All the activities and programs offered by Nature Vancouver are made possible by a large group of dedicated volunteers. There are many opportunities for new volunteers to get involved. 

Volunteers are always needed to lead field trips, organize evening programs and other events such as the Summer Camp or multi day tours.

For more information, please EMAIL us or use CONTACT US FORM.  Or better still, talk to a board member or section committee member at one of our EVENING PROGRAMS.

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Current Volunteer Opportunities

Coordinator – Nature Vancouver iNaturalist City Nature Challenge

This global challenge has been running now for 10 years. Nature Vancouver administers the iNaturalist project for the Metro Vancouver Regional District. We have a proven model in place for you to use. See the 2025 project at: https://www.inaturalist.ca/projects/city-nature-challenge-2025-metro-vancouver-regional-district-mvrd
We need someone (or a team) to help administer this project going forward. The project is copied and reused each year. We need someone to attend the organizer challenge meetings on zoom which average 4, one-hour sessions in the fall. Communications with other stakeholders via email during the spring promotion phase and journaling (posting notices) in the project during the 4-day event to keep others informed.
It is useful to know and use iNaturalist to be able to answer questions but most of this is done by the regional partners as well as event leaders when this event is held at the end of April, early May each year.
You will have support from Nature Vancouver, Canadian Wildlife Federation and others. Please contact John.Martin@naturevancouver.ca if you are interested.

NV Scholarship Committee Member

Every year Nature Vancouver awards scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students who are studying at an accredited post-secondary B.C. institution, in a discipline that advances the objectives of Nature Vancouver. Please see https://naturevancouver.ca/scholarships/

The Scholarship Committee is active from February to the Nature Vancouver AGM (usually end of April) promoting the scholarships (contacting various post secondary institutions), reading over the applications to select those who will receive a scholarship,contacting successful applicants and finally, at the AGM, conducting the scholarship presentation ceremony.

Approximately 20 volunteer hours are required in the specific February to April/May time period. Reading of the applications is the most time-consuming part but hours are flexible within a ~3 week period. The Committee itself meets ~3 times in this same period for ~1 hour.

As a member of this Committee for the past 5 years, what I especially like about this volunteering is the opportunity to meet some amazing students and learn about their incredible commitments to volunteering and studying within the discipline of “nature”. Every year I’m so impressed by the students and it feels so great to give them a bit of money to help them towards their goals!

If you are interested, please contact Laura at laura@naturevancouver.ca

Using iNaturalist to record your observations

Any Nature Vancouver member who uses iNaturalist can help fill in gaps with our nature observations. Read the following iNaturalist blog to find out more about what you can do to help enhance the documentation of our biodiversity. You can use the dots to focus on our area in and around Vancouver or any other part of Canada. There is also a request to help improve the quality of existing iNaturalist observations.
https://www.inaturalist.org/blog/108240-help-find-these-missing-canadian-species

Board of Directors

At present there are four vacancies on the Nature Vancouver Board of Directors. If you, or someone you know, would like to volunteer for this role, please contact John Martin at President@naturevancouver.ca

Communications Volunteer

We are looking to create a new role that will focus on a broad range of communications strategies to support the major objectives of Nature Vancouver. It can start out as one person but likely evolve to a committee of several volunteers. Bring you passion and commitment and help us create and mold this new support role. The following are the general goals: 

• Goal 1: Share the findings and excitement of natural history as well as Nature Vancouver. 
• Goal 2: Support the primary objectives of Nature Vancouver through communications.
• Goal 3: Understand and navigate the modern world of communications.

For more details of the expected roles and responsibilities please contact: Kelvin Yip at kelvin@naturevancouver.ca

New Brighton Park Biodiversity Enhancement Project

Since January 2022, the Nature Vancouver led effort has been working to enhance the biodiversity at the park in Vancouver’s northeast corner. On what was an industrial fill site crowded with scotch broom, himalayan blackberry and other invasive plants, over 300 volunteers have worked to remove the invasive plants. We have also planted around 3000 native perennial flowers and shrubs to provide a better habitat for insects, birds and animals. You can read more about the history of the project and the reports of the past work parties from https://naturevancouver.ca/category/new-brighton-park-restoration/.  

We can use your help! In order to volunteer for future work parties, please see the Events Calendar at https://naturevancouver.ca/events/ or contact newbrighton@naturevancouver.ca.

Volunteers needed to help with daily bird census at Iona

Do you enjoy birding at Iona? Or have you been meaning to?

WildResearch is looking for volunteers to help with our daily bird census at Iona during the spring and fall migration seasons:
• Mid-April to end of May
• Mid-August to early October

If you are an intermediate or advanced birder, you can be a huge help to the Iona Island Bird Observatory in Richmond, BC by assisting with the daily census. You’re welcome to come early or stay after and observe or assist with banding.

Census volunteers need to be able to identify at least 75% of the common occurring bird species at Iona Beach Regional Park by sight and sound.

Each census walk:

• Begins one hour after sunrise
• Follows a prescribed route while recording all bird detections
• Takes about 1.5 hours
• Involves a flat, easy walk on established trails
• Can be done by a group or an individual

Even one or two mornings this season makes a difference.

Your contribution will be part of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network and helps monitor the state of Canada’s migratory birds. Learn more about the census protocol from Bird Census (PDF 3 pages).

To volunteer, contact Angela at iibo@wildresearch.ca

Forage Fish Egg Survey

November 2024 – January 2025

Update: we have filled all 20 volunteer positions, with 20 more volunteers on the waiting list. We’re grateful to everyone who responded and will consider how to involve more people in future surveys.

Nature Vancouver will be partaking for the first time in a Forage Fish Egg survey under the supervision of the Coastal Forage Fish Network. We are looking for potential volunteers interested in taking part in this project. Forage fish play a vital role in the food chain and there is a paucity of information about their distribution. The intent of this survey is to understand the critical habitat (nurseries) and to account for and protect these nurseries. The survey will examine surf smelt and Pacific sand lance eggs, the latter which spawn November – January.

There will be two components:

1. Collection of eggs. This is done at high tide, ideal being 2 – 4 metres. The exact place will be determined later, but it will be either Ambleside, Stanley Park or Spanish Banks area.
2. Identification, number and quality of the eggs. This involves examining the samples under a microscope and documenting the findings.

There will be a training workshop some time in October 2024. For more details, please refer to: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrTld1hM9_0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HDiz8zp1ow
https://wwf.ca/habitat/oceans/forage-fish/

Response has been great, with more than 20 volunteers signing up. Due to limited space and equipment there is now a waiting list for further volunteer slots. Please contact Naomi Ross naomi.x.ross@gmail.com if you are interested and would like to be added to the waiting list.