November 2, 2025
Nature Squamish just wrapped up a year of incredible nature-based activity at our 2025 Annual General Meeting. Members came together to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the future. Guided by our mission to seek understanding, share knowledge, and act for nature, the evening was filled with inspiring presentations, project updates, and heartfelt community connections.
Feature Presentations
The evening included two feature presentations, highlighting updates and milestones from our Wildlife Connectivity Project and Purple Martin Recovery Program.
Wildlife Connectivity Project: Kate Andy
Kate shared the draft multi-species ecological connectivity map, the first of its kind in our region, and highlighted how habitat cores and linkages can help wildlife, from grizzly bears to frogs, navigate a changing landscape. Refinements continue with input from project partners and the map will be available via a knowledge-sharing hub to support conservation planning across the Sea to Sky.
Purple Martin Recovery Program: Davina Dubé & Claudia Cridge
Davina presented updates on the overall program, including 2025 breeding numbers and nesting activity. Claudia introduced a new nest box temperature study, comparing artificial structures with natural cavities to better understand how climate stress affects chick survival.
Program Highlights
The AGM also celebrated progress across our other active programs and projects:
Biodiversity Squamish: Thousands of new iNaturalist observations and over 100 new species were added to the project this year, continuing to strengthen our understanding of local species.
Birding Programs: Monthly bird counts experienced a facelift in the form of a new portal to view all the data collected since 1991, and an integration of the count process into eBird. The next count is November 9th. Meet us at the Howe Sound Brew Pub at 8am! The first-ever Squamish Bird Festival brought the community together to celebrate migratory bird day on May 10th.
EagleWatch and Winter Eagle Count: EagleWatch volunteers recorded strong eagle numbers and the Winter Eagle Count reached its highest tally since 2007. Interested in volunteering but don’t own any binoculars? No problem! We have a binocular lending program to help make wildlife watching accessible for all. Email eaglewatch@squamishenvironment.ca for more information on how to get involved.
Western Toad Monitoring: Volunteers at Alice Lake and Garibaldi Springs continue to monitor breeding and migration activity, building knowledge and reducing impacts to western toads. A potential new breeding site in the Squamish Valley was been reported, which is exciting news for the toads (and us!). New barriers at the Mashiter Skatebowl appear to be effective in preventing amphibian and other wildlife entrapments.
Community Engagement: From the Brackendale Fall Fair to collaborations with developers and stewardship events, Nature Squamish was active across the community.
Hellos and Goodbyes
Directors: We said goodbye to Directors Tiffany Brunke and Judith Holm, who stepped down from the board, and thanked them for their contributions. We gave a warm welcome to new board members Melanie Tardif, Claudia Cridge & Niall Bell. We’re excited to have them on the board! Finally, great appreciation for our returning directors Rachel Shephard, Gwen L’Hirondelle, Murray Journeay & Carl Halvorson. We appreciate your hard work.
Meet the 2025-26 Board of Directors
Program Coordinators: We welcomed several new Program Coordinators who have stepped into their roles with enthusiasm:
- Niall Bell – Monthly Bird Count Coordinator
- Griffin Duckworth – Monthly Bird Count Lead
- Claudia Cridge – Bird Friendly Squamish Coordinator
Raffles and Recognition
The evening concluded with a special recognition of long-time volunteer and birding coordinator Judy Vetsch, whose dedication and gentle touch as ambassador for bird conservation has shaped our birding programs over the years. Raffle prizes, of a handcrafted nest box by Carl Halvorson and calendar by wildlife photographer Brian Aikens, were well received by our winners and added to the evening’s celebrations.
Thanks to You!
Nature Squamish is powered by volunteers, members, funders, and partners. Every observation, every survey, and every event is made possible by the collective effort of our community. We are deeply grateful for your support!
Coming up!
Looking ahead, we’re excited for:
- November’s Monthly Bird Count – Sunday 9th November
- The Christmas Bird Count – Sunday 14th December
- The continuation of EagleWatch – starting Saturday 1st November
Sign up for our newsletter and stay tuned to social channels for opportunities to get involved!
Banner Photo: Niall Bell