Journalism
Vanessa is a freelance science journalist and magazine writer. Her articles focus mainly on nature, the environment, agriculture and horticulture. Current interests include biodiversity, citizen science, and agroecology. Below are some of her recent articles.
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Magazine: Kootenay Living Magazine Issue: Winter 2019/2020 Type: Feature Article Title: One for the Birds "If you think Christmas would be the perfect time to give a gift to nature, many birds would agree." |
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Magazine: Harrowsmith Issue: Winter 2019/2020 Type: Feature Article Title: British Columbia is in for a Fiery Future "Following back-to-back devastating wildfire seasons in 2017 and 2018, many British Columbians have started to ask an important question: Is this the beginning of a future filled with fire and smoke?" |
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Magazine: Small Farm Canada Issue: September/October 2019 Type: Feature Article Title: Has Permaculture Finally Come of Age? "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." |
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Magazine: Harrowsmith Issue: Summer 2019 Type: Feature Article Title: Our Forests Are On The Move "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." |
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Magazine: Harrowsmith Issue: Spring 2019 Type: Feature Article Title: Ticked Off: The Unexpected Link Between Climate Change and Increased Rates of Lyme Disease "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." |
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Magazine: Small Farm Canada Issue: Jan 2019 Type: Feature Article Title: Many Eggs, Many Baskets: What is Being Learned from The Crop-Climate Project "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." |
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Magazine: Harrowsmith Issue: Dec 2018 Type: Feature Article Title: For Bird's Sake: The National Audubon Society's 2018-2019 Christmas Bird Count is North America's Longest Running Citizen Science Project "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. " |
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Magazine: Small Farm Canada Issue: Nov 2018 Type: Feature Article Title: Their Operation Mushroomed! From Growing for Themselves This Couple Developed a Vigorous Home Business "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." |
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Magazine: Kootenay Living Magazine Issue: June 2018 Type: Feature Article Title: The Upside of Wildfires "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." |
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Magazine: Harrowsmith Issue: June 2018 Type: Feature Article Title: Wild About Bees "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." |
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Magazine: Small Farm Canada Issue: Jan 2018 Type: Feature Article Title: Lyme Disease in Farm Animals "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." |