Jeremiah Kennedy BSc, Co-founder

Jeremiah is a Behavioural Ecologist and Wildlife Biologist currently completing his MSc thesis in biology at the University of Alberta, Edmonton. His thesis work focuses on predator-prey dynamics, using bioacoustic methods. Though he has worked with an array of species and communities across Canada and Central and South America, his main passion has been exploring the causes of Coastal Western Screech-Owl declines. This includes an Honours Undergraduate Thesis at Simon Fraser University, studying habitat preferences of owls in Bella Bella, BC. This work was conducted in close collaboration with the Heiltsuk Nation, and was the first research describing high densities of Western Screech-Owls in low productivity bog ecosystems. Since then, he has been advising on follow up surveys exploring the findings in his thesis, in the bogs of Northern Vancouver Island, and on bioacoustic research for other species of interest in coastal BC.

Toby St. Clair MSc, P.Biol., R.P.Bio, Co-founder

Toby is a wildlife biologist focused on improving our understanding of biological systems to enable a more sustainable relationship between our society and the environment. He has conducted a wide range of studies in coastal and terrestrial ecosystems and has, more recently, applied his knowledge of experimental design and nocturnal systems to dig into the ecology of Coastal Western Screech-Owls. Since 2016, Toby has designed and implemented studies focused on population trends and habitat associations of this subspecies. This has largely been on behalf of BC’s Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, where he has helped to successfully identify areas supporting some of the highest densities of WESOke in the province.

Megan Buers, MSc, Scientific advisor

Megan has dedicated the past 6 years to working with owls, focusing on species such as the Burrowing Owl and Northern Saw-whet Owl. She earned her undergraduate degree with honours in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of British Columbia Okanagan in 2018. Megan master’s research focused on Western Screech-owls (WESOmac) in the south-central interior of British Columbia. Her MSc thesis investigated whether screech-owls alter their behaviour in response to temperature fluctuations and explores how riparian areas can serve as thermal refugia for these owls during periods of extreme heat.

Eager to expand her conservation efforts, Megan looks forward to collaborating with PMRA on initiatives aimed at preserving coastal screech-owls. She is enthusiastic about contributing her expertise to various coastal raptor projects.

Samuelle Simard-Provençal MSc, Website Coordinator

Sam is a wildlife biologist and bird bander from Vancouver Island. She completed her BSc in Ecology and Mathematics at Vancouver Island University in 2021, and found herself so in love with birds that she needed to pursue further education. During her MSc, Sam studied the migration and winter movements of an arctic-breeding passerine, the Snow Bunting, using radio telemetry in Southwestern Ontario. Her passion for birds has brought her onto projects across North America working with a range of bird taxa, from hummingbirds to hawks. She is excited to be a part of PMRA and to help with Western Screech-Owl conservation efforts!