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Hope

On a day when our hearts are heavy with the tragic (yet sadly unsurprising) discovery at the Kamloops Residential School site, Simon was asked to speak to over 3000 students from across Calgary about hope as part of the Mayor’s Environmental Expo

It’s been a dark stretch for our world and, for our country, these are indeed dark days. In times like these, it’s difficult to find hope and easy to feel hopeless. It’s hard to speak of hope and offer hope.

But when hope feels lost? That’s when we must remind each other that hope isn’t a right or a given, as odd as that might sound. It’s something that we must aspire to and work for. Each one of us. Each day.

How? By being willing to listen and learn from all peoples and all life – and then not just reflecting on what makes us feel hopeless, but actually taking the next step of acting; trying to be better and do better.

We might fail. We might not. But in trying there is a next step. And in anticipation of taking a better step forward, we can find hope and offer other hope. And with hope, we can believe in better tomorrows. More importantly, when we believe in better tomorrows, we can actually create them.

And today? We need a better tomorrow. 

We know, in your own way, you’re trying to make this so. We are too. 

Let’s keep trying – together – and let us remember, when we doubt our world, that there are so many of us trying for better tomorrows and who will continue to try for better tomorrows, no matter how many setbacks we face. 

And that is the very definition of hope.

We need your help!

As we enter the final leg of our journey to build Nature Labs, we’ve encountered a big issue. Who knew that it was next to impossible to edit our 80TB of 4K video on a laptop that was only 2 years old? Well…maybe some of you did know that. But we now realize that in order to get Nature Labs into high school classrooms across Canada and around the world, we need to upgrade our computer.

How can you help? Why not purchase one of our photographs for your wall?

Here’s a view of our best sellers.

Send us an email (hello@ghostbear.org) with your selection.


Limited Edition Fine Art Prints


8×12” $75
12×18” $125
16×24” $200
24×36” $300


Limited Edition Canvas Wraps (ready to hang)

8×12” $150
12×16” $225
16×24” $300
24×36” $425

And to make this a bit tastier, use the coupon code ‘computer’ for $10 off your purchase! (Expires Jan. 31st)


* all prices are in Canadian dollars
* all proceeds support NatureLabs.ca
* many more sizes available
* more images at ghostbear.org/shop OR choose from any image from our social media, including our top 25 of 2020
* All orders come with a free virtual hug

Thank you to those of you who supported nature literacy either through joining us on Patreon, donating or by purchasing a print. You’re the reason we’ve come as far as we have, and with your continued support we’ll be able to complete Nature Labs by the end of this year.

  • Simon & Jill

Give a gift with meaning: Six ways to support Nature Labs this holiday season.

1. Shop with meaning!

By purchasing any item from our store, know that 100% of the proceeds will support Nature Labs. Looking for an image from our social media? Or a different type of print? Let us know (hello@ghostbear.org), and we’ll add it to the shop. Order deadline for delivery by December 25th is December 9th.


2. Sign someone up to become a patron on Patreon.

Become a patron for nature this holiday season and receive a limited edition fine art print!

In these divided times, we believe nature can unite. How? By helping a new generation use nature as a common starting point to understand diverse perspectives and, through balanced storytelling, inspire high school students to use creativity to solve the challenges we face.

Nature Labs is supported entirely by people like you through our Patreon community. If you share our vision, help us make it a reality. For this holiday season only, sign up your nature lover to be a patron of nature literacy through our HOLIDAY tier.

What will you receive with an annual subscription?

  • 12×18″ limited edition fine art print (including shipping!) just in time for the holidays
  • EXCLUSIVE monthly images from the field
  • EXCLUSIVE Instagram stories that bring you virtually into the field and into our production process with us
  • EXCLUSIVE access to our bi-monthly Nature Labs Podcast Series, where we sit down with everyone from top chefs to former prime ministers to better understand why nature can unite

Give a gift with meaning this holiday season: Join us on Patreon or email us (hello@ghostbear.org).


3. Donate to Nature Labs in someone’s name.

Help us build a world where millions support nature literacy in the classroom and millions act with a foundation of nature literacy. You will receive a custom certificate to give to your family, friends, or colleagues.

Whether it’s $10 or $1000, every dollar counts.


4. Purchase a gift card for the Ghost Bear shop.

100% of the proceeds will support Nature Labs.


5. Send Nature Labs holiday cards to your friends and family.

Send us an email (hello@ghostbear.org) with the image(s) you’d like from our image catalogue, or from our social media, as well as the number of cards you wish to purchase (comes in packs of 10, 25, or 50). We’ll send you back a price quote!

*Order deadline is Dec. 1st! (if you want to get those cards out this 2020 season).


6. Share this post!

Nature Labs is a grassroots effort and so too is this fundraising campaign. Help us beat the algorithms by spreading the word across social media, by email and in conversations with friends and family. Every dollar counts.

In supporting Nature Labs, let’s create lasting systems change: a society where millions champion nature literacy in the classroom and millions more act with a foundation of nature knowledge that, in turn, fosters a better balance between the needs people and the environment.

Have any questions? Wondering about greeting cards? Send us a message (hello@ghostbear.org), we’d love to hear from you!

The Momentum of Hope

We’re living through scary, turbulent and uncertain times. We, like you, are feeling the fear and pain of the potential fall-out of the global crisis that is COVID-19. We worry about our parents, our society and our future. 

But if there is a silver lining to a global pandemic, it’s that it offers a chance for humanity to put aside its differences and find the compassion needed to help one another; to act as one people, devoid of division. 

Will we? 

It’s up to each of us to make it so. 

Chocolate the grizzly bear in Mount Robson Provincial Park

In trying to do our part to combat the spread of this virus, we also need to reflect on how we got here and how we’ll move forward – as individuals and as a society – when we return to normal, or the new normal. 

COVID-19 is the likely byproduct of a broken relationship with nature. This is not the first consequence of this faltering relationship, and it surely won’t be the last. 

We don’t pretend to have the answers. But we do know that the status quo is no longer acceptable. We do know something has to change. We need to learn and act. We need to work together, as a society, to ask the better questions so that we can find the better solutions.

Yet, this will only be achieved if each of us try to do our part; if each of us work to propose and support wildly new, different ideas. And, yes, many ideas will fail. But even in failure we’ll learn, improve and find the momentum of hope.

Of course, Nature Labs is our attempt to try something different, to do our part. We believe passionately in the next generation – if equipped with the ability to think critically and act creatively – to find the better balance between the needs of people and nature for the benefit of all life. We don’t know if it’s the right idea. We don’t know if we’re the right people to bring it to life. However, we’ll never know if we don’t try and to continue to try we will. 

Will COVID-19 allow us to keep building Nature Labs, after clearing so many seemingly impossible hurdles? We don’t know. We’ve lost funding and we might very well lose our apartment. We might very well lose the ability to capture the last of the content we need to complete the project. But until every last door is shut, we won’t give up.

In one sense, the purpose of Nature Labs – virtual, experiential learning that doesn’t shy away from the hard conversations and equips students with a foundation of nature literacy in all that they pursue and do – seems more important than ever. And, yet, we also know it’s so inconsequential compared to what so many are facing. 

This is not a plea for help or sympathy. We all have a story worthy of sympathy; we all need help for ourselves or someone we love. 

This is a plea for community, for humanity. A plea to come together and demand better of ourselves and of each other; to demand better of our systems and our world. 

And not just today, or in the weeks and months ahead, but in the years ahead. We must overcome our differences to help each other not only in a time of crisis, but each and every day. 

This is how we can beat COVID-19. 

This is how we will find a better balance between people and nature to prevent the next COVID-19. 

Be safe and be well,

Simon & Jill

Chocolate

2019 Annual Report

Ghost Bear Institute is proud to share with you our 2019 annual report. We’ve made some great progress in the development of Nature Labs, our signature project. It wouldn’t have been possible without your support and we can’t wait to see what we can achieve together in 2020.

Download the 2019 Annual Report

Top Images of 2019

Given that our focus this past year was video for Nature Labs, and that we were cursed with a terrible wildlife sighting cold streak (highlighted by our ‘main character’, Chocolate the grizzly bear, going missing after day three in the field), we took fewer images than ever. Still, we did have some luck during our six months in the field. Before we commence with our countdown of favourite images from 2019, we first wanted to share YOUR favourite images we shared on Instagram. 

As we look through the images you ‘liked’ the most (and thank you for liking them!), it’s interesting to note that none of them were taken this year. Why? We delay the sharing of images to protect sensitive wildlife and habitat locations. It’s not that we believe people shouldn’t experience nature – far from it – but the fine line of wildlife photography is getting even finer. And during an upcoming episode of Nature Labs After Dark, we’ll breakdown how the issue has evolved and how our ethics have evolved, in the hopes of contributing to a positive conversation on the subject.   

Top Images of 2019 – Just missed!

Grizzly bear cub of the year: a bear called Wahb. Has anyone read the classic book ‘Biography of a Grizzly’ by Ernest Thompson Seton? If you have, you will know why we named this special bear Wahb, cub of one of our favourite grizzly bears, ‘Alaska’. The book is also a window into how we’ll be telling nature stories on Nature Labs.

Top Images of 2019 – Just missed!

A classic grizzly bear photo. After a month of working to capture video of grizzlies, this was one of our first opportunities to take stills. The boar was in love with the Robson Park matriarch – our best supporting actress for Nature Labs, if you will, and he had been romancing her for days. 

Top Images of 2019 – Just missed!

Short eared owl in flight. Photo shoots that occur within the city limits are quite pleasant. We had a great time in February (other than the cold) with short eared, long eared and snowy owls pretty much at our doorstep.

Top Images of 2019 – #19

Our first grizzly bear sighting of the year was this good sized male. We were able to observe him looking a bit groggy. We’re certain that’s why he decided it was time for a wake up dip in a thawing, yet chilly, mountain lake.

Top Images of 2019 – #18

We will never tire of seeing scenes such as this one. Snowy owls are often found perched on farmers fences around the city of Calgary. They are great at keeping the vole population in check!

Top Images of 2019 – #17

Smiling bear. There’s much for this grizzly to be smiling about in this photo. He’s looking to his nearby mate, the Robson matriarch and our ‘best supporting actress’ for Nature Labs.

Top Images of 2019 – #16

We call this girl the white tornado. She was unbelievably fast, and even though we’re getting better at video, this girl was the ultimate test. Luckily for Nature Labs, we were able to get a bit of video of her, between her twists, turns, pops and leaps to showcase the concepts of adaptation and genetics in grade 10 Science. Also, always fun to see a long tailed weasel in its winter whites!

Top Images of 2019 – #15

We have mixed feelings about winter photography (or no feeling at all, when it comes to our fingers). But we had a wonderful time with owls this past February, you know, when it was -40 degree C. It’s hard to beat the muted winter light, though, even when our fingers mimic the blue tinge in this photo.

Top Images of 2019 – #14

Yes. Another snowy owl. It was a crazy string of weather, but we were fortunate to photograph these white ghosts in bright sun, muted light, and yes…crazy snowstorms. 

Top Images of 2019 – #13

We had a remarkable few days with this young otter in March 2019. You will remember the crazed behind the scenes video of us trying to follow this fellow as it searched for its own home territory. Jill was actually filming Simon for Nature Labs the moment we spotted the otter the first time, so the surprise and joy was all caught on camera for you, as one of our first posts on Patreon.

Top Images of 2019 – #12

I mean…such a Canadian scene here. Bull moose in a snowstorm, standing on guard for thee.

Top Images of 2019 – #11

Ohhh poor lady. This river otter was not having a good day, by the sounds and looks coming from her. We spotted an odd shape and a series of splashes one morning last May and could not quite figure out what it was we were looking at. Then came a series of growls and screams…and finally Simon shouting out MATING OTTERS! 

We were delighted to be able to capture a bit of the scenario for a great representation of the grade 10 science topic of reproduction. But we did feel a bit badly for her. She was desperately trying to get away from him, and in this image, we had her running for dear life onto land trying to find a rock, or a Simon, to hide behind. All that did was bring the racy scene closer to us to see & hear. #scarredforlife

Top Images of 2019 – #10

This grizzly sow, the Robson matriarch, will be one of the main supporting characters for Nature Labs, a character that will help students learn core competencies, while understanding the importance of nature and their connection to it.

She was casually eating dandelions beside a small pond this past spring in Mount Robson Provincial Park and was able to provide us with much needed video content for Nature Labs.

We showcased some of the video we captured of her back in July.

Top Images of 2019 – #9

Blue eyed bear cub. This cub’s family took us by surprise last spring when working in BC and it was a joy to document them during our brief encounter – most especially this three-month-old cub.

Top Images of 2019 – #8

We were overjoyed to be able to observe several coyote dens in 2019 and loved learning the role of curiosity in helping the pups learn basic survival skills in the wild. Capturing video and stills of these pups helps us connect the stories of iconic creatures like grizzly bears to the more common and relatable critters like coyotes. 

Top Images of 2019 – #7

Occasionally, we were able to escape the great Chocolate (Robson’s most dominant grizzly bear) search to spend time with a beautiful black bear family. On this day,done of the two cubs was particularly excited about expanding it’s diet from grass to bark, only to discover that bark doesn’t taste good.

Top Images of 2019 – #6

Short eared owls are some of the best hunters we have seen. Every time we looked up, it seemed like they had a fresh meal in their talons. Documenting how efficient they are at controlling rodent populations in rural areas is an important lesson for high school students.

Top Images of 2019 – #5

As you’ve seen, we had an incredible February observing owls…

Top Images of 2019 – #4

We love this image, more for the bears’ emotion than the technical quality of the photo. Is it her look? Or his? Or his front paw? Or the light in their eyes? Or is it just the love in the air?

Top Images of 2019 – #3

At first, when we saw this young cow moose in a field, we didn’t think about raising our cameras, but then we noticed that twilight was upon us, creating a unique light to capture this quasi-urban moose. Usually moose are found in forested areas, near swamps or ponds, not in the middle of a wheat field. To capture this image, with this light and backdrop, we had to select it as our third favourite image of 2019.

Top Images of 2019 – #2

This grizzly boar is the same fellow featured showing some love to the Robson matriarch in our 2019 countdown #4 image. The sow had wandered into the forest for a nap and he was sniffing the air to ensure she was still nearby. Ahhh, young love.

Top Images of 2019 – #1

Here it is: our favourite image of 2019. Well, favourite images. you see we had to feature a sequence to really tell you the story of the most playful grizzly cub of the year. We were incredibly lucky to have caught this moment in October, a few hours before bad luck struck, when we got into that car accident on a different stretch of the same highway.

We were on our way to a location to film b-roll (extra footage to help tell one of the stories on Nature Labs) when we stumbled across a grizzly sow and three cubs of the year, searching for their last meal prior to heading for their winter den. It’s the latest date we’ve been able to watch grizzly cubs and we’re still having trouble whiping the smiles off of our faces (even with the accident).

These images – and all of the images in our top 2019 gallery – were made possible thanks to our incredible partners, Mount Robson Provincial Park – the crown jewel of the BC Parks system – and Nikon. Not only were we able to capture better video and images with the new Z6 mirrorless camera, but thanks to Nikon, we were also able to use some of their very best lenses in the field, including the 800mm 5.6 – literally changing our perspective for the better in the encounters we’ve documented.

Thank YOU dear patrons for your support this year. Hope you all have had a wonderful year. Happy holidays and cheers to 2020!

Elected to the Fellowship of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society

We are both honoured to have been elected to the Fellowship of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Its mission is dedicated to promoting and enhancing public awareness for Canadian geography, and to strengthening the bond between Canadians and their diverse and vast geographical heritage.

While this recognition means a great deal to us personally (after all, Jill’s name now stands alongside her longtime hero, Tuzo Wilson), it means even more to Nature Labs

The election is due, in part, to the work we’re currently undertaking and provides the project with additional credibility. It also reminds us that while we’re holed up editing and building the platform, there are people, like you, and institutions, like Canadian Geographic, who believe in the value and importance of our shared dream.

A huge thank you goes to Michelle Valberg for her unwavering friendship and support of Nature Labs at every step. She nominated us for this election and it’s an honour to be a Fellow alongside Michelle. 

We hope Nature Labs will add to the work and voices of our co-Fellows, and the Society as a whole, in continuing to help promote the wonders of Canada.

Want to support Nature Labs? Join us on Patreon!

#ThankYouPatrons

It’s the official #ThankYouPatrons day around the world, and we’d like to thank our amazing Patreon supporters for making Nature Labs possible.

In fact, today marks a HUGE milestone for us. We’ve now wrapped production on Nature Labs (with one major exception of having to finish documenting our main character, Mount Robson’s most iconic grizzly bear: Chocolate) and will move on to post-production for the project.

Aldonna, Alice, Aly, Arika, Candace, Clive & Carol Ann, Daniel, Davin, Diliana, Erica, Gena, Jade, Jamie, Jessie, Joan, Judy, Katie, Kerri, Kerrie, Kristen, Lori, Lorraine, Marjorie and Dave, Marie-Eve, Mehernosh, Michelle, Ollie, Pattie, Peter, Robyn, Salimah, Sean, Shannon, Susan, Tanya, Theresa, Tom, Victor, & Yemisi:

– You’ve helped us consult 300 educators, students and community stakeholders to shape the vision for Nature Labs.

– You’ve enabled us to create 60 lesson plans for five grade 10 courses, curriculum connected in all 10 provinces and three territories in Canada.

– You’ve given us the time to identify, curate and analyze 1500 external resources for student learning.

– You’ve made it possible to interview 150 diverse thinkers and leaders from across the country and around the world.

– You’ve provided the resources to gather 60 TB of content from across Canada (and survive 13 months in a tent during our production work) to visually tell the story of our fragile and resilient relationship with nature.

Wow. This has only been possible thanks to our patrons on Patreon, as well as our offline patrons (you know who you are) and those who have purchased images, brought in Simon to speak at your event, taken us for dinner (or a much needed drink!), helped us learn video and audio and editing, and offered kind words of support throughout what has been a rollercoaster of a journey. To each of you: Our sincerest thanks from the bottom of our hearts.

And, of course, our continued thanks goes to our exceptional supporters at BC Parks and Mount Robson Provincial Park, Nikon and the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. You have given us the physical space and the physical tools to bring nature to life for students, and the credibility to make this impossible dream a reality. Becs Hoskins at BC Parks and Elliott Ingles at Mount Robson will forever be heroes to us.

What’s next? Well, quite a bit! Jill has the daunting task to build the full, immersive online platform and Simon has to take all of the content we’ve captured and produce 370 (!) media pieces to bring Nature Labs to life. As mentioned, we also have to finish telling the story of the elusive Chocolate, the grizzly. And then we have to get this into classrooms across Canada and around the world.

The final leg of this journey will only be possible with your support. So if you can, please join our growing community on Patreon and enjoy the fun, exclusive content we’re creating from behind the scenes. In the doing, we can show the world what two people with a passion can create, when fuelled by an army of believers who dare to dream that we can deliver balanced storytelling in a divided world; that we can spark a new generation to think critically and act creatively; that we can foster a better balance between the needs of people and nature.

Sneak Peek: Nature Labs After Dark Podcast

Want to hear the full Podcast and know how the story ends? Join us on Patreon for just $5/month! 


We’re producing exclusive content just like this every month for our patrons. From podcasts to secret Instagram stories to limited edition images and more, on Patreon we’re pulling back the curtain on the building of Nature Labs and working to give you an honest – and whimsical – look at what a married couple will do to bring a new idea to life. 

And it’s more than laughs and pretty photos. By becoming a patron of Nature Labs on Patreon, you’re supporting a new approach to education. You can help us create a virtual high school textbook, built on a foundation of balanced storytelling, that helps teachers meet existing curriculum guidelines while allowing students to use nature as a real-world example for class lessons. This is how we foster nature literacy and, in turn, a more thoughtful discourse that thinks critically and acts creatively. 


We can’t and won’t accept funds from traditional sources – funding that will saddle Nature Labs with a real or perceived bias, making the product less useful for schools. We’ve come as far as we have because of people just like you who believe we need a generational shift in how we debate the complex issues facing our world. But we can only make our ambitious vision for Nature Labs a reality with your continued support.


So join us on Patreon, won’t you? Together, we can have fun and create a better balance for both people and nature.