I love researching the safest and most interesting routes, points of interest and campsite locations. I read up on the history of the region and learn the geography so I know where the hills are! Somehow it makes me feel like I’m already on the road.

Preparing for a trip is also a good time to recall last season’s little problems and to take the necessary precautions to make sure they don’t happen again (if you haven’t already). At the end of last summer, I noticed that my tent was showing signs of weakness in the rain, especially in heavy rain. After waterproofing the seams and letting it dry thoroughly, I stored my tent in its bag. When I got it out the other day, I noticed that the waterproofer was stuck all over the fabric. To avoid damaging the fabric if I opened up the tent (and to prevent this from happening again), I researched how to fix the problem. The solution is a bit of magnesia powder. Sprinkle it on the dried waterproofer and give the tent a good shake to remove the excess. I tested it by storing the tent in its bag for a few days, then taking the hose to it. Goodbye stickiness, hello waterproofness.

In my last post I talked about the importance of reducing baggage volume for cycle touring. Obviously, the temperature can vary throughout the day (especially if you’re an early riser) and cold snaps can be unpleasant. Sleeves, knee warmers and leg warmers are perfect for chilly mornings, breaks or waiting around (like waiting for a ferry – and you’ll really appreciate them when you’re on the water). They’re more compact than long tights or a long-sleeved jersey and you can slip them in your pockets.

Don’t overlook stocking the first aid kit. I’ve been thankful for this simple precaution a few times when I’ve been sick on the road (and I’ve just as often kicked myself when I didn’t do it), especially in isolated areas. A few tablets for headaches, sore muscles and diarrhea take up very little space and can prevent having to go home early or ruining your whole trip.

Happy preparation!

For starters, we now have women-specific backpacks. I can hear half of you saying “What’s the big deal?” and the other half chiming in with “It’s about time.” Let’s start with the timing issue: there was a major shift about five years ago when outdoor gear manufacturers clued in and realised that designing women-specific gear meant more than just “shrinking and pinking it”. Back then, we did carry some Gregory and Arc’Teryx packs for women that sold quite well, but all the MEC-brand packs were pretty much unisex — which, I found out, doesn’t mean they were designed specifically for men either. So over two years ago, Mark Knight, in-house packs designer extraordinaire, started working on packs specifically designed for women. The idea was to make sure our packs fit all our members, including women.

As for what the big deal is? Well, plenty. There was a whole R&D phase. The first step was defining exactly what makes a woman-specific pack different. Based on research Mark conducted, gals have the same functional requirements as guys: they want the best gear. The issues were about ill-fitting straps and belts, so the majority of the work focused on defining women’s physical requirements and how to adapt the design accordingly. The challenge was to create a pack that, while as adaptable as possible, would accommodate different body types. The three main differences you’ll notice with our women’s packs relate to shoulder straps, back length, and hipbelt.

Shoulder straps
They are shorter and anatomically curved, attach to the pack at a different angle to accommodate for women’s narrower shoulders, and can be moved up or down for a personalised fit. Straps can also be switched out and replaced with shorter or longer ones.

Back length
While the terminology is common to men’s and women’s packs (Short/Standard and Standard/Long), the measurements are specific to each gender with women’s being shorter. Since the desire is to keep the bulk of the load close to the back, you can’t compensate for the shorter length by making the pack significantly deeper. We made the women’s pack slightly wider than the men’s and 1cm deeper. For example, the Aurora 60  is 65cm long and 28cm wide while the Eos 60 is 72 x 26cm.

Hipbelt
Other than featuring our new Trail Motion™ technology (more on that in a later post) and being offered in Small, Medium, and Large, the women’s packs’ hipbelts are shaped to curve upward more aggressively to cup over hips once buckled. And speaking of buckling, Mark made life easier for us gals by incorporating a V-pull system that offers a mechanical advantage like that of a pulley and having us pull forward instead of backward to tighten the belt.

But wait, there’s more! Since we were looking to revamp the whole MEC packs’ collection, Mark and the rest of the design team made some other improvements that you’ll notice on many men’s, women’s and unisex packs. The following features are notably found on the Aurora and Eos models.

Fabric
Regular denier nylon was replaced with high tenacity nylon which is very strong and light.

Roll-top closure
The spindrift collar has a roll-top closure with a buckle (just like ondry bags) which does a better job protecting the contents of your pack when the lid is removed than the old-fashioned drawstring.

Pole/ice axe loops
The standard webbing loops have been replaced with these snazzy elastic cords equipped with state-of-the-art quick-attach buckles.

Head cup
You’ll notice a neat concave shape on the back of the pack which is there to avoid you hitting the back of your head when you look uphill or are climbing ladders (think West Coast trail) and to allow you to turn your head freely.

Zipper pulls
All the zippers feature glove-friendly pulls that are easy to grab.

Colours
This year’s models come in some pretty nice colours and the more subdued traditional colours have some bright accents to liven things up.

One very important thing to consider when buying a pack is fit. Our staff are trained to help you figure out what size pack is right for you and they will also show you how to adjust all the straps properly. If you don’t have access to an MEC store, we’ve got some helpful articles in the Learn section of our Web site.

Finally, Mark tells me that designing a pack is a constantly evolving process. For instance, the spring 2013 versions of the Aurora pack will feature more padding on the shoulder straps and hipbelt. Comments from gear testers and members help us make out products better, so don’t hesitate to send us your feedback, comments, and suggestions.

For years, James made multi-hour journeys every weekend to escape London for hiking and camping in the Lake District or surfing in Cornwall. His next gig was closer to his heart: a three-year stint with a major UK outdoor equipment maker. Two years ago, he brought his passion for the outdoors to Canada to work for MEC as a hard goods designer. Since arriving, James has added snowboarding and mountain biking to his repertoire.

Blue eyes and a British accent, a winning combo

I woke him up from some product testing to get the beta on the new MEC sleeping bags for 2012.

So what’s your take on the changes?

They’re awesome. We’ve been making piecemeal improvements to individual bags over the years, but this is the first time we’ve overhauled the whole line at once. I was really excited to have this opportunity. The bags are better and it’s going to be easier for members to find the right one for their needs.

Do tell.

For starters, we’ve made women’s versions of many of our mummy bags. They are shorter, have wider hips and narrower shoulders, all to reduce heat-sucking voids. They also have extra insulation in the torso and around the feet. It means women can have more confidence that the bags’ temperature ratings will translate to their real world sleeping experience.

All the adult synthetic bags are now insulated with 50% recycled polyester. That gives me a warm feeling. I expect it will do the same for members.

In the mummy bags, except the Merlin and WindStopper series, we’ve switched the shell fabric to Erictex ripstop polyester. It saves weight and has a softer feel.

Under the category of little things that make a big difference, all our mummy bags have a round cord for adjusting the top of the hood and a flat one for adjusting the bottom. Anyone who’s ever struggled in the dark to create that perfect breathing hole without suffocating themselves will understand the value of being able to tell the difference by touch.

With the Merlin DF mummy bags, we took a serious trip to tech town. We wanted to deliver all of the advantages of down without its susceptibility to sogging out and its slowness to dry. So we switched the shell and linerto a DWR-treated Pertex nylon that’s highly water resistant. The footbox and the hood are the most likely points of contact with condensation-covered tent walls, so we protected them with Pertex Endurance, an amazingly thin membrane that adds  water resistance while staying breathable. In case any damp gets through the outer defenses, the down itself is now treated with DWR, so it’s less likely to wet out, and quicker to dry if it does. We also pivoted the torso baffles from horizontal to vertical to reduce down shift. You’ll appreciate that if you’re a side sleeper.

You mentioned finding the bag of your dreams will now be easier?

Ah, our Colour-Mometer. The name’s a bit cheesy, but the idea was to colour-code the bags to show their temperature ratings. Warmth is the first feature people use to choose a bag, everything else – shape, weight, fill, and cost – comes after that. If you’re in a store and looking for a -12°C bag, you can head right to the orange bags or bags with orange accents. They all hang together on our displays. Then you can figure out if you want down or synthetic, and how snug you want it.

We use purple, blue and green for cooler bags. Yellow, orange and red for warmer bags. People seem to get it intuitively. As a bonus, it looks smashing in the stores, with the rainbow of colours progressing from one end of the display to the other.

What else is new?

We’ve improved the pump for our Reactor Summer Pump Pad. I love the way it packs down so small and then blows up so big without busting your lungs.

To match our women’s sleeping bags, we’ve created a women’s version of our Reactor 3.8 Sleeping Pad.

We’re making our own down quilt, the Viator. It’s interesting because it appeals to a broad range of users, from luxury car campers to ultralight hikers. I’ve got one myself. I love getting back from a trip and not having to do laundry before I can crash, like I had to when I’d just nicked the quilt from home.

Thanks for all the inside scoops. I’ll let you get back to your work.

You’re welcome. Could you lower the blinds on your way out?

The sun finally decided to come out for the final MEC race of the spring. And last Sunday, at Michel-Chartrand Park in Longueuil, Québec I was one of the lucky runners who got to  enjoy it.

When I woke up on the morning of the race, I asked myself, seriously, what possessed me to enter a race this early in the season? But once I set foot in the venue, a familiar park where I bring my kids and go running regularly, the anxiety I had when I woke up disappeared among the smiles, handshakes, and words of encouragement from the other racers.

I don’t want to sound biased, but this race had everything you’d find at a bigger event: water station, professional timing, timing chips, free massages, big sponsors, support from the city and a snack stand at the finish line – the best bagels in Montréal! The idyllic setting and numerous paths made the park a perfect location. And I was treated to shouts of encouragement by complete strangers near the finish line.

Finally, my early-season 5km effort culminated in a bouquet of flowers from my sweetie and radiant smiles from our kids. People were congratulating each other all around. I saw little kids who weren’t too worn out, proud parents, and I think I even recognized chef Stefano Faïta, followed by a camera crew. What’s great about these races is that you can use them to establish or improve your time, or just have fun and indulge in the free fruit buffet at the end. For me, the race was my motivation to get out despite the dreariness of April. Now I can say I’ve officially kicked off my season!

Note: If you like cycling as much as you do running, drop by your local MEC Bikefest, a family-oriented party celebrating bike culture.

As a mom who does lots of different sports, I’m delighted to give you all kinds of themed gift ideas. Here’s a guide for children, husbands and grandchildren, with my suggestions for moms who like jogging, yoga, cycling and getting out in the great outdoors.

First, here are five important steps to follow before making a choice:

1. INVESTIGATE: While Mom is soaking in her evening bath, use the time to check her size, investigate colours and assess the overall state of her sportswear.
2. BE INTERESTED: What are her athletic goals this year? What sport does she (she, not you) enjoy the most? What vacations does she have planned?
3. DON’T BUY HER WHAT YOU WANT: Buy her what she wants. Obvious, you say?
4. THINK UNNECESSARY: Yes, your gift does not have to be absolutely necessary, and not so practical that she’d buy it for herself.  There are lots of sporty gifts that fit this category. Think of things she wouldn’t buy for herself because, for instance, she thinks her 15-year old windbreaker is still sexy. (Sorry, Mom.)
5. CHOOSE A THEME: Once you’ve decided on a sport and the rest of the family is in on it, don’t stop at gifts. Organize a special sporting activity for Mother’s Day (May 13, by the way): pack a lunch and take her on a surprise bike ride, go for a run after breakfast in bed, take a family yoga class…

If you’re the type who buys the outfits you see on store mannequins, I strongly advise against it. Instead, talk to a salesperson about the types of activities your mom does. If you buy online, remember to have your package delivered to your office and not to the house! Here are my suggestions:

Run Mommy, run

Suunto M4 Heart Rate Monitor – $160

It’s like Mom’s very own personal trainer. The M4 Monitor uses simple technology to help Mom stay in shape, watch her weight or train, without being a programming whiz. Mom can enter her personal data and the M4 assesses her fitness level and suggests the length and intensity of her next training session.

Craft PR Capris – $65

Brighter than the traditional black version but just as effective, these capris definitely get noticed. The cut gives Mom killer thighs and she’ll run like the wind. These are perfect with an MPG Cadence tank top.

Vibram FiveFingers – $89

This is the perfect example of the “oh, you shouldn’t have!” gift. Vibram’s FiveFingers Bilika shoes promote a natural and efficient stride. Their unique design gives Mom the impression she’s running barefoot. Warning: make sure she’s into these zany colours, if not, get her a more neutral pair of barefoot shoes.

Skirt Sports Race Belt Skirt – $39

Tell her that even when she sweats, she can still be super-feminine. The Race Belt Skirt slides over her running tights and even has hidden snaps, perfect for attaching her next marathon bib.

MEC Pace Waist Pack and Water Bottle Carrier from $13.50

Bottle in hand or armed with the brand new Pace Waist Pack, Mom can quench her thirst at will. A light and minimalist design with a zipper pocket to carry her essentials. Available in pool blue, red or black.

Zen Mom

MEC Stillness Shrug – $59

Mom will love wearing the Stillness Shrug to the yoga studio or to coffee with friends after the class.Warm and versatile, it looks great with jeans or workout pants. Available in black and quarry gray.

Prana Maha Yoga Towel – $33

Again, here is an accessory she won’t buy for herself: a towel designed especially for hot yoga. It’s about time.

Patagonia All Weather Dress – $55

Light and nicely fitted, the All Weather Dress is a versatile piece that Mom can wear over shorts for a quick run or a bike ride. She can also slip it on over her swimsuit and show up at the local pool or beach in style.

Once a cyclist, always a cyclist

Castelli Subito Jersey (Women’s) – $65

Is she still wearing the same orange jersey from the 70s? If so, it could be time to spoil her with the best: the Italian brand Castelli. She’ll feel like she’s in a Ferrari and just might be tempted to pass you.

MEC Allegro Cycling Gloves (Women’s) – $19

These padded, road-riding gloves have gel inserts and will have Mom dreaming of long summer bike trips.

Basil Mirte Shopper Tote Pannier – $79

For the urban cyclist, a gift so cute you’d never guess it’s also practical: a pannier disguised as a tote bag. If this one’s too flashy for Mom, there’s a slew of new styles. Want to kick it up a notch? Pack the panniers with a delicious lunch and tell her she’s going on a bike ride with you right now (so she doesn’t have to do a thing).

Mother Nature

MEC Aria 30 Daypack (Women’s) – $69

Does Mom quickly tire of wearing her backpack? Give her the gift of comfort on long trails or leisurely hikes. Backpacks made for women have shoulder straps, back panels and adjustable suspension designed just for her shape and proportions.

MEC Persea Sleeping Bag 0C (Women’s) – $119 and up

For sleeping under the stars, Mom can count on this bag. Designed for women, it’s wider around the hips, narrower in the shoulders, and shorter overall to avoid heat loss.

Handpresso Wild Dome Pod Espresso Machine – $98

Your mom will think of you every time she makes a espresso while camping. Just fill the Dome Pod with ground coffee, pump until the needle reaches the green line, add boiling water, lock the lid and press out delicious coffee.

GSI Wine Tote – $25

The perfect wine lover’s gift set: a nice wine to pair with whatever you cook for her while camping. Throw in a good bottle of her favourite varietal, two camping wine glasses and you’re set. Cheers!

(Note to my mom: no, I’m not giving you chocolates this year. Note to my love: yes, you can use this list to help the kids choose.)

More than 8,100 illustrations and 300 children’s books later, researchers have found a steady decline in images that depict scenes from nature. This according to a new study by a team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and featured in the Globe and Mail. They examined the top books honoured by the Caldecott Medal, a prestigious literary award, between 1938 and 2008. It’s an award that researchers say influences book sales, schools, libraries and children’s preferences when it comes to literature.

“Researchers found a steady decline in images that showed a natural environment, like a forest or jungle, compared with images of built environments, like a school or house, and in-between environments, like a mowed lawn. The number of wild animals, compared with domesticated animals, was also found to have dropped.”

Here at The Big Wild and MEC, we’re curious if parents are turning to different forms of media to introduce their children to the idea of nature and conservation. For example, the BBC Planet Earth and Blue Planet Series are a wonderful source visual learning and knowledge. But is it the same as reading? Are we no longer socializing our children in a way that helps them better understand the delicate balance between humans and nature?

It’s clear to us that some books out there still honour the wild places and the natural world. We asked The Big Wild online communities what they thought and what we got back was the beginning of a stellar reading list. It’s just a starter list and if you comment below, we’ll gradually add your suggestions to the list for future readers.

Photo courtesy CPAWS, Yukon Chapter.

The Wind in the Willows
By Kenneth Grahame

Swallows and Amazons
By Arthur Ransome

The Ant and the Elephant
By Bill Peet

My Side of the Mountain
By Jean Craighead George

Lord of the Flies
By William Golding

Old Mother West Wind
By Thornton Waldo Burgess (This series included the character, Peter Rabbit)

Happy reading!

To read the complete Globe and Mail article, you can click here.

Think back to when you were a kid and all of the great things, big and small, you used to do outdoors everyday.  Remember all of the things we took for granted growing up in a world before iThings and internet and pre-teen texting.

In my own hometown of Toronto, my old outdoor haunts have been paved over. The creeks that I caught tadpoles in, the hills that I rolled down, the trees that I climbed have all been razed and condos built in their stead. Many items on the list are still doable, but some require a little more effort. What then is the answer? It’s time to go family camping.

Family camping is just like regular camping except louder, dirtier and more tiring. You need to bring all the same gear, just more of it and in smaller sizes. And you get to carry it all because your little angels will be busy building forts and skipping rocks and doing all of the things that you hoped they would be doing when you decided to bring them. Make out a list of everything you want to bring so you don’t forget anything. For a kids camping check-list starter, print out this list.

What I’ve learned from my decade of camping with kids is everyone is happier when the kiddies are comfortable. Let them get dirty, let them get wet, but make sure they don’t have to stay that way. Bring extra clothes for a comfy quick change and having the right gear for the weather ensures that everyone can focus on the fun. Do yourself a favour and buy gear for your little adventurers in the right size to ensure optimum effectiveness and comfort. Sure, go ahead and buy their Aquanator Jacket a size too big. The cuffs are adjustable so sleeves that are too long don’t fall over busy hands. However, resist the urge to squeeze an extra season out of hiking boots by buying the next size up. Improperly fitted footwear can cause pain and damage to growing feet. And there are enough obstacles like tree roots and rocks to traverse without having to worry about tripping over floppy footwear to boot.

After long days of making mud pies and bug collecting, junior is going to crash hard and will need a soft place to land. Try the Explorer Kid’s Down sleeping bag because it is warm and cozy, packs super small, is nice and light and looks just like mom and dads. If you are concerned about keeping a down bag dry, opt for the Little Dipper sleeping bag. It’ll maintain it’s loft and warmth even if it gets damp. Keep in mind that the body wastes a lot of energy trying to warm empty space in a sleeping bag that is too big, so try to choose one that is best suited for your child’s height.  In a pinch, you can stuff the foot with clothing to fill the dead space. Pair the bag with the new kids Reactor Explorer 2.5 sleeping pad for a winning combo. Sleeping pads not only provide cushy protection from rocks and sticks, but they keep your kids up off of the cold ground and offer additional warmth on cool nights.

Now that you’ve got your brood geared up, it’s time to start working on that list. Camping is good for the soul, good for the body and good for the imagination. Let your kids stretch their legs and their minds, take them camping.

Front and rear views of the Journey and Randonneur cycling shorts.

Above and beyond aesthetics, I did have some functional issues with the Cyclo shorts:

• I found them too long, stopping just above the knee;
• They tended to ride up;
• The fabric bunched up around the chamois seam (not very attractive);
• The drawstring at the waist sliced into my muffin top;
• The rather thin chamois compressed pretty quick offering little protection to my sit bones.

Some time ago, I handed down my old Cyclo shorts to my mom (who still rides her bike to go play tennis at 80 years of age). I initially replaced them with a pair of Sugoi liners, and then with a pair of Hincapie shorts I was given to comment on. Having worn through both of these, I needed some new cycling shorts that I could use for spin class, for commuting and for mountain biking. That’s how I ended up with a pair of MEC Randonneur shorts.

The Randonneur's anatomically designed and variable density chamois (left) and the Journey's open-cell foam, uniform thickness chamois.

I love them! Everything I disliked about the Cyclo shorts was fixed:

• The curved panels give them a flattering cut that follows the body’s curve;
• The mid-thigh length and silicone dots on the inside ensure they stay in place;
• The thick waistband is quite comfortable, especially for us gals with a little muffin top who prefer to have it flattened rather than sliced by a drawstring;
• The multiple-density chamois is thick and cushy, and was thinned out along the inner thigh which prevents bunching and increases comfort.

They are extremely comfortable to ride in, whether it be my 20-minute commute to work or a sweet 4-hour XC ride in Squamish. I don’t overheat in them when I wear them under my mountain bike gear and their length is perfect to avoid them getting wrecked by the Velcro from my knee pads. I can also see myself going for an improvised swim in these on a hot summer ride.

My only complaint is that the lovely wide waistband lost its resilience after about a dozen washes and started rolling over and giving way to my belly (guess I’ll have to work on developing abs of steel to remedy that). I did suggest to the product manager and the designer that the front of the waistband be reinforced the same way it is at the back.

The Journey's old fashioned gripper elastic (top) and the Randonneur's modern silicone dots.

I am fully cognizant that $27 is a big price jump from the $42 Journey shorts to the $69 Randonneur shorts, but if you ride a lot, the extra comforts (and good looks) are well worth the investment.

P.-S. I feel the need to point out that I actually bought these shorts. Considering I often enough get cycling clothes to test and review (which means i get them for free), the fact that I willingly parted with my hard-earned cash gives my review some extra cred.

Numbers.

Occasionally, they happen to invade one’s sightlines, making you either: A. confused B. snoozed or C. stoked. And when our peeps from the Sustainability and Community team sent the rundown for our latest round of Expedition Support recipients, you can bet your lucky penny the letter circled was good old option C.

Check out these digits, friends:

1800 kilometers of flow towards the Arctic Ocean

6610 feet of untapped granite

1400 kilometers for another Frank Wolf production

5 as in Class 5

110 + kilometers of steep skiing and traversing

0 search results for the word Agguanittuq

Labrador-Quebec Traverse

• Activity: Canoeing
• Expedition members: Frank Wolf and Todd McGowan
• The plan: Paddle 1400km from the Inuit Village of Nain, Labrador to the Inuit Village of Kuujjuarapik, Quebec

Mackenzie River

• Activity: Canoeing
• Expedition members: Clark Family – Dan, Alice, Koby and Ava Fei (soon to be 5 and 3 years old respectively)
• The plan: Paddle 1800km down the Mackenzie River from Great Slave Lake to the Arctic Ocean (if Dan gets the ok from work to leave early, they’ll push off in Jasper, extending the expedition by about 1500km)

Favourite Gear MEC Mantis Tarp:

“Keeps out rain or bugs or both.”

Mount Asgard, Auyuittuq National Park, Nunavut

• Activity: Alpine Climbing
• Expedition members: Joshua Lavigne and Jon Walsh
• The plan: Climb an entirely free route up the north west face of the South Tower of Mt. Asgard (6610ft/2015m)

 Auyuittuq National Park, Nunavut

• Activity: Ski mountaineering and touring
• Expedition members: Conor Hurley, Claire Sieber, and Jon Walsh
• The plan: Over 110km of traversing, exploring, steep skiing and documenting the natural beauty of Auyuittuq National Park and also documenting the cultural impact of the National Park and its visitors on the Inuit Community of Pangnirtung

Kayak Accessed Ski Expedition in the Waddington Range, BC

• Activity: Whitewater kayaking and ski mountaineering
• Expedition members: Maxi Kniewasser, Ric Moxon, and Chris Tretwold
• The plan: Using whitewater kayaks, the group will access the remote Waddington Range by paddling the Class 5 Homathko River. They will then climb and ski the northeast peak of Mt. Waddington

Team Agguanittuq (Inuktitut word meaning to go face to the wind)

• Activity: Kayaking
• Expedition members: Eric Binion, Bob Saunders, Chris Shank, Susan Saunders, and Sandy Briggs
• The plan: The group will complete the final leg of a multi-year expedition, paddling from Taloyoak to Repulse Bay, Nunavut

May 1, 2012 marks the application cutoff for our next round of Expedition Support picks, so get out your maps and calculators and start crunching some numbers of your own.

Read more about MEC Expedition Support

Want to win cool prizes? Support the Dare to be Deep campaign and you could win outdoor gear like a stand-up paddleboard, or a $200 MEC gift card.

This the fourth post in our Dare to be Deep series, a partnership with MEC and CPAWS aimed at creating 12 new federally-protected marine areas by the end of 2012. Today, we take you to the Bay of Fundy.

The Bay of Fundy
Known for the highest tides in the world, the Bay of Fundy spans 270 km between the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The volume of water that flows in and out of the Bay each day is greater than all of the earth’s fresh water combined. At low tide, the ocean exposes vast mudflats and salt marshes. These invertebrate-rich habitats provide an essential food source for fish and migratory birds. The Bay of Fundy is also the nursery grounds of the endangered North Atlantic right whale.

What are the threats to the site?
The Bay is becoming increasingly industrialized. Current proposals include tidal turbines and coastal mega-quarries. If these projects are implemented before conservation zones have been defined and protected, entire populations of birds and whales, not to mention the Bay itself, will be jeopardized.

Protection of the site: What CPAWS is doing
CPAWS is working to establish a network of marine protected areas in the Bay of Fundy in order to preserve its natural treasures. This includes the creation of a National Marine Conservation Area near Digby Neck and Islands, an important marine area where several species of whales congregate each year. The area is frequented by humpbacks, fin whales, North Atlantic right whales and porpoises. Atlantic puffins also come here to nest. Parks Canada is currently conducting a scientific study in the Bay of Fundy to determine sites of ecological importance. The results of the study should be available in the coming months. This is the first step in creating a National Marine Conservation Area.

What you can do
The CPAWS conservation initiative aims to collect 12,000 signatures to help create 12 new marine protected areas. Please sign the petition to help CPAWS convince the federal government to act. You can also spread the word by forwarding the petition and “Liking” us on Facebook. Don’t forget that each person who signs also has a chance to win a prize in our draw.

What MEC is doing
For every Brooks Dry Bag sold, MEC donates $1 to CPAWS to support marine conservation. These bags have a special Dare to be Deep tag and are available both in-store and online.