NaturePlan Open Standards Workshop in Toronto, Canada

Story by Andrew Bridges, Research Ecologist with the Institute for Wildlife Studies and Co-Franchise Leader for CCNet North America

CCNet Coaches James Goetz and Andrew Bridges led a two-day introductory Open Standards short course at the 2018 North American Congress for Conservation Biology in Toronto, Canada. Twelve participants from four countries participated in the workshop. The group included a mix of graduate students and professionals from NGOs, universities, and Canadian governmental agencies. Two break-out teams applied the Open Standards process to real-world case studies. The teams explored conservation planning for Bicknell’s Thrush and for landscapes managed by Indigenous Peoples in Canada’s Northwest Territory. The strong camaraderie that so often develops in our workshops extended through the duration of the conference as participants and instructors attended each other’s presentations and provided peer support over the next three days.

Workshop participants at the Open Standards short course in Toronto, Canada. Photo shared by Andrew Bridges.