Second Nature Blog: General

2015 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Winner!

Fri, 29 May 2015 01:53:25 PM

I was truly honoured to receive this year's Manitoba Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Home Enterprise category. This year's finalists were an amazing slate of very talented and accomplised women and to have been counted among them was amazing. So, winning in my category was icing on the cake. Thank you to everyone who has supported Second Nature these last 4 years and here's to several more years of helping people reconnect with nature, local gems and each other through experiences, interpretive design and tourism training!

2014 Sustainable Tourism Award Winner!

Thu, 16 Oct 2014 03:22:00 PM

The 16th annual Manitoba Tourism Awards Gala was held on September 26th at the Delta Winnipeg. It was a lovely luncheon recognizing the best in Manitoba's Tourism offerings. It was an honour just to have been selected as a finalist in the Sustainable Tourism category in this year's awards. So, you can imagine how honoured I am to have won! The Sustainable Tourism Award recognizes a business or organization that 1) demonstrates the three pillars of sustainability, 2) shows an understanding of its impact on the natural and cultural resources and the economy of the region and 3) meets the needs of present visitors while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. Second Nature is dedicated to fostering appreciation, stewardship and understanding in every region we work in. Each experience is created and delivered in partnership with local artisans and experts. Our experiential and interpretive training helps spread the basics of sustainable educational travel to new regions and partners. The interpretive signage and materials created for trails across the province encourage learning and foster stewardship of our special places by visitors and locals alike. So, it is a truly wonderful to have been honoured for this work. You can find the complete list of winners here.

Heather Hinam Declared Finalist in the Manitoba Women Entrepreneur of the Year Awards

Fri, 23 May 2014 12:57:57 PM

President and Chief Experiences Officer of Second Nature, Dr. Heather Hinam, was one of 29 women selected from over 200 nominees for this year's Manitoba Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. Recognized in the Emerging Business category,it was a huge honour to be recognized amoung an amazing group of dedicated and driven Manitoba businesswomen after just over three years in business. '

Celebrate Valentine's Day with the Wild, the Weird and the Wonderful

Fri, 31 Jan 2014 04:54:32 PM

Birds do it, bees do it and now you can learn about all the weird and wonderful ways that animals have evolved to pass on their genes to the next generation. Dr. Doolittle meets Dr. Ruth in this engaging and entertaining evening with me, naturalist, Dr. Heather Hinam. Join me at Fort Whyte Alive in Winnipeg on Friday, February 14th at 7:30 pm to learn about the lengths creatures great and small, all around the world will go to to find that special someone in this educational and irreverant talk. Admission to the centre is $7.00. Round out your evening with a special couples, Valentine Day's dinner prior to the talk. Please call the centre at 204.989-8370 to reserve your seat.

Colours of Nature

Mon, 24 Jun 2013 08:30:00 PM

Summer is upon us and we’re right at the height of wildflower season. Right now, the forests and meadows and even marshes are full of colour as plants of all shapes and sizes put for their showy or subtle best to ensure the survival of the next generation.The boreal forest is full of variety at the moment and June is a perfect time to go for a walk in the woods. As you wander, you see yellows and whites, pinks, reds and blues all vying for your attention. If you need help sorting through them all, I would recommend guides like Plants of the Western Boreal Forest and Aspen Parkland, published by Lone Pine Publishing or Wildflowers Across the Prairies published by D&M Publishers. Both are excellent resources to help you to see beyond the green of the forest around you and enhance your experiences in nature.To get you started, here are some of the more commonly seen flowers in the borest forest this time of year. To see even more and learn a little bit about each species and be alerted when new ones are added, check out the full collection and like us on our facebook page. Now, get out there and explore. There is always something new in nature.

Sharing stories and Special Places

Tue, 29 May 2012 12:00:00 AM

Last week saw the installation of the first of a set of signs I've been working on for a local, Manitoba community. I'm so very pleased to be working with the Green Acres Park Committee in Teulon, Manitoba to create engaging and artistic signs that welcome visitors to one of their town's special places and share some of the details that make Manitoba's natural spaces amazing. This trailhead sign welcomes visitors to the park and tells the story of Crescent Creek, one of many, small, empheral creeks that criss-cross the aspen parkland and farmlands of Manitoba's Interlake. Upon reading the rest of the story, visitors can trace the origins of the creek and learn about the importance of these river-side (riparian) areas as filters, and stabilizers in the Lake Winnipeg watershed and as habitat for wildlife. This sign is the first in a set of six that will grace the trail by the end of this year. Once on the trail, visitors will be introduced to everything from birds and bur oak trees to the deer and damselflies that make their home along the trail through 5 colourful and interactive signs. Be sure to come up to Teulon to check them out! Projects like these are an excellent way to bring a community together to discover what makes them unique and find ways to share their stories with the world in a long-term and sustainable way. If you're interested in finding a way to share your story, contact me and we'll get the process started. Heather

Discover the wonder of spring with an Evening Soundscape Experience

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 12:00:00 AM

Spring is a magical time in Manitoba. The chill still lingers in the evenings after the warmth of the day. The air smells fresh and new as the ice recedes from the lakes and the leaves begin to bust forth from the trees. Spring is also the time with the world comes alive with sound, the returning birds filling the air with their song and the newly awakened frogs adding their voices to the chorus. There is no better time to take it all in than as the sun goes down. Join us this spring and discover the symphony of sound that surrounds you. Explore the trails of Hecla Island, Falcon Lake or Oak Hammock marsh with the engaging guidance of naturalist, Dr. Heather Hinam. She will introduce you to each new voice and help you decipher the stories told in sound around you. Each experience is customizable and available until the end of May. Contact us to start your adventure.

Take birding outside the box this spring with our exclusive, new experience package.

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 12:00:00 AM

We're very excited to announce our first all-inclusive Experience Manitoba Package for 2012! Working with terrific partners, the Solmundson Gesta Hus and local artist, Greg Palsson, Second Nature would like to get you up close and personal with the wilderness of Hecla Island, though the eyes of both an artist and a naturalist. Join us and spend two days exploring the boreal forest with, me, Dr. Heather Hinam, as I enlist your help in adding to my long-term owl monitoring study. I will also take you into the world of local scultor, Greg Palsson, who will introduce you to his craft and give you some hands-on instruction in the art of wood burning. In between, we'll enjoy the warm hospitality and great food with Dave and Sharon Holtz at the Solmundson Gesta Hus Bed and Breakfast. There are two chances to join us on this exclusive adventure: April 14th and 15th and May 5th and 6th. Each trip is limited to 6 people, so be sure to book your space early. You can find all the details here.

Discover Love on the Wild Side this Valentines Day!

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 AM

Birds do it, bees do it and now you can learn about all the weird and wonderful ways that animals have developed to pass on their genes to the next generation. Dr. Doolittle meets Dr. Ruth in this engaging and entertaining lecture with me, naturalist, Dr. Heather Hinam. Join me at Fort Whyte Alive in Winnipeg on Sunday, February 12th (which happens to be Darwin's birthday) at 1:00 pm to learn about the lengths creatures great and small, all around the world will go to to find that special someone in this educational and somewhat irreverant talk.

Happy New Year from Second Nature!

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:00:00 AM

We're pleased to welcome in 2012 with new winter travel experiences. It's been a strange winter so far in Manitoba. Snow has been rare and temperatures have been downright balmy at times and bitter at others. As a result, it's created interesting opportunites to explore winter here in the province. The great lake has still frozen over for the most part and the local commercial fishermen have headed out to begin their harvest and you have a chance to go with them. This winter, we are pleased to be working the the Solmundson Gesta Hus bed & breakfast and 4th generation Icelandic fisherman, Ivan Grimolfson to create a winter fishing experience on remote and magical Hecla Island, Manitoba. Get out onto the frozen expanse of Lake Winnipeg and discover first-hand how they get 300 feet of net under 4 feet of ice. Learn the flick of the wrist to get a good fillet then warm up with new friends and great food at the Gesta Hus. Stay tuned as we bring you stories from the ice in February.

Come Out and Meet Us Nov. 26th at MEC's Snowfest!

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:00:00 AM

On Saturday, November 26th, Winnipeg's Mountain Equipment Co-op Store is hosting the first annual Snowfest! Snowfest is celebration of all things winter and snowsports related with something for people of all ages and levels of experience. Second Nature will be there and we would really like to meet you. We are honoured to have been invited to be part of what we hope will become an annual event. Come out between 11 and 4 to discover all that's wonderful about winter. Learn about our winter experiences and educational programs and products or just stop by to say hi. There will be all sorts of representatives from the Manitoba snowsports community, free information clinics and product demonstrations, and even a gear swap. Listen to some winter stories, enjoy free snacks and bring a mug for free hot chocolate! Hope to see you on the 26th!

Second Nature Honoured For Sustainable Tourism!

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:00:00 AM

Last night, the Interlake Tourism Association celebrated its local tourism stars at the Fishe River Cree Nation. It was a great event, full of terrific local food, good friends and enegetic entertainment, highlighting the best this First Nation had to offer. Second Nature went into this great night with three nominations and came away with the award for Sustainable Tourism! With only 9 months under our belt, this comes as a great honour. Every Second Nature adventure is crafted with sustainability at the forefront, from building lasting and mutually-beneficial partnerships with local operators and storytellers to ensuring we leave the smallest footprint possible behind. We've only just begun and this award will inspire us to continuously push to develop intimate and engaging experiences that benefit the community and celebrate all that makes this Interlake amazing. Book your custom adventure today and discover the difference.

Second Nature nominated for 3 Interlake Tourism Awards!

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 12:00:00 AM

I feel like we're barely out of the gate, having opened for business January of this year, but things move quickly. We've had a great summer, developing partnerships and building new experiences that celebrate all that makes Manitoba's Interlake amazing. Our guests have gone behind the scenes of a local organic bakery, discovered the art of filleting fish, build team strategies while navigating the landscape with a GPS and learned to see beyond the green of our forests to discover the hidden secrets of these fascinating ecosystems. Still, of all the great things that happened this summer, our nomination for 3 Interlake Tourism Awards takes the cake. Given out by the Interlake Tourism Association, these awards recognize member businesses for outstanding achievements in a number of categories. Second Nature has been nominated for the Product Development, Partnership and Sustainable Tourism Awards and will find out the winners on September 15th's Celebration of Stars Dinner at Fisher River. It's a huge honour and I would like to thank those who nominated us.

Sharing Manitoba's Interlake Stories

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:00:00 AM

Everwhere you look, there are stories. Of course, you can find them the in typical places, like books and newspapers and online. However, they are also written on the landscape, along the trail you're walking, in the rooms of a building and in the faces of people you meet. Travelling is all about sharing stories, both by learning from the places you are visiting and by leaving a piece of yourself behind. Last month, we had the chance to share some of our Manitoba stories with visitors from outside of the province. The result was this great video, filmed by Ian McCausland and produced by Travel Manitoba. http://youtu.be/2-RNq9nycsQ If you'd like to come and share your stories, contact us, and we will create a custom Interlake experience.

Welcome to Second Nature!

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 04:56:24 PM

Based in Friendly Manitoba, Canada, we are dedicated to helping you reconnect with the world around you through natural wonders big and small, encounters with fascinating people, home-grown music, inspired art, fabulous food and travel. Check back often and we'll fill you in on our exciting new Manitoba experiences, engaging workshops, projects and other fascinating little tidbits to help you discover the unexpected.