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Amy Foster, a fourth-year biology student with a minor in environmental studies, co-leads the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) alongside fifth-year biology and geological sciences student Julia Atteck. For both, the SCB has been more than a club, it’s been a formative space that, as they put it, "defined our whole undergrad."

Growing curiosity early

Partnering with local schools, the group runs short workshops that introduce children to conservation biology through hands-on activities, with topics ranging from native flower seed bombs to turtles.

“The workshops give kids the space to ask questions and tell their own stories”, explains Julia. “It gives them a chance to connect their own experiences to the environment around them.” Building on the success of the primary school program, the SCB is piloting a new initiative this year for high school students, providing tailored, age-appropriate lessons in conservation biology.

Nurturing young minds and cultivating native species, the SCB also collaborates with ScienceQuest to run programs for kids to learn about conservation biology. Amy and Julia note that real engagement happens when kids get lost in the gardens on Queen’s campus, they are learning and connecting with the natural environment by being “immersed in it and completely covered by foliage.”

Conservation biology flourishing on campus

SCB work extends into academia, offering paid summer internships where students work on conservation projects. This year, they are identifying species and learning coding to map biodiversity around campus. “One of the coolest things we do, is create those research opportunities,” Julia notes, “It gives students real fieldwork experience while supporting conservation on campus.”

On Barrie Street, tucked beside the Biosciences Complex, SCB maintains a native pollinator garden which is tended to by the interns and gardening committee. Collaborating with the Queen’s grounds team, SCB has also planted pocket meadows across campus, creating green spaces that are, as Amy describes, “both beautiful and educational.”

Community of conservation

Connection is at the heart of SCB’s success and Amy and Julia both point to their partnerships with campus staff, faculty, and local groups as essential. "Our strength really comes from connecting with and helping each other accomplish these goals," Amy says.

This fall, SCB is launching its first conference, designed to bring students together from across disciplines and put conservation at the forefront of people’s minds. They also hope to restart a scholarship program that would help students facing financial barriers participate in field schools.

For both leaders, the work is deeply personal but rooted in collective change. “Students do have a voice,” Julia reflects. “And we hope our voice leaves a lasting impact, protecting endangered local species and building a culture of sustainability here on campus and in our city.”