Vancouver Avian Research Centre (VARC) is a charity established in 2009 which strives to support nature’s recovery by fostering behavioral changes in individuals, educational institutions and policymakers. Using birds as the focus, VARC connects individuals and policymakers to nature. Operating at ƛ̓éxətəm Regional Park (formerly known as Colony Farm Park) in Coquitlam, the group provides scientific data, action-driven education and conservation tools to raise awareness and support habitat conservation.

Nancy Furness – Local Journalism Initiative

Carol Matthews (Executive Director of Vancouver Avian Research Centre) says VARC conducts research and carries out public outreach and education to help people understand the challenges that birds are facing. VARC’s largest research project is bird banding from April to the end of October at ƛ̓éxətəm Regional Park where birds are captured, measured, tagged, and released. Information is entered into an international database.

A large number of birds captured at ƛ̓éxətəm have high fat reserves indicating that the site is not only an important summer feeding site, but also important for migrating birds. Despite more birds getting funneled into the area due to development, overall bird populations are declining. The main reasons for declining bird populations are climate change, habitat destruction, window strikes, and outdoor cats. “Outdoor cats kill about 3 billion birds in North America”, according to Matthews.

Eating organically and purchasing shade-grown coffee are ways to reduce habitat destruction for migratory birds. “Educating young children and getting them to embrace Nature is clearly important, because if they don’t know about it, they won’t fight to save it”, says Matthews who hopes VARC’s education programs for kindergarten through grade 6 can be expanded.

Online courses are offered for adults, as well as opportunities to visit the volunteer-run banding station at ƛ̓éxətəm. “Over the years, we’ve banded 101 species”, says Matthews.

For more information check out www.birdvancouver.com