Forest Voices at Beaver Lake
Have family visiting over the holidays? Join Talaysay Tours and the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program for Forest Voices, a two-hour walk around Beaver Lake in Stanley Park. Walk with Cultural Land Ambassadors and conservation educators, listen for birds, and learn about forest habitat and conservation. The experience includes an educational encounter with Small Eyes, with NSOBP guiding her care. Hush Tea and professional digital guest photos are included. Join us on December 20, 2026 or January 3, 2027. Individuals, friends and families are welcome.
Ready to join us for Forest Voices?
Register for Forest VoicesPresented by Talaysay Tours in partnership with the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program, this two-hour experience invites guests to look beyond the idea of Stanley Park as simply an urban park and toward the older story of the land: forest, village, water, birds, animals, and ongoing relationships.
The walk explores the contrast between the old-growth forest that once stood more fully here, the younger forest that has grown after logging and major landscape change, and the remaining old-growth traces that still hold memory in the park today.
The experience closes with a rare educational encounter with Small Eyes, a glove-trained Northern Spotted Owl ambassador. The owl is not the whole story, but a living thread connecting habitat, loss, resilience, and the responsibility to care for what remains.
What to Expect
This experience follows the forest first, building toward the owl encounter as a meaningful closing moment.
A guided forest and birding walk through the Beaver Lake area of Stanley Park
Bird listening and interpretation with the Talaysay and NSOBP teams
Old-growth ecology, habitat relationships, and conservation education
Indigenous perspective shared by Talaysay Cultural Land Ambassadors
A calm educational encounter with Small Eyes, a Northern Spotted Owl ambassador
Hush Tea
Professional digital guest photos, delivered after the experience
This walk is designed to help guests listen differently, notice more deeply, and understand how forest memory, birds, habitat, and conservation are connected.
The Story of the Walk
Around Beaver Lake, guests are invited to notice Stanley Park as a living place shaped by ecological and cultural history. The walk creates space for Indigenous-led interpretation of place, memory, relationship and responsibility.
Along the route, guests will explore the difference between old-growth forest and younger forest: standing veterans, canopy layers, snags, nurse logs, forest gaps, and the habitat structures that many birds and animals rely on.
Bird interpretation may include listening for species such as Pacific Wren, Varied Thrush, Brown Creeper, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pileated Woodpecker, Bald Eagle, Common Raven, and seasonal migratory songbirds. Species and sightings shift with the season, so the walk is shaped by what the forest offers that day.
Conservation educators from the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program help connect these habitat relationships to the recovery story of one of Canada’s most at-risk birds, while Talaysay’s team holds the broader relationship between land, water, plants, wildlife, and people.
The Northern Spotted Owl Encounter
The walk closes with Small Eyes, a glove-trained Northern Spotted Owl ambassador from the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program. This is a rare educational viewing led by the owl’s handler and conservation team.
Guests observe from a respectful distance, with no flash, no handling by guests, and no crowding. Handling, distance, timing, noise level, weather limits, and proximity are guided by NSOBP protocols.
The owl’s comfort sets the pace, never the schedule. Encounter format may adjust based on weather, site conditions, or the owl’s wellbeing on the day.
Complimentary Photos
Professional digital guest photos are included in the ticket price and delivered by gallery link after the experience. Photography follows the team's consent process and NSOBP's care protocols. A particular pose, proximity or individual portrait is not guaranteed.
These photos are offered as a keepsake and as a way to help guests share the conservation story forward. Guests are welcome to tag Talaysay Tours and the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program when sharing.
Experience Details
Experience: Forest Voices: Birds, Owls & Old Growth at Beaver Lake
Presented by: Talaysay Tours in partnership with the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program
Location: Beaver Lake, Stanley Park | Meet at Stanley Park Bus Loop
Dates: Sunday, December 20, 2026 and Sunday, January 3, 2027
Time: 10:00 am Pacific
Duration: 2 hours
Tickets: Adult $80 (ages 19+) | Child $64 (ages 4-18)
Included: Hush Tea and professional digital guest photos
Guest capacity: Individual guests, pairs, families, and small groups are welcome to book. Each departure is capped at 20 guests.
Format: Guided forest and birding walk, interpretation stops, owl encounter and professional digital guest photos
Audience: Individuals, friends, families, birders and guests curious about forests, Indigenous perspectives and conservation
These are Talaysay's only two public tour time slots between December 11, 2026 and January 5, 2027.
What to Bring
Sturdy, closed-toe footwear for uneven trail
Weather-appropriate layered clothing
A rain shell or outer layer suitable for coastal forest conditions
A reusable water bottle
Binoculars if you have them
Your own camera or phone if you would like personal photos, with no flash during the owl encounter
Book Your Forest Voices Experience
Use the booking window below to reserve your place. Spaces are limited for this special forest, birding, and owl encounter experience.
Accessibility & Arrival
This experience takes place on natural forest trails in the Beaver Lake area of Stanley Park. Trail conditions may include uneven ground, roots, rocks, packed gravel, mud, and narrow sections depending on weather and seasonal conditions.
A moderate level of mobility is recommended. The walk moves at an easygoing pace with several stops for bird listening, interpretation, reflection, and the closing owl encounter.
Guests should be comfortable walking outdoors on forest trails and standing for periods of time. Please reach out before booking if you have accessibility questions or would like to discuss whether this experience is the right fit.
Please arrive 10 to 15 minutes early so the group can gather, complete check-in, and begin together on time.
Waiver
Please note: All guests are required to complete a digital waiver before participating. A waiver link will be included in your confirmation email and can be completed online before arrival.