About Us | 2011 Annual Report  | Board of Directors and Staff | Contact Information
Partners & Sponsors | IBA Designation
| LSLBO in the News | Honouring Sara Kimberlee Scobie
"Dedicated to Bird Conservation through Research and Education"
Why We Are Here
Why has the LSLBO located its main banding operations in Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park?
Here’s why…
Researchers have established that Lesser Slave Lake and nearby Marten Mountain act as a natural barrier to migratory birds. Many migrant birds avoid crossing the lake and veer to the east. Marten Mountain, elevation 1020 metres above sea level, funnels the migrants along the shoreline. Observatory staff refers to this phenomena as the "Point Pelee effect". On any given spring or fall morning, you can observe hundreds of songbirds migrating through the site.
The LSLBO is in existence for many reasons, not the least of which is to conserve bird populations in the boreal forest. The LSLBO is a full member of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network (CMMN) and it is one of only a handful of banding stations located in the Boreal Forest. As such, it is well-positioned to collect critical information on the boreal forest breeding grounds of Neotropical migratory birds. Its research goals are to contribute data to an international effort to determine changes in populations of migratory birds and to document migration at the station itself.
Who We Are and What We Do
| "Dedicated to Bird Conservation through Research and Education" |
| Our mission is to gain knowledge, understanding and appreciation of boreal birds by monitoring their populations and participating in research; to produce scientifically defensible data; to deliver education programs that foster appreciation of birds and their habitat needs; and to generate awareness/support of the LSLBO within the Lesser Slave Lake region and throughout Canada. |
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| Photo by Raymond Toal |
The LSLBO began in 1993 with a committee of three enthusiastic volunteers, who conducted a pilot study in 1992 in the Lesser Slave Lake area to determine if an observatory at Lesser Slave Lake was viable. Results were positive, so an independent, non-profit society, the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory, was established in 1994, formed from a solid base of volunteers in a local bird club. The LSLBO was incorporated in 1997 and continues to be run by local volunteers. The organization currently hires contract and seasonal staff for research and education programs as well as a year-round executive director.
Since it was established in 1994, the LSLBO’s banders have banded over 51,000 birds, representing 249 different species. Banding is just one of the many types of research that the LSLBO is involved in though. The Canada Warbler Project and Owl Monitoring Program are just a couple of many projects we are responsible for. For more information please see the research section of this site.
The LSLBO is also in the education business. At the new Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation (BCBC), we offer a wide variety of programs for kids all the way up to adults, focusing mainly on birds and conservation issues. If you would like more information on these programs, visit the education page on our BCBC website.
Of course, the LSLBO’s success would not have been possible without help from our sponsors and the partnerships that have been forged with Alberta Parks and Protected Areas and the Lesser Slave Forest Education Society.
Many thanks go out to all who have helped us get to where we are now. |
