Environmental DNA (eDNA) refers to genetic material shed by organisms—animals, plants, fungi and microbes—into their surroundings. By analyzing eDNA, we can identify species in an area without direct observation, enabling fast and accurate biodiversity assessments.

This project will leverage the California-developed eDNA Explorer, a cloud-based platform that simplifies eDNA analysis, workflow and collaboration, to create eDNA Explorer Canada, a user-friendly platform for understanding, evaluating and collaborating to understand the hidden life in Canadian ecosystems.

The initiative builds on iTrackDNA, a project co-led by Dr. Caren Helbing from the University of Victoria. With over 46 partners spanning government, academia, industry, NGOs and First Nations, iTrackDNA provides the foundation for creating a scalable, sustainable eDNA Explorer Canada platform. This user community will guide tool development on eDNA Explorer Canada to prioritize and realize ambitious goals of making biodiversity health insights and biodiversity predictions available to all. By bringing together data and people through iTrackDNA and eDNA Explorer Canada, the team can catalyze the synthesis of data to generate insights that impact conservation, policy, species support and biotechnology.

The project will focus on four core activities- Adoption, Validation, Collaboration and Insight. These activities will be guided by consultations and case studies to identify user needs across BC and Canada. Based on these insights, tools will be developed that enable ethical data sharing, quality analysis and integration of eDNA with other environmental information to support informed decision-making.

Key Activities:

1. Adoption: Engage public and private organizations to ensure the platform addresses real-world nature-based questions.
2. Validation: Align with Canadian standards, global best practices and sovereignty rights to provide trusted information.
3. Collaboration: Enhance features to let groups share their eDNA findings easily, ethically and safely, respecting everyone's rights and privacy.
4. Insight: Develop tools that transform eDNA data into actionable answers to critical questions.

Led by Dr. Caren Helbing and Dr. Rachel Meyer (eDNA Explorer), this project involves Canadian scientists, First Nations, industry, national parks and international experts and will enable innovation and translation of eDNA science to societal benefits in British Columbia and beyond. eDNA Explorer Canada is more than software; it’s a step towards a sustainable, healthier future for Canada’s ecosystems and economy.