NEW! Family Programs
With a variety of programs throughout the year aimed at families looking for hands-on activities and educational experiences at VanDusen Botanical Garden, we’re looking forward to helping you and your children get into nature, together!
February 19: Basics of Birdwatching & the Great Backyard Bird Count
| Date | Time | Theme | Fee | |
| February 19 | 10.00am – 12.00pm | Basics of Birdwatching & the Great Backyard Bird Count | $15 | Register now! |
Join us on Saturday February 19th at VanDusen Botanical Garden to participate as a citizen scientist in this fun and impactful global initiative. This program is aimed at new and aspiring birdwatchers, from young to old. We’ll start the day with an introduction to birdwatching, learn the basics of bird identification, explore how to be a citizen scientist, and practice our skills as a group before heading out to the garden for a 15-minute observation session to count the birds in our area, and entering the data into the Great Backyard Bird Count via the eBird app.
Bring the whole family and learn how to get involved in taking action to help support wild birds! The Great Backyard Bird Count brings thousands of bird lovers together around the globe to help scientist count local bird populations before the massive spring migration begins. By helping to count numbers of birds we find in our own backyards and local green spaces (like VanDusen!), scientists around the world can look at the data collected by citizen scientists, like you, to better understand how resident and migratory bird populations are faring, using this data to find ways to create solutions to the many challenges facing wild birds today.
Best suited to children ages 5 and up (parent/caregiver discretion), as we will be standing quietly for 15 minute focused observation session.
Registration includes admission to the Garden which we encourage families to explore after the program.