Stewarding Our Wetlands: Legal Tools, Conservation Solutions, and Citizen Science in Nova Scotia
August 13, 2025: 12:30 - 1:30 PM
In celebration of Wetlands Appreciation Week, join the Nova Scotia Biodiversity Caucus for a free lunch-and-learn webinar with East Coast Environmental Law and Birds Canada to explore how landowners can protect wetlands and wildlife through legal tools, conservation options, and citizen science.
Are you someone who cares about the future of wetlands and wildlife in Nova Scotia? Join us for a webinar focused on private landowner stewardship of wetland habitat and species. This session will explore key legal and policy tools used to protect wetlands in Nova Scotia, including conservation options tailored for private landowners. Participants will also be introduced to MarshWatch, Birds Canada’s interactive marsh bird and amphibian identification training tool, as well as the Marsh Monitoring Program, a volunteer wildlife monitoring program to track the health of marshes across Canada.
Guest Speakers
Richelle Martin - Staff Lawyer, East Coast Environmental Law
Richelle is a staff lawyer at East Coast Environmental Law, where she leads the organization’s nature and biodiversity initiatives. Her connection to ECEL began as a volunteer, contributing to the organization’s first report on New Brunswick’s Species at Risk Act. After receiving her law degree from the University of Ottawa in 2021, she returned to the non-profit sector with ECEL in 2025, bringing her legal expertise and passion for environmental protection full circle. Richelle also serves on the Board of Directors for Lawyers for Climate Justice and is a member of the Law Society of New Brunswick’s Climate Change Task Force.
Gwendolyn Clark - Marsh Monitoring Field Coordinator, Birds Canada
Gwendolyn has always had a fascination and love for birds, though she didn’t initially envision a career in ornithology. She studied ecology and evolutionary biology at university, completing a master’s thesis on the evolution of female mate choice in tropical fish. During that time, she began volunteering as a nest searcher at Tommy Thompson Park in Toronto and rediscovered her passion for birds. This experience led her to shift her focus toward bird research and conservation after graduation. In her current role at Birds Canada, Gwendolyn manages the Chimney Swift Chimney Restoration Fund—an initiative that supports habitat restoration projects for this unique species across the country. She values being part of a program that contributes directly to the recovery of a species at risk while also increasing public understanding and appreciation of these remarkable birds.
