BC Nature FGM (Fall General Meeting) & Conference – come join us in Beautiful Salmon Arm for great speakers, presentations and outings! Its the 4th year Cycle for the Sockeye at Adams River, a spectacle not to be missed! Information in your Summer Magazine or registration link here Hosted by Shuswap Naturalists
Deadline for Club Applications for “Club Support” Grants – January 31, 2015
BC Nature to Challenge Cabinet Decision Approving Northern Gateway
PRESS RELEASE June 13, 2014 (North Vancouver, BC) — The Federation of BC Naturalists (BC Nature) today announced it will file a lawsuit challenging the decision by the federal Cabinet to approve the Northern Gateway project. The planned lawsuit will ask the Federal Court of Appeal to set aside this Cabinet decision on a variety of grounds. These include serious deficiencies and flaws in the December 19, 2013 Joint Review Panel report upon which the Cabinet decision is based. Legal counsel for BC Nature is the Environmental Law Centre (ELC) at the University of Victoria. “Filing this lawsuit will ensure that the Federal Court of Appeal is able to hear and consider arguments relating to all of the various flaws and deficiencies associated with Northern Gateway approval process,” says Chris Tollefson, ELC Executive Director and BC Nature’s lawyer. For Complete Press release Please Link Here
Issue 43
Date June 2014
FGM 2015 and AGM 2016
BC Nature is actively looking for one of our clubs to host FGM 2015 – Late September 2015 and AGM 2016 – early May 2016. Please email if your club has any interest and we can supply all the information you need to present to your board.
Notice of Bylaw Change
At the FGM in Salmon Arm a Bylaw change will be presented to the members present. Complete details are available at this link and the detailed changes will be sent to your individuals clubs BC Nature Director. This will be voted on September 27, 2014 @ FGM – Salmon Arm
Kinder Morgan
Possible to drill through Burnaby Mountain? Link HereBurnaby Mayor not budging Link Here
Recovery plan for Pacific Water Shrew open comment June 9th and August 8th Comment Here
About Town
July 19 2014 – BC Parks Day June 21 2014 – Earth Wind and Fire Fundraising Event for The Nature Trust of BC Celebrate the summer solstice with local chefs and members of Culinary Team Canada who will pair excellent local food with exceptional local wine and other beverages. Details Here
Volunteers Needed
The Western Painted Turtle Project Team is looking for volunteers to assist with raising babies turtles and looking after the adult turtles. We are looking for someone who could commit to 1 – 3 days a week to help feed the turtles and clean the tanks in North Vancouver. Time commitment should be less than 2 hours/day depending on how many turtles we have in. Please send an email if you are interested in helping out.June 13th-20th Volunteers Needed – Ancient Murrelet Chick Collection, Laskeek Bay – email or by phone 250-559-2345
RiverBlue – The Story about Fashion Destroying the Rivers of the World
Mark Angelo, a passionate storyteller and river advocate, has possibly paddled more rivers in his lifetime than anyone else on this planet. Having paddled globally for over 40 years, he has sadly watched the decline of the rivers he loves. Journeying through some of the most pristine to most devastated rivers, Mark discovers and unveils the source of much destruction of these waters; Jeans manufacturing.Through harsh chemical manufacturing processes and the irresponsible disposal of toxic chemical waste, one of our favorite iconic products has destroyed the rivers and changed the lives of people who count on these waterways for their survival. This single industry will serve as the worst case scenario, showing how mankind has, at times, shown little regard for what nature has given us. RiverBlue will not only bring awareness to the destruction of a some of the world’s vital rivers through the manufacturing of Jeans, but will also act as a rally cry to demand significant change in the textile industry from the top fashion brands that can make a difference.
Help propel positive change and keep our world’s rivers clean. For a complete backgrounder follow this link
When is a Twitter not a Bird Sound
BC Nature is now in a “Twitter” – if you have a twitter account, please follow us @BCNature. We will be “Tweeting” as news becomes available on events that are occurring and news that we need to get to you.
We have updated our Facebook account as well. “Like” us and “Share” our news on Facebook by looking up BC Nature.
BCnature Magazine – Summer
The BCnature magazine has been printed and should be winging its way into your mailboxes. If you are a member of one of our 51 Clubs or a Direct Member, you will be receiving your magazine very soon. If you do not see it by the end of next week, please feel free to drop us a line and we will investigate why you have not received it! BCnature Magazine is part of your membership entitlement with the dues you pay to your club. If you are not interested in receiving the “paper copy”, we are now able to send you the link of when its posted to our website. Remember that the number on your label, along with the way your name is spelt on the mailing label,that this is your access to the “Members Only” area of our website.
Request from BC Nature
After a successful AGM in Victoria (Hosted by Rocky Point Bird Observatory and Victoria Natural History Society) – we are left with a couple of vacancies on our Executive. We are actively looking to have a volunteer member of any of our clubs step up to the Vice President position and we will soon be without a secretary. No experience necessary! Please contact with any queries or expressions of interest!
Be a tree tourist in your own hometown!The nomination period for CVN’s Trees of the Year 2024 event ended on March 31. Once again we’ve seen how passionate and observant you, our community members, are about the trees around us in both our urban and rural environments. This year, you nominated 27 trees to celebrate, including specimens of 11 different species.Take this opportunity to join us on April 27th, from 12:30 to 2:30pm, for this 5km walk around some of the beautiful and interesting trees around Comox.Tree experts, Karen Cummins and Verna Mumby are leading this 2 hour tour, visiting more than 20 trees nominated this year as well as others from past years!Comox location. Details when you register. Limited numbers – register earlyThis is a FREE walk for the general public. Donations are welcome.To join the waitlist or cancel your reservation email; ... See MoreSee Less
🌸 On Friday April 26th at 1.00pm join an experienced Naturalist for a walk around the Courtenay River Airpark. Learn about the history of the park, and how this once neglected space has become one of the most popular walking spots in the Comox Valley. 🌸You'll see native plants such as Red Flowering Currant and Garry Oak. The park is also a favoured spot for birding, with migrant and resident birds benefiting from the diverse plant life that now edges the estuary. 🌸All this is a result of the ongoing habitat restoration work, carried out by a dedicated team of volunteers, led by Frank Hovenden🌸 Book early to reserve your spot, at comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca/events/🌸For more information, to add your name to the waitlist or to cancel your reservation please email ... See MoreSee Less
Great news!!📣 The company taking apart derelict vessels in Union Bay, B.C., K’ómoks First Nation territory, has been hit with a pollution abatement order from the province!Kudos to the groups that championed the issue such as @K’ómoks First Nation, @NGOShipbreakingPlatform , Concerned Citizen of Baynes Sound and many individuals who worked hard organizing action. Hopefully this will put an end to the containments from the ship-breaking site harming fish habitats and local communities! As a recent CBC article explains, “Deep Water Recovery is illegally allowing toxic effluent to run off into Baynes Sound and the marine environment off Vancouver Island's east coast, B.C.'s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy has found. Discharges from the ship-breaking operations are collected in sump pits, which occasionally overflow with untreated effluent, the province says. Testing of that runoff confirmed high concentrations of pollutants, including copper, iron, zinc and cadmium.The ministers said provincial government is doing what it can to enforce regulations and respond to concerns in areas under its jurisdiction, but they said they "remain very concerned that Canada is not actively regulating and communicating your regulatory actions in the marine environment." Hope you can look up the article and read more! ➡️ If you want to take more action to keep derelict vessels from polluting the water, head to our website and join us in asking your MP to support Bill C-344 to legislate solutions for abandoned vessels!��📸 Mitch Miller ... See MoreSee Less
🌎 On April 13th from 10 am to 2, join knowledgeable Geologist Bob Hauser on this longer walk to view a few of the glacial features of the Comox Area.🌎 This 7 km loop walk will be enjoyable for people with a good level of fitness and an interest in geology.🌎It comprises trails, roads and cobble beach. Please wear sturdy footwear. Bring snacks and water. Trekking poles might be useful.For more information or to join the waitlist visit comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca/events ... See MoreSee Less
🌳A recent article in the online magazine "the Discourse" highlighted CVN's Trees of the Year campaign for 2024:🌳"Since 2018, Comox Valley Nature has celebrated unique and spectacular trees in the region through its Trees of the Year event."In the first years, Cathy Storey and Fred Newhouse ran the Tree of the Year event. At that time, only members of Comox Valley Nature were invited to nominate their favourite trees in the surrounding area."🌳“Cathy Storey was so passionate about it, so excited to do it as a way to increase awareness,” said Karen Cummins. (TOTY coordinator) “Just connection with nature, for one thing, which was big with her, and to increase the awareness of local trees here that are amazing. And to raise interest in the protection of trees, as well.”🌳Now that the nomination period has closed, CVN will publish an illustrated list of the nominees on our website, along with maps of their locations. We encourage you to visit as many as you can, preferably by cycling or walking.🌳To read more of the Discourse article visit thediscourse.ca/comox-valley/trees-of-the-year-celebrates-unbe-leaf-able-trees-in-the-comox-valley ... See MoreSee Less
Be a tree tourist in your own hometown!