2022 Speaker Series: The 2021 Flood Disaster in Southern BC

This presentation is a retrospective of the November 2021 flooding in southern BC – Canada’s most costly natural disaster.

Professor John Clague will discuss the event in the context of historic flooding and changing land use in BC. ‘Atmospheric rivers’, which were responsible for this disaster, are likely to become more frequent, larger, and perhaps longer in duration in the future, as the atmosphere warms. It is therefore important to reassess critical infrastructure to ensure that it is safer from extreme weather events.

Design Your Indoor Micro-Farm (In Person)

Transform your home or small garden into an urban micro-farm in this in-person workshop presented by Sustainable Design Professional Dr. Yael Stav. In this holistic class, explore living walls, vermicomposting, window farms, and other indoor planting systems to add edible greenery to your home without taking up much space.

Learn principles of planning your garden, managing water and light requirements, and which plants are most suitable.

Hummingbird Banding Session ONLY

Join us in VanDusen’s Bird Garden for an informative and fascinating evening observing conservation research in action in support of wild birds in and around our city.

Vancouver Avian Research Centre (VARC) team members will be conducting hummingbird & songbird banding in the Bird Garden with the goal of learning more about the bird species using the urban oasis of the Garden as habitat, contributing to research monitoring their population levels and health. This is a great way to learn about conservation science field work, the many issues facing our wild bird populations, and ways you can get involved and take action to support local birds in your own backyard.

Birdwatching Hotspots Guided Walk (4pm-5pm) AND Hummingbird & Songbird Banding Session (5pm - 7pm) (In Person)

Register for this option to attend both the Birdwatching Basics Guided Walk AND the VARC Hummingbird & Songbird Banding session.

You will start on a family-friendly 1 hour guided walk to some of our favorite birdwatching hotspots in VanDusen Botanical Garden!  Your small group walk will be guided by avid birder and long-time Bird Walk instructor, Jeremy Gordon, who will share tips and tricks for spotting birds on your Garden visits. Knowing where you’re most likely to spot some of our resident bird species is a surefire way to up your birdwatching game!

After the guided walk, we will go to the Bird Garden for an informative and fascinating evening observing conservation research in action in support of wild birds in and around our city.

June - Introduction to Bird Watching

The class is designed for aspiring and beginner bird watchers to help build a foundation of knowledge and gain confidence to get out and go birding this spring.

Long-time VanDusen birding guide Jeremy Gordon is back on-site with this seasonal favourite! During this introduction, he will discuss the best birding resources such as binoculars and field guides, share tips on identifying birds, and highlight hot birding spots in Vancouver. Following a one-hour classroom presentation, Jeremy will take you for a walk to look for some of the 103 species of birds in the Garden.

Guided Walk through VanDusen Botanical Garden

Appreciate VanDusen Botanical Garden on a deeper level by joining VanDusen Garden subforeman Andrew Fleming, for a one-hour guided walk through the Garden.

Andrew will highlight plants with unique features and characteristics, making them plants of interest throughout the year. Some examples are Aralia elata, Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire,’ and Zanthoxylum americanum.

Drought Tolerant Gardening (In Person)

Prepare for the heat of summer in this course, equipping you with the knowledge to grow a drought-tolerant garden. Discover basics of design, such as exposure and soil conditions, the importance of organic matter and mulch, and the basics of irrigation and drainage.

Janis Matson will provide you with an extensive list of plant possibilities, including trees, shrubs, grasses, perennials, and ground covers that thrive in dry conditions.