Volunteering
MBL believes in giving back to the communities we work in. We’re especially committed to protecting the habitats we work in and come to love. Some examples include:
- In 2015 MBL adopted a portion of the Vedder River. You’ll see MBL staff out there frequently cleaning up our section of the River.
- Bat box development and installation
- Purple martin nest development and installation
- Bullfrog eDNA sample collection and processing
- Invasive plant removal
- Wetland restoration
Environmental Stewardship
To compensate for the required vehicle use within each program, MBL purchases carbon offsets from the West Kootenay EcoSociety. As of March 2020, MBL has donated over 10,000 trees to be planted.
As stewards of this environment, we conduct chemical control as a last-resort option. Small research trials are consistently conducted to reduce a reliance on chemical control. Biomass is left in systems as long as possible to allow for enhanced biodiversity.
Dirk Lewis, BSc
As MBL’s lead biologist, Dirk has been involved with mosquito and invasive plant control since 1990. He holds his Bachelor of Science degree in biology (University of British Columbia). After being part-owner of MBL for 10 years, Dirk acquired the company in 2015. Since then, Dirk and his team have expanded the scope of the company to include wetland restoration, environmental and wildlife monitoring, and environmental education. When not working, you’ll finding him on the mountain bike trails or obsessively tinkering with any remote control vehicle.
Shaun Calver, BSc, MEd
Shaun has a Bachelor of Science (University of Mary) and a Master of Education degree in science and physical education (Memorial University). Shaun began working with MBL in 2002, when he started as a summer student. Since 2015, Shaun has been the Operations Manager at MBL, where he manages large-scale mosquito and invasive plant control projects throughout southern BC. When Shaun isn’t slogging through swamps at work, he’s likely playing soccer and spending time with his family.
Morgan Sternberg, MSc, RPBio
Morgan has a Master of Science degree in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences (University of Washington) with a focus on aquatic toxicology. Morgan has a strong background in pesticide efficacy, fate, and non-target effects evaluations. As the Research Manager for MBL since 2015, Morgan’s focus is research study design, statistical analysis, and technical report writing. Outside of work, Morgan spends time with her family pretending she can ski and mountain bike in the beautiful backdrop of the Kootenays.
Barry McLane, AdvDipGIS
Barry has an Advanced Diploma in GIS (Selkirk College) and is currently working towards his Bachelors in GIS. Barry began working with MBL in 2016 as the GIS Manager. Since then, he’s been busy managing operations data, building field-ready GIS applications, and developing interactive maps. When Barry isn’t plugged into the GIS he loves to build and maintain trails, mountain bike, snowboard, and spend time with his family.