Discovering Biodiversity with iNaturalist
Special Moments in Our Gardens
Presenter: Lynne Patenaude
Habitat Gardener & Community Scientist
Discovering Biodiversity with iNaturalist
Speaker Profile
Lynne Patenaude has been gardening for decades, and after retiring in 2020 began to learn more about the amazing diversity of wildlife that visit gardens that include native plants. She studied mechanical engineering and worked as an environmental engineer for 30 years for the federal government on air pollutants, greenhouse gases and chemicals. Since retirement she has become a keen amateur naturalist, making observations of plants, insects and other wildlife while walking, cycling and paddling around the region.
Lynne enjoys the wonderful communities who she volunteers with at Ottawa South Eco-Action Network, Friends of Riverview Park Green Spaces, and Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library. She is a certified Tree Seed Collector with Forest Gene Conservation Association, and a Pollinator Steward with Pollinator Partnership Canada. Lynne participates in the several Community Science programs such as Butterflies in my Backyard through the David Suzuki Foundation. With other volunteers at Ottawa South Eco-Action Network, she has grown thousands of native seedlings for Pollinator Patch kits as a Butterflyway Ranger in the last four years helping to build pollinator corridors through Ottawa South and at community gardens across the city.
Using iNaturalist to learn about biodiversity and contribute to conservation
Community science programs like iNaturalist help ordinary people discover more about the natural world, contribute to scientific knowledge and help to conserve species, all while building community.
Over a million species are threatened with extinction this century. Two things we need to address this challenge are (1) more people who care about, advocate for, and take action for nature and (2) more information about where species are to help guide conservation. Community science projects encourage us to better understand the wildlife that visit our gardens, parks and green spaces. There are many ways to participate: taking photos in your neighbourhood, joining a local naturalist group on a butterfly count, documenting species in local green spaces, learning about and helping others to identify species from a home computer.
This talk will: help you learn how to use the iNaturalist app and website, provide tips on taking the best photos so species can be identified, and ways to protect privacy. Discover how community science data are being used to help track where species live, when they are active and what their preferred food sources are. Hear about some Canadian projects like David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflies in my Backyard, Canadian Wildlife Federation Bioblitzes and tracking of invasive species.
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Discover the Full 2027 Speaker Lineup
We invite you to explore inspiring season of presentations curated by our Speaker Series Program Leads. Follow the link below to view the complete lineup of speakers, learn about their areas of expertise, and dive into their profiles. It’s a remarkable collection of voices shaping the horticultural conversation in Ottawa and beyond.
https://ottawahort.org/speaker-series-2027/
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NOTE:
* Effective September 23rd, 2026, all in-person presentations will be held at St. Mark's church, 1606 Fisher Avenue, Ottawa. Free parking available behind the church.
* Online presentations will be streamed live via Zoom (link provided to members in the Grapevine newsletter), and later posted on the OHS YouTube channel for those unable to attend starting at 7:30 PM.
* In-person presentations begin at 7:30 PM, following the OHS announcements and refreshment period from 7:00-7:30 PM.
u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eJune 16: In-person presentation by Nancy McDonald, u003cemu003eMaster Gardener of Ottawa-Carleton and member of the Ottawa Horticultural Societyu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cemu003eCulinary Delights Witu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cemu003eh Herbs and Edible Floweru003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cemu003esu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cemu003eu003cimg src=u0022https://ottawahort.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/NancyMcDonald-290x300.webpu0022 width=u0022244u0022 height=u0022252u0022 alt=u0022u0022 class=u0022wp-image-221018 alignnone size-mediumu0022 /u003e u003cimg src=u0022https://ottawahort.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Nancy-MacDonald-2.webpu0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022244u0022 alt=u0022u0022 class=u0022wp-image-221020 alignnone size-fullu0022 /u003e u003c/emu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cemu003e u003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cemu003e u003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eNancy McDonald, Master Gardener, will shed a new light on how we can enjoy the fruits of our gardening labor in a different way. Join us for a flavorful gardening talk that explores the culinary magic of herbs and edible flowers. Learn how to grow, harvest and use these aromatic and colorful plants to elevate your cooking and add beauty to your plate. You'll discover creative ways to incorporate garden-fresh ingredients into everyday meals and special occasions.u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cemu003eSpeaker profileu003cbr /u003eu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eNancy McDonald grew up on a farm on PEI and learned the practical aspects of gardening from her parents. Her love of flowers came from spending time in her grandmother’s beautiful mixed garden. After 42 years of a very fulfilling nursing career, Nancy’s thoughts turned to retirement and volunteer opportunities. She has been a member of the Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton for 15 years. As a Master Gardener, Nancy completed the Pollinator Steward Certification in 2024. She is a member of the Ottawa Horticultural Society and continues to enjoy her small suburban garden and the birds, bees and butterflies that visit. She also enjoys making flavorful recipes in her kitchen using herbs and edible flowers from her garden.u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003e***********************************************u003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eDiscover the Full 2026 Speaker Lineupu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eWe invite you to explore inspiring season of presentations curated by our Speaker Series Program Leads. Follow the link below to view the complete lineup of speakers, learn about their areas of expertise, and dive into their profiles. It’s a remarkable collection of voices shaping the horticultural conversation in Ottawa and beyond.u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003ca href=u0022https://ottawahort.org/speaker-series-2026/u0022u003eView the Speaker Series 2026 Programu003c/au003eu003c/pu003e