One of the most important aspects of the Liber Ero Fellowship is communicating beyond the ivory tower. It’s critical that scientists learn to ditch the jargon and embrace talking, writing, and sharing why science matters for people and the planet.
We’re glad to partner with Canadian Geographic magazine through an online column to share stories about conservation science. Established in 1930, Canadian Geographic describes itself as “a Canadian magazine that is unapologetic about celebrating Canada”. In each column, a different current or former Liber Ero Fellow writes about where, how, and why they and their mentors work on conservation research. It’s a place for us to describe and celebrate the places, species, research methods, and partnerships that we work on — and explain how our scientific results will help make a difference for species and ecosystems across Canada.
The voices we pay attention to
What can we learn when western science and traditional knowledge intersect?
By Emma Hodgson and Arlyn Charlie, July 2020
Using community science to conserve reptiles and amphibians
In highly populated areas where wildlife habitat is fragmented, citizens can play an important role in protecting species.
By James Paterson, May 2020
Protecting Canada’s hidden “meadows of the sea”
Collaborative research is uncovering the secrets of coastal
seagrass beds to help keep them healthy.
By Sarah Joy Bittick, October 2019
Why we spilled oil for science
As the federal government considers the fate of proposed pipelines, a unique science experiment aims to understand the consequences of an oil spill in a freshwater lake.
By Diane Orihel, June 2019
Migration in the time of climate change
New technology is helping researchers understand how birds time their migrations when the seasons send mixed signals
By Kevin Fraser, February 2019
The endangered species hiding in plain sight
Hundreds of Canada’s species at risk are plants, and most of them live where we do.
By Jenny McCune, January 2019
How cattle ranching can help preserve species at risk in Canada’s grasslands
Agriculture can play an important role in protecting and restoring critical habitat on the Prairies.
By Jeremy Pittman, July 2018
The truth about bees
To save the bees, we first need to understand them—and recognize their value independent of their role as pollinators.
By Sheila Colla, May 2018
How citizen scientists are helping to protect migratory birds
Conserving at-risk species is difficult when they’re constantly crossing international borders, but digital tools are making it easier than ever to track feathered globetrotters.
By Richard Schuster, April 2018
A bear in the henhouse
How the drama of climate change is playing out on a small island in Hudson Bay.
By Cody Dey, February 2018
What spiders can teach us about ecology
The spider’s web is the perfect metaphor for the interconnections between species, people and place.
By Jean Polfus, January 2018
Get to know Canada’s shark species
Meet some of the incredible toothy predators swimming off our shores.
By David Shiffman, October 2017
This post will be updated as new columns are written.
The Liber Ero Blog: Reports from the front lines of conservation biology 