Stanley Park Ecology Society

Stanley Park Ecology Society (SPES) – a registered charity since 1988 – began as the Stanley Park Zoological Society. Following the closure of the Park’s zoo in 1995, the society revised its name but continued with its aims of education, conservation and outreach programs.

In June 1997, SPES and the Vancouver Park Board entered into a Joint Operating Agreement that documents the nature of our reciprocal relationship. As the primary provider of land-based education interpretive services in Stanley Park, SPES’s role in the stewardship of Stanley Park is undertaken through a combination of:

• Education
• Research
• Conservation action

SPES also advises the Park Board on conservation issues within the Park with an emphasis on wildlife, habitat and Species at Risk. The Park Board provides facilities including the Stanley ParkNature House on Lost Lagoon, the 2 floor Dining Pavilion offices, and the Earthen Architecture Popcorn Stand in the Miniature Train Plaza.

Grants, private donations and memberships, program revenues and service fees fund SPES. In addition, we rely on our dedicated volunteers, committed staff and board members and the generous support of local businesses and foundations.