Posted: October 15, 2026

Mir Sanjana Tarannum is one of our newest volunteers with the Lake Winnipeg Community-Based Monitoring Network (LWCBMN)! Mir Sanjana is originally from Bangladesh. She spent a few years in southern Ontario completing her undergraduate degree before moving to Thunder Bay for her master’s degree. She eventually made her way to Winnipeg to be closer to family. With a background in environmental science, Sanjana was eager to learn about her new landscape.

“I thought the best way to get involved would be through volunteering with a research project. I learned about LWCBMN through an online search, and I reached out at exactly the right time! I was able to attend the annual gathering and soon after was collecting water samples!” she says.  

Sanjana now collects water samples at the Seine River Diversion near Île-des-Chênes, about a 20-minute drive from her home. Although the site is accessible from a busy road, she was surprised to discover a thriving ecosystem around her sampling site. “I never gave the tall grass by the side of the road a second thought when I used to drive past. Since I started sampling, every day I hear chirping birds, buzzing insects, and the rustling of rodents all around me,” she says. Through regular visits, Sanjana has come to appreciate the biodiversity in places we might otherwise overlook.  

While Sanjana initially joined LWCBMN to help collect data and learn more about her new surroundings, sampling has also become a welcome opportunity for her to slow down and reconnect with nature. “I think my favourite part of sampling has become something more personal. I see it as a mindfulness break from my daily life,” she says. One of her most memorable visits took place after several days of heavy rainfall. When she finally found a break in the weather to collect a sample, she was greeted by the most beautiful view she had ever seen at her site.

“The sky was gorgeous and stormy, with layers of clouds in different shades of grey. The air smelled wonderful, and the water was calm. It felt like another world!” she says. “If I had not been routinely sampling, I never would have found myself in nature at a time like this.”

For Sanjana, volunteering with LWCBMN has become a way to combine her interest in environmental science with a deeper appreciation for the landscape around her. She encourages others to get involved. “Whatever your reason for joining is, I’m certain you will find an aspect of this that really speaks to you,” she says. “This is a great way to contribute to the community we live in, and it will be pretty cool at the end of the year to see how the data we are collecting will be analyzed and used!”

A huge thank you to Sanjana and all our volunteers for your hard work this season!