Author Archives: Irene

Snap & Share – Fall 2023

We’re exicted for the return of Fall and the return of Regional Parks Snap & Share.

Join the Burnaby Lake Park Assoication as we celebrate the change of the seasons. We’re participating in the Regional Parks Snap & Share event and invite you to get out into nature. During the month of October, park visitors are encouraged to SNAP a photo of flora or fauna and SHARE their observations to iNaturalist app to contribute to Citizen Science!

This event is taking place in Burnaby Lake Regional Park and all Metro Vancouver’s regional parks and greenways. Pay attention to plants, fungi, mosses, and wildlife you haven’t noticed before. Then simply snap photos of what you discover and share your photos on iNaturalist.

TWO EASY STEPS TO PARTICIPATE

1. Go to iNaturalist.ca or download the iNaturalist app on your smartphone and set up an account.

2. Take photos in any Metro Vancouver regional park or greenway from October 1st-31st and upload them to iNaturalist.

The BLPA has a month full of activities in October to help you learn to use the iNaturalist app effectively as well as opportunities to increase the number of species that you can observe.

Sunday, October 1st – 11 am to 3 pm – Snap & Share Event Launch
Visit our display to learn about iNaturalist, the birds and wildlife you will see around the park during this time of year, the history of the BLPA, our activities and how to get involved!
Register for one of the guided walks here:
– 11:00 am to 12:00 pm – Pokémon Themed iNaturalist guided walk
– 12:00 to 1:00 pm – Guided Nature Walk using iNaturalist
– 1:00 to 2:00 pm – Lord of the Rings Themed iNaturalist guided walk
Saturday, October 14th – 10 am to 2 pm – World Migratory Bird Day
Event details coming soon
Sunday, October 22nd –
11:00 am to 2:00 pm – Salmon Sunday at Cariboo Dam
11:00 am to 2:00 pm – Weedbusters
Event details coming soon

iNaturalist is a great way to build your nature knowledge and get feedback on your observations. What’s more, you’ll be joining a global community of citizen scientists and contributing to biodiversity science.

Click here for iNaturalist Tips and Tricks to get started.

It’s a fun outdoor activity for everyone, on your own or with your friends and family!

WIN A PRIZE!

To be eligible for prizes, you will need to register on the website.

All registered participants will be entered into 3 draws for a $100 gift certificate to Book Warehouse.
Individual with the most observations will receive a $150 gift certificate to Book Warehouse.
Individual with the most species observed will receive a $150 gift certificate to Book Warehouse.

NOTE: If an individual has both the most observations and most species observed, they will only receive a gift certificate for most observations. The individual with the second most species observed will receive the other gift certificate.

All draws will take place on November 1.

You can check out the Regional Parks Snap & Share project page on iNaturalist to see what others have been observing and view the leaderboard.

Please take photos safely. Stay on trails. Do not approach wildlife. Please do not pick or remove anything.

This program is generously sponsored by

Other Participating Organizations

Catching the Spirit Youth Society, Colony Farm Park Association, Derby Reach Brae Island Parks Association (DRBIPA), Kanaka Education & Environmental Partnership Society, Minnekhada Park Association, Pacific Spirit Park Society

Welcome Back Weedbusters

Now that it’s September*, WEEDBUSTERS IS BACK!

Join us at our habitat restoration work parties as we start up again this month:

Saturday, September 16 – 10 am to 1 pm – Meet at BLPA Nature House – Sign up here
Saturday, September 23 – 10 am to 1 pm – Meet at Lenson Garage – Sign up here

No experience necessary. We have developed an orientation program so new volunteers can start to join us again in our stewardship work. You will learn about the BLPA, how we work with Metro vancouver Regional Parks, why your contribution to our work is important, how to identify invasive species that have become established and replaced native species and how to safely remove them.

Training, tools and refreshements will be provided.

Spaces are limited. Registration required.

More events will be added soon.

* The BLPA adheres to the guidelines set out by the provincial Wildlife Act and federal Migratory Birds Convention Act. to reduce the risk of disturbance and harm to nesting birds, from mid-March to August 31.

Get to Know the Nature Around You

Join the Burnaby Lake Park Association on guided walks to help you connect to nature in the environment around you.

Have you ever gone for a walk in the park and saw a cool looking insect, pretty flower or beautiful bird and you wondered what it was?

Sign up for a guided Nature Walk with a BLPA Guide to learn how to use some of the most popular nature apps to help identify what you have seen and connect to Nature! They will review how to make an observation using the app and offer tips and tricks to get the best identification for your nature encounters and keep track of them.

You will be able to go out and use the apps right away in the park and may “snap” a photo of many of the native species that BLPA volunteers have planted, and the year round and seasonal birds that have been observed at Burnaby Lake!

Our tent and display will be set up twice this month in front of the Nature House from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm:

Sunday, August 13th
Sunday, August 27th

There will be a session for iNaturalist and one for Merlin Bird ID/eBird on each day. For details and registration information, click on the dates above.

Spaces are limited. Guided walks are FREE but registration is required for each walk. When you register, The registration links above will provide full details on how to download the apps and set up your accounts so you are prepared for the day of the event.

What is iNaturalist?

It is one of the world’s most popular nature apps
It helps you identify the plants and animals around you.

What are Merlin and eBird?

They are 2 of the world’s most popular birding apps
The Merlin app helps you identify the birds around you – by sight or sound!
eBird creates a checklist of the birds you have seen so you can track your observations

By recording and sharing your observations, you’ll create research quality data for scientists working to better understand and protect nature. Using these apps connects you to a community off over a million citizen scientists and naturalists who can help you learn more about nature!

You can take your skills with these apps with you! Whether you are going for a walk in your neighbourhood, on a hike in a provincial park or even travel to a different country thousands of kilometers away, these apps will help you identify the nature around you.