Biodiversity Squamish
iNaturalist observations record local biodiversity and contribute to a global scientific database.Mission
To inspire people of all ages and skill levels to explore nature and contribute to a global scientific database through the iNaturalist application.
Why is this important?
Biodiversity conservation begins with understanding the diversity and vulnerability of native species. Biodiversity Squamish is a community of over 3,000 iNaturalist users creating high-quality data to deepen our knowledge of the local natural environment.
How are we contributing?
Building a Regional Database
We have logged over 60,000 observations and identified more than 4,100 species in the Átl’ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound Biosphere Region (AHSUBR).
Focusing on At-Risk Species
About 220 of these—nearly 6%—are vulnerable to landscape disturbance and climate change. Our current focus is confirming more species and better understanding their distribution, especially locally significant and at-risk species.
Supporting Global Biodiversity Research
Research-grade observations are added to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), a database that is used by researchers, policy makers and conservationists worldwide to track species occurrences, analyze biodiversity trends, and inform conservation decisions.
Volunteer Opportunities
Year-round, on your own time.
Contribute observations to iNaturalist. Help identify other users’ observations.
Questions about this project?
Reach out to our Project CoordinatorJudith Holm
[email protected]Who are we working with?
Data from this grassroots, community science initiative is curated by our project coordinator, peer-reviewed, and verified by experts worldwide.
We’re using the data to assess species distributions in the Sea-to-Sky region. It is also being used by scientific researchers working locally and by biologists and other professionals who perform environmental assessments.
