Your Observation Matters: Citizen Science in Birding Panel

May marks the middle of spring avian migration for Vancouver. During this incredible time, millions of birds follow the pacific flyway from as far south as Argentina to their spring breeding grounds as far north as Alaska. Every year in May, World Migratory Bird Day, and the Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration promote birding and bird conservation opportunities. The 2026 World Migratory Bird Day conservation theme is: Every Bird Counts, Your Observations Matter, highlighting the importance of Citizen Science in contributing to bird conservation efforts.

Your Observation Matters! Join Stanley Park Ecology for a panel discussion on citizen science in birding, featuring local scientists and community leaders. Hear how your iNaturalist and eBird observations are used to help birds in BC and around the world.

Location: Stanley Park Pavillion

About the Event:

What is citizen science? How can it be used to help birds in Greater Vancouver? How can I get involved? Hear from leaders in birding with backgrounds spanning from academic research to Indigenous law. The panelists will explore the opportunities and impacts of citizen science, followed by an audience Q/A section, and reception with refreshments.

Your ticket includes: admission to the panel discussion, refreshments during the reception, and discounts for additional bird walks. A limited number of tickets will be available with front of house seats, and complimentary parking for the day in Stanley Park.

Special thank you to our neighbors at Stanley Park Pavillion for hosting us in the Lord Stanley Ballroom.

Accompanying Bird Walks:

Interested in spending more time with the birds? In addition to the panel discussion, we will be hosting bird walks in Stanley Park with members of the panel. A discount code to these bird walks will be included with your registration to this event. Stay tuned for more information.

Speaker Bios:

Scott Loarie
Dr. Scott Loarie is the Executive Director at iNaturalist, and holds degrees in Biology and Environmental Science. At iNaturalist, Scott champions the power of Citizen Science as more than just a tool to record observations, but as a fundamental infrastructure to supercharge connection to nature, and to drive data based conservation efforts. 

John Reynolds
Dr. John Reynolds is a professor at Simon Fraser University, where he holds the Tom Buell Chair in Aquatic Conservation. He has won several international awards for his scientific research, is the past Chair of COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada), and has been inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. His research has always been driven by his obsession with natural history. His addiction to citizen science initiatives, including iNaturalist and eBird, led to his co-founding of the BC Biodiversity Program, which has amassed over 1.4 million mapped records of plants, animals, and fungi across the province.

David Bird
As an Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Biology at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec and now living on Vancouver Island, David has co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed papers, supervised 50 graduate students, mostly on birds of prey and human-wildlife conflicts, and has written and/or edited more than a dozen nature books, including Birds of Canada and Pocket Birds of Canada.  David has earned several awards for his research and education efforts and is heading a team to make the Canada Jay Canada’s National Bird.  Besides his innumerable public lectures and radio and television appearances, he contributes regularly on bird watching to BWD and Canadian Wildlife magazines.

Jeffrey Nicholls
Jeff is a member of the Ganhada – ‘Raven Clan’ of the Tsimshian Nation, president of RAVEN Trust, and Lawyer for Ratcliff LLP. RAVEN works to support Indigenous Nations upholding their rights in court through fundraising and public education campaigns. His work in birding connects the importance of birds, habitat, and Indigenous law. He has spoken at the 2025 Frontiers in Ornithology Student Symposium, and was featured in the Summer 2021 edition of Wingspan Magazine.

Trenton Schulz-Franco
Trentön is an advocate for Indigenous-led stewardship, an artist with a background in law, ecology, and geo-political commentary, as well as being passionate about photography, canoe guiding, and cricket. Originally from the traditional and ancestral lands of the W̱SÁNEĆ communities and the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking peoples on Vancouver Island, Trenton is the founder of the Special Bird Service Society (SBS), International Swift Stewardship Society (ISS) & the Nest Network. SBS is a community-focused organization dedicated to making nature more accessible for our Global Majority and 2SLGBTQ+ communities across the Salish Coast. Through birding-centered education, recreation, and habitat restoration initiatives, SBS fosters connection, inclusivity, and environmental stewardship.

Event Schedule:

9:30 AM – Doors Open

Join us in the Lord Stanley Ballroom. Pick up some coffee and tea at the reception area and find your seat.

10 AM – Event Opening and Land Welcome

Learn about upcoming Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration events as we settle into our seats. Land welcome provided by Talaysay Tours.

10:20 AM – Presentation of 2026 Alan Duncan Award

Join us in congratulating a special leader in local bird conservation. The Alan Duncan Award celebrates community leaders in the interdisciplinary arts and sciences. The 2026 winner will be announced on May 1st!

11:00 AM – Moderated Panel Discussion

Hear about our panelists work, relationships to citizen science, and more.

12:30 pm – Audience Q&A

Join in the discussion! We will have an opportunity for audience members to ask questions of the panelists.

1:00 PM – Reception

Your ticket includes refreshments following the panel discussion. Connect with other birders and enjoy.

1:30 pm – Event Ends

Thank you for supporting Stanley Park Ecology.

Please consider joining us for our Earth Day celebration on April 18, for the City Nature Challenge: BioBlitz at Beaver Lake on April 25 and for more Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration events from May 1-17!

The land on which we gather is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples. Their stewardship and respect for this land has carried forward for thousands of years long before settlers named it “Stanley Park”.