As published in the Calgary Herald, Friday June 2, 2000

Time Ripe for Cameron to turn Cybernaturalist

Ward Cameron is a cybernaturalist. While the resident of Canmore can list author, photographer, speaker and story-teller on his résumé, his latest project has taken him to cyberspace. Surprisingly, Cameron found the move to the internet (his Web site can be found at www.MountainNature.com) and from naturalist to cybernaturalist a natural progression.

"In the new millennium, more and more of our information and research will take place online," said Cameron. "MountainNature.com is designed to combine the tools of the traditional field guide with the interactivity of the Web. This same interactivity will allow MountainNature.com to leverage your personal sightings to help current mountain research."

Cameron's intention with his new Web site is to create cyber relationships with researchers and naturalists to create an online community where novices and experts can work together to enjoy the mountains while protecting them.

Visitors to MountainNature.com can learn 10 secrets to becoming an expert naturalist; access simple tools to identify 241 plants, 196 birds and 48 mammals native to the Rockies, search for recent sightings to focus your quest for a new species and record your observations so that participating scientists can use your research to help protect the Canadian Rockies. 

"It's all about sharing the wealth," he said.