Halifax Field Naturalists

Timothy Frazier holds a faculty position at Saint Mary’s University in 2009, and his research now focuses on using genetics to improving the understanding and conservation of whales. Whales are some of the most intriguing, yet difficult to study, animals on the planet. Many species have also been heavily exploited by humans, and are now […]

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Ryan MacLean, Volunteer Coordinator for the Nova Scotia Nature Trust, is delighted to join the HFN to talk about her work with the Nova Scotia Nature Trust. Ryan will share her personal journey of how she came to work in conservation and discuss her mission to increase engagement in land stewardship initiatives in Nova Scotia. […]

Since 1980, most coral reefs have experienced at least three episodes of coral bleaching, triggered by global warming. Mass mortality of corals due to bleaching represents a radical shift in the disturbance of tropical reefs, representing a fundamental challenge to the long-term future of these iconic ecosystems. In this talk, Professor Terry Hughes — this […]

How long has it been since you went to McNabs Island, a unique provincial park and national historic site in the outer Halifax harbour? This 400ha island is an oasis for wildlife with over 250 species of birds including osprey and blue heron and boasts seven different terrestrial habitats from sandy beaches and marshes to […]

A public lecture for SCANS (Seniors’ College Association of Nova Scotia) by David Patriquin on The Natural History of the Halifax Backlands  Date and Time: October 22, 2018 – Monday, 1:30 – 3:30 pm Place: Captain William Spry Community Centre The “Backlands” is a Thomsonesque wilderness located only a few kilometers from peninsular Halifax. It includes nine […]

Old forests are special ecosystems in Nova Scotia, partly because of their rarity and partly because of their awesome biodiversity and big, old trees. Most of the province’s old forests are deep in the rural forest. On the other hand, are there any in the city? Peter Duinker, Dalhousie Professor and Acting Director of the […]

Lydia Stevens, of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, will give an introduction into the life history, importance and status of American eel, Anguilla rostrata. She will discuss species range, life cycle, sex and diet. The importance to Indigenous people, recreational and commercial fish harvesters. Population decline and conservation. Finally she will talk about her own research: […]

Due to the weather situation, the meeting has been cancelled. The presentation by Syd Dumaresq on the Shubenacadie Canal Restauration will be rescheduled at a future date, most likely in the summer or fall of 2018.

Scott Leslie was our guest speaker on Thurs Dec 7, 2017, his topic: Untamed Atlantic Canada. Scott’s photographs and reading from his latest book (Untamed Atlantic Canada) held us spellbound. After the final questions about his presentation he asked if we would be interested in seeing some of his aerial views of clearcuts in Annapolis […]

Spanning twelve hundred kilometres from New Brunswick’s Passamaquoddy Bay to Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula, Atlantic Canada stands as a nexus between North America and the North Atlantic. Its diverse geography, variable climate, and ocean currents coalesce to create a rich medley of habitats both on land and in the sea. Scott Leslie, renowned Nova Scotia author […]

St. Mary’s University graduate students Nicole Besler and Cody Fouts discuss some of the strategies used by little Brown Bats in Newfoundland in order to cope with the potential limiting factors of life in a harsh environment. 7:30 pm at NS Museum of Natural History. Read more. (Photo from Newfoundland and Labrador Fisheries and Land […]