Rewilding the City: Solutions for Urban Biodiversity

Clint (he/him) is an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper at University of Windsor. Through his appointment with the University, Clint leads field courses where students engage in ecological monitoring and restoration projects on Bkejwanong Territory (Walpole Island First Nation). The field course is offered to undergraduate students and aims to “weave Indigenous ways of knowing with Western ecological concepts”.

More recently, Clint has also co-led a course with the University of Western Ontario involving stewardship and restoration projects on the university campus. Clint is also the founder and director of the Walpole Island Land Trust and has been deeply involved in work with Parks Canada in the creation of a National Urban Park in Windsor.

Autumn Jordan (she/they) organizes Nature Canada’s Bird Friendly City and Town Certification Program, which provides municipalities of all sizes with an action plan to help conserve and restore bird populations while working alongside community Bird Friendly teams. Reducing urban threats to birds is critical to protect, defend, and restore biodiversity.  Autumn will discuss the program’s evolution since COP-15, where 14 municipalities were recognized as Bird Friendly Certified and how municipal professionals and community nature stewards can collaborate together to achieve conservation goals.

Autumn holds an Honours Bachelor of Science Degree in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation from the University of Ottawa and recently completed their Master’s in Bioenvironmental Monitoring and Assessment. They are passionate about advancing bird conservation through on-the-ground conservation education and community building. 

Rachel Buxton (she/her) is a conservation scientist with a focus on protecting wildlife in the city. She has worked on topics that range from soundscapes to public health to species-at-risk policy. As a card-carrying bird-nerd, her work tends to focus on ornithology. Rachel works with groups of practitioners, decision-makers, Indigenous Peoples, and stakeholders to ensure her research supports and mobilizes conservation solutions.

Drawing from her experiences as a mom, life-long learner, mentor, and community member, she is committed to making a difference for biodiversity conservation and environmental justice.

Janet Sumner (she/her/he/him) is a seasoned environmentalist with over 30 years of experience. Since 2003, she has served as the Executive Director of Wildlands League, a prominent Canadian conservation organization. In 2017, she co-chaired the National Advisory Panel (NAP), tasked with recommending how to protect 17% of Canada’s terrestrial lands and inland waters by 2020. Her expertise led to her appointment as the Special Representative on Nature for Canada in 2019. Under Janet’s leadership, Wildlands League aims to safeguard 50% of Canada’s precious natural landscapes, including the western hemisphere’s bird nursery and the world’s richest carbon reserve. Her work has tangible results, many that redefine space at the scale of Google Maps.

Janet is not only an environmental advocate but also a skilled negotiator, known for resolving complex environmental challenges through understanding and respectful relationships. Her personal experiences include close encounters with polar bears, caribou herds, and aerial explorations of Canada’s Boreal Forests.

Janet’s leadership has driven significant legislative reforms in Ontario and at the federal level, including the Provincial Protected Areas and Conservation Reserves Act (2007), Mining Act Reform (2009) in Ontario, and federal amendments to the Rouge National Urban Park Act (2017). A sought-after speaker, she has presented at various forums, such as the Federal Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development, many Universities, and the United Nations Forum on Forestry in Rome, Italy.

Janet Sumner’s unwavering commitment to wilderness protection and ecosystem certainty has made her a leading figure in Canada’s environmental conservation efforts.