BCMMP Committee
The BCMMP is directed by the WildResearch BCMMP committee. The BCMMP Committee is also responsible for overseeing BCMMP surveys in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. If you have any questions about the program in general, or are interested in accessing the data we have collected, please contact the BCMMP committee at bcmmp@wildresearch.ca
BCMMP Committee Members
Florian Reurink (he/him)
BC MMP Co-organizer and committee member.
Florian has been passionate about nature for as long as he can remember and so he naturally proceeded his studies and career in nature conservation and biology. Florian grew up in the Netherlands and he is currently a PhD student at the Centre for Wildlife Ecology at the Simon Fraser University. His passion for amphibians already started when he was just able to walk and hold a dipnet to look for critters in the ponds in his neighborhood. His interest in birds developed when he purchased his first pair of binoculars as a teenager. Florian’s first research was on amphibian mortality in storm drains which sparked his interest for scientific research. Since then he has worked on several research projects and spend many volunteer hours dedicated to the conservation of amphibians, birds, fish, bats, and other animals. If Florian is not working, studying, or volunteering you can find him biking, running, hiking or behind the viewfinder of his camera.
blake danis (they/them)
BC MMP Co-organiser and committee member.
blake is a queer settler and PhD candidate in environmental toxicology and biology in Dr. Vicki Marlatt’s lab at Simon Fraser University. Their current research focuses on the impacts of contaminants on amphibians, particularly northwestern salamanders. blake completed an Hons. BSc in biology at the University of Victoria. They have a keen interest in birds that really took flight in their early 20s. Although they are still passionate about birds, their love for amphibians heightened when working for Bullfrog control Inc. in so-called Victoria, BC. They are strongly committed to removing systemic, non-inclusive biases that can at times be inherent in the way work is conducted and information is presented. They are also committed to anti-racist pedagogy and deconstructing colonial ideals and principles perpetuated in research, society, and academia.
Sarah Town (she/her)
Sarah’s passion for connecting people to outdoor spaces and advocating for just land stewardship first developed throughout her studies at BCIT in the Fish, Wildlife and Recreation Program. Her curiosity of wetlands grew during her work as a Park Ranger for various agencies, specifically when she noticed the mass outward migration of Western Toadlets from nearby marshes; this, along with the joy she felt when observing wildlife in and around wetlands, sparked her to seek out wetland-specific training opportunities, which included those offered by the BCWF. She is excited about supporting her fellow BCMMP volunteers and the broader initiatives of the program; it is a prime opportunity for people to actively engage with wetlands, while contributing towards a long-term database that will support future restoration and conservation work! Besides thinking about wetlands and ranging the parks, Sarah enjoys working on her backcountry ski turns with her partner, hiking in new places, and hanging out with her rescue parrot.
Gordon Hatusupy (he/him)
It was only after moving to Canada in 2016 that Gordon’s interest for nature came alive. Originally from the Netherlands where he studied and worked as an information designer he then moved to Canada to work for Shopify until 2020. During that time his passion for spending more time outdoors grew. Weekends were spent camping, away from the desk and computer screens. This is also where a little Yellow Warbler set in motion a love for birds and to learn more about how we can help create a better environment for them. Right now Gordon is spending time hiking, bird watching and working on film and photography projects.
Harrison Smith (he/him)
Harrison is a recent graduate of Capilano University’s Associate of Science Degree. His admiration for conservation started at a young age, where he spent lots of time outdoors in the unceded territory of the Squamish and Lil’wat nations. Harrison’s appreciation for wetlands and marshes grew particularly when he was working at the Maplewood Flats Conservation Area. With help and funding from Capilano University, Harrison helped develop and execute a project to sample aquatic macroinvertebrates from the wetlands at the MFCA. Incidentally, while sampling bugs, Harrison encountered many species of amphibians and birds. This is where he developed a keen interest for wildlife conservation and land reclamation. Harrison hopes that the BCMMP and the data it gathers can help restore some of the natural beauty of British Columbia. Guided by the teachings and input of the Indigenous stewards of the Lower Mainland. In his free time, Harrison enjoys fishing and boating. He is also a member of the Squamish Axemen RFC. If he is not on the pitch, you can probably find him at the Capilano River Regional Park taking a stroll.
Jessie Russell (she/her)
Jessie first fell in love with wetlands while paddling around sloughs and rivers in Katzie and Kwantlen territory as a kid. She started studying terrestrial invertebrates and swallows while doing an Environmental Science degree at SFU but it is her soft spot for amphibians that led her to get involved with the Marsh Monitoring Program. Jesse’s excited to support the program and its volunteers alongside the rest of the committee. She’s particularly passionate about connecting new volunteers to training opportunities and fostering community partnerships. When Jesse’s not out canoeing or hiking you can find her gardening and painting bad water colour doodles.