After working for British Columbia's Conservation Data Centre for over a decade, zoologist Syd Cannings has moved to the Yukon to become the coordinator of the territory's equivalent, NatureServe Yukon.

His is a surname that gets the attention of Yukon biologists. B.C.'s Cannings brothers are well-known in the science community for their contributions to research and natural history lore in Western Canada.

For many years Syd Cannings was curator of Spencer Entomological Museum at the University of B.C. Dick Cannings served as curator of UBC's Cowan Vertebrate Museum and Rob Cannings is currently the curator of entomology at Royal B.C. Museum. Syd and Dick are the authors of British Columbia: A Natural History, a comprehensive, beautifully illustrated book on the province's physical and natural environment.

In addition to his work as a zoologist in the B.C. Conservation Data Centre, in recent years Cannings split his time working with the NatureServe organization, a related program conceived by The Nature Conservancy in the United States.

"The concept of assessing and ranking species was really started by them several decades ago when they were looking for ways to evaluate different properties for purchase," says Cannings.

Eventually, other organizations and agencies followed suit, and today every state and every province has a centre for coordinating biodiversity information. The Yukon is the first territory to establish one.

For Cannings, the lure of Yukon rarities is strong. He mentions the unique flora of southeast Yukon and the oddities of Beringia, and 'tantalizing' things like four species of moths found only at Carcross Dunes. The minutiae of nature clearly have a hold on him, and he doesn't miss a beat when asked why the little stuff matters.

"No one wants to eliminate the last population of anything out of ignorance, be it a rare orchid or the Ogilvie Mountains collared lemming. If we know, people generally want to make an effort to work around them."

Helping to understand and protect Yukon's biodiversity is the driving force behind NatureServe Yukon.

"The idea is to map and record the most rare, endangered species based on a broad, unbiased ecological assessment," he says. "Every program in North America is a little different -- some, like Alaska, are associated with universities, and most here are affiliated with provincial governments."

His work with the NatureServe organization involved keeping international bird and mammal data current. Cannings says that like many organizations, NatureServe has grappled with standardization. Recently they've developed new software and new methodology, and efforts are being made to ensure each jurisdiction is consistent with others.

"I've had that experience of working with others and trying to make sure apples are apples -- that we're describing things properly. We're interested in monitoring biodiversity and making sure things are properly ranked globally, nationally and at the provincial/territorial level."

It's this experience that makes Cannings a valuable addition to the NatureServe Yukon team.

"NatureServe Yukon is still in its infancy from a data perspective," he says. "We're still forming the lists, ranking and agreeing on what we're dealing with."

"We want to do this as efficiently and quickly as possible without getting too sidetracked -- that's my main job."

Until now, anyone wanting information about the Yukon's rare or unusual species had to seek individual experts and disparate sources. NatureServe Yukon is intended to provide a one-stop-shop for this kind of information in the territory. Cannings says that the agency will have a website launched in the coming months.

"I find it quite remarkable that a small data centre like this is possible," he says. "It reflects the strong interest of the Yukon and federal governments and the commitment of individuals to make it happen."

Like his brothers, Cannings is a generalist with a particular interest in bugs and birds. He's usually spotted in the field toting a large butterfly net. A giant dragonfly fills the screen of his computer monitor, and he becomes animated when asked to discuss his favourite members of the entomological world.

"That's a Delicate Emerald," says Cannings, gesturing to the larger-than-life green-eyed dragonfly, "There are thirty-three dragonfly species in the Yukon, and this is one of the most beautiful."

Cannings is no stranger to the Yukon. During the 1980s he spent many summers doing surveys of the territory's insect fauna, and later helped teach field courses at the Arctic Institute research base at Kluane Lake with his twin brother, Dick.

"While searching for bugs I got to see much of the territory, and I fell in love with it," he adds. He and his wife often talked about living here, so when an opportunity arose with NatureServe Yukon they were keen to move north with their two children.

For more information about NatureServe Yukon, contact Syd Cannings at syd.cannings@gov.yk.ca.