Rene Savenye Scholarship deadline – June 3, 2016. Application Link
FGM 2016 – Prince George, September 22-26, 2016 – Schedule and Registration will be posted May 1, 2016
Bird Blitzs – Skagit – May 6-8, 2016 Robson – June 3, 2016 Manning, June 17-19, 2016 need more information, please refer to your Spring magazine or email
BC Nature Members and drones in Parks – Your Experience
In recent months, BC Nature has been in touch with the BC Ministry of the Environment to request that the Ministry develop regulation concerning the recreational use of drones in provincial parks. The Ministry has indicated that they are examining this issue and that it would be helpful to have examples of experiences BC Nature members have had with drones in parks.
If you have had an experience with drones in a park or natural area in BC that you would like to share with the Ministry of Environment, please send details to me via email at Email I will collate this information and provide it to the Ministry.
Issue 48
Date March 2016
When will Spring be back?
BCnature Spring 2016 Magazine is now available online
The BCnature Spring Magazine is now available for download in the “members only” area. 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.
Keep cats safe. Save birds lives. Build Healthier Communities
It’s better for cats. It’s better for birds. It’s better for people. For more information, contact . John Neville says: Cats are killing 1.4 billion birds per annum worldwide. If we wish to go on seeing and hearing birds, we need to keep our cats indoors and safe. Make sure you watch “the Messenger” a new documentary film about declining songbirds. The Messenger Documentary Link
The Squamish Environment Society is very proud of our new website which was created by Rachel Shephard and lots of little elves. View Here
About Town
Spread Your Wings for Bird Conservation – Link
The Microsemi Science Fair Fun Run – The annual Science Fair Fun Run is the largest timed 5K fun run in the province and is now a major event in Vancouver. Teams of five or more are welcome to register now, and can customize their technical t-shirts with a team logo. Families can meet science fair participants, view science fair projects and enjoy activities provided by Microsemi and other sponsors as they await the results and prizes at the awards ceremony. In addition, all registered Fun Run participants are entered into the grand prize drawing and will receive free admission to TELUS World of Science on race day.Adults 19 and older can register before the early bird deadline of April 30 for only $40, while those 18 and under can register for only $25. Entrants can also participate in the 1K Mini Fun Run for children with an accompanying adult, with an entry fee of $20 each. To register online, visit www.sciencefairs.ca/funrun. All proceeds from the event go to The Dr. Michael Smith Science Fair Endowment to support the promotion and development of The Science Fair Program throughout the province.
“2015 marked one of the most exciting and successful years yet for British Columbia students at both the national and international Science Fairs, with three of the top four Grand Awards at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Fredericton, New Brunswick, two awards at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and gold medals at the Taiwan International Science Fair in Taipei,” said Patti Leigh, executive director, SFF BC. “By participating in The Microsemi Science Fair Fun Run, our community helps encourage young people like these students to pursue careers in science and technology—and to become tomorrow’s innovators.”
The 12th Annual Wild ARC Open House! BC SPCA Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC), Victoria – Link
Conservation Issues in our Province
Fish habitat worries stalls approval of B.C.’s Pacific NorthWest LNG project – Link
Against Port Expansion in the Fraser Estuary – Link
Helping children connect with our natural world. for information on how to Knowledge-share with the children of your local nature Kids, please visit this Link
Love bees — especially the wild ones!
By the David Suzuki Foundation – Many environmental campaigns over the past 50 years have aimed at getting people to care for imperilled species in wild, far-off places. The focus in Canada has often been on large, photogenic, culturally important animals, with bonus points for campaigns that include alliteration, bumper sticker-friendly slogans and plush toys. This has been a sensible and often successful strategy. Over the past few years smaller, charismatic critters closer to home have buzzed into the spotlight: bees. About a decade ago, beekeepers in Europe and North America started noticing serious declines in honeybee populations. Bees have lost much of their natural habitat to urbanization and industrial agriculture and face increased stress from climate change-related drought and severe winters. These threats, coupled with the global spread of diseases and pests and a dramatic increase in the use of agricultural pesticides like neonicotinoids, have resulted in unprecedented losses for beekeepers. (Because bees and other insects provide ecological services like pollination, it makes no sense to declare war against all just to eliminate or control the few nuisances.) For complete article – see this Link
Federation of BC Naturalists (BC Nature) join call to protect Central Walbran Valley – See more at: this Link
BC’s 2016 endangered rivers list targets key waterways by region
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The CVN photo group met last night for its September meeting and here are a few of the photos we shared with one another.Species and photographer shown in each photo... ...
Join the Comox Valley Conservation Community for a day long celebration of the watersheds and waterways that connect us all in the Comox Valley!Learn about restoration and habitat enhancement projects, salmon cycles, drinking water, forests, creeks, wetlands and estuaries – and so much more. Art projects, kids activities, volunteer engagement opportunities, hands on learning and guided walks – all looking out over the beautiful Puntledge River.Comox Valley Nature will be there with our new outreach tent. Come by and say hello, and try our bird identification game. We can also show you why native plants are best for your garden, and how to spot invasive species.Pack a picnic and stay for the day! Saturday Sept 19th from 9 am – 3 pmin Puntledge Park 1111 1st , Courtenay ...
In her memoir, Pacific Northwest author Caroll Simpson recounts the highs and lows of running a remote fishing lodge on her own following the untimely death of her husband, and of falling in love with the natural world. Simpson tells stories of living in the remote wilderness and managing the lodge, becoming an accidental environmental activist, fending off wild animals, working as an angling guide and finally, fighting off a proposed mining operation and participating in the development of a government land management plan as a spokesperson for the wilderness tourism industry.While Simpson welcomed paying guests at Ookpik Lodge, unwanted house guests included a woodchuck, a pack rat, and martens. Simpson constantly had to watch out for grizzlies, moose, and cougars. Storms and extreme weather also provided fodder for hair-raising tales. All this makes for wonderful storytelling.Caroll’s story is essentially a love story. In an essay for Sierra Club, Simpson wrote: “I developed an immense passion for flora and fauna. Just walking back and forth on the 300’ dock several times a day, I was exposed to the unbelievable beauty of the northern spectrum of water life: the golden eagle soaring above, the osprey and kingfisher diving and coming up with fish for their hatchlings, the muskrats and otters looking for an easy meal, the tireless beaver working into the late evening sunsets. All of these creatures and more expressed their generational ownership of this small piece of the world. In return each was given my utmost respect and admiration…As I listened to the loons at the end of each day and the owl and the wolf in the night, I felt blessed to be witnessing such beauty. “On September 20th, join Comox Valley Nature and Save Our Forests Team for an afternoon of storytelling about this remarkable time spent living on a remote British Columbia lake.The event is being held at the Comox United Church Hall. (250 Beach Drive, Comox) Admission is by donation. Doors open at 2:30; the event begins at 3:00 p.m. There will be time for Q&A after the presentation, as well as books available for purchase. Tea/coffee and cookies - including forest-themed cupcakes - will be available for a donation.Join us, and prepare to fall in love. ...
🎟️ Get your tickets to the Project Watershed 2026 Keeping It Living Dinner today! projectwatershed.ca/2026-keeping-it-living-dinner/Every ticket holder makes a difference. 💙 🎟️ Get your tickets to our 2026 Keeping It Living Dinner today! projectwatershed.ca/2026-keeping-it-living-dinner/When community and local businesses invest in conservation, our entire ecosystem benefits. Ticket sales directly support habitat restoration, scientific research, and environmental education, while the generosity of our sponsors helps offset event costs, ensuring that more of the funds raised can go directly toward this important work. Thank you to our incredible sponsors and dinner attendees for believing in the power of community-led conservation. Odlum Brown Community and Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, 40 Knots Winery, CNB Together, we're keeping our watersheds living. 🌿 Hope to see you September 12, 5 - 8 pm at 40 KNOTS Winery #KeepingItLiving #ProjectWatershed #CommunitySupport #Conservation #ComoxValley ...
The City of Courtenay is developing a long-term vision for Bill Moore Park and Dogwood Park to guide future improvements. To help guide these decisions, three initial concepts have been developed, and there is an opportunity for you to offer your input.The latest survey on the City website engagecomoxvalley.ca/bill-moore-and-dogwood-park asks for feedback on three concept plans and specifically which concept you prefer. The three concepts present a range of recreation possibilities and there is room on the survey for your comments.Dogwood Park is a 2.32‑hectare nature park featuring mature forested areas, natural habitat and a small wetland. Only Concept A will maintain the intact forest areas in Dogwood Park. Concepts B and C propose increased recreation in the park including an off leash dog park, disc golf course, pump track (a purpose built track for children’s cycling) and nature play areas. While the planners may say that no trees or few trees will be taken down to accommodate this, the under-story will not survive this level of trampling and fragmentation. The trees as well as all the wildlife who now call that area home will disappear over time. For those of us who value this forest, Concept A is the only option that makes sense.Dogwood Park is one of the few islands of green for many, many blocks. It provides habitat for wildlife, shade, retains water and acts as a carbon sink. On the architect's base plan of current conditions it is now characterized as an "underutilized space". The City has heard from sports enthusiasts but not nature lovers. Let them know why you value an intact forest and your connection to it. The survey is open until Sept 15. ...
The CVN photo group met last night for its September meeting and here are a few of the photos we shared with one another.Species and photographer shown in each photo...