Deadline for Club Applications for “Club Support” Grants – January 31, 2015. See Website for grant application criteria
Deadline for Resolutions to be presented at the AGM – 2015 is February 28, 2015. Please view details and the “how to” on this Page on the BC Nature Website
Deadline for BC Nature Award Nominations – Nominate a worthy candidate from your club today! February 28, 2015 – Criteria for awards Link Here
Tofino Camp May 1 – 6, 2015. Registration details in the Winter BC Nature Magazine.
AGM 2015 – Salt Spring Island – May 7 – 10, 2015. Registration information in Winter BCnature issue and BC Nature Website.
Rene Savenye Scholarship applications should be in prior to May 30, 2015 – see website for application.
Welcome to Northern Amphibian Naturalist Society.
Newest Naturalist club to join the Federation of BC Naturalists (BC Nature) Read all about them at BC Nature Website
We are in danger of cancelling FGM 2015
At the time of writing (October 30) we do not have a volunteer club to host the FGM for 2015. We have contacted a number of clubs, and it is possible that one of them, hopefully, will offer to host, but if nobody steps forward by December 31,2014 the FGM for 2015 will be canceled. The deadline for a host club to publish its program is May 1, 2015, so there is still 5 – 6 months remaining to do this.
Looking back at the Salmon Arm FGM, it is clear to us that clubs of 40+ members could organize such an event. We have had even very small clubs such as the North Shuswap Naturalists (with under 10 members) able to organize an FGM.
Only two or three motivated members are needed initially and the remainder will fall in place in due time. BC Nature is willing to advance money to a host club if deposits are needed. We have a comprehensive guide and I know that Betty, the Office manager as well as the Executive are willing to help. We hope not to have to resort to this, because we feel strongly that these kind of events are the glue which keeps BC Nature together. At present we have a firm commitment from Salt Spring Island (AGM 2015) and from Vernon (FGM 2017), and some clubs are seriously considering hosting AGM and FGM in 2016 and 2017. Thank you for your consideration.
Kees Visser
President
BC Nature
For further Enquiries – email:
Issue 38
Date November 2014
To BC Nature Members
Just a reminder that our annual Appeal was in the Fall Magazine. Thank you to those that have donated to either BC Nature or the BC Naturalists. To receive your donation Charity Receipt for 2014, donations should be received in the office prior to December 31.
This year we changed the way we have handled our annual appeal by building it into the middle of the Fall Magazine. This has saved both BC Nature and the Naturalists Foundation in extra costs (Envelopes x 2, extra postage etc.) of past year.
We would appreciate hearing from you on what you think of this new approach? Please email with your comments.
Funding Available for Canadian Bird Research and Conservation Projects
Bird Studies Canada is now accepting applications to the James L. Baillie Memorial Fund for Bird Research and Preservation (the Baillie Fund) for the 2015 grant cycle. A portion of funds raised through our annual Baillie Birdathon are allocated to the Baillie Fund to provide grants to individuals or groups for projects that further BSC’s mission. Since 1978, the Baillie Fund has provided grants totalling nearly $700,000 to 580 bird research and conservation projects across Canada. In reviewing grant applications, the Baillie Fund Trustees give priority to projects that engage the skills and enthusiasm of amateur naturalists and volunteers to help us understand, appreciate, and conserve Canadian birds in their natural environments. There are three granting programs, each with a different application and review process. Applications for Regular Grants are due by December 15, 2014; applications for Small Grants are due by January 15, 2015; and applications for the James L. Baillie Student Award for Field Research, administered by the Society of Canadian Ornithologists, are due by February 15, 2015. Visit our website for more information about the Baillie Fund grant programs, past grants, and how to apply for a grant, or contact the Baillie Fund Secretary at or 1-866-518-0212.
Conservation News
Decision on BC Hydro’s Site C Clean Energy Project – Article Here.
Interesting Sites and Articles
Polar Bears and More Polar Bears – Live Vid cams and still shots – Link Here Who’s who in Big Whales Link Here
Read about the Barn Owl chicks saved from the tear down of the old Port Mann Bridge Link Here or short video
About Town
Regulated Rivers: Environment, Ecology & Management – May 6, 2015 – Link Here for more Info – Selkirk College, Castlegar.Photography Seminar with Ron Long (Composition)- Date & Time: Sunday NOVEMBER 2 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM note date change from previous postings Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park – Nature House (Foot of Piper Avenue off Winston Street, North Side of Burnaby Lake) Cost: $40.00 for members of Nature Vancouver and other BC Nature Clubs. Non-members: $50.00 Limit 15 students This seminar will provide information and techniques that will significantly improve your photography regardless of the kind of camera you are using. The seminar is fully illustrated with hundreds of photographs to demonstrate the techniques being discussed. COMPOSITION will provide many suggestions and a few simple guidelines to improve your compositions. Please bring your camera, an empty memory card, camera instruction book, notebook and pen, lunch and snack.&nbs p; Coffee, tea and juice will be provided. Also bring clothing for the outdoor portion Please register by phoning or emailing Jude Grass at 604-538-8774 , and then mailing a cheque payable to Nature Vancouver – Photography Seminar – Composition, to 17375 27A Avenue, Surrey, BC V3S 0E9.
Metro Vancouver’s 14th Annual Fall Parksfest event – EVENT DETAILS Date: Saturday, November 1, 2014 Location: Blusson Hall, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby Campus Time: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm (refreshments and lunch included) Registration: www.parksfest.com or call 604-432-6359
This event is a wonderful opportunity for participants to come together, make important connections, develop and share experiences and expertise. This year’s program highlights a new venue and a modified program and includes some very engaging speakers and session leaders. For more information, please visit Parkfest Link Here
Kingfisher Study
Attention: Naturalists of Vancouver Island & the Sunshine Coast
Our research project will study the intestinal parasites of Belted Kingfishers on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, including the trematodes, Uvulifer ambloplitis, and Crassiphiala bulboglossa. This pilot study is being conducted as part of an undergraduate student research project at Vancouver Island University. These parasites are known to infect Kingfishers throughout North America; however, little is known about the frequency of infections on the West Coast, or whether other parasite species may be present in Kingfishers. Parasites are also potentially valuable indicators of aspects of avian ecology, e.g. foraging behaviour.We need the help of naturalists for this study to be a success! If you encounter a dead Kingfisher please collect it! Place it in the freezer as soon as possible. -Please make sure to double bag the birds – best to store in large Ziploc bags! -Careful labeling of the specimen is critical. Please include the following information regarding the Kingfisher on the label (see accompanying data label): Date found, suspected cause of death, or condition when found Location of bird – please be specific with landmarks, names of roads, or best of all – GPS locations. Frozen birds can be delivered to the Biology Department at Vancouver Island University. Alternatively, arrangements can be made to pick up the bird. For more information, or to arrange bird pickup, contact: Elsie Hampshire: (250) 668-8665 (), or Tim Goater: (250) 753-3245 (2325) ()
Join Project FeederWatch
The 28th season of Project FeederWatch begins on November 8! Please join our team of thousands of volunteers across North America, and turn your bird feeding hobby into research for bird conservation. Your counts will help scientists monitor changes in winter feeder-bird populations. You choose how much time you want to spend. New participants receive a kit with a handbook, a bird identification poster, a calendar, and an instruction booklet. Results are published in BirdWatch Canada and Winter Bird Highlights – the FeederWatch magazine. You can also explore maps and charts online to see what others are reporting during the count. Anyone with an interest in birds and nature is invited to join Project FeederWatch and become a Citizen Scientist. To learn more or to sign up, visit our website or call 1-888-448-2473. Your $35 donation defrays the cost of the materials and data analysis (free for members of Bird Studies Canada). Project FeederWatch is a joint program of Bird Studies Canada and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Your Executive and Conservation Committee has been busy
Letters Sent
Roderick Allen – Environmental Education Curriculum Changes
Erik Lathmuth – Boundary Adjustment Application to BC Parks by the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure to Remove Cosens Bay Road from Kalamalka Lake Park
Kathy Eichenberger – Arrow Lakes Reservoir – Columbia River Treaty Review
Mike de Jong, Finance Minister – Society Act Proposed Changes Effecting Non-Profit Societies
Mary Polak, MOE – Proposed Park Boundary Adjustments of Bridal Veil Falls, Finn Creek, North Thompson River Provincial Parks and Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area
Debra Myles, Panel Manager, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency – Comments on the Draft Review Panel Terms of Reference for Roberts Bank Terminal 2.
BC Nature Approved – Joining the Blue Dot movement in support of the right to a healthy environment for all Canadians. We are proudly joining the movement because we wish to continue our collective appreciation of our Natural Environment that it may be wisely used and maintained for future generations.
Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy and Mines – Mt. Polley Disaster
7 letters of support for various clubs and affiliates from Bat Monitoring to Wetland Restoration.
Potential New Clubs
We are actively seeking new clubs to join the Federation of British Columbia Naturalists or assist with the start up of a new club – some areas we are looking into are: Port Hardy, Port McNeil, Tofino or Ucluelet, Prince Rupert, Kootenays (Locations where there are no club currently!)
If you have friends or family in any of these areas that can assist us in either starting up a new club or talking to a club in their area that fit the BC Nature Objectives.
Please contact the office via ?subject=New" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Email
New Facebook Friends
Please visit BC Nature on Facebook. We are slowly starting to do updates. “Like” us!
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.
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 Canadian Coalition for Invasive Plant Regulation (CCIPR) wants the federal government to establish a regulatory body for the horticultural industry and create a national database identifying invasive plants and their risks in different regions. "Even if we don't prohibit them, we need to let the public know when there is potential harm," said CCIPR co-founder Cathy Kavassalis. "We do this on other products, and we should do it on plants too. It's just common sense."In July, Nanaimo council passed a motion to pursue a bylaw amendment restricting the sale of plants on a list maintained by the Invasive Species Council of B.C. A week later, Surrey moved to ban sales by businesses including nurseries, large retail chains and florists. Kavassalis said a problem that could be addressed at higher levels of government is being pushed down to municipalities."These are all patchwork solutions that, in some ways, just waste a lot of resources," she said. The CCIPR says a national database could give provinces, territories, retailers and gardeners a shared source of information about which plants pose risks in different regions. Kavassalis also wants invasive plants removed from shelves or clearly labelled.For more on this story visit www.cbc.ca/news/science/invasive-plants-sale-federal-regulation-9.7312362 or see our link in bio ...
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