Our Guest Speakers
David Seburn Freshwater Turtle Specialist, Canadian Wildlife Federation
David Seburn is the Freshwater Turtle Specialist with the Canadian Wildlife Federation. David has worked on amphibian and reptile conservation for more than 25 years. He has radio-tracked turtles through swamps and spoken to hundreds of people about turtle conservation. In 2020, he was presented with the Blue Racer Award from the Canadian Herpetological Society for significant contributions to the conservation of Canadian amphibians and reptiles.
Janet Mason Chair, Friends of Carp Hills
Janet Mason was an engineer and senior executive with over 34 years of experience in the defence and technology industries. She currently volunteers with local community organizations involved in environmental stewardship. She strongly believes that conserving natural areas is essential for the health of the planet and of humanity. Woodlands, wetlands, and rivers enrich their communities with positive effects on the well-being of their residents. Janet is a co-founder and board member of Friends of the Carp Hills and currently serves as its Chair.
Since 2015, Janet has sat on the Board of Directors for the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority as a City of Ottawa representative, serving as its Chair for two years. She also currently serves as Chair of the Ottawa Stewardship Council and of Friends of the Carp River. She has sat on the boards of the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust and the Macnamara Field Naturalists’ Club.
Janet is the recipient of the Order of Ottawa (2022), Conservation Award from the Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club (2021), the City of Ottawa Mayor’s City Builder Award (2019), and Queen’s University Engineering Excellence 125th Anniversary Award (2019).
Lisa Browning Education Coordinator, Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre
Lisa Browning is the Education Coordinator at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, where she leads and coordinates both in-person and virtual programs to educate the public on freshwater turtle conservation. Lisa has a Bachelor of Science degree from Trent University and an Ecosystem Management Diploma from Fleming College. Having started as a volunteer at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, she developed a passion for Ontario's turtles and is delighted to share this passion with others.
Get Involved – Become a Friend!
We are growing and we need your help! Together, we will be the voice to protect, restore, regenerate, and rewild our wetlands.