Conservation scientist Dr. Timm Döbert and athlete Leanna Carriere embarked on an extraordinary 30-day cycling challenge from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast across Canada. They cycled 4,350 miles (7,000 km) in 30 days in preparation for their Wings of Survival expedition next year. With this journey, the team aims to inspire Canadians to protect, conserve, restore, and rewild 30% of the nation’s land and water by 2030.
The duo is presented as the Flyway Heroes initiative, inspired by the mounting escalation of the biodiversity and extinction crises. Dr. Döbert explains that since 1970 alone, we have lost 70% of wildlife populations, including billions of wild birds, with one in eight bird species considered at risk of extinction. His intent with Flyway Heroes is to portray the inseparable connections between migratory birds and human well-being. Together, they are pioneering a storyline that bridges human adventure, extreme sports, scientific exploration and natural history. For Leanna Carriere, the idea came during the second Covid lockdown in 2021. As a triathlete and marathoner, she had been training for the Penticton Ironman when it was canceled just two weeks before the event. While trying to distract herself from the frustration, she found a cycling world record attempt on the Pan-American Highway, a journey from Alaska to Patagonia on social media.
Canada has committed to protect 30% of its land and water by 2030, aligned with the United Nations 30×30 biodiversity target. The duo has partnered with Environment Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and organizations at the interface of sports for nature to mainstream 30×30 to the public using creative storytelling. Along the way, they featured 30 hotspots of Canada’s biodiversity, highlighting the importance of conservation for humans and wildlife or humans and wildlife, and three of the seven WHSRN Sites in Canada.
Left: Timm and Leanna birdwatching. Photo: Bill Ault. Right: A flock of shorebirds at Chaplin Lake. Photo:Robin and Arlene Karpan.
The three WHSRN Sites of Hemispheric Importance that Timm and Leanna visited are Bay of Fundy, Chaplin Old Wives Reed Lakes, and Fraser River Estuary.
The Journey
The eastern section of the journey led Timm and Leanna to the Bay of Fundy. This site exemplifies the interconnectedness of ecosystems, where conservation efforts can have far-reaching impacts across the Americas. This remarkable Bay is renowned for its extreme tides, which create an ideal habitat for the Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla). These shorebirds rely on abundant food resources to fuel their long migrations, and they find those resources on the WHSRN Site Bay of Fundy.
On the next leg of the journey, they reached WHSRN Site Chaplin Old Wives Reed Lakes. Located in the Canadian Prairies. This WHSRN site is a stopover for over half of the world’s Sanderlings (C. alba) to rest and feed before completing their journey to breed in the Canadian Arctic. It’s one of North America’s most important inland sites for migratory shorebirds. The Site’s wetlands provide essential resources for shorebirds during their migrations, offering rest and nourishment. Timm and Leanna will showcase the significance of preserving such habitats, emphasizing how protecting these areas contributes to the broader goal of maintaining biodiversity and supporting migratory shorebirds.
To culminate their epic journey, Timm and Leanna visited the Fraser River Estuary on Canada’s Pacific coast, an essential site in the Pacific Flyway. This estuary is a lifeline for the Western Sandpiper (C. mauri) and numerous other shorebird species. The mix of saltwater and freshwater creates a unique and productive environment supporting many shorebirds.
The 2024 adventure marks a milestone preceding their 2025 Wings of Survival Expedition, 18,600 miles (30,000 km) cycling and pack rafting traverse of the Americas from Alaska to Patagonia along the Pacific flyway, following the migrations of billions of birds.
Shorebirds on Chaplin Lake in scenic Saskatchewan. Photo: Getty Images.
Canada 30 by 30
30 by 30 is Canada’s core ambition in tackling the climate and biodiversity crises; the country is committed to protecting 30% of its land and water by 2030. Canada currently protects 13.6% of its land (including freshwater) and 14.7% of its marine areas.
The 30 per cent by 2030 target comes from the High Ambition Coalition for People and Nature, a United Nations initiative that aims for aspirational action to address the global climate crisis. Traditional conservation approaches won’t likely be enough to meet Canada’s 30 by 30 goal, and that new and innovative conservation approaches will be required.
There are currently seven WHSRN sites designated in Canada. Although these sites may not have a regulatory designation, they are designated for their importance for shorebird conservation and indicate a commitment by responsible entities to shorebird conservation. An additional 143 sites have been identified as potential WHSRN sites and have the potential to help Canada to reach its 30 x 30 goals with other effective conservation measures – OECMs. (McKellar et al. 2020, Lesterhuis et al 2022).
Support for the Canada30x30 expedition lead by Timm Döbert and Leanna Carriere comes from organizations including Birds Canada, Environment Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Canada, Global Sustainable Sport, and the WHSRN’s Executive Office housed at Manomet Conservation Science. These partnerships enhance the campaign’s reach and impact, driving home the message of conservation and sustainability.
Follow Timm and Leanna’s journey on social media @wingsofsurvival as highlighting the beauty and necessity of protecting these vital shorebird habitats. Their adventure is a testament to human endurance and a compelling call to action for preserving our natural world.
Cover Photo: Semipalmated Sandpipers. Photo: D. Ross Fisher
