Safeguarding ancient forests, defending nature, challenging large-scale peat mining, and appreciating spiders: EcoWest News, March 10, 2026

Wood Ducks have strong claws they use to grip bark and perch on branches. Ducklings must jump from high tree cavities to reach water www.naturecompanion.ca/birds/wooddu... #NatureCompanion

Nature’s Genius: “On every continent except Antarctica, animals, plants and insects are altering their bodies and behaviours in response to the pressures of transformed ecosystems and a changing climate” canongate.co.uk/books/4911-n...

Life isn’t easy for female northern killer whales. Pregnancy lasts 1½ years. They nurse newborns for 2 years and then hunt and share food with their adult children who never leave. It’s the lifelong care that has a toll on the mothers

Explore the vital role of peatland ecosystems and create your own peat-free soil mix from 2-4 pm, March 28, Saskatoon forpeatsake.ca/events

EcoWest News highlights: The resilience of rivers, atmospheric pollution, low-carbon travel options, and a post-partum snack for female caribou

Merlins are fantastic neighbourhood birds - they punctuate the scene when they appear and they create memories with every choppy wingbeat. Enjoy a listen to my latest podcast on Merlin! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...

Did you know that the bees that need saving are NOT honeybees? Honeybees are the dairy cows of bees. People brought them over from Europe to make us honey. The problem with honeybees, esp in resource-limited ecosystems (like hey! cities!) is that they compete with our native bees for food.

Buffleheads are very active, spending almost a quarter of their time diving for food www.naturecompanion.ca/birds/buffle/ #NatureCompanion

Subscribe to ecofriendlywest.ca for a round-up of news and stories about nature and the environment in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia #Free #NoCookies #NoAds

Live events come with a major environmental footprint. To obtain reductions, audience travel behaviour must change. Ed Sheeran travelling by train to Melbourne may appear symbolic, but it normalizes low-carbon options and reinforces environmental values

“Watch a parent owl with their children, or owl siblings together, or a couple of courting owls, and what you’ll see is so much love, so much love and tenderness and playfulness – The Company of Owls by Polly Atkin milkweed.org/book/the-com...

Expanding Manitoba’s Port of Churchill could open an important economic corridor in the North. But the potential drawbacks — from the risk of oil spills to limited access due to ice cover — have some concerned, @jsrutgers.bsky.social reports. thenarwhal.ca/port-of-chur...

StyleCycle doesn’t simply hand out garments — they style complete outfits, wash and repair each piece, and thoughtfully pair items to help recipients feel confident and cared for. Minor fixes extend a garment’s life and support circular fashion news.mcmaster.ca/students-wea...

Owl surveyors needed in northern and central #Ontario. Visit buff.ly/6s6esbU to see the position description, buff.ly/fmOLC0g for available routes (red markers) and buff.ly/BE8xneX to request a route. #Night #Science #Volunteer #Birds

Gimli, Manitoba, is converting a decommissioned wastewater lagoon into a constructed wetland with trails and interpretive signage www.gimli.ca/p/gimli-wetl...

“Sediment is basically a sink for all these pollutants, but it can become a source if we suspend all these materials with dredging,” said Juan José Alava, principal investigator at UBC's Ocean Pollution Research Unit www.biv.com/news/transpo... via @stefanlabbe.bsky.social

From chocolate and whales to data centres and economic choices: EcoWest News, February 24, 2026

There are plans to build a data centre in your community. Here’s what questions you should ask, from how noisy will it be to will it provide tax revenue?

Cattails play a useful role in removing pollutants from bodies of water and provide an important habitat for birds, insects, amphibians, and fish www.naturecompanion.ca/plants/catta... #NatureCompanion

Super Natural: How Life Thrives in Impossible Places: Why would any animal find itself in a place without oxygen, without food, bathed in intense radiation? Survival isn’t just a case of their environment but also the threat of predation and competition www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/807360...

About 672,000 tonnes of furniture are thrown out in Canada per year. Recertified Furniture’s goal is to rehome high-end furniture requiring repairs that donation centres or other businesses can’t address

Community leaders and books, January 2026, featuring a warming Arctic, hiking by moonlight, and fan-building tactics from the music industry

Are you thirsty for a casual chat with local climate folks? Join us this month for our #ThirdThursdays Climate Drinks at #CivicTavern. Supported by XhAle Brewing! #yyc #ClimateChange @xhalebrewco.bsky.social #ThirdThursday

Alberta's Environmental Law Centre is hosting a 4-part webinar series on biodiversity looking at parks and protected areas, grasslands, wetlands, and forests. The first seminar is on Thursday, February 19

Dead cold, dead of winter is Three-toed Woodpecker time! Out there in the frozen, silent forest-scene they softly peck off bark chips to expose insect eggs and overwintering adults. Their calm & deliberate approach match their environment.

For my bog and peat lovers! My upcoming book #Boglands is available to pre-order from Waterstones now at 25% off RRP! To redeem the offer, simple enter ‘FEB26’ at the checkout between now and 23:59 on Friday 20th February. #WPreorder. Pre-order #Boglands here: www.waterstones.com/book/bogland...

Birds, bats, drinking water, reusable dishes and concrete slabs: EcoWest News, February 16, 2026

Widespread wetland drainage on Prairie farmland releases 2.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. That’s equal to more than 5% of Prairie agricultural emissions from the industry as a whole

Your Sunday morning podcast is HERE. Fire up that morning coffee and enjoy. Have a GREAT Sunday! www.podcastics.com/episode/4019... #Venezuela #ClimateChange #OilWar #EnergyTransition #ElectroStates #PetroStates #CleanEnergy #Renewables #cdnpoli #abpoli #yyc #Electrification #ElectrifyEverything

Blue Grama Grass has a dense, shallow root mass that holds the soil in place and prevents erosion www.naturecompanion.ca/plants/blugg... #NatureCompanion

Neighbours and area residents have raised concerns around water usage, drainage, noise pollution, and the impact on road infrastructure of a proposed data centre near Regina

What is the most effective way to address climate change? Is it through individual actions (change your diet, stop flying) or through systemic change (legislation)? It’s on You outlines why we should stop blaming ourselves for society’s failures www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/nick-...

Participate in a webinar on how small communities can host repair events on February 25 (hosted by the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council) www.saskwastereduction.ca/event/repair...

From farming and coal to climate fiction and photography: EcoWest News, February 10, 2026

The EcoFriendly West Fund is pleased to support the Manitoba Habitat Conservancy’s focus on conserving, restoring, and enhancing fish and wildlife habitats mbhabitat.ca

The hooked bristles on Wild Licorice’s seed pods catch and cling to animal fur and human clothing, distributing the seeds to new areas www.naturecompanion.ca/plants/wildl... #NatureCompanion

The 2026 Climate Fiction prize longlist spans thrillers, experimental literary works, folklore and reimagined myths, science fiction, and a generational family saga

“When it comes to vertebrates, no class of creatures is more different, more abhorrently Other, than snakes. If there is room for them in our psychological ark, there’s space for everyone” www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/steph...

Harriet Rix points out “we share one world with trees and one need for survival.” We underestimate trees at our peril

Friends of Cortes Island monitor and preserve the health of local ecosystems. This includes maintaining regional parks and trails, surveying for western screech owls, and watching out for rough-skinned newts on the road www.friendsofcortes.org

Speaking up for nature, BC seed bank, renewable community energy, and EVs cut air pollution - EcoWest News, February 3, 2026

Insects overwinter in Cow Parsnips’ dry hollow stems that can also be used to make toy flutes and whistles www.naturecompanion.ca/plants/cowpar/ #NatureCompanion

By learning from other whale populations, Canada’s humpback whales are regaining cultural knowledge, such as bubble-feeding techniques, that will help them survive

Frostlines: A Journey Through Entangled Lives and Landscapes in a Warming Arctic by Neil Shea asks the question: What can it mean, for all of us, if the north ceases to be cold? www.neilshea.net

After a year of severe wildfires and drought, a group of Manitoba organizations is calling on the province to focus on climate solutions in its 2026 budget. @jsrutgers.bsky.social reports: thenarwhal.ca/manitoba-cli...

@realityclimatique.bsky.social ‬ @desmog.com @davidsuzukifdn.bsky.social @350canada.bsky.social @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social ‬ @citizenslobbyca.bsky.social @climatenews.bsky.social @climateinstitute.bsky.social @myzerocarbon.org ‬

Remai Modern Art Gallery, Saskatoon, is hosting a hands-on workshop bringing together art, ecology, and land-based restoration on Feb. 7 remaimodern.org/events-gathe...

Repairing clothes and farm machinery; too much/too little water; and caring for birds, bats, and salamanders - EcoWest News, January 27, 2026