'Total animal protector': Young Calgary girl excels at environmental conservation app

Calgary girl named 'total animal protector' by conservation app Watch: An 11-year-old Calgary girl excels at an environmental conservation app. Stephanie Thomas reports.

Calgary — A Calgary girl’s passion for animals and the environment has taken her to the top of the world leaderboard with Earth Rangers, a global children’s conservation app and program.

Earth Rangers focuses on teaching children about climate change through its digital interface, and also offers rewards for completed tasks as well as completed challenges offline and in the community.

Diana Shaver, 11, has risen to the status of Super Ranger -- she's ranked number seven -- and has been granted early access to newer versions of the app and website.

“It makes me really happy,” said Shaver, admiring her Earth Rangers gold medal.

“It says 'animal protector' and makes me feel like I’m a total animal protector.”

The grade five student uses her artistic talents to draw animals and landscapes, often as bookmarks, which she sells at her elementary school.

Shaver has completed several fundraising campaigns that the app has directed to conservation efforts for the Piping Plover bird, woodland caribou and gray foxes among others.

She’s also encouraged her family and friend to join her in tasks or “missions” to collect batteries, build and maintain wild bird feeders, plant trees and switch to LED lightbulbs.

“I just love (animals) they are beautiful creatures and protecting their environment will save them,” said Shaver.

Leaders within Earth Rangers say the app also helps reduce anxiety children can face when learning about the magnitude of climate change.

"We can transform anxiety into learning and passion through action. Taking environmental action -- even in small ways -- engenders hope and empowerment," said Tovah Barocas, President of earth Rangers.

Her parents say they are very proud of their daughter’s dedication to animals and the environment, as she represents the earth’s future caretakers.

“For what she’s doing now, I can see what kind of adult she’s going to be like,” said Shauna Shaver.

As far as career plans go, Diana says she wants to be a zoologist when she grows up, and loves dinosaurs as much as she loves living creatures.