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HCTF Education Promoting conservation through hands-on education. WildBC Network - Workshops - School Programs – Grants. Part of Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation

Scholarship Highlight: Peter Baker!Peter is one of 2026’s Together for Wildlife scholarship Recipients Peter Baker is a ...
10/09/2026

Scholarship Highlight: Peter Baker!

Peter is one of 2026’s Together for Wildlife scholarship Recipients

Peter Baker is a PhD student at the University of British Columbia Okanagan under the supervision of Dr. Adam Ford. His research combines his interests in movement ecology and animal physiology to explore how wildfire risk reduction treatments influence the habitat, behavior, and energy expenditure of mule deer in central British Columbia. This work will help provide the evidence base needed to ensure fuel management strategies support healthy mule deer populations.

The Together for Wildlife scholarship is awarded annually by HCTF in partnership with the First Nations-B.C. Wildlife & Habitat Conservation Forum and the Province of British Columbia’s Together for Wildlife Strategy (T4W) to masters and Ph.D. candidates conducting research that will have a positive impact on stewardship, management, policy, or decision-making of wildlife in BC.

Interested in applying for the T4W Scholarship? Head to https://buff.ly/sdplw15 to learn more!

Don’t let the Halloween stories fool you... snakes aren’t scary!Snakes often get cast as the villains of Halloween, but ...
10/07/2026

Don’t let the Halloween stories fool you... snakes aren’t scary!

Snakes often get cast as the villains of Halloween, but these fascinating reptiles are actually important parts of BC’s ecosystems.

They help keep populations of rodents and other prey in check, and some BC snakes have some pretty incredible adaptations for surviving in our diverse landscapes.

Plus, most snakes would much rather avoid you than have anything to do with you!

This Halloween, skip the screams and appreciate the snakes.

Hives and Webs and Slime OH MY! Spooky season is the perfect time to learn more about the local invertebrates that share...
10/05/2026

Hives and Webs and Slime OH MY!

Spooky season is the perfect time to learn more about the local invertebrates that share our home with us! Who knows, you may find out that they're not all that creepy after all!

Check out our Insect ID cards to help identify the bugs and other invertebrates you may encounter in BC! https://buff.ly/4W4cMpA

Scholarship Highlight: Megan Buers!Megan is one of 2026’s Al Martin scholarship RecipientsMegan Buers is a PhD student a...
10/02/2026

Scholarship Highlight: Megan Buers!

Megan is one of 2026’s Al Martin scholarship Recipients

Megan Buers is a PhD student at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, studying how threatened Western Screech-Owls (Megascops kennicotii) move through managed forest landscapes on Vancouver Island. She has spent nearly a decade researching birds of prey, working with Northern Saw-whet Owls, Burrowing Owls, American Kestrels, and more across Canada. The research will help guide conservation efforts and sustainable land management practices that benefit both screech-owls and the broader forest ecosystems they inhabit.

Interested in applying for the AL Martin Scholarship? Head to https://buff.ly/sdplw15 to learn more!

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour residential school survivors, remember th...
09/30/2026

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour residential school survivors, remember the children who never returned home, and reflect on the ongoing effects on Indigenous Peoples, families, and communities.

Reconciliation is an ongoing responsibility. September 30 offers opportunities to listen to Indigenous voices, learn from survivors and Indigenous communities, and reflect on what reconciliation requires of each of us.

At HCTF, we recognize that this learning informs how we work with Indigenous Peoples. We continue to learn, listen, build stronger relationships, and improve the way we support stewardship of our fish, wildlife, and habitat work led by and alongside Indigenous communities.

September 30 reminds us, as part of learning and participating in reconciliation, to seek Indigenous voices and Indigenous-led resources. Read, listen, attend an Indigenous-led event, and continue learning throughout the year.

Explore the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action: https://buff.ly/BcudVyN

Learn more from Indigenous-led organizations such as the Orange Shirt Society founded by Phyllis Webstad, describing the relationship between the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day: https://buff.ly/khiO3cC

From counting eagles to preventing bird strikes, these students are putting conservation into action!This fall, students...
09/30/2026

From counting eagles to preventing bird strikes, these students are putting conservation into action!

This fall, students in Squamish took part in a 30-year eagle count project in Brackendale, using binoculars, nature journals, birding guides, and data surveys to monitor eagles and other bird species.

They didn’t stop at collecting data. Students analyzed their findings, learned about the Pacific Flyway, and identified areas around their school where birds were at risk of window strikes. Working with Bird Friendly Squamish, they installed anti-collision tape on high-risk windows and will continue monitoring to see if it helps reduce collisions.

Students also participated in Purple Martin counts at the estuary, sharpened their bird identification skills, coded micro to measure temperature, and learned from First Nation mentor Tsawaysia about Sp'akw'us (eagles), the land around Eagle Run, Squamish Nation stories, and the impacts of colonialism on ecosystems.

Their work culminated in a school sharing day, where students presented their data, photos, and experiences to younger students and answered questions about what they had learned.

This project was supported by a LEAP Grant! Leadership Environmental Action Project (LEAP) grants for middle to high school classes. LEAP into conservation with your students to undertake a mini conservation project focused on BC’s biodiversity of fish, wildlife, and or their habitats.

Times almost up to apply to join our Environmental Exchange Box Program! The program connects classes from across B.C. i...
09/28/2026

Times almost up to apply to join our Environmental Exchange Box Program!

The program connects classes from across B.C. in a pen-pal-type experience, allowing students to share all about their local environment. There's no cost to participate; just head to https://buff.ly/TFtzBxh and fill out the short application, and we will pair you with a partner class in B.C.

Applications close Wednesday at midnight!

See hctfeducation.ca for more info

How is your local environment special or unique? What is nearby in nature?Connecting learners to the places they call ho...
09/26/2026

How is your local environment special or unique? What is nearby in nature?

Connecting learners to the places they call home immerses them in their community, culture, history, and natural environment. By using schoolyards, neighbourhoods, and local parks, educators can offer accessible, low-cost, hands-on learning experiences that help students develop a strong sense of place.

The Environmental Exchange Box is a place-based program that helps classes in British Columbia learn about, experience, and share their local places and spaces with a partner class elsewhere in the province.

It's a fun, meaningful way to build curiosity, observation skills, and provincial connections. Applications are now open!

📸 Graham Osborne

🦎 Hidden in the Forest!While many BC animals are easy to spot during summer, the Northwestern Salamander prefers to stay...
09/24/2026

🦎 Hidden in the Forest!

While many BC animals are easy to spot during summer, the Northwestern Salamander prefers to stay hidden.

These fascinating amphibians spend much of their time beneath logs, rocks, and leaf litter in moist forests. They need damp skin to breathe, so they are often most active after rain or during cool mornings and evenings.

Northwestern Salamanders begin life in ponds as aquatic larvae before transforming into adults. Some individuals even keep certain larval features, such as external gills, throughout their lives!

If you're exploring a forest this summer, remember to look carefully and respectfully. If you lift a log or rock to search for wildlife, always place it back exactly where you found it to protect the animals that depend on those habitats.

🌲 Fun Fact: Northwestern Salamanders can live for more than 20 years in the wild.

Want to learn more about the salamanders and other amphibians and reptiles of BC? Check out our Amphibian and Reptiles fact cards: https://buff.ly/LUCNASB

It's Fall Y'all!Why do leaves change colour? How do animals prepare for fall? What signs of autumn can you see around yo...
09/22/2026

It's Fall Y'all!

Why do leaves change colour? How do animals prepare for fall? What signs of autumn can you see around you?

Celebrate the changing season with inquiry questions that spark curiosity and guide exploration of seasonal changes in nature, weather, and traditions.

Teaching and learning about seasonal changes offers a reminder that life moves in cycles, and fall is a great time to explore some of nature's life cycles.

📸 Candy Lo

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