Institute of Urban Ecology

About the Institute of Urban Ecology (IUE)

The Institute of Urban Ecology is about nature in the city. We seek to know more about nature and the importance of urban biodiversity. Our work is to make nature an important part of improving our quality of life and the health of the greater natural ecosystems in which a city is found.

Since 1984 the Institute has been conducting biophysical inventories, offering environmental education programs and creating more natural habitat. Our activities involve students of all ages and community volunteers. We take a holistic approach that involves direct action to improve natural habitat and indirect, educationally oriented actions directed at changing social values whereby we are more likely to care about and enhance natural ecosystems.

We are best known for our plantings of native vegetation, workshops on sustainable living, native vegetation and bird and bat boxes, nature murals, and a local focus on environmental issues.

Green Links

Our most popular project is Green Links, which aims to connect isolated patches of green space. This helps to improve biodiversity throughout Greater Vancouver by creating larger breeding populations and more robust food webs. Since 1996 we have planted over 40,000 trees, shrubs and flowers with the participation of over 5,000 community members. About 15,000 people have attended our workshops and presentations. We have helped about 20 schools create nature murals and have had hundreds of people enter our photography, writing and backyard habitat enhancement challenge contests.

Partnerships

Although part of Douglas College, the Institute is funded independently through project grants and an endowment fund. The support of many corporations, companies, government agencies and foundations has made our community work possible.

Staff Members

Dr. Robert McGregor
Executive Director

Tracy Vleeming
Environmental Education Coordinator / Office Manager

Tamsin Dunbar
Habitat Restoration Coordinator / Environmental Researcher

Board of Directors

Des Wilson
Dean, Pure and Applied Sciences of Douglas College (Chair)
Contact: (604) 527-5722

Robert McGregor
Executive Director

Shirlee Middleton
BC Real Estate Foundation

Melody Hessing
Sociology Department of Douglas College

Gary Holisko
BC Hydro

Rob Linschoten
Distributed Learning Services of Douglas College

Sharon McCarthy
Terasen Gas

Earl Noah
Geography Department of Douglas College

Adrienne Peacock
Biology Department of Douglas College

Diane Ramage
Maple Creek Streamkeepers