Migration is one of the most remarkable phenomena in the animal kingdom. What if the human body made the same trip?

Athletes Timm Döbert and Leanna Carriere join us to discuss their up-coming expedition, “Wings of Survival”, where they’ll bike from Alaska to Patagonia, following the route of the Whimbrel. This duo is using athletics to draw attention to nature and conservation. They tell us about their recent ride across Canada’s grasslands, how they’ve been linking Key Biodiversity Areas, and how they see birds as an essential part of the story. 

Learn more about the ride at wingsofsurvival.com or support through their GoFundMe.

Timm Döbert holds a PhD in Global Change Ecology from the University of Western Australia. He studies the human footprint on natural ecosystems, motivated by a drive to safeguard wild spaces and wildlife. Timm is an member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Commission on Education and Communication, and the World Commission on Protected Areas. He holds fellowships in the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the Scientific Exploration Society and the World Explorers Collective. He is an Explorers Club member, an ambassador for the Athlete Media Group and Wilderness International, and a Global Sustainable Sport partner.

Leanna Carriere is an endurance athlete, personal trainer and entrepreneur. For nearly a decade, she competed internationally in women’s pole vault and is recognised as Canada’s first female decathlete. She has completed several Ironman events, the Mt. Everest Marathon and the Patagonman Xtreme triathlon. She is the co-founder of Edmonton-based chocolate company 7 Summits Snacks. As a motivational speaker, she advocates for the deep connection between human and planetary health. She loves exploring the outdoors with her 6-year-old daughter Adalynn.

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.  

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