Harrison Salmon Stronghold Camp: November 26 – November 29, 2015 Registration is open for the last remaining 4 spots – if interested, please contact – BC Nature office by calling 604 985 3057 or email
AGM 2016 – hosted by Comox Valley Naturalists Society – May 12-15, 2016 – Details available in the Fall and Winter Magazine
Mittlenatch Camp – May 2016 – Details in the upcoming Fall Magazine.Possible Camp – Fraser Canyon rafting June 2016.
FGM 2016 – Prince George – September 2016. Details to follow.
South Okanagan Park Proposal on the table again!
Thursday morning, August 13, the BC Ministry of Environment announced that the province is putting forward a framework, in the form of an intentional paper, to protect and enhance the natural, historical, and economic values of critical lands in the South Okanagan. The protection proposed includes a national park reserve component; one section in the White Lake area and encompassing the existing Provincial Protected Area and other federally owned/managed lands; and the other south of Highway 3 from west of Osoyoos to the Chopaka Grasslands in the Similkameen Valley. A provincial Conservancy is proposed for the third component encompassing Mt. Kobau area west of Oliver. The full text of the intentional paper is available on the website below.The government is giving people 60 days to comment on the proposal and directions for so doing are also on the site of the Paper. Please do so asap! The National Park Network members and other supporters of the National Park Reserve are delighted by this move towards greater protection of these critical lands. As usual, the devil can be in the details, but this would appear to be a very important step towards the province and Parks Canada negotiating the most effective means by which these lands can be kept intact and with appropriate management for their ecological values and benefits to the human communities.
BC Government’s Intentions Paper: Link Recent poll on support for park: Link National Park Feasibility Study: Link
Issue 45
Date August 2015
Summer 2015 BC Nature Magazine
How to access members only area
For those that don’t wish to receive their magazine via mail through Canada Post, the Fall Magazine will be available on line. An email is sent, notifying you when the latest issue is uploaded. Current magazines are behind members only access. If you require your access and password, please email
Conservation Items in the News
BC on Fire
As we leave August, there are currently nurmerous fires alight in British Columbia. BC has not experienced a drought this severe since 2003. There are numberous water retrictions in place! Canadians use an average of 350 litres of water a day, while British Columbians use a full 426 litres per day [2]. Meanwhile, the average European who uses about 150 litres[1]. This is a very powerful indicator of how we overuse a precious resource. Metro Vancouver has now implemented Stage 3 water restrictions which you can find in this link. Consider how much water you use in everyday tasks, as every drop of water matters. Challenge yourself to reduce your water usage as the impact increases with every drop you save.
Conservation Officers in the News Again, But Not For What You Would Think
Recent News has focused on Conservation officer, Bryce Casavant for his stance against euthanizing two Black bears. This story has garnered international attention from media outlets and celebrities such as Ricky Gervais.
Furthermore, a report was just released by the British Columbia Government and Services Employee’s Union that shows that the number of Conservation Officers has dwindled from 2001. This has led to an increase in patrolling area size and a significant decrease in wildlife emergency response to poaching and pollution calls.
SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant Program
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management, is now accepting applications, through Friday, October 2, 2015, for its SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant Program. This year, SFI will be awarding a total of $400,000 to organizations committed to improving forest management and responsible procurement globally. Projects submitted for consideration should address topics of current importance such as improving wildlife habitat management and conservation of biodiversity, avoiding controversial sources of fiber such as those resulting from illegal logging, and assisting local communities through forest education programs and green building projects for low-income families.
BC Bird Atlas Now Available Online
The first installment of the online publication of British Columbia’s very first Breeding Bird Atlas – the most comprehensive bilingual wildlife Atlas- is now online!
The Atlas has greatly increased the information base for well over 60% of bird species breeding in the province, and is already making an impact on conservation efforts. Information is being applied to recovery planning and action for Species at Risk, such as critical habitat identification for Lewis’s Woodpecker and conservation easements for new locations of Western Screech-Owls. Expect designations of several at-risk provincial species to change as a result of the new information generated. The Atlas dataset is among the most comprehensive in western Canada, informing species assessments by COSEWIC, the national body that determines Species at Risk status. We process approximately 100 requests a year for Atlas data, some for research into issues including climate change, and many to inform federal and provincial environmental impact assessments, and assist risk management under regulatory frameworks. With over 16,500 records of rare or sensitive species, the Atlas is a mu! st-acquire database! Thank you to our partners: Bird Studies Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, B.C. Field Ornithologists, The Pacific WildLife Foundation and Louisiana-Pacific Ltd. Canada as well as 1300 citizen scientist volunteers for their contributions in making this project possible!
Take a moment or two to explore the website at www.birdatlas.bc.ca.
Interesting Sites and Articles
Next time you see Chilean Sea Bass on the menu, do not order it. It may be illegal contraband. This is an epic story with video clips of two Sea Shepard ships chasing and catching an notorious pirate trawler on the high seas and then rescuing the crew after they scuttled their ship to destroy the evidence.
Ocean Exposures Photo Contest Living Oceans Society is running our sixth annual Ocean Exposures photo contest in an effort to raise interest in ocean conservation and showcase the beauty of the ocean. Living Oceans a non-profit organization that’s been working for healthy oceans and healthy communities since we formed in 1998. Closes Sept. 30/15
Dear National Energy Board (Page 3)A Commenter’s letter on the Trans Mountain Expansion Link
About Town
Salmon in the Canyon is back!
Salmon in the Canyon Community Celebration – FRASER FEST Sunday September 13 – Lillooet 3:00pm to 8:00pm Cayoosh Creek Campground
Games and activities, Children’s Play Area – Environmental information booths Cultural information booths – Farmers Market, Local Arts and Crafts – Salmon barbecue featuring local harvested foods and salmon from the Fraser River. prepared by Sekw’el’was community.-Live Music with the Up Your Watershed elementary school choir and local musicians. for details
World Rivers Day – September 27th, 2015
World Rivers Day is set for September 27th this year (as always, falling on the last Sunday in September) and, while the event is still a little over 2 months away, it will be here before we know it. Consequently, we’re hoping that river advocates from around the globe will start planning events as part of this year’s World Rivers Day celebration!
As examples of what is already being planned, there will be events across Canada, starting in British Columbia with its massive 35th anniversary of BC Rivers Day (which inspired World Rivers Day). Riverside celebrations and activities there will occur in many cities and towns ranging from Burnaby, New Westminster and Langley to Chilliwack, Campbell River and Victoria to name just a few. Other festivities across the country are being planned in provinces ranging from Saskatchewan to Ontario to Newfoundland. www.worldriversday.com
TreeFest
The Treefest Planning Committee would like to extend an invitation to your organization to participate in the 22nd annual Treefest. The festival is an opportunity to celebrate trees and heritage with an emphasis on the fine collection of trees on the Riverview lands. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, September 19th, from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm at the Riverview Hospital Grounds located at 2601 Lougheed Highway in Coquitlam. If you would like to participate please email by August 14th for a registration form.
BC Coastal Waterbird Survey Workshop
If you enjoy birds and walking your local beaches, come learn how you can help conserve birds and reduce disturbance by becoming a Volunteer Citizen Scientist! What: Free workshop and guided walk to learn about BC waterbirds and how to conduct Coastal Waterbird Surveys and Beached Bird Surveys. We will also outline our new Shorebird Disturbance protocol. Suitable for new and current volunteers. When: Sunday, August 30th – 3-5pm (rain or shine!) Where: Cammidge House, 498 Boundary Bay Rd, Delta, BC
Silva
This fall Nanaimo Art Gallery presents Silva, a contemporary art project that follows a thematic path from the microcosms of the forest floor, to the quantifying and processing of lumber, to the global distribution of forestry products. Silva consists of two exhibitions (O Horizon and Booming Grounds), a publication, (The Mill), and a series of public events including artist talks, tours, readings, and performances. Silva: O Horizon | September 4 to October 31, 2015 Duane Linklater, Gareth Moore, Kika Thorne, and Elias Wakan
Fresh Water Fish Identification Workshop
This Free for members program is being offered by BC Nature Club – WildResearch – Sept. 13 – for registration details – please see this link
South Coast Conservation Program is 10 Years Old The South Coast Conservation Program is celebrating its tenth birthday at this year’s annual SCCP Connects session. September 2, 2015 – Burnaby, BC at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts on beautiful Deer Lake. We hope you can join us!
Special guests this year are Dan Greenberg from Simon Fraser University to talk about amphibian conservation and research, Dr. Sara Dubois, biologist and Chief Science Officer for the BC SPCA’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre who also works with the Animal Welfare Program at University of BC to talk about “Compassionate Conservation” and Christine Terpsma Program Coordinator for the Delta Farmland Wildlife Trust to talk about learning outcomes of their conservation work. Plus updates, conservation speed dating and knowledge café networking!
Registration is required so don’t miss out – register early! Register here
Climate Leadership Action Plan
Have you ever wished you could give advice to the BC government on critical issues like climate change and the creation of a giant new LNG industry driven by fracked gas? Now you can! The BC government is working to reboot its current Climate Action Plan to make sure the province is still on track to meet the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets it committed to back in 2007. Before you take the survey, please check out the link.. The BC government also released a discussion paper to go along with the survey which can be found if you follow the link above.
Not Too Late for a Shoreline Cleanup
The days are getting shorter, and we’re reminded that summer is almost over, but there’s still time to show our shorelines some love. Just by doing a short cleanup before or after your day at the beach, lakeshore or river, you can prevent litter from getting into rivers, lakes and oceans.To date, more than 1,300 people have signed up to coordinate a cleanup in communities across Canada, but there are plenty more shorelines to clean. You could coordinate a cleanup with your family, friends or coworkers at your favourite park or recreation area. Shoreline cleanups happen anywhere land connects to water, along marshes, lakes and even stormwater drains.
August and September are great months to host a shoreline cleanup at your local shoreline. Together, we can leave our shorelines cleaner than they were at the start of summer. Join us today!
Update on the Regulatory Review of the Agricultural Waste Control Regulation
In 2009, the Ministry of Environment initiated a comprehensive review of the Agricultural Waste Control Regulation (AWCR) to maintain consistency with current legislation and update standards and practices. A policy intentions paper (IP) was released for public comment in January 2012. Since April 2012, the ministry has been consulting with a working group of industry sector representatives, the B.C. Agriculture Council and the Ministry of Agriculture staff to clarify policy goals and discuss proposed revisions to the regulation.Building on the public feedback received on the first policy IP, and the results from the extensive and collaborative consultation with the agriculture industry working group, the proposed policy has been substantially improved. As a result, a second policy IP outlining the proposed revised policy direction is now posted for public comment and available for review and comment by downloading from the AWCR web page.
A comment form and directions for providing comments on the 2nd Policy IP are also posted at the above listed website.
Comments on the 2nd Policy Intentions Paper should be submitted by August 31, 2015, and may be submitted by
E-mail to: , or Mail: PO Box 28159 Westshore RPO, Victoria, BC V9B 6K8.
All comments received through this consultation process will be carefully considered by ministry staff in preparing the drafting instructions for government staff to complete legal drafting of the proposed revisions to the regulation. A summary of public comment will also be prepared and posted on the consultation web page. Comments received after the submission deadline date will still be reviewed by the ministry, but may not be included in the consultation summary report.
If you are an “association”, please forward this correspondence and web page address to your members. You are also encouraged to forward this information to any others who you feel may wish to comment on this policy intentions paper.
Comments received and the identity of those providing comments will be treated as confidential by ministry staff and contractors. However, please note that any comments you provide and information that identifies you as the source of those comments may be publicly available if a request is made under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act [link to Act].
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Sophia Priestman, a graduate of Mark R. Isfeld Secondary School, is the 2026 recipient of the CVN Bursary. Our $1000 bursary was presented to her at the school’s awards ceremony on May 28.Sophia graduates with straight A grades. She made extensive contributions to the Environment Club throughout her career at Isfeld, taking on the president’s role in grades 11 and 12. She was also very involved in the Model UN Program, and participated in other school clubs and sports.Outside school, Sophia has volunteered with Anderton Therapeutic Garden and with Lush Valley for several years. At 12 years old she was offered a job by five vendors at the Farmer’s Market and chose Alderlane Bakery where she is in her sixth year of employment. She also has helped out at Pendleton Farm.Sophia has been accepted at the University of Victoria where she will pursue a dual major in Environmental Studies and Economics with a minor in Applied Ethics. Of this somewhat unusual combination of disciplines, Sophia says:This variety of disciplines will allow me to see complex political and environmental issues from multiple perspectives and find innovative solutions that both foster sustainability and ensure welfare for all (human and non-human alike).Congratulations, Sophia! ... See MoreSee Less
The New Forest Act Roadshow is a series of public presentations across British Columbia explaining what the New Forest Act is, why BC’s current forestry system is failing, and what a workable legislative solution looks like.That solution is the New Forest Act – a proposed policy framework developed over several years through research, public input, and lived experience in communities directly affected by forestry decisions.BC’s forestry challenges are not isolated incidents—they are the result of a system that no longer reflects the realities on the land.Join Jennifer Houghton and Dave Weaver on Monday June 15th at the Stan Hagen Theatre in Courtenay fpr a presentation that offers a clear, developed alternative.Jennifer Houghton is lead developer of the New Forest Act, a legislative proposal to replace British Columbia’s current forestry system. She works directly on forestry policy analysis, public education, and government engagement to advance structural reform in how BC’s forests are managed.Dave Weaver has 37 years of experience in British Columbia’s forestry sector, working across industry, consulting, and government. His career includes field forestry with MacMillan Bloedel, forest consulting and applied ecology instruction in the northern interior, and 12 years with the BC Ministry of Forests developing silviculture policy and training in alternatives to clearcutting.He now focuses on watershed-level impacts of forestry through his work with the Beaufort Watershed Stewards, bringing decades of on-the-ground and policy experience to the discussion of forestry reform in BC.This event is for:Residents concerned about forestry in their regionPeople working in or affected by the forest sectorThose interested in practical, policy-level solutionsAnyone who wants a clear explanation of what’s happening—and what can be doneTo view the schedule for other presentations and for full details on the legislative framework visit boundaryforest.org/the-new-forest-act-proposal/Sentinel Educational Foundation and the Watershed Sentinel magazine are the sponsors of the Vancouver Island leg of the 2026 New Forest Act Roadshow. Their support is helping bring public education about forest policy reform to communities across Vancouver Island.This is a free public event and donations are welcome ... See MoreSee Less
The New Forest Act Roadshow is a series of public presentations across British Columbia explaining what the New Forest Act is, why BC’s current forestry system is failing, and what a workable legislative solution looks like. Dave Weaver and Jennifer Houghton will be speaking at Stan Hagen Theatre on June 15th. for more information visit boundaryforest.org/courtenay🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT: The New Forest Act Roadshow - June 2–22, 2026This will be a series of in-person presentations across British Columbia focused on the New Forest Act - a legislative proposal to replace the current forestry framework.Tour stops include:Golden • Nelson • Trail • 100 Mile HouseCampbell River • Quadra Island • CourtenayPort Alberni • Honeymoon Bay • Powell River • Victoria Full details and event pages: boundaryforest.org/new-forest-act-roadshow-2026-info/About the New Forest ActThe New Forest Act is a proposed legislative framework that restructures forest management around ecological limits and long-term economic stability.It is built on a Protect–Restore–Harvest (PRH) model:• Protect primary forests and critical watershed areas• Restore degraded landscapes• Harvest only on previously disturbed land using selection-based systems, within ecological thresholdsThe framework shifts management from volume-based targets to outcomes-based management, with a focus on watershed function, ecosystem integrity, and stable regional economies.FormatEach event will be a presentation followed by a focused Q&A. Presenter Jennifer Houghton, New Forest Act Campaign Director, draws on years of research, public education, and direct engagement with communities and decision-makers across BC.Co-presenterDave Weaver (retired forestry professional) will co-present in Campbell River, and likely in Courtenay and Port Alberni as well.If you’ve been watching this issue for years...If you’ve felt like nothing ever actually changes...Come to a presentation.See it for yourself.Bring someone with you. June 2–22. Across British Columbia. Let’s go. ... See MoreSee Less
Drought in the summer is hard on plants in our environment. The trees in your yard may have begun to respond to this stress. Our next knowledge walk will help you to learn how to keep your trees healthy and thriving.Join Verna Mumby as we look at the effects of drought and climate change on trees.This knowledge walk will be at the Airpark. Taking the trees there as a sample, we will look for signs of drought stress, and indications of healthy growth. We will examine factors such as hydrology, disease vectors and soil compaction. We will discuss watering and other methods of mitigating stress.Meeting location will be sent before the walk. Bring binoculars to examine higher branches. Wear sturdy footwear and dress for the weather. We will be walking on the airpark paths.REGISTRATION required using RSVP link at comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca/event/trees-and-drought/ An easy 1 km walk on a wheelchair accessible paved path. Sorry, no dogs. This event is free, but donations are welcome. ... See MoreSee Less
Sophia Priestman, a graduate of Mark R. Isfeld Secondary School, is the 2026 recipient of the CVN Bursary. Our $1000 bursary was presented to her at the school’s awards ceremony on May 28.