Notes from Nature - The New Brunswick Museum Digital Engagement Lab

The New Brunswick Museum (NBM) is one of Canada’s oldest museums, with a collection of over 300,000 specimens, including North America’s largest collection of green frogs and bullfrogs. Its mission is to care for and share the natural and human history of New Brunswick, helping people better understand and appreciate the province’s heritage.

Museums play an important role in scientific research. By digitizing collections, they make valuable data available worldwide. This information helps scientists study species, track environmental changes, and better understand issues like climate change and biodiversity loss.

Biodiversity loss is a growing global concern that affects both ecosystems and people. Many individuals experience “eco-anxiety,” or worry about the environment. Getting involved in hands-on projects can help turn that concern into positive action.

Projects like this one allow people to contribute directly to science by helping digitize and measure specimens. These efforts support research and conservation while also giving participants a sense of purpose and connection.

This research was made possible by generous funding from the Harrison McCain Foundation, which supported infrastructure, data acquisition, inter-institutional collaboration, and public outreach. Support from organizations such as the Harrison McCain Foundation is critical to the success of this project and to advancing the broader understanding and conservation of biodiversity.