OTTAWA – The Canadian Wildlife Federation’s James Pagé will speak on how an app is re-connecting people with nature.

“Nature is all around us – throughout the city, in our greenspaces and in our backyards,” City of Ottawa staff released in a statement. “Many Ottawa residents have been exploring their local natural areas and greenspaces this year and getting to know some of their wild neighbours.”

Camera phones and online resources such as iNaturalist.ca enable residents to record, identify and learn more about the things they see. iNaturalist allows residents to contribute to conservation by compiling millions of observations across Canada and around the world. Researchers and naturalists can access this data to examine trends in wildlife sightings and occurrences. The information is useful for species at risk recovery and environmental impact assessment.

“Our speaker Pagé will address how iNaturalist is helping people reconnect with nature, new Canadian discoveries, and whether nature has rebounded in a time of shutdowns and decreased human activity,” staff said. “If interested in participating, join the Wildlife Speaker Series Zoom meeting on Thursday, Nov. 19, starting at 7 p.m. Go to ottawa.ca for more information.