As an avian ecologist, Erin studies songbirds to monitor habitat quality and detect environmental changes on local scales. Since moving to Pender in 2012, she's established nest box trails for studying aerial insectivores, helped to initiate a barn swallow nest site community mapping project, and is beginning a long-term avian bioindicator monitoring program focused on chestnut-backed chickadees and violet-green swallows.

Erin accepted a staff position with the Conservancy in 2019 that has allowed her to focus on fundraising, community engagement, and revitalizing conservation and land preservation activities on Pender.

After 15 years in environmental consulting working on industrial projects where permitting and approvals tended to be prioritized over environmental concerns, Dan joined the Conservancy so that he could focus on meaningful wildlife studies and conservation projects in the Southern Gulf Islands.

As Operations Director, Dan also manages the Nature Centre and can often be found behind the desk there welcoming visitors.

A lifelong student, Adam holds a BA in Anthropology, an Organic Master Gardener Certificate and is a Red Seal Certified Horticulturist.  Teaching at the Pacific Horticulture College for many years has instilled in him a love of passing on knowledge and fostering the next generation of passionate plant people.

He's excited to be able to give back to the Pender community that has welcomed him and his wife so kindly by encouraging the use of ecological gardening techniques..

She’s been working in people’s gardens for nearly 20 years, incorporating native plants and using organic gardening practices. She calls on her artistic background (BFA) and her admiration for plants to produce landscape solutions that respect natural ecosystems.

As a new Gulf Island resident, Heather is keen to learn about the traditional land uses of the WSÁNEĆ people, and hopes she can help make a positive ecological impact through plant restoration work. Heather is thrilled to be a part of the Conservancy team, and a new member of this vibrant community.

Growing up surrounded by the rich nature of Pender Island, Yoko developed a deep passion for capturing the beauty around us through illustration, photography and videography. She recently completed her Bachelor of Business at UVic, specializing in entrepreneurship. During her degree, she participated in an exchange program in Japan, where she learned about ethical business practices that focus not only on company well-being but also on the well-being of the people they serve and the environment.

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With her love for content creation and digital marketing, Yoko has helped spread the values and missions of various organizations, including B Corporations, charity campaigns and small businesses she loves. Now, she brings her passion to the Conservancy.

Jess grew up in southern Ontario, where the Great Lakes sparked an early sense of wonder and possibility. Pulled by the ocean, she made her way coast to coast, guided by curiosity and a calling to explore.

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With degrees in media studies and journalism, Jess learned to tell stories. But it was time spent along distant shores that reshaped what those stories needed to say. Since 2019, her work has been rooted in sustainability and protecting the places that inspire her.

Finding home and community on Pender, Jess contributes to local climate action while building meaningful relationships with the people, wildlife and ecosystems that shape life on the island. Jess is most excited about working alongside local community members to carry out meaningful, productive, and fun restoration efforts that help preserve Pender’s unique ecosystems and let nature thrive.

Helen is from Montreal but studied at the University of New Brunswick where she completed a degree in Wildlife Conservation. She has field experience from the Yukon and the Maritimes, and now she’s excited to experience the West Coast! She loves nature photography, hiking, travelling, and reading.

Julie is the principal of Capulet Communications, a communications agency that runs advocacy campaigns for non-profits. For 20 years, she's worked with environmental organizations like Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Ecojustice, West Coast Environmental Law and the David Suzuki Foundation to advocate for increased protection for nature across Canada.

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Julie is new to Pender (four years) and is delighted to support the work the Conservancy is doing to protect this unique and sensitive ecosystem.
 

Karen moved from Toronto to Bricky Bay on Pender as full-time residents in August 2017.  She's been a supporter of conservation efforts through memberships and financial support in both Ontario (Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation) and BC (Habitat Acquisition Trust and Pender Islands Conservancy). Karen is also a member of Dark Sky International which puts a effects of light pollution, including on plants and animals, and how to mitigate them.

At the close of 2018, Karen marked the end of almost 40 years in a demanding legal career.  She was also active in the business community as a board member, presenter and author, and as a volunteer.

Since settling on Pender, Karen has been involved in many of Pender’s community organizations both as a member and as a supporter. She's been an advocate on various issues before the Pender Islands Trust, has provided volunteer support to businesses during the Pandemic, served as a Director of the Pender Islands Health Care Society and Chair of its Governance Committee from 2020 to 2024.

Ron worked for 30 years with the Ministry of BC Agriculture, mostly in the areas of soil conservation and environmental protection. In recent years he served four years on the Islands Trust Conservancy Board and for six years on the Farm Industry Review Board.

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Ron joined the Pender Islands Conservancy Board because of his knowledge of conservation programs and experience on other organizational boards. Now fully retired, he hopes to contribute to the success of a number of Pender Conservancy initiatives.

One of the things that drew Ralph to Pender when he moved here in 2018 was the abundance of natural areas. Gradually he became aware that most of what he was seeing was not protected. This prompted Ralph to get involved with the conservancy as a volunteer.

Subsequently, he became aware that habitat conservation and restoration is an act of reconciliation. This motivated Ralph to step up volunteer efforts and become a board member along with my other involvement. Current board activities include secretary/treasurer and governance.

Christian works locally as an independent wildlife biologist with decades of experience in conducting ecological and population studies and habitat assessments for diverse wildlife species, including reptiles, amphibians, birds, gastropods, and mammals.

He has led landholder outreach programs and delivered public presentations focused on habitat protection for Sharp-tailed Snake, bats and Western Painted Turtle. He looks forward to assisting the Conservancy with ongoing monitoring programs, and spatial analysis of ecosystems, species occurrence and protected areas on Pender Island, and using these data to help guide future land conservation initiatives.

Pat Holborn is a hands-on volunteer involved in a variety of Conservancy activities, including many years of assisting the Board and some of its committees as a volunteer recorder at regular monthly meetings.

Pat is committed to working collaboratively with other Gulf Island organizations with similar goals, and has helped to organize workshops co sponsored by the Conservancy, the Pender Islands Garden Club and the Gulf Islands Food Co-op. She is especially passionate about encouraging the use of native plants to restore healthier ecosystems to areas that have been overrun by invasives. You can often find Pat on hands and knees weeding in the Native Plant Circle Garden in front of the Community Hall entrance, or in her own garden attacking daphne and broom so native seeds can survive.

Carmen is an instructional designer at Royal Roads University where she supports colleagues in developing new programs and courses and weaving innovative educational practices and technologies into learning design. She loves working at an institution where so many colleagues share her passion for nature, sustainability and Indigenization. 

As a little girl growing up in Victoria, Carmen used to look out in awe at the beauty of the Gulf Islands from the top of PKOLS. Now many years later, she recognizes what a huge privilege it is to live here, spending her days with the forests and waters of SDÁ,YES, and she’s keen to support the Conservancy's efforts to steward this land in a good way.

Dr Pamela (Pam) Wright is a professor emerita in Ecosystem Science and Management from the University of Northern British Columbia. Pam researched and taught about conservation science and planning focusing on connectivity conservation and climate change at large spatial scales.

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​A relatively new resident of Pender, she is still active in national and international conservation initiatives but is loving the focus on connectivity conservation in her own backyard. In addition to working on stewardship projects with the Conservancy (as Chair of the Stewardship Committee) and volunteering at the Conservancy Nature Centre, Pam also runs the Pender Foodbank. 

Elizabeth was a Registered Psychologist with a specialty in Women's Health in her previous life. Since moving to Pender Island in 2012 she has enjoyed birding, gardening and playing music with friends. She believes that habitat preservation and restoration are crucial to stopping the alarming decline of the world's wildlife, and thus joined the Conservancy in order to help with its hands-on restoration projects. 

Some of her contributions include organizing the annual Beach Clean-up, helping with the Hope Bay Stream Restoration project, coordinating the Pender portions of the inter-island Kelp Mapping and Eelgrass Planting projects, and working on strengthening partnerships with other environmental groups.