Hi, I'm Kevin!

As a kid raised in Surrey, British Columbia (homes of the Semiahmoo, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Kwantlen, Qayqayt and Tsawwassen First Nations), my formative years were rooted in a suburban environment. The last trees of what was once an expansive old-growth forest crashed to the Earth more than 60 years before I was born. Today, Surrey is the definition of a sprawl: massive stretches of land are covered by separated houses, big lawns, and most of all, concrete. Hardly an inspiring picture of nature, eh?

But just steps from my house, shortly after the forest was completely destroyed, the first efforts were taken to restore it. This reforested area, Green Timbers Urban Forest Park, was my small, reliable sanctuary from suburban life. I spent many hundreds of hours of my childhood running and biking through its trails. At the time, I didn't know about the history of the park. I just wanted to run around and get a good sweat in nature. But all around me, I was reaping the benefits of efforts to protect and restore biodiversity.

Even now, there are few things that give me the same kind of rush as running and biking in nature. The child in me just wants to run around and play. Every. Single. Day. But as joyful as it would be, there's more to life than running around for no reason like Forrest Gump. At some point I realized that if I wanted to live a complete and fulfilled life, I would have to find a way to connect my energy and love of nature to a purpose that made a positive impact. Thus, the Biodiversity Bikeride was born!

 What is The Biodiversity Bikeride?

The Biodiversity Bikeride is an environmental education project dedicated to sharing information about the most important biodiversity regions in Canada.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has validated 121 Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) across Canada, with more being added all the time. My goal is to bike to as many KBAs as I can reach, and interview experts and important stakeholders along the way.

These interviews will cover a wide range of topics and will vary depending on the unique perspectives of the experts. Some topics may include describing the species supported by the KBA, the cultural importance of the KBA, the unique threats faced by the KBA, the challenges and successes in protecting the KBA, and many others.

The interviews will be published on my instagram (@biodiversitybikeride) where people can follow along with the journey and learn about Key Biodiversity Areas directly from the experts who understand them the best.  

If successful, The Biodiversity Bikeride will:

-Put a spotlight on experts, sharing the depth of their knowledge and the impact of their work.

-Demystify complex topics with engaging, accessible, and relevant conversation.

-Contribute to the conservation of profoundly important natural spaces.

-Encourage others to repair and strengthen their relationship with the natural world.

-Entertain followers and inspire them to pursue adventure with purpose.

How can you help?

I'm so glad you asked! I am seeking nominations for experts and stakeholders who understand these Key Biodiversity Areas the best. If you or someone you know would make a fitting interviewee, this form is the best way to connect with the project.

Ideal stakeholders can have a wide range of roles and areas of expertise. Just a few examples include:

-Indigenous community members or leaders

-Non-indigenous community members or leaders

-Scientific experts

-Conservation leaders/activists

-Political/legal experts