Wild Things - Interactive Stations

MOV and Nature Vancouver have scheduled a series of interactive stations for you and your family to enjoy during your visit to our newest exhibition, Wild Things: The Power of Nature in Our Lives.

Informed nature enthusiasts and educators will offer in-depth information about the natural world.

Join us on these select weekend dates for intimate and interactive engagement with some of Vancouver’s most fascinating Naturalists.

Stations will be operating between 11am – 3pm. Don’t miss out!  Price is FREE with admission to the museum.

Saturday, June 30. Identification of Birds. Al Grass and Jude Grass of Nature Vancouver will share useful and educational information about local birds: how to identify different species, and where to locate them in the urban spaces and parklands of Vancouver.  You will also have the opportunity to join Al Grass on a short bird-nature walk in Vanier Park to view up close the bird life that migrates to the museum’s neighboring parkland. Nature walks will commence at 12pm and 2pm, leaving from this station.

Saturday, July 7.  How Volunteer Stewardship Shapes Our Parks.  Lynette Grants of Friend of Cypress Provincial Park shares information about sustainability of small green spaces, parks and oceans. Founding member of Young Naturalist Club (Nature Kids), Eva Nagy will also be on site to speak to green spaces, botany and beyond. Learn how stewardship of our green spaces comes from volunteer organizations and how rewarding the experience can be.  

Saturday, July 21.  Identifying BC Wildflowers. Ron Long is an expert on BC native plants, a photographer and a past president of the BC Native Plant Society. Visitors will see examples of his wildflower photography, receive helpful tips on photographing flowers and advised how to best select BC native plant identification guides.

Saturday July 28. Get To Know Your City’s Bats. Did you know Vancouver and surrounding area is home to 11 bat species? Bats are our primary nocturnal insectivore with individual bats consuming up to 1000 insects per night.  Bats are unique and interesting animals; drop by the South Coast Bat Conservation Society’s Bats station to learn more about bats and how you can help them.

Sunday, August 5. Critter Clues and Regional Parks.  From a fresh track to a hole in a tree, wildlife signs are all around us. Get to know who’s left a clue behind in your neighborhood and what animals share our regional parks. Lori Bartley and Adria Hussain of Metro Vancouver will be on site to enlighten and answer all your critter questions.
 
Saturday, August 11. Molluscs and Aquatics. Marine life is an important food source for many people yet little is known about their natural history, nor the value of sustaining them for our long-term benefit. Visitors will have the opportunity to touch specimens, ask questions and learn about the role they play in our local marine foodweb. Sheila Byers' of Nature Vancouver Marine Biology Section will be offering visitors multiple Molluscs to inspect touch and discuss.

Saturday, August 18. Photographing Nature. Professional nature photographer Ron Long will present samples of his work, providing camera tips, techniques and equipment in addition to answering your questions about photographing the natural world and its inhabitants.

Saturday,  September 1. Bird Species of Stanley Park.  Did you know that there are more than 250 species of birds depending on Stanley Park? Visit the Stanley Park Ecology Society station to learn more about these birds and what the Society is doing to protect and enhance the habitats these birds depend on.

Saturday, September 8. The Amazing Kingdom: An Introduction to Fungi. Naturalists and educators Terry Taylor and Rosemary Taylor bring their wealth of mushroom knowledge to MOV for an afternoon of education, discussion and engagement.  

Saturday, September 15. The Rocks Beneath Your Feet!  In our urban center of Vancouver rocks are everywhere; more than you likely notice. Join Geologist, Biologist and Engineer David Cook as he introduces you to the rocks of Kitsilano and Stanley Park shorelines and shares Geologist tools used to explore and study rocks.

Saturday, September 22. Marine Biology. Marine Specialist Joan Lopez will feature an assortment of mollusc shells and marine arthropod exoskeletons. Joan will help you identify marine life and answer your questions about all things relevant to the Marine life in Vancouver area and the Salish Sea.
 
Saturday, October 6. The Mysterious Nightjars of British Columbia. Introduction to the fascinating life history, ecology and conservation of local nightjars. Paul Preston will discuss the goals and methods of Wild Research’s Nightjar Survey. Learn what the survey has amassed and what we still don’t know.

Saturday, October 13. Black Bears and You. Black bears are around us. Learn what to do if you meet a black bear in urban environments and in the wild. Also learn about Cougars, bobcats and coyotes patterns in urban areas and how to handle encounters. Lucia Cadaman is Assistant education Coordinator of the North Shore Black Bear Society..

Saturday, October 27. The Do’s and Don'ts of Bird Feeding. Al Grass of Nature Vancouver shares important information about Vancouver’s wintering birds. Learn about which bird feeders and food is best for feeding urban birds. Includes contributions from Wild Birds Unlimited.