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| Backyard Bird Count goes Global |
| Amateur birders record an astounding number of species and individuals in the first ever worldwide avian stock taking. Read Article Here |
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| 2013 Endangered Rivers List for BC |
| 2013 marks the 21st annual “most endangered rivers” list from the Outdoor Recreation Council (ORC). The preparation of this list is the most comprehensive initiative of its kind in Canada. It is an accurate snapshot of the issues that face our rivers and those facing the greatest threat to their ecological health. Please join us in this effort to raise awareness and engage all British Columbians in the better management and conservation of our rivers. The compilation of the list will, as it has been in the past, be coordinated by the Outdoor Recreation Council. Nominations are reviewed by a committee who are knowledgable and familiar with the specific threats to BC’s rivers. Mark Angelo, ORC’s Rivers Chair for many years and Chair Emeritus for the Rivers Institute of BCIT, has agreed to continue as the Chair of this committee. The deadline for nominations for the 2013 Endangered Rivers List was Monday March 18th. Please fill out our online form or Download a printable application form. Each year, the Endangered Rivers List is compiled by ORC and released to media outlets across BC and Canada. It receives significant media attention, highlighting the rivers and issues that are most important to British Columbians. To read the results for 2012, simply click on this Bottom of the page |
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| Have a Teenage Birder in your household or neighbourhood? |
It is time to start getting our teen birders excited about this years’ Doug Tarry Young Ornithologist Workshop. Please use the enclosed information in your newsletter or announce the program and awards at your next members’ meeting.
Thank you for your help in bringing this unique educational opportunity to the attention of your membership. For more information click here. Prospective participants are also welcome to contact me directly for more information. Deadline is April 30, 2013 For more information Please visit – this link |
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| Pink Mountain Biodiversity Research Initiative – Needs Your Support |
| Several BC Nature Clubs have learned about Pink Mountain through presentations by Ron Long. Located 120 km north of Fort St. John in northern British Columbia, Pink Mountain is unique for its rich flora and fauna. Preliminary studies on the flora of the summit plateau reveal that Pink Mountain hosts no less than one red listed and ten blue listed plant species as well as numerous rarely seen plants. Two red listed insects are known and research is expected to identify additional listed species. Naturalists can access this unique ecosystem via a rough road that leaves the Alaska Highway at mile 147. The unique biodiversity of Pink Mountain is threatened by a 40-turbine wind farm. A two-year letter writing campaign has made the Provincial Government aware of the special nature of this Mountain, but unfortunately has not resulted in further protection. More work is needed. To this end the UBC Botanical Garden and the Native Plant Society of BC are spearheading a research plan aimed to quantify scientifically the unique aspects of Pink Mountain. The proposed Pink Mountain Biodiversity Research Initiative (PMBRI) is intended to further document the flora and fauna of Pink Mountain. The PMBRI will involve three months of field study followed by several months of lab and herbarium analysis. The research will attempt to cover aspects of ecology, including: plants, soils, birds, bats, butterflies and other insects. A PhD student will coordinate the research, assisted by two undergraduate researchers, and on-site assistance from experienced personnel, including Ron Long. The Botanical Garden will assist with follow-up, and samples will also be provided to the Royal British Columbia Museum and other research institutions that have offered to help with identification of species. You can lend your individual support and/or encourage your club to financially support the Pink Mountain Biodiversity Research Initiative to hire the research students. The University of BC Botanical Garden is managing the donated funds and administering the hiring of the researchers, as well as providing research support. 100% of all donations will be directed to the research on Pink Mountain. A full accounting of funds will be available to all contributing organizations and individuals. At the end of the research period, the scientific report will be submitted to the BC Minister of Natural Resource Operations, the BC Minister of Environment and to all contributing organizations. Personal donations: Please make your cheque payable to the UBC Botanical Garden with the notation “Pink Mountain”. Mail to: UBC Botanical Garden, Att. Daniel Mosquin 6804 SW Marine Drive – Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 Club Donations: Please advise either Daniel Mosquin or Ron Long of the amount of your pledge or email them for more information. Daniel Mosquin – email Daniel – or Phone 604-827-5773 Ron Long – email Ron – or Phone 604-469-1651 |
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| Interesting Sites and articles |
Oregon Spotted Frog – View Video Here
Rare Siamese Crocodiles released into the wild – Link
A New Owl Species of the GenusOtus (Aves: Strigidae) from Lombok, Indonesia Link Here Looking to invest in “Ethical Funds” – here is a good link here
One of the largest Glacier “Calving” incidents ever caught on video > Link
YNC Grassland Monitoring Citizen Science project Field Day at Brunswick Point on BC’s first Family Day! You can read all about it here
Matt Mendenhall of Birdwatching magazine on exciting new discoveries about bird migration. It expands on the sidebar of an article I have in the upcoming issue of Birdwatching magazine – – Link –
Avian Tribe Apart – Source: nytimes.com Scientists and bird lovers delve into the subtle and surprising world of owls. link |
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| About Town – Upcoming Events |
Creston Valley Bird Fest – May 10-11, 2013 – Click here for more info
We need your birding skills – Volunteer request here FrogWatch, one of our most popular NatureWatch Program, especially for kids! – information link |
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| Sacred Headwaters gets national enviro-nod, as coal mining troubles loom |
| From CNW TORONTO, March 6, 2013 /CNW/ – The Tahltan Nation of northern B.C. will be honoured tonight in Toronto with a national “Top 10” environmental achievement award for the recent permanent protection of the “Sacred Headwaters” from natural gas development. The Tides Canada award will be an emotional victory, because it comes at a time when new coal mining projects are also being proposed for the exact same region, and are stirring worries. “Shell Oil may be gone from our traditional lands, but new coal mining proposals are a major concern too,” says Annita McPhee, President of Tahltan Central Council. Last December, Tahltan Central Council, Shell Canada, and the B.C. government announced the end to natural gas exploration in the Klappan region of northwest B.C. Shell voluntarily gave up its tenure for the area. It marked the end of years of negotiations, and a difficult struggle that included protests, road blocks, and elders being arrested. The next steps for the Sacred Headwaters, says McPhee, will be engaging constructively with the coal mining companies. She says she is guided by elders who say economic development must be done sustainably, without poisoning the sacred waterways that are home to wild salmon and moose. “Our concern is, mining companies are proposing to build right in the headwaters. They want to put their tailing ponds right where our people have one of our hunting camps.” “We are not against economic development. We just believe the benefits should far outweigh the impacts.” Off limits, she says are certain ecologically and culturally sensitive zones in the Klappan. However, other areas within Tahltan traditional lands might see copper and gold mines flourish. McPhee will receive the award tonight on behalf of the Tahltan Nation at the Arta Gallery in Toronto. The Tides Canada award for the Sacred Headwaters will be shared with Shell Canada, Forest Ethics, Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition, and the B.C. government. The “Tides Top 10” award is a recognition of the country’s most innovative projects in 2012 addressing environmental and social challenges. “Creating outcomes that work for both people and our planet is tough work” said Ross McMillan, President and CEO of Tides Canada. “But each and every one of the Tides Top 10 is doing just that – they are building the cutting-edge solutions that Canada needs now and for a resilient future.” Fast Facts • Talhtan Central Council represents the Tahltan band and Iskut First Nation on resources issues • Tahltan Nation is comprised of 5,000 members • “Sacred Headwaters” was a name given to The Klappan region by a consortium of First Nations and environmental groups • The Klappan is a valley basin with three wild salmon rivers: the Skeena River, Stikine River, and Nass River |
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| Enbridge Updates |
Province peppers fish experts with questions at pipeline hearings link
Oil spills can benefit economy, panel told – – Link
A medical doctor’s speech at the pipeline hearings in Kelowna. Tyee Link Alison Redford, the premier of Canada’s wealthiest province, has encountered a $6 billion “bitumen bubble” on the busy Highway to Hell. – Tyee Article |
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| Earth Day Canada |
| Nominate your favourite Home Town Heroe – Deadline April 1, 2013 – details link |
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| VAPOUR Update |
| VAPOR has won round one in saving the Fraser River estuary from toxic and flammable jet fuel! Thanks for all your support, but the battle is not over yet. see press release |
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| Protect our parks! |
| From CPAWS The federal budget is coming soon, and if it doesn’t include more money for national parks and marine protected areas, we’ll be putting more of Canada’s precious wildlife at risk, and reducing the chances that our children will be able to enjoy the parks as we do today. We need your help to convince the government to reinvest in our precious national parks and marine protected areas. Link Here for more Information Please take a moment to send your letter to Finance Minister Flaherty now |
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| Do you have a river in need of some TLC in your area? |
| A highly reputable and significant Lower Mainland organization is seeking a suitable project for a fairly large number of its volunteers to take place in May. One possibility they are considering is a river clean up and they are prepared to consider a location anywhere in the Lower Mainland. This is separate and aside from ORC’s 2013 Endangered Rivers initiative for which we will be putting out our request for nominations later this week. If your organization has a suggestion for a worthwhile project which the volunteers of this organization could undertake please advise this office and we will forward your suggestions to the organization concerned. Please contact Outdoor Recreation Council email us here |
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.