your observations? Nature 

Destinations have been specially chosen to 

offer you memorable experiences in some of 

Canada’s most stunning landscapes, such as 

the unique Nodwell Property in Alberta’s 

Badlands (page 6). 

As always, thank you for your support of 

the Nature Conservancy of Canada. No matter 

how you choose to connect with nature, 

I hope your summer is filled with memorable 

experiences and adventures. 

CBT 

Christine Beevis Trickett, 

Director, Editorial Services 

natureconservancy.ca 

8 

14 16 

14 What’s your Nature Score? 

Take the quiz and find out how connected you are to the natural world 

6 Step back in time 

Take a trip through 70 million years of our planet’s ecological history when 

you visit this site near Drumheller, Alberta 

7 A caring nature 

NCC monthly donor Bill Armstrong is always happy to help nature as 

a Conservation Volunteer 

8 There’s an app for that 

New technologies like the iNaturalist app are empowering nature lovers 

across Canada to contribute to the science of conservation 

12 Western bluebird 

Known as the harbinger of spring, the western bluebird’s song can be heard 

as the weather warms and wildflowers start blooming in western Canada 

14 Project updates 

Expanding a coastal haven for birds in Nova Scotia; Alvar research in Manitoba; 

Using citizen science in Quebec; Natural Heritage Conservation Program 

16 A natural enthusiasm 

After 20 years of volunteering with NCC, Bruce MacLellan, chair of NCC’s 

national board, is just as excited about conservation as when he first started 

18 Working for nature 

Two different, yet equally wonderful, internship experiences with NCC 

SUMMER 2019 3

COAST TO 

COAST 

What’s your 

Nature Score? 

Take the quiz and find out how connected 

you are to the natural world 

This summer, the Nature Conservancy of Canada 

(NCC) is launching Nature Score, a program that 

lets you discover how connected you are to nature. 

The program draws on the research of Lisa Nisbet, associate 

professor in the psychology department at Trent University, 

in Ontario. Being connected to nature isn’t just 

about a love of nature; it’s about understanding our interdependence 

with the natural world and the importance of 

all aspects of nature, not just the beautiful or useful parts. 

Have we piqued your curiosity? Great! To determine 

your Nature Score, you’ll be asked to answer a short quiz, 

which is based on a more extensive questionnaire originally 

developed by Nisbet and her colleagues. Once you receive 

your score, you’ll be assigned a friendly virtual Nature 

Coach. The coach will help you to improve your score with 

tips in weekly emails. 

According to some theorists, humans are born with an 

innate connection to nature. But this connection must be 

nurtured. “The need to encourage Canadians to enhance 

their relationships with nature has never been as urgent 

as it is today,” says Erica Thompson, senior director of 

engagement for the Nature Conservancy of Canada. “Today, 

many children are growing up without having experiences 

in nature. Researchers are finding that they may 

be less likely to care about nature in the same way as previous 

generations.” 

If we want to conserve more natural places faster, 

people must be aware of the benefits of conservation, not 

only for nature but also for themselves. Which brings us 

back to Nature Score. “By encouraging more people to 

improve their Nature Score and deepen their connection 

to nature, we believe we will have a better chance of 

improving their understanding of nature’s benefits,” 

says Thompson. 

ISTOCK 

FIND YOUR 

NATURE SCORE! 

Visit naturequiz.ca today. 

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4 SUMMER 2019 natureconservancy.ca

Here’s a little refresh of the benefits 

you’ll glean from spending time in nature: 

1 

1. Good for your body 

Spending time in nature has health benefits that 

go beyond physical activity. Take spending time 

in forests, for example. When you’re immersed in 

the woods, you inhale the trees’ natural chemical 

compounds. That’s not just the scent of pine or the 

aroma of cottonwoods. These compounds have been 

shown to reduce blood pressure and make you feel 

calmer and more relaxed. Being in nature can also 

positively affect the healthy bacteria and other microflora 

living in your gut, which can help boost your 

immunity to certain diseases. The more time you 

spend in nature, the more diverse your microflora. 

2 

2. Good for your mind 

Better memory? Better concentration? Count us in! 

Being in nature can positively affect your mental 

faculties. A walk in nature, for example, could improve 

your short-term memory. A University of Michigan 

study found that participants who walked around an 

arboretum and repeated a memory test performed 

almost 20 per cent better on it than they had initially 

when they took the test indoors. Time in nature can 

also improve your ability to focus. In fact, children diagnosed 

with ADHD have been shown to concentrate 

better after spending only 20 minutes in a park. 

4 

3 

5 

3. Improves your mental health 

Do you feel happier when you’re in the great 

outdoors? You’re not alone. People who take part 

in nature-based activities tend to be happier than 

those who do not. As well, a strong connection to 

nature tends to lead to high levels of self-esteem, 

well-being and personal growth. Being in nature is 

also linked to fewer symptoms of mental health disorders. 

Spending time outside can also reduce stress 

and anxiety. It’s hard to argue with the evidence! 

4. Promotes positive 

social behaviours 

Spend time in nature and you’re likely to foster 

positive social behaviours like altruism, kindness, 

generosity and resource-sharing. And that’s a wonderful 

thing. Just seeing beautiful nature scenes can 

make you more cooperative and generous toward 

others, even strangers. It can also elicit feelings of 

awe and encourage you to solve problems in more 

cooperative and creative ways. 

ADELA KANG. 

5. Inspires support for conservation 

Your connection to nature can be correlated to a positive 

attitude towards conservation. If, while growing 

up, you had positive, direct experiences in nature and 

close role models who cared about it, you’re more likely 

to support the places you care about as an adult.1 



BOOTS ON 

THE TRAIL 

Step back in time 

Take a trip through 70 million years of our planet’s ecological 

history when you visit this site near Drumheller, Alberta 

Mountain bluebird 

Ajourney into Horseshoe Canyon is a 

journey back in time. The canyon is 

an isolated pocket of badlands amidst 

the Alberta prairie, 17 kilometres west of Drumheller 

on Highway 9. Horseshoe Canyon is a 

familiar vista to many Albertans and a favourite 

spot for tourists to catch their first glimpse of 

this unique aspect of Alberta’s natural heritage. 

The canyon represents three distinct habitats: 

prairie, wooded coulee slopes and badlands. 

The geological layers were laid during 

the late Cretaceous period some 70 million 

years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the lush 

forests and swamps of the region. These layers 

can now be seen on the exposed walls of 

Horseshoe Canyon. 

The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s 

(NCC’s) Nodwell property encompasses 

a portion of Horseshoe Canyon. NCC has collaborated 

with local landowners to ensure 

the long-term conservation of this distinctive 

canyon, which is one of the best-known sites 

in the Canadian Badlands. 

The geological features of the property, 

made visible through erosion, exposes our 

planet’s history, and contains information 

about past plant and animal life as well as 

human history. 

Start your journey in the prairie grasslands 

on the trail along the canyon edge. 

Follow it through the wooded coulee slopes 

and into the canyon badlands. While in the 

canyon, observe the erosion features, such 

as rills (channels made by small streams) 

on the coulee slopes and hoodoos (rock 

columns formed by erosion). This is truly 

a unique place. 

HABITAT 

Prairie grasses, once the nourishment of vast 

herds of plains bison, can still be found on 

the Nodwell property, along coulee edges, on 

top of mesas and on the valley floor. These 

grasses are well adapted to drought, wildfires 

and grazing. 

North-facing slopes of the coulees areshaded 

from the sun’s searing summer heat. 

In contrast to the sun-exposed slopes, 

ROBERT BERDAN. INSET: JOHN E. MARRIOTT. 

6 SUMMER 2019 

natureconservancy.ca

SPECIES TO SPOT 

• American pasqueflower 

• American silverberry 

• black-capped chickadee 

• Canada buffaloberry 

• creeping juniper 

• mountain bluebird 

• mule deer 

• pincushion cactus 

• plains gartersnake 

• prairie sagebrush 

• prickly pear cactus 

• prickly rose 

• purple prairie-clover 

• red-tailed hawk 

• Richardson’s ground squirrel 

• rough fescue 

• Saskatoon serviceberry 

• scarlet globemallow 

• slender wheatgrass 

• western porcupine grass 

• white spruce 

• winter-fat 

BACKPACK 

ESSENTIALS 

A caring nature 

NCC monthly donor Bill Armstrong is always happy to help 

nature as one of NCC’s Conservation Volunteers 

Prickly pear cactus 

shaded areas feature lush growth that includes 

white spruce, prickly rose and Saskatoon 

serviceberry. 

Plants and animals found in Horseshoe Canyon 

have adapted to the harsh environment 

of the badlands. American pasqueflower can 

be found here, as well as several species of 

sage, mountain bluebird, gartersnake, mule 

deer and more. 

SEASONS 

Accessible year-round. 

One item I always take — wear, 

actually — to a Conservation 

Volunteers (CV) event is my 

Unpaid Intern T-shirt. I’ve found that the 

shirt elicits a chuckle or two; a way of loosening 

things up with the other volunteers, 

many of whom I’ve not met before. 

One of the things I enjoy most about 

CV events is meeting the real (paid) interns 

working for the Nature Conservancy of Canada 

(NCC) for the summer. These young 

people are studying subjects that likely didn’t 

exist when I attended university, and it’s a 

tonic to hear about their love of nature and 

their determination to contribute to nature 

conservation through their chosen field of 

study. It gives me hope knowing that the 

names of these interns will pop up again in 

the future, either as full-time NCC staffers, 

or in other positions where they are making 

a difference for nature.1 

Become an intern! 

Learn about our paid Conservation Internship 

Program at conservationinterns.ca. 

ROBERT BERDAN. T-SHIRT: JUAN LUNA. 

TRAILS 

The property offers a number of trails that 

wind through its unique geologic formations. 

• Interpretive loop 

Type: Loop Difficulty: Easy 

Surface: Earthen 

Round-trip distance: 700 m 

• Canyon-bottom trails 

Type: Linear Difficulty: Moderate 


Round-trip distance: 4 km 

(includes interpretive loop) 

• Trail leading into canyon 

Type: Linear Difficulty: Moderate 


Round-trip distance: 400 m1 

Learn more! 

Discover this property and more of NCC’s 

Nature Destinations at naturedestinations.ca 



Volunteer Adam Cheeseman 

in the field, near Sackville, 

New Brunswick 


There’s an 

app for that 

New technologies, like the iNaturalist app, are empowering nature lovers 

across Canada to contribute to the science of conservation 

BY Deborah Carr, author and freelance writer 

MIKE DEMBECK 

dam Cheeseman scans the 

gravel shoulders as I navigate 

a country highway just outside 

of Sackville, New Brunswick. 

I’m appreciating the treebordered 

fields, quaint homesteads and bales 

of fresh-cropped hay. He’s looking for roadkill. 

“It’s pretty common to find a raccoon or 

porcupine along this stretch,” he says. “I’m 

surprised we haven’t seen one yet. Pull over 

and we’ll walk a bit so I can check the ditches.” 

I ease the car well off the pavement and 

park. Cheeseman climbs out, pulls a bright yellow 

safety vest from the trunk and slides it on. 

“Safety first,” he says, snapping the enclosures. 

Then, tablet in hand, he ambles along the shoulder, 

peering into the long grass at the roadside. 

Roadside reconnaissance wasn’t something 

he pictured himself doing while studying for 

his master’s of environmental studies at Dalhousie 

University. But here he is. Monitoring 

this stretch has been part of Cheeseman’s 

routine twice a month, from spring to fall, 

since he started volunteering with the Nature 

Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) WildPaths 

Maritimes project last year. He regularly 

travels this route to visit family along the 

Northumberland Strait. 



L to R: Viceroy butterfly; iNaturalist app; Chignecto Isthmus 

region; Adam Cheeseman in the field. 

Knowledge is power 

WildPaths Maritimes depends upon help from 

volunteers like Cheeseman, who regularly 

cruise highways in southeastern New Brunswick 

and record wildlife sightings (dead or 

alive) on a powerful mobile application called 

iNaturalist. The ultimate goal of the project 

is to identify roads within the Chignecto 

Isthmus region — a narrow neck of land connecting 

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia — 

that present the greatest barriers and dangers 

to wildlife movement. Then scientists can 

work to find safer solutions for both animals 

and people. 

“The isthmus is a critical linkage for a variety 

of animals,” says NCC’s New Brunswick 

program director, Paula Noel. “Its geography 

makes it a natural bottleneck for wildlife. However 

it’s now even more constrained because 

of roads, housing developments, agriculture 

and forestry.” Noel adds that if scientists can 

determine the areas where animals are most 

likely crossing highways, then mitigation tools, 

such as culverts or fencing, can be installed. 

“This will make it safer for the animals, and the 

people who are driving along this section of 

road. This is where volunteers and iNaturalist 

play a crucial role,” she explains. Noel adds 

that the information the volunteers gather will 

be provided to the provincial transportation 

department. This can help identify where 

there are problems. In some cases NCC can 

protect habitat and work with the province 

to find ways to mitigate these problems. 

Beyond the value of the isthmus as a natural 

wildlife corridor, the Moncton/Dieppe/Shediac 

region, to the west of the isthmus, is of particular 

interest because it’s the fastest growing 

community in Atlantic Canada. A growing 

economy means more urban expansion into 

outlying areas. NCC wants to ensure future 

development plans recognize the importance 

of conserving areas for the movement of wildlife. 

Should the habitat connectivity of the isthmus 

be lost, many of Nova Scotia’s wildlife species, 

such as moose, would become landlocked. 

This could reduce their genetic diversity. 

“But we have a chance to make a difference 

now,” says Noel. “While there’s still habitat, 

there’s a chance to build a network of protected 

areas. Solid scientific data, such as the 

information Cheeseman is collecting, helps 

inform smart road design and land-use planning. 

This helps wildlife safely cross roads.” 

WildPaths Maritimes, which was modelled 

after WildPaths Vermont, is part of the larger, 

international Staying Connected Initiative 

(SCI). SCI is a coalition of organizations in 

northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada 

looking to protect wildlife corridors. SCI partners 

in Quebec (including NCC) manage two 

projects: carapace.ca, which collects data on 

turtles along roadways, and Stop Carcasses, 

which also looks for hot spots where wildlife 

cross roads. All of these projects can be found 

on iNaturalist, and anyone can join and contribute 

data to them. 

“The data collection work becomes particularly 

important as our climate changes, 

causing habitats to shift,” notes Noel. “We’re 

already seeing new species moving beyond 

their historic northern range.” 

Global contributions 

Within only a few dozen metres, Cheeseman 

spies a game trail curving through the long 

grass. Clearly, a small animal has been crossing 

the highway here on a regular basis. On the 

opposite side of the road, where the trail 

continues into the woods, he points out 

a small pile of coyote scat. 

“Until I began doing this, I didn’t appreciate 

how active roadways really are,” he says. “Now, 

I think more from the animal’s perspective. 

Imagine how difficult it must be to get across… 

The noise, the speed of the cars, the smells. So 

many sensory distractions to take in just trying 

to cross this single spread of asphalt. We forget 

what kind of impact we have.” 

Cheeseman has mostly found evidence of 

small- to medium-sized mammals, but he’s also 

seen deer disappearing into the woods, moose 

tracks and droppings, along with a variety of 

amphibians, insects and birds that didn’t survive 

the crossing. 

Ahead, a splash of colour catches his eye, 

and he bends to inspect a dead butterfly. 

Using the iNaturalist app on his tablet, he 

snaps a photograph. The app automatically 

records the date and GPS location, then compares 

Cheeseman’s photo to its database. It 

responds with a list of suggestions that help 

him identify the butterfly as a viceroy. He 

saves the record and flags the observation 

for the WildPaths Maritimes project, which 

separates out the sightings within this specific 

geographic area, while including them in 

the global iNaturalist database. His work has 

importance far beyond this region. 

When first uploaded, an observation is 

classified as “casual,” but once verified by two 

other experts, it’s re-classified as “research 

grade.” The record may now be used by important 

databases like the Atlantic Canada 

Conservation Data Centre and Global Biodiversity 

Information Facility system. With 

a few clicks, Cheeseman’s viceroy observation 

is now part of a database used by scientists 

around the world. Once reserved for museum 

expeditions and scientists, new and interesting 

species observations can now be recorded 

by anyone with a smartphone. 

This is, by far, the coolest part of the program. 

There are currently more than 26,000 

people using iNaturalist in Canada and about 

1 million observations of 18,000 different 

species since its launch in 2015. These contribute 

to the global database, which has 

15 million verifiable observations. 

ISTOCK. INATURALIST. 


MIKE DEMBECK. 

These apps create opportunities for us to connect 

with nature in a way we haven’t been able to before, 

with meaningful outcomes for conservation. 

A world to discover 

“Because of these citizen scientist observations, 

we’re seeing reports of species not previously 

found within the region,” says James 

Pagé, species at risk and biodiversity specialist 

with the Canadian Wildlife Federation. “So, 

we can ask, did they actually move north, or 

is it climate change, or just because people 

are now reporting them?” 

Pagé helped create the Canadian version of 

the original iNaturalist application, working 

with Parks Canada, the Royal Ontario Museum 

and NatureServe Canada to create a database 

catering to Canada’s northern species. 

Thanks to smartphones and apps, science 

is no longer solely within the purview of academics. 

Citizen observations are important 

because they often occur outside areas normally 

covered by the scientific community. 

“No matter how good they are, your experts 

can’t be everywhere,” Pagé points out. “But 

with all their outdoor activities, citizen scientists 

can cover a lot more ground.” 

There are still many places, even in southern 

Canada, that have not been inventoried for 

plants and animals. Now anyone can provide 

important observations that can help inform 

decisions on everything from status assessment 

of species to park management plans. 

“This opens up a whole world of discovery,” 

says Dan Kraus, NCC’s senior conservation 

biologist. “You can easily see where no 

one has entered iNaturalist records, then fill 

in that little blank spot in our nature knowledge. 

When you have thousands doing that, 

you have this incredible amount of new information 

that can be used in new ways to protect 

nature.” 

As citizens are recording their observations 

on iNaturalist, researchers around the 

world are accessing the verified data. They’re 

finding new ranges, trends and population 

status information, including data for species 

at risk. Several publications in peer-reviewed 

journals now contain data from iNaturalist. 

“The great thing about this technology is 

that anyone who wants to contribute to nature 

and conservation can do so in a meaningful 

way,” says Kraus. “This data provides us 

with new insights on how species are distributed 

and how they’re using the landscape. 

Most importantly from NCC’s perspective, the 

data helps provide information on what the 

species’ conservation needs may be.” 

iNaturalist has already led to the discovery 

of new species in Canada. When biologist Colin 

Jones recorded a crayfish in iNaturalist, other 

experts confirmed it was a paintedhand mudbug; 

a new species for Canada. “People might 

have seen it before,” says Kraus, “but they’d 

never had access to an expert that helped 

identify it, through their smartphone.” 

In this way, technology supports learning by 

helping people identify species more quickly, 

no matter whether they are on home ground 

or travelling. Birders and naturalists also cite 

the convenience of the app in that they no 

longer need to travel with bulky field guides 

and notebooks. Their recorded sightings are 

also accessible to peers and scientists. iNaturalist 

even has an app for children, called Seek, 

that doesn’t require personal information. 

“Those who work in conservation are 

often concerned that technology will distance 

us from nature,” says Kraus.“But these apps 

create opportunities for us to connect with 

nature in a way we haven’t been able to before. 

Now, we can all participate in informationsharing 

that has meaningful outcomes 

in conservation.” 

Back on the highway, Cheeseman places 

the viceroy back on the ground. “One day, 

within 100 to 200 metres, I found three different 

species of butterfly.” He stands and gazes 

across a field of asters and fireweed gone to 

seed. “When you’re driving, you don’t think 

about the smaller species you interact with… 

About the incredible diversity of life that 

exists along our roadways.” 

He turns back towards the car. “There’s 

really so much we don’t think about, isn’t 

there? Until we slow down and get outside.”1 

CITIZEN SCIENCE 

You can help NCC’s efforts by 

submitting sightings to the eBird 

and iNaturalist programs 

Although NCC has fantastic staff, 

they can’t quite manage to be 

everywhere all of the time. Visitors 

to NCC properties and surrounding 

areas can be incredibly helpful to 

building our knowledge of properties 

and natural areas by submitting 

their wildlife, plant and fungi sightings 

to iNaturalist. Bird observations can 

also be submitted to the eBird app. 

NCC science and stewardship staff 

can look up these sightings and use 

the information to learn more about 

what species occur in the area. 

Over time, the amount of data 

being amassed via citizen science 

is giving us (NCC, and scientists 

worldwide) an unprecedented 

understanding of population size, 

distribution and the timing of 

migration, nesting and flowering 

of both common and rare species. 

This information will be incorporated 

into our property and landscapescale 

planning over time. This will 

help ensure that we’re managing 

our properties to protect rare and 

declining species and their habitats. 

We can also use citizen science data 

to better understand the needs of 

visitors to our properties. For example, 

over time, NCC staff hope to be able 

to gauge which trails people use the 

most, and at what time of the year, 

in part from citizen science data. This 

will help us allocate our resources to 

maintaining and enhancing trails and 

other visitor management infrastructure 

efficiently and strategically. 

Deborah Carr is a New Brunswick 

freelance writer and author of the 

biography, Sanctuary: The Story 

of Naturalist Mary Majka. 



SPECIES 

PROFILE 

Western 

bluebird 

(Coastal population) 

Known as the harbinger of spring, the 

western bluebird’s subtle song can be 

heard as the weather warms and wildflowers 

start blooming in western Canada 

TIM ZUROWSKI. 



SIZE AND APPEARANCE 

A member of the thrush family, the western bluebird 

has a bright blue head and wings, with a rust-orange 

front that often extends onto its back. Males are larger 

and brighter than the greyish-brown females. 

RANGE 

The western bluebird ranges from BC and Alberta, 

through the western U.S. into southcentral Mexico. Six 

sub-species have been identified, two of which occur in 

Canada. The coastal population occurs in the Salish Sea 

region of southwestern BC and western Washington. In 

early fall, these short-distance migrators fly to wintering 

grounds in Oregon, California and Mexico. They return 

in late February and March and are among the first 

migratory birds to re-appear each spring. 

CAVITY NESTERS 

These songbirds are cavity nesters, meaning they find 

nesting sites in the holes of living or dead trees. Because 

they can’t create their own holes, they depend on 

naturally occurring cavities, old woodpecker nests or 

bird houses. 

Bringing back the bluebirds 

Western bluebirds were once common on Vancouver 

Island and the Gulf Islands, but they had all but disappeared 

from the region by 1995. Their decline was probably due 

to a combination of Garry oak habitat loss, the removal of 

dead standing trees that provide nesting cavities and the 

competition for nest holes with introduced European 

starlings and house sparrows. 

Inspired by the success of a western bluebird reintroduction 

project in the nearby San Juan Islands in Washington 

State, the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team (GOERT) 

established the Bring Back the Bluebirds Project in 2011. 

The goal was to re-establish a breeding western bluebird 

population on southeastern Vancouver Island and the 

southern Gulf Islands by installing nest boxes in suitable 

habitat and through translocation (i.e., capturing, transporting 

and releasing birds from one area to another). 

In 2012, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) joined 

GOERT, the Cowichan Valley Naturalists Society (CVNS), 

Ecostudies Institute (Washington) and the Province of 

British Columbia in efforts to reintroduce western bluebirds 

to the Cowichan Valley. From 2012 through 2016, 56 adults 

and 64 nestlings were translocated from the closest healthy 

population in Washington State. NCC’s Cowichan Garry Oak 

Preserve in Duncan, BC, was the first release site. 

Since 2017, CVNS has coordinated this conservation effort. 

Through community engagement and volunteers’ hard work, 

CVNS is ensuring that the network of over 200 nest boxes on 

nearly 70 private properties continues to provide nesting 

sites for western bluebirds and other native cavity nesters. 

PERCHING PREDATORS 

These petite predators perch on low branches, fences and 

shrubs. Here, they scan the ground for insects to eat, and 

then drop to the ground when they have spotted one. 

These birds prefer large, open areas with low grasses so 

they can easily see ground-dwelling insects. 

Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve 

NCC 

GARRY OAK 

The coastal population of western bluebird occurs in 

open woodlands, such as Garry oak savannahs. Today, less 

than five per cent of these habitats remain in Canada, 

making this one of Canada’s most endangered ecosystems. 

HELP OUT 

You can help the western bluebird. To find out how, visit 

giftsofnature.ca. 

A precarious success 

Translocations of this migratory species have been successful, 

with more adults returning each spring to Vancouver Island 

and the San Juan Islands and some birds moving between 

the two states. However, the small population remains 

vulnerable. More translocations may be required to secure 

this species’ long-term presence on Vancouver Island. 

The Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve is one of the world’s last 

and best remnants of Garry oak ecosystems. 

With bluebirds returning to the Cowichan Valley each spring, 

delighting visitors and staff alike, hopes are high that they 

are back for good.1 



PROJECT 

UPDATES 

1 

Expanding a coastal haven for migratory birds 

PUGWASH ESTUARY, NOVA SCOTIA 

4 

3 

2 1 

Thank you! 

Your support has made these projects possible. 

Learn more at natureconservancy.ca/where-we-work. 

The serene Pugwash Estuary is one of the last large, undeveloped river 

estuaries on Nova Scotia’s north shore. The Nature Conservancy of 

Canada (NCC) began conserving coastal land here in 1993 to protect 

critical habitat for migratory birds. Thanks to many donations over the past 

25 years, the Pugwash Estuary Nature Reserve has expanded to 1,245 acres 

(504 hectares), making it one of NCC’s largest reserves in Nova Scotia. 

Recently, two properties totalling 122 acres (49 hectares) were donated to NCC 

by Matthew Currie of Vermont. The donated lands are mainly forest and coastal 

wetlands. The Pugwash Estuary provides habitat for black bear, white-tailed deer, 

porcupine, snowshoe hare, striped skunk, red fox and coyote. However, NCC’s 

conservation efforts here are mainly for migratory shorebirds, which are facing 

serious declines. 

The Pugwash Estuary’s extensive salt marshes, beaches and mudflats provide 

critical stopover habitat for more than two dozen species of shorebirds, water birds 

and waterfowl. This includes greater yellowleg, spotted sandpiper and willet. 

American black duck, green-winged teal, Canada goose and great blue heron are 

also found here. The area is also home to Barrow’s goldeneye (eastern population), 

a species at risk. 

The Pugwash Estuary Nature Reserve is a popular spot for nature lovers and is 

one of NCC’s Nature Destinations. NCC maintains a trail for hiking and birding in 

cooperation with Friends of the Pugwash Estuary, a local volunteer group. 

BARROW’S GOLDENEYE: ROBERT MCCAW. PUGWASH: MIKE DEMBECK. 

Aerial view of Pugwash Estuary 

Barrow’s goldeneye 



3 

Citizen science helping 

Quebec’s turtles 

PROVINCE-WIDE, QUEBEC 

ALVAR: ALAMY STOCK PHOTO. LOUNDS & MCKENNA: STEPHANIE LAKE. PARTNER: NCC. 

An alvar 

2 

Giving alvars a helping 

hand in Manitoba 

INTERLAKE REGION, MANITOBA 

Found in only a few countries in Europe and in 

the Great Lakes region of North America, alvars 

are characterized by shallow soil over limestone 

bedrock and have unique plant communities. A 

globally rare ecosystem, alvars were only recently 

discovered in Manitoba. In 2012, NCC’s science 

team in Manitoba and the Province of Manitoba 

partnered on a study to formally describe and map 

alvars in the province. 

Using computer-mapped information on geology, 

soils, elevation and vegetation, the team 

searched more than 60 sites in the Interlake 

region of the province. Researchers identified the 

presence of alvars at 28 sites and contributed 

to the assessment and designation of alvar as 

an endangered ecosystem under Manitoba’s 

Endangered Species and Ecosystems Act. 

When combined, the extent of Manitoba’s alvars 

measures less than 9,885 acres (4,000 hectares) 

– or 1/10 th of the size of the city of Winnipeg. The 

team also found that none of Manitoba’s alvar sites 

are currently protected, making the need to protect 

this globally rare ecosystem even more urgent. 

NCC and the Province of Manitoba have since 

supported additional research activities, including 

the development of a formal classification of 

alvar community types. The partners also hosted 

a bioblitz to document additional plants and animals 

in 2017 as part of Canada 150 celebrations. To 

date 24 globally, nationally or provincially rare 

and uncommon species have been documented 

at these sites. 

In spring 2019, results of the original study were 

published in the Canadian Field-Naturalist as the 

first scientific publication formally describing alvar 

communities in the province. The important new 

information this project has yielded will continue to 

assist in the conservation of Manitoba’s alvars. NCC 

and partners will continue working to conserve 

these unique and critically important habitats. 

Launched in 2016, NCC’s carapace.ca project 

aims to involve people of all ages and abilities 

in turtle conservation, even if they have no 

scientific background. 

The website allows people to upload photos 

of turtles and indicate where they were found. The 

information gathered helps scientists gain a better 

understanding of the road mortality of turtles. In 

turn, it allows scientists to identify roads with the 

highest rates of mortality. 

Since the site was launched, more than 2,700 

turtle observations have been logged. 

Find out how you can help: carapace.ca. 

Catherine McKenna and John Lounds 

4 

Celebrating a new 

partnership for nature 

CANADA-WIDE 

This spring, NCC and its partners applauded 

a new federally funded $100-million program to 

safeguard important habitats for species at risk. 

The Natural Heritage Conservation Program 

(NHCP), announced by Catherine McKenna, Canada’s 

Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 

will support privately protected areas in ecologically 

sensitive landscapes, from forests and endangered 

grasslands to wetlands and coastal regions. 

NCC president and CEO, John Lounds, joined 

Minister McKenna for the announcement in 

Toronto. The NHCP will result in the conservation 

of more than 490,000 acres (200,000 hectares) 

over the next four years. That’s an area more than 

three times the size of the city of Toronto. The program 

will directly contribute to Canada’s Target 1, 

the nationwide initiative to protect at least 17 per 

cent of our land and fresh water and 10 per cent of 

our marine areas by 2020. 

NCC will oversee the NHCP, with contributions 

from program partners Ducks Unlimited Canada 

and Canada’s land trusts (Canadian Land Trusts 

Working Group). Wildlife Habitat Canada will administer 

the local land trust portion of the program.1 

Partner 

Spotlight 

SC Johnson has been working 

to make the world a better place 

for more than 130 years. From 

continually improving its products, 

to using renewable energy, to 

fighting deforestation, SC Johnson 

has a long legacy of taking action 

to protect the environment today 

and for future generations. SC 

Johnson believes that everywhere 

the company operates should be 

better because it’s there. That’s 

been the company’s commitment 

through five generations, and 

drives its policies, philanthropy 

and community actions to this day. 

The Nature Conservancy of 

Canada (NCC) is grateful for the 

continued support of SC Johnson 

over the last six years. NCC and 

SC Johnson are helping protect 

natural habitats to ensure that 

families will be able to enjoy them 

for generations to come. This 

includes the Southern Norfolk 

Sand Plain in Ontario, the 

St. Lawrence River area in Quebec, 

and the future acquisition of 

two islands in Lake St. Pierre, 

also in Quebec. 

Together, SC Johnson and NCC 

are making a difference in the 

lives of families across Canada. 


FORCE FOR 

NATURE 

A natural 

enthusiasm 

After 20 years of volunteering with NCC, Bruce MacLellan, the chair 

of the national board, is just as excited about conservation and NCC’s 

critical work as when he first started 

MIKE FORD. 



About 70 kilometres northeast of Toronto, 

the unique geologic feature known as the 

Oak Ridges Moraine marks the great divide 

between the Lake Ontario and Lake Huron basins. 

It’s in these headwaters that many rivers are born. 

Some trickle north, others south. A few quiet creeks run through the 

Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) properties in the Happy Valley 

Forest, before joining the Humber River. Some wind their way through 

an increasingly urban landscape, into ravines that eventually flow into 

Lake Ontario. 

A number of those ravines snake by Toronto’s busiest intersections 

and towering office buildings and condominiums. And while business 

entrepreneur, marketer and philanthropist Bruce MacLellan’s office 

sits on the ninth floor of one of those buildings, Toronto’s ravines are 

never far from his mind. When he was growing up in central Toronto, 

they were places of countless hours of exploration and adventure, 

and the source for his connection to nature. 

“My buddies and I used to get on our bikes and spend hours exploring 

in the ravines,” MacLellan recalls. “Toronto’s ravines imprinted 

nature on me and my values. With their big, old white pines and maples, 

they can be serene and magical places.” 

From those childhood adventures began a lifelong commitment to 

the protection and enjoyment of Canada’s natural places. 

“Conservation and preservation of the natural and cultural history 

of an area are two causes that speak to me,” reflects MacLellan, who 

published two books about the history of the Lake of Bays, where his 

family cottage is located, about three hours north of Toronto. Proceeds 

from the books were donated to the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation. 

In his professional life, MacLellan is the founding president and 

CEO of Proof Inc., a marketing and communications group with 175 

people. Outside business hours, MacLellan gives his time to non-profit 

organizations that reflect his personal values. MacLellan has volunteered 

at all levels of natural habitat protection. He has chaired the 

Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation, served on NCC’s Ontario Board 

and was awarded the Vision Award in 2016 by the Ontario Land Trust 

Alliance for his work in conservation. He joined NCC’s national board 

in 2013 and became its chair in 2017. 

Reflecting on his two years as the chair, MacLellan is proud of 

many accomplishments. Chief among them is his role in encouraging 

NCC to continue to be “best in class.” 

“A priority in my role as board chair has been to encourage the full 

potential of NCC’s brand to connect with a diverse Canada. We should 

be an iconic Canadian charity admired by everyone,” says MacLellan. 

And while his involvement with NCC now spans close to two decades, 

his passion for NCC’s cause hasn’t waned. “One of the great things is, 

even after 20 years, I’m still as enthusiastic as when I first started, and 

my awe for what we do keeps growing. I’m experiencing volunteer 

enthusiasm, not fatigue.” 

MacLellan’s commitment to NCC’s mission goes beyond the boardroom 

walls. In fact, if you were to trace the Humber River back up to 

the Happy Valley Forest, you’d find a special place that Bruce and his 

wife, Karen Girling, have helped conserve, through a gift to the Landmark 

Campaign. It was important to them to protect this place at the 

headwaters of many of Toronto’s waterways, near where they live and 

raised their children. 

The mature oak, maple and hemlock of 

NCC’s Happy Valley Forest will become an 

old-growth forest, and provide a glimpse of 

the forests that once characterized these hills. 

MacLellan likes to think of those who will visit 

it in the future. “One hundred years from now, 

people will wonder who had the foresight to 

protect a place like this,” he reflects. 

It seems conservation runs in the family. 

Both of Bruce and Karen’s daughters have a 

strong connection to nature, which they learned 

from their parents. And when Karen’s late 

mother, Marianne Girling, discovered Bruce’s 

involvement with NCC, she amended her will 

to leave a bequest to the organization. Bruce 

and Karen are now working with NCC staff 

in Ontario to create the Marianne Girling 

Nature Reserve in NCC’s Essex Forests and 

Wetlands Natural Area, where Marianne 

grew up and raised a family. 

A second portion of the MacLellans’ campaign 

gift to NCC was directed to NCC staff 

training. “As a business owner of a marketing 

and communications company, I believe 

it’s important to invest in people. When they 

grow, the company succeeds. As a charity, 

it’s often hard to raise funds for training,” 

explains MacLellan. 

At Proof, MacLellan’s commitment to NCC’s 

mandate has been well received by the team, 

some of whom have now become NCC donors. 

Each year, the carbon-neutral company purchases 

carbon offsets from NCC’s Darkwoods 

Forest project in British Columbia. This year, 

Proof will be marking its 25-year anniversary. 

To celebrate it, the company is sponsoring the 

planting of 325 trees, one for every employee 

in Proof’s history, on one of NCC’s Ontario 

properties. As well, a visit by current staff for 

a hike on an NCC property in Newfoundland 

and Labrador is planned for October. 

Above all, MacLellan’s personal and professional 

ethos represent his pride in Canada’s 

culture and landscapes. 

“I consider myself a very patriotic Canadian, 

and I’ve been blessed to live in this 

country and benefit from its natural resources. 

We have a huge stewardship responsibility 

to protect our country’s great qualities 

for future generations.” 

As MacLellan wraps up his term as board 

chair with NCC, he knows his connections to 

the organization will continue. 

“In five years, I’ll still be an NCC volunteer 

and donor. NCC will be a more diverse organization, 

working on larger-scale conservation, 

but also still doing what it does best: working 

as a land securement organization driven by 

important scientific analysis.”1 



CLOSE 

ENCOUNTERS 

Working for nature 

By Leigh Gustafson, NCC engagement intern 

Get out there! 

Plan your Nature 

Destinations visit at 

naturedestinations.ca. 

Ihave had two completely different, yet equally wonderful, 

internship experiences with the Nature Conservancy 

of Canada (NCC). The first was in 2017 as a Conservation 

Intern on Prince Edward Island, where I had my boots 

on the ground and saltwater breezes blowing through 

my sun-bleached hair. It was the first summer I had ever 

spent on this little red island, and it is not one I will soon 

forget. Not only did I fall in love with all the amazing work 

NCC was doing to conserve and protect natural landscapes, 

I also fell in love with all the quirky characteristics and 

hidden gems of this cute little island. 

One of my favourite places to explore was Thomas 

Island, part of the Murray Harbour Archipelago. The 

property had just been chosen to become a Nature Destination, 

so my colleague and I jumped in our boat for 

a quick day-trip to putter around the island and take a 

few photos for the upcoming announcement. The skies 

matched the deep blues of the ocean, the sun was beaming 

and curious harbor seal pups were bobbing in the 

water, watching as we walked along the shore. The day 

was nothing short of picture perfect. 

Fast forward two years and I found myself working 

with NCC again, but this time with the national conservation 

engagement team. I helped develop the visitor 

management framework, which helps guide staff when 

developing all of NCC’s Nature Destinations in Canada. 

While on the surface this position might not seem like 

my previous role, it was just as exciting to be on the 

other side of conservation work. Every day I got to discover 

all of these outstanding and unique properties 

from all across the country. 

There’s a Swahili word, kuumba, which encourages 

us to always do what we can, how we can, and to leave 

our community better and more beautiful than when we 

inherited it. I am proud to have worked with an organization 

that practises this lesson and am honoured to have 

had the opportunity to help connect Canadians with nature 

through NCC’s Nature Destinations program.1 

JACQUI OAKLEY. 

18 SPRING 2019 


PROGRAM PARTNER 

Experience the best of Canadian nature. 

Canada is home to some of the world’s most spectacular and irreplaceable landscapes. 

Our Nature Destinations include locations in some of the country’s most breathtaking 

natural spaces from coast to coast, which are now yours to experience, cherish and enjoy. 

Find a Nature Destination near you at NatureDestinations.ca

Connecting to 

nature 

YOUR 

VOICES 

Thank you for supporting the Nature Conservancy 

of Canada’s (NCC’s) Landmark Campaign. One of the 

campaign’s priorities is to provide Canadians with 

more opportunities to get outdoors and appreciate 

nature first-hand. This includes joining NCC field staff 

at Conservation Volunteers events or visiting one 

of NCC’s Nature Destinations. Our new Nature Score 

program also launches this summer, and offers you 

new ways to strengthen your connection with nature. 

CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS 

Conservation Volunteers engage in 

hands-on conservation to help NCC 

carry out important work on our properties. 

Visit conservationvolunteers.ca 

today to find upcoming events near 

you. We hope to see you this summer! 

NATURE DESTINATIONS 

More than 80 per cent of Canadians 

live within 100 kilometres of an NCC 

property. We invite you to explore 

some of the greatest examples of our 

country’s natural areas and connect 

to nature. To find a Nature Destination 

near you, visit naturedestinations.ca. 

NATURE SCORE 

Take our short Nature Score quiz to 

discover how connected to nature 

you are. Once you receive your score, 

a friendly virtual Nature Coach will 

provide tips to help you foster a closer 

relationship with nature, through a 

series of emails. Inspired by nature’s 

proven mental and physical health 

benefits, our goal is to help people 

across Canada connect to nature 

in new ways. Take the quiz today: 

naturequiz.ca. 

NATURE CONSERVANCY OF CANADA 

245 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 410, Toronto, ON M4P 3J1 

81% ACHIEVED 

RAISE 

$750 

MILLION 

87% ACHIEVED 

CONSERVE 

500 

NEW PROPERTIES 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. 

L to R: Aidan O’Brien, Ella Van-Cleave, Levi Williams 

Amplifying nature’s voice 

“Each day that I came to work as NCC’s communications 

and engagement intern for the BC region, I felt so fortunate 

to have the opportunity to combine my passions 

of ecology and storytelling. Engaging in science communication 

has the potential to capture imaginations, 

leading to meaningful discussions about the role that 

science and conservation plays in our society. I feel 

grateful to have had the opportunity be part of that 

movement working for NCC in BC. With a liberal arts 

education centered around conservation and communication 

under my belt, I hope to find further work that 

involves amplifying the voice of nature beyond NCC!” 

~ Ella Van-Cleave, Quest University Canada, B.C. 

Real world experience 

“NCC’s Conservation Intern program not only helped 

develop my technical conservation science skills, but 

gave me a greater understanding of how non-profit 

organizations operate, as well as built my confidence 

in working with volunteers, donors and partner organizations. 

This program provided a great framework for 

what it’s really like to work in the field of conservation; 

balancing all aspects of fieldwork, reporting, project 

management and collaboration. Thank you NCC!.” 

~ Aidan O’Brien, University of Toronto, Ontario. 

Passion for nature 

“Ouch! I had to pinch myself again... Did I really get 

paid to roam and monitor the vast Albertan Prairies this 

summer? As a Conservation Technician for NCC I’ve had 

the pleasure of working with our incredible leaseholders 

and landowners. Their passion for the land and wildlife 

is contagious. The things I’ve learned over a cup of hot 

coffee cannot be found in any old textbook.” 

~ Levi Williams-Whitney, Lethbridge College, Alberta 

SEND US YOUR STORIES! magazine@natureconservancy.ca

NCC Magazine, Summer 2019

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