WPC Past President Bridget Stutchbury nominated for prestigious award
Posted onSeptember 21, 2022byWildlife Preservation Canada|In the News
Dr. Bridget Stutchbury, a Distinguished Research Professor in biology at the York University Faculty of Science, and Past President of WPC, is among five Canadian environmentalists recognized by the Museum of Nature – Nature Inspiration Awards for their passion for conserving nature, and their ability to inspire the public to value nature and contribute to its preservation. The award celebrates individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation, and inspiration throughout their lifetime.
Dr. Stutchbury’s 37-year research career has focused on the ecology and conservation of migratory songbirds, and she has witnessed first-hand the shocking declines of many species. Stutchbury has devoted herself to public outreach and is the author of two critically acclaimed books Silence of the Songbirds and The Bird Detective.
The former was a Governor Generals Award finalist and inspired the award-winning documentary The Messenger, which features Stutchbury. Dr. Stutchbury has appeared in dozens of print, radio, and television interviews to promote bird conservation and has given dozens of public talks.
Dr. Stutchbury became Chair of the WPC Conservation Committee soon after joining the Board in 2009, when the number of threatened and endangered species in Canada was growing rapidly each year. Her leadership of WPC, has led the WPC to quickly grow into a leading national conservation organization.
Dr. Stutchbury spear-headed the development of strategic plans to dramatically increase WPCs capacity to save at-risk species across Canada before it was too late. Dr. Stutchbury, the Board Chair and President since 2018, has led WPC through a 15-year period of remarkable growth in its conservation programs and national leadership. Dr. Stutchbury stepped down as President in 2022 but remains an active member of the Board.
Stutchbury played a pivotal role in transitioning WPC from leading a project for the conservation breeding-and-release program of the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike to saving dozens more species at risk.
Today, WPC leads a native-pollinator program focused on at-risk bumblebees; rears and releases thousands of endangered Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies, Oregon spotted frogs and western painted turtles in British Columbia; collaborates with partners for the reintroduction of the mottled duskywing butterfly in Ontario’s Pinery Provincial Park; and has begun work to reintroduce the eastern massasauga rattlesnake to the Ojibway Prairie in southern Ontario.
Dr. Stutchbury has inspired people and organizations to value and protect nature through education, training, and public outreach. Dr. Stutchbury has trained 42 post-graduate (MSc, PhD, postdoctoral) students and 75% of them now hold professor or biologist positions. She recently received the Jamie Smith Memorial Mentoring Award from the Society of Canadian Ornithology.
“It is critical that scientists make their research accessible to the layperson, and also volunteer their time and expertise to organizations that are devoted to preserving our planet’s ecosystems,” says Stutchbury.
The winners of the 2022 Nature Inspiration Awards will be announced Nov. 14, during a gala at the museum, and will be shared online at nature.ca. This event will honour not only the winners of the Nature Inspiration Awards but also each of the finalists.