An Interactive Biodiversity Map from the campus

“They are so wonderfully competent and Brilliant, and they’re a joy to work with. They are so passionate. . .They want to get on with it, they want solutions, they’re action-oriented?” This is a quote from an interview I gave on the SES Undergrad science project I sponsored and which was supervised by Dr. Jonathan Moran. The four undergrads—Jake Edwards, Caleb Gaeke, Hayley Houlden and Shannon Tallon—developed a publicly accessible, interactive biodiversity map of our campus and surrounding lands covering the diversity of species and ecosystems found on our campus.

Mapping three ecosystems used a drone to survey and employed a high-tech AudioMoth device, provided by Victoria’s Rocky Point Bird Observatory, to log bird and bat calls. They also accessed online species information from iNaturalist and eBird. And they got a helping hand from Dan Anton from Media Services and from campus security staff to listen for evidence of animal activity.

You know your research is useful when it has unanticipated research outcomes. The students have also created a detailed description of their methods which will be invaluable for conservation groups hoping to secure funding for land trusts.

I believe we will be the first to publish information on our campus biodiversity, showing our commitment to both place and people trying to model regenerative sustainability.

To access the biodiversity map, and watch the video.