"When contemplating agricultural practices in Canada today, it’s hard not to notice that permaculture, once the black sheep of alternative farming methods, has begun making inroads on small farms in this country after decades of barely registering on farmers’ radars."

"When we think of species migrating, our minds conjure up images of birds flying south or herds of elk moving from their winter ranges to the landscapes that will support them throughout the summer months. Rarely, however, do we think of trees relocating from regions where they have lived for hundreds or thousands of years to ones where they have never before been seen."

"If you live anywhere in Canada these days, there's little doubt you've been exposed to a barrage of media reports about how the ticks that carry Lyme disease are spreading northward through our country with breathtaking speed."

"With widespread reports that climate change is influencing everything from bird migration routes to wildfire severity, it’s not surprising that Canadian researchers have started taking a hard look at how changing weather patterns will impact our ability to produce viable food crops."

"Each year between December 14 and January 5, participants gather on a date determined by local organizers to count every bird they see and hear within their designated section of the 24-kilometre diametre circle earmarked for local birders to survey. "

"The key to success is that all of the components utilized in the early stages – from the petri dishes to the sawdust blocks to the mini-lab itself – must be completely sterile in order to avoid contamination, which could spell disaster."

"Sperling spends her days mapping out the various kinds of bacteria that live on and in ticks in the Kootenays and other regions in an effort to help doctors determine what diseases they should be looking out for if a patient falls ill after being bitten by a tick."

"We have a tendency to see forest fires in a negative light when they threaten our property or our safety but, from an ecological perspective, wildfires can be potent forces of renewal and regeneration."

"When Canadians think of bees, it’s typically the much-loved honeybee that springs to mind. And while there’s no question that honeybees play an important role in our culture, they are just one of more than 800 species of bees found in this country, a figure that often takes people by surprise."

"We didn't used to have to worry about Lyme disease in Canada. Many of us would prefer not to think about it now, but as circumstances conspire to drive more and more infected ticks northward into this country every year, Lyme disease is rapidly becoming an illness that small farm operators no longer have the luxury of ignoring."

"Citizen science is taking the world by storm and the Kootenays are no exception."