FGM Cranbrook – Sept 19-22, 2013. Registration and Outings and Presentation information is now available at the BC Nature Website
BC Rivers Day – Sept 29, 2013 Look for events in your community
Club Grant Applications – Deadline January 31, 2014
BC Nature Awards Nominations – Deadline February 28 2014 Nominate a worthy member today
Issue 33
Date June 2013
Prince George Request for Proposal
Request for Proposals for Consulting Services – Development of a Master Plan for a Nature Interpretation & Outdoor Learning Network – Any interested parties – please refer to this Link
Comments to BC Government Re: proposed changes
1) The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations is inviting the public to review and comment on proposed visual-quality objectives and scenic areas in the Kootenay Lake portion of the Selkirk Resource District. The deadline for comments is August 15. Please follow this link for details
2)The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is offering funding for organizations planning to participate in the environmental assessment of the Brucejack Gold Mine project approximately 65 kms north of Stewart. Deadline for applications is July 6. Please follow this link for details.
3)The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency must decide whether a federal environmental assessment is required for the proposed Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project in British Columbia. To assist it in making its decision, the Agency is seeking comments from the public on the project and its potential effects on the environment. Please follow this link for details.
4) Murray River Coal Project – Public Comments Invited Please follow this link for details.
5) The Lac Du Bois Grasslands Management Planning Team is looking for input into the development of the draft management plan. They are specifically looking for information on the recent land additions and the Tranquille Special Feature Area portion of the protected area. For more information on the planning process and to provide your input click here .
6)Management planning projects have been initiated for Kikomun Park and Dean River Conservancy . More information on active management planning processes can be be found by visiting the BC Parks Management Planning Page .
Solve the puzzle – current energy debate
You cannot solve a puzzle without seeing the big picture. And in Canada’s current energy debate, sadly, the family cat got on the table, knocking most of the pieces to the floor, while toddlers argue over the three remaining pieces shouting “Mine!” Those pieces are the oil sands and while we maintain an obsessive focus on them, other elements crucial to our energy security, economic prosperity and our future as a planet are being neglected at Canada’s cost and peril. If all the key pieces of Canada’s energy future “the climate crisis, a prosperous economy, labour issues, east-west connectivity, energy efficiency, technological innovation, federal-provincial relations” were jigsaw pieces on our collective family table, it would be worthwhile to find the picture on the box the pieces came in. The cover of the box, a glorious sustainable energy roadmap, would depict where we want to be, with: a meaningful carbon reduction plan; phasing out coal across the land; bringing in energy conservation and efficiency standards; producing far more energy from renewable sources; applying cleantech solutions broadly; paying attention to energy security; and shifting from a strategy of rapid export of unprocessed product to managed production at a steady rate of upgraded and refined product, with value-added creating far more employment in oil production while energy efficiency targets create jobs everywhere in overhauling our built infrastructure. You cannot solve a puzzle when you do not see how the pieces fit together. In the case of the current energy debate, the dialogue is so devoid of content that one cannot dignify the noise by calling it debate. Back to that Canadian family table with all the jigsaw pieces we need to fit together, sadly, the family cat got on the table knocking most of the pieces to the floor, while toddlers argue over the three remaining pieces shouting “Mine!” To read the rest of the article visit this Link Article by Elizabeth May
Interesting Sites and articles
ebutterfly site Link
View a 3-minute video about freshwater in BC and the need for a new Act. The video features WWF Freshwater Ambassador Scott Niedermayer and a song by the Great Lake Swimmers. The youtube link to ” Water for Nature, Water for People” is here: Youtube link
Globe and Mail article on the recent Kinder Morgan pipeline oil spill near Merritt, BC
Orcas make rare visit to Vancouver harbour – Link. And a second link
Haida Gwaii Whale Watching Biologists Spot Rare Species link
The mother country turns on salmon farming – Alexandra Morton – link
About Town – Upcoming Events
Richmond Raptor Festival – August 18th For more information, check out this link Registration is now open for the 20th annual Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup – September 21 – 29
The Lower Mainland Green Team is working with the Corporation of Delta to remove the invasive plants ivy and lamium at Ladner Harbour Park on July 28th. To sign up and details click Here. Tools and gloves provided, no experience necessary
The Fascinating World of Bears – July 3, 2013. A slide presentation with biologist David Cook about the natural history and biology of bears. For details, visit here
CPAWS loves the South Okanagan-Similkameen!
CPAWS-BC’s campaign to achieve a national park in the South Okanagan-Similkameen is full steam ahead, including the filming of a short film and a tour by CPAWS national Board and staff. Having the opportunity to connect with locals and why they want their grasslands protected put wind in their sails. We believe that levels of local support are approaching the critical mass needed to move this forward. Read more here: link
Enbridge Hearings – Final Testimony
Rejecting Northern Gateway pipeline opens Canada to economic disaster, hearing told. Read more: Link
Rejecting Northern Gateway risks disaster, Enbridge lawyer. link
Press release for final Enbridge arguments from BC Nature and Nature Canada
Bird Studies Canada looking for volunteers – Lewis Woodpecker Survey
Bird Studies Canada, BC Nature, and the Canadian Wildlife Service are initiating a project to survey Lewis’s Woodpeckers and their nesting habitat in southern British Columbia. Volunteers are needed to conduct the following surveys this summer: 1) Habitat Ground truthing (basic and quick habitat review); 2) Lewis’s Woodpecker (LEWO) “point counts” (counting LEWO at predetermined locations); and 3) Casual observations of LEWO and opportunistic nest checks. Depending on your schedule, the time commitment could involve as little as one morning, or many days. Point counts must be completed between June 15 and July 15. Ground truthing surveys can be completed any time of the year within prescribed LEWO habitat. Some survey locations are near towns, while others require more driving; we’ll work with you to select a suitable route (close to your home or areas you plan to visit.) If you’re interested in volunteering, or have more questions, please contact the project coordinator for your area of interest. For Thompson-Nicola, Boundary, and East Kootenays, call Bird Studies Canada’s Christopher Di Corrado at 1-877-592-8527 or email . For Okanagan-Similkameen, contact Lisa Scott, Wildlife Tree Stewardship Program, at or (250) 404-0115.
BC Beached Bird Survey: Call for Volunteers
The British Columbia Beached Bird Survey is a long-term volunteer-based monitoring program that collects information on the causes and rates of seabird mortality. Many thanks to the 250 volunteers who have conducted over 3000 surveys and walked more than 7000 km of BC’s beaches since 2002! In total, 1204 beached birds of 67 species have been reported. Gulls, Northern Fulmar, Common Murre, and waterfowl have been the most abundant, accounting for 60% of the birds recorded. Bird Studies Canada is seeking volunteers for the program. Surveyors conduct monthly beach walks during the last week of the month, looking for bird carcasses that have washed ashore and signs of oiling. Advanced birding skills are not required, and the program is suitable for anyone who enjoys walking their local beach. The information gained helps us understand causes of seabird mortality, and identify which species are most vulnerable. We have many vacant beach routes in Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo-Qualicum, and Ucluelet-Tofino, and we are happy to set up new routes elsewhere in BC. Please contact Karen Barry (email ) for information or to sign up.
To celebrate our 60th anniversary we invite you to come for a guided stroll on the Courtenay Riverway Heritage Walk with a member of Comox Valley Nature on April 24, 10 am -noon. Learn about the history of this area, including how the former sewage lagoon has become one of the most popular walking spots in the Comox Valley. Check out the restoration work that has replaced invasive plant species and added more native plants, shrubs and trees that is being done by Comox Valley Nature in partnership with the City of Courtenay. Hear why invasive plant species are so damaging to the ecosystems. Enjoy the view from the "lookout" over the estuary and be reminded how important the estuary is to the web of life.REGISTRATION required on our events page cvnature.ca/events An easy 1 km walk on a wheelchair accessible paved path. Dress for the weather and bring a water bottle Sorry, no dogs. This event is free, but donations are welcome.For more information, add your name to a wait list or to cancel your reservation email: . ... See MoreSee Less
To celebrate our 60th anniversary Comox Valley Nature is offering this opportunity to get together with knowledgeable birders to share skills and learn more about birding in the Comox Valley.This outing is designed for beginners, but birders of all levels are welcome. Experienced birders will help with identifying species, equipment, useful apps, and field guides. Both CVN members and the public are welcome on this walk at the Courtenay Airpark which will be on a wide smooth pathway for about 2km round trip. Bring binoculars if you have them. Dress for the weather. Warm clothing necessary – it’s often windy there! Please leave pets at home.Register through our events page at This event is free. Donations welcome.#birding#comoxvalley#iba#courtenay airpark ... See MoreSee Less
To celebrate our 60th anniversary we offer this opportunity to learn more about Garry oaks in the Comox Valley.Vanier Nature Park is home to a small grove of Garry oak trees which is being stewarded by Comox Valley Nature. These oaks are at the northern extent of their range, and are a remnant of a culturally modified ecosystem that once covered 160 square kilometres in the Comox ValleyThis walk will be lead by Geologist Bob Hauser and Forester Terry Lewis. They have spent many hours in the park removing invasive holly. Terry and Bob will look at the work in progress in the grove and share their unique perspective on this forest, with a focus on soil science and tree species.The Vanier Nature Park project is being co-managed by Comox Valley Nature and the City of Courtenay with funding from the City of Courtenay, BC Nature and the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation. Registration required through The walk is partially on level ground with some gentle to moderate uphill walking on a forest trail that has some uneven footing. No dogs please.For more information, to add your name to a wait list or to cancel your reservation, email: Details of the meeting place will be sent to registrants. Please be at the meeting spot at least 10 minutes before the walk starts to sign in. ... See MoreSee Less
To celebrate our 60th anniversary we invite you to come for a guided stroll on the Courtenay Riverway Heritage Walk with a member of Comox Valley Nature on April 24, 10 am -noon. Learn about the history of this area, including how the former sewage lagoon has become one of the most popular walking spots in the Comox Valley. Check out the restoration work that has replaced invasive plant species and added more native plants, shrubs and trees that is being done by Comox Valley Nature in partnership with the City of Courtenay. Hear why invasive plant species are so damaging to the ecosystems. Enjoy the view from the "lookout" over the estuary and be reminded how important the estuary is to the web of life.