Nov 2 2019 — Dan Kraus — Nature Conservancy of Canada — Parks and protected areas have been established across Canada to conserve many things we value. Banff National Park was originally established in 1885 to protect hot springs and breathtaking scenery for tourists. In 1893, Algonquin Provincial Park was set up to protect forested headwaters from settlement and land clearing. Over the last 134 years, more […]
May 9 2019 — Dan Kraus — Nature Conservancy of Canada — This week, representatives of 132 governments around the world released a United Nations report that issues a stark warning: the accelerating deterioration of nature is jeopardizing humanity’s collective future. The report is the most comprehensive-ever study of life on Earth. 455 scientists, researchers and experts have determined that the loss of global biodiversity — the […]
Dec 24 2018 — Dan Kraus — Nature Conservancy of Canada — People living in the northern hemisphere have brought trees and boughs into their homes during the winter for thousands of years. The evergreens that we decorate with during Christmas can represent a celebration of holidays and a reminder that spring will come again. I’m a Christmas tree traditionalist, and will never give up the ancient […]
Aug 31 2018 — Dan Kraus — Nature Conservancy of Canada — It’s a luxury to not think about water. Most Canadians watch it flow from the faucet and go down the drain without considering its source or destination. When we do think about water, it’s only about where the nearest tap is. Many people in the world don’t have taps. Over 1.2 billion people experience critical […]
Jun 4 2018 — Dan Kraus — Nature Conservancy of Canada — Canada has been losing and saving species for a long time. Since European settlement, over 100 species have been lost here. These include plants and animals that are extinct and extirpated, and species that are considered historic (no one has seen them in Canada for a long time). The number of lost species varies between […]
Apr 25 2018 — Dan Kraus — Nature Conservancy of Canada — Earth Week is a time to promote awareness and appreciation for our environment, sustainable living and earth awareness. There’s nothing like the potential loss of Earth’s rich biodiversity and planetary life support systems to make one feel, well, a little overwhelmed. Our individual actions can seem like small roles on a very big stage. The […]
Feb 2 2018 — Dan Kraus — Nature Conservancy of Canada — Canada is home to 25 per cent of the world’s wetlands, which are important for the health of Canada and the health of our planet. In Ontario, we see proof all around us. From Lake Superior and the Great Lakes, to Lake Nipissing, these are crucial ecosystems for plants and animals, and great recreation spots. […]
Dec 28 2017 — Dan Kraus — Nature Conservancy of Canada — Nature conservation and current issues, from climate change to protecting north Atlantic right whales, can seem overwhelming. However, there were some positive areas over the past year. Here are 10 stories from 2017 from Canada and around the world that show progress: Protected areas continues to grow Many countries are edging closer to international targets […]
Aug 29 2017 — Dan Kraus — Nature Conservancy of Canada — On August 30 2017, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) will mark exactly 20,000 days of conservation. This milestone provides an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the work done by NCC and our partners each day, and the conservation we need to accomplish in the 20,000 days to come. Since the countdown began in […]
Jun 4 2017 — Dan Kraus — Nature Conservancy of Canada — As a northern nation that was mostly covered by glaciers only 10,000 years ago, Canada has fewer species than tropical countries where the evolution and emergence of new species has been operating in stable environments for hundreds of thousands of years. Tiny Panama has 10 times more tree species than Canada. Brazil has hundreds of […]