Our 2016 FGM will be held in Prince George from September 22 – 25, 2016. The pricing on some FGM items has changed, and the early registration deadline has been extended to August 19th. Visit our website for an updated registration form and read below for more information.
Our 2017 AGM will be held in Lillooet from May 4 – 7, 2017. You’ll find details available in September.
Follow us on Facebook for our weekly #GuessThisCreature posts!
FGM 2016 Updates
In addition to adjusting the early registration date to August 19, the FGM organizers in Prince George have also done their best to reduce costs for attendees in a variety of ways, including optional lunch purchases for field trips that previously had mandatory, included lunches.
Other updates include set Executive and Directors’ meeting times, general field trip changes (carpooling), and alternate payment methods in case of a postal strike.
Please read the full list of FGM updates on our website and, as linked above, find an updated registration form reflecting the new pricing here.
Issue : 51
Date : July 2016
Two female Orcas.
BCnature Fall 2016 Magazine will come out in September!
However, the Summer 2016 issue of the magazine is viewable in the “members only” area of our website. If you do not have your password or access name, please email the office for your information (). For those that currently receive the magazine via Canada post mail, your name as it is written on the label and your password (top left corner) are your access to the members only area.
Some BC IBAs (Important Bird Areas) still need Caretakers!
The BC IBA program is coordinated by BC Nature (the Federation of BC Naturalists) with support from national partners Nature Canada and Bird Studies Canada. BC’s 82 designated sites form a significant portion of the network of ~600 IBAs across Canada, which is not surprising considering 76% of Canada’s bird species are found in BC.
Volunteer Caretakers are the eyes, ears, and hands on the ground at Important Bird Areas. They monitor birds, assess habitats, and conduct outreach and conservation activities within IBAs. To view a list of areas that still need Caretakers, please visit our website.
The Northern Gateway pipeline’s approval was overturned!
BC Nature firmly believes that the Northern Gateway project presented unacceptable risks to British Columbians and to the environment. This project threatened populations of woodland caribou that are already under tremendous pressure from habitat destruction and fragmentation. A marine oil spill would also have catastrophic consequences for communities and ecosystems along the BC coast.
The court’s decision highlights the need for urgent reform of federal environmental assessment law. “Canadians deserve an environmental assessment process that they can trust,” says Chris Tollefson, counsel to BC Nature. “There are deep-seated flaws in the current review process including inadequate consultation with affected communities and First Nations. Without proper consultation, projects like this will never secure the social licence upon which they must depend.”
Read our full press release through the link under “Latest News” on our website’s homepage, and check out this CBC article for a summary of the ruling.
Four recovery documents (for the Coastal Tailed Frog, the Blue-grey Taildropper, the Northern Leopard Frog, and the Pacific Gophersnake) have also been posted as proposed on the Species at Risk Public Registry for public comment. This comment period will close on September 4th, 2016. Links to these plans are listed above.
Wanted: Bobcat and Lynx photos for a UBC study
A bobcat/lynx study is currently under way at the University of British Columbia in partnership with BC’s Ministry of Environment. The study’s researchers are seeking photos of bobcats and lynx captured by trail cameras, or conventional cameras, from all corners of the province and from all time periods to help determine the provincial distribution of each species. The photos do not have to be great photography – they just have to show a bobcat or a lynx, or even just a part of one. Photos can be blurry or dark and don’t even have to clearly show which cat species is present.
Photos will not be published or shared with anyone without permission, and photographers will retain ownership of their photos. The results of this study will be gladly shared with all those who are interested. Please send photos, along with the date and location of each photo, to TJ Gooliaff at .
Participate in Upcoming Summer Festivals!
On September 11, The Treefest Planning Committee is hosting the 23rd Annual Treefest to celebrate and emphasize the importance of the fine collection of trees on the Riverview lands. Find more information about registering by emailing .
From September 23 – 24, the Fraser River Discovery Centre is hosting River Fest, a celebration of our province and World Rivers Day. Find more information about registering here!
To Unsubscribe, please contact the BC Nature Office. All email addresses are protected from misuse by BC Nature by way of off site storage on a secure server. Questions or comments? Contact us via Email to BC Nature
On July 1, 2014 Canada implemented new laws that regulate how we communicate electronically with our “followers”. Since our electronic communications are not commercial in nature, the new Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation does not apply. However, we wanted to take the opportunity to remind you that you can unsubscribe from our distribution list at any time by clicking the link above.
Bruce Moffat, our very own CVN Nature Photography group coordinator will be presenting at this month’s general meeting. He has prepared a handful of wildlife vignettes collected over the past 7 years on Vancouver Island. Each of these shorts will be played with Bruce pausing to describe the experiences and challenges for each of the diverse subjects covered.This presentation includes images first shown as entries in the Comox Valley Photographic Society’s annual Imagefest show at the Sid Williams Theatre. There will be time to ask questions after each short film and following the wrap up. Bruce will bring some of the equipment used to capture his images.Bruce has been an avid photographer since his teen years and has focused on nature photography for the past 20 years. He has been published regularly in the local CV Land Trustcalendars and 4 of the last five CV Collective magazines here in the valley. His latest published shot is featured on this month’s cover of Scout Life magazine. ... See MoreSee Less
Comox Valley Nature is pleased to announce that Sophie Johnston has been awarded the Brandt Research Grant. This is a $5,000 grant in support of her field research on coastal areas of north Vancouver Island. Sophie is currently a PhD Student at the University of British Columbia.The intertidal zone ecosystem is critically threatened by ongoing climate change. Sophie’s PhD research is documenting the effects of ocean acidification on intertidal marine communities in the Johnstone Strait, British Columbia.The goal of her research is to investigate how a dominant ecosystem engineer shapes marine community structure along a gradient of ocean acidification.Ocean acidification not only alters the morphology of limpet species by increasing shell erosion, but can also increase their thermal sensitivity, limiting limpet grazing efficiency and survival in the intertidal zone. Thus, the effects of ocean acidification on such ecosystem engineers could result in large-scale, rippling impacts on marine communities, from microscopic algae to top predators.The results of this research will be of particular interest to residents who inhabit areas near or along the Johnstone Strait and those interested in the trophic level effects of ocean acidification i.e., the reduced growth of herbivores, barnacles, mussels, and oysters can affect the population sizes of predators like sea stars and otters.For more information on this grant and CV Nature in general, visit our website at cvnature.ca ... See MoreSee Less
CVRD News: Watershed Awareness Days: Discover Where Your Water Comes From 🫗The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) invites the public to explore the Comox Lake Watershed during Watershed Awareness Days, taking place from May 26 to 30, 2026. This week-long event features guided walks, lakeside talks, presentations, and family-friendly activities. It’s a unique opportunity to experience the watershed firsthand and learn how it sustains the health and wellbeing of the entire Comox Valley community.Read the full story here 👉 comoxvalleyrd.ca/connect/news/watershed-awareness-days-discover-where-your-water-comesView all the FREE* events here: www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/connectedbywater*Some events require registration#ComoxValleyRD ... See MoreSee Less
Bruce Moffat, our very own CVN Nature Photography group coordinator will be presenting at this month’s general meeting. He has prepared a handful of wildlife vignettes collected over the past 7 years on Vancouver Island. Each of these shorts will be played with Bruce pausing to describe the experiences and challenges for each of the diverse subjects covered.