One of the many great things about being a birder is that the only thing you need to bring nature closer is a pair of binoculars. Sometimes though, in my life as a scientist, I want something a bit more sophisticated to convey the message of science to a broader audience.

Technology, used strategically, has the power to bring us closer to science in surprising and even inspiring ways.

That’s where Google comes in. Google Earth Outreach, which just launched in Canada, brings the intricate ecosystems of the boreal forest to our desktops with a new, three-minute tour of the boreal using satellite imagery, photos and flyovers of the world’s largest intact forest.

This relatively new feature of Google Earth -- interactive, narrated flyovers -- is a unique way to educate people about different parts of the world, in this case Canada’s boreal forest. Its lively movement and unique spatial perspectives engages audiences in a way that maintains their interest in an increasingly electronic and visually-oriented world.

The great thing is that this technology allows us to present the conservation values of a region such as the Peace-Athabasca Delta, a globally important wetland complex that hosts millions of migrating and nesting birds each year, including Tundra Swans, Snow Geese and hundreds of species of other  waterfowl, shorebirds and songbirds.

Viewers can now witness the Peace-Athabasca Delta in a sweeping flyover of this critically important wetland, thanks to an effort from the Pew Environment Group, the Canadian Boreal Initiative and Google Earth Outreach.

The Peace-Athabasca Delta is a key breeding and migratory hotspot for many birds in western Canada and the boreal forest as a whole remains one of the most important breeding regions for migratory birds anywhere on Earth, providing safe nesting grounds for 3 to 5 billion birds each summer before they and their offspring migrate south  for warmer winter destinations.

Canada’s boreal forest is also a refuge for wolves, grizzly bears, wolverine and caribou. A massive terrestrial storehouse of carbon, the boreal locks greenhouse gases in its trees, soils and wetlands, and has in storage twice as much carbon as its tropical forest counterparts. Its Arctic-flowing rivers are vital in the creation of sea ice, which supports iconic species such as polar bear and helps reflect sunlight, cooling the atmosphere.

Viewers of this new Google Earth tour will see Canada’s boreal forest in its global context in this view from space, they will zoom in and fly over landscapes and learn about the features that make this region globally unique, including the migration route across the Peace-Athabasca Delta of the  world’s last wild population of endangered Whooping Cranes on their way from their breeding grounds in Canada to their winter quarters on the Texas coast.

Unfortunately for this species, their migration route intersects with areas leased to and developed by oil sands companies, including the surface mineable area and its associated facilities, mine pits and tailings ponds.

And while much of the Peace-Athabasca Delta is protected, other parts of the boreal forest are under increasing pressure from industry. Work is underway by scientists, aboriginal peoples, governments and environmental organizations to protect the boreal forest for the benefit of our global ecosystem. These efforts are enhanced by the snapshot synopsis, with its broad aerial views, presented in the Google Earth boreal tour.

Tools such as these are so important to sharing the immense values of the boreal with both the public and policymakers in a highly visual way. Because every now and then, you want to make sure you are seeing the “big picture” and what better way to do that then let Google Earth let you see the boreal forest from space.