City of Port Moody
Agenda
Environmental Protection Committee
Brovold Room
Monday, March 17, 2014
Commencing at 7:00pm
1.
Call to Order
1.1
Call to Order
Minutes
2.
Adoption of Minutes
2.1
Recommendation:
Pages 2-4
Annual Work Plan
THAT the minutes of the Environmental Protection
Committee meeting held Monday, February 17, 2014 be
adopted.
3.
Unfinished Business
4.
New Business
4.1
Attachment 4.1: 2014 EPC Work Plan Report to Council
Pages 5-7
Time Capsule
4.2
2013 Environmental Protection Committee
Attachment 4.2: 2013 EPC Time Capsule Contribution
Pages 8-19
Tree Retention Bylaw
4.3
Overview and Update
Healthy Tree Policy –
City Property
4.4
Draft Review
5.
Information
Earth Hour
5.1
Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 8:30-9:30 p.m.
Roundtable Update
5.2
6.
Environmental Protection Committee
#265772
Adjournment
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March 17, 2014
File: 01-0360-20-04-01/2014
Attachment 2.1
2
City of Port Moody
Minutes
Environmental Protection Committee
Minutes of the regular meeting of the Environmental Protection
Committee held on Monday, February 17, 2014.
Councillor Rosemary Small, Chair
Councillor Rick Glumac, Vice-Chair (arrived at 7:28pm)
John Callaghan
Paul Carey
Jeff Congram
Gregory Cossey
Virginia Dragan
Bryan Fitzpatrick
Elaine Golds
Tina Mohebbi
Michael Muttersback
Jutta Rickers-Haunerland
Jenni Weston
Present
Absent
Margot Davis, Manager of Sustainability
Tracey Takahashi, Committee Coordinator
In Attendance
Call to Order
1.
Call to Order
1.1
Councillor Rosemary Small called the meeting to order at
7:02pm.
Introductions were made around the table.
Minutes
2.
Adoption of Minutes
2.1
Moved, seconded and CARRIED
THAT the minutes of the Environmental Protection
Committee meeting held Monday, November 18, 2013 be
adopted.
3.
Unfinished Business
Environmental Protection Committee
#263388
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February 17, 2014
File: 01-0360-20-04-01/2014
3
Environmental
Protection in Port
Moody
Attachment 2.1
4.
New Business
4.1
Discussion ensued with regard to environmental issues that
people have noticed in the city. Suggestions were made as to
which issues members think should be given priority in terms
of environmental protection. Key points included: waterways,
balance between development and ecosystem protection,
expansion of green areas, integration of more native species
into the local environment.
Councillor Small reviewed the mandate of this committee
2013 Annual Report
Review
4.2
Councillor Small provided an overview of the Environmental
Protection Committee’s 2013 Annual Report and suggested
focus areas for 2014.
2014 Work Plan
4.3
The committee reviewed the background information provided
in the agenda for development of the 2014 Work Plan.
General discussion ensued with regard to the details of each
suggested item.
Moved, seconded and CARRIED
THAT the Environmental Protection Committee 2014 Work
Plan items will include the following items:
 Environmental Award;
 ESA Management Strategy;
 Healthy Tree Policy;
 Invasive Species Management;
 Tree Retention Bylaw;
 Sustainability Checklist; and
 Annual Report.
AND THAT the top priorities of the 2014 Work Plan will be
the following items:
 Sustainability Checklist;
 ESA Management Strategy;
 Tree Retention Bylaw; and
 Invasive Species Management.
5.
Information
TransMountain
Pipeline Expansion
Project
5.1
Margot Davis provided an update on this project. Councillor
Glumac reported that Council has passed a motion to hold a
Town Hall Meeting in Port Moody and invite Kinder Morgan to
participate.
Civic Awards
5.2
Margot Davis reported on the Environmental Award recipient’s
reaction to receiving the award.
Letter to LiveSmart
5.3
It was reported that Council has submitted a letter to support
extension of funding for the LiveSmart program.
Environmental Protection Committee
#263388
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February 17, 2014
File: 01-0360-20-04-01/2014
Roundtable Update
5.4
4
Attachment 2.1
The Port Moody Ecological Society will hold its Annual General
Meeting on February 19, 2014, with guest speaker Craig Orr
presenting on The War on Science and Wild Salmon.
Councillor Glumac provided a short summary of the history of
some of the issues this committee has addressed in the past
and some results that have been achieved.
6.
Adjournment
Councillor Small adjourned the meeting at 8:30pm.
Environmental Protection Committee
#263388
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February 17, 2014
File: 01-0360-20-04-01/2014
5
Attachment 4.1
City of Port Moody
Report/Recommendation to Council
Date:
February 28, 2014File No. 0360-20-04
Submitted by;
Environmental Protection Committee
Subject:
Environmental Protection Committee 2014 Work Plan
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to seek Council's endorsement of the proposed 2014
Environmental Protection Committee Work Plan provided in Attachment A.
Background
The Environmental Protection Committee (EPC) held its first 2014 meeting on February 18,
2014. The Committee discussed and prepared the work plan attached.
Analysis
There is a wide range of topics that the EPC is interested in advancing, building upon successes
that the city and community have achie'ved to date. The Committee reviewed the suggested
focus areas identified in the 2013 Committee Annual Report and discussed the merits of
focussing on a limited number of areas. A focussed approach was deemed beneficial for better
enabling the Committee to gain deeper insights and provide more fulsome advice. Priorities were
selected based on a number of considerations, including alignment with Council Strategic Plan
and focussing on completing initiatives already underway. The Committee intends to focus on
the identified high priority items. Should time provide, the Committee will consider the other items
denoted as medium priority.
Communications
There are no specific communications associated with this report.
Budgetary Impact
There are no budget requirements associated with the proposed work plan at this time. As the
work plan items progress, recommendations for funding or resources may be identified and
forwarded to Council for consideration as necessary.
Council Strategic Plan Objectives
The 2014 EPC work plan is consistent with the Council Strategic Plan, specifically with respect
to the pillars pertaining to Excellence in Sen/ice Delivery, Planning for the Future and Nurturing
Community. The work plan is also consistent with key strategies identified in the Port Moody
Team Action Plan, namely:
•Protect environmental assets
•Encourage sustainable development
•Engage community in protection of environmental assets.
EDMS# 264041
6
Report/Recommendation to Council
Attachment 4.1
Environmental Protection Committee 2014 Work Plan
February 28, 2014
Sustainability Implications
Rather than diffusing resources and touching many topics more superficially, the focussed
approach proposed is anticipated to better enable the Committee to direct resources more
efficiently, develop more fulsome recommendations and complete work currently underway.
Policy Implications
The proposed work items align with existing priorities.4dentified in Council's Strategic Plan and
Team Action Plan.
Alternatives
THAT the work plan be revised to include or remove areas of focus for 2014.
Recommendations
THAT the 2014 Environmental Protection Committee work plan be approved.
Prepared by:
Approved for Submission to Council:
Councillor Rosemary Small
Kevin Ramsay
Chair, Environmental Protection Committee
City Manager
Corporate
ReviewInitials
Corporate Services (Human Resources, Information Services, Legislative Services)
Corporate Communications
Financial Services
Community Services (Cultural Services, Facilities, Recreation)
Engineering and Parks Services (Engineering, Parks, Operations)
Fire Rescue
Library
Development Services (Planning, Building, Bylaws & Licencing)
Sustainability
Police
Council Agenda Information
Regular Council MeetingDate: Date: March 11, 2014
2
7
Attachment 4.1
Report/Recommendation to Council
Environmental Protection Committee 2014 Work Plan
February 28, 2014
Attachment A: 2014 Environmental Protection Committee (EPC) Work Plan
Focus AreaAnticipated EPC TasksEPC Council Team Action PlanPriority PillarKey Strategies
'Level-
Community
•
Review nominations and provide
Engagement -
recommendation for Council's
Environmental
Award
consideration
Local Ecological
Health - ESA
Management
Local Ecological
«
•
Health - Invasive
Species
Management
Sustainable
•
High
Nurturing
Community
environmental assets
(13.0)
Review City's existing management
strategy and provide input into strategy
update
High
Review Regional Invasive Plans and
provide input into City's Invasive
Species Strategy
High
Review and provide recommendations
High
Excellence
in Service
Delivery
Protect
Excellence
in Service
Delivery
Protect
Environmental Assets
Excellence
Ensure the
Community
Sustainability Plan is
operationally
integrated (5.4)
Development -
in Service
Sustainability
Checklist
Delivery
Local Ecological
•
Review proposed amendments and
High
Retention Bylaw
Sustainable
•
Development -
Monitor/review implementation of
Med
environmental assessment
commitments
Evergreen Project
Excellence
in Service
Delivery
provide feedback to Council
Health - Tree
Engage community in
protection of
Environmental Assets
(13.1)
(13.1)
Protect
Environmental Assets
(13.1)
Planning
for the
Future
Sustainable
Development (12.4)
Encourage
Review
Local Ecological
Health - Healthy Tree
Policy
•
Sustainable
•
Development-
Review proposed policy and provide
feedback to Council
Med
Review and provide input on proposed
green roof policy
Med
Review draft annual report
High
Sustainable
Building/Green Roof
Excellence
Protect
in Service
Delivery
Environmental Assets
Planning
for the
Future
Encourage
(13.1)
Sustainable
'Development (12.4)
Policy
Annual Report for
Council
•
•
Provide suggested areas of focus for
2013 committee
Excellence
in Service
Delivery
Ensure the
Community
Sustainability Plan is
operationally
integrated (5.4)
3
8
Attachment 4.2
Environmental Facts, Insights and Reflections
Contributions Provided by City of Port Moody Community Members
December 2013
9
Attachment 4.2
Personal Reflections on Environmental Issues, December 5, 2013
Submitted by Elaine Golds, Freedom of the City, 2007
As CO2 levels have now risen to over 393 ppm (this spring, before the northern temperate
forests began their spring growth spurt, CO2 levels reached a record 400 ppm), most of my friends and
colleagues worry tremendously about the state of the world we are leaving to future generations. This
is epitomized in two current issues – how we will achieve a more sustainable form of living in our City
over the next few years and how we will deal with huge pressures from the federal government to
become a major fossil fuel exporter and exploiter of the tar sands.
1. Port Moody Official Community Plan
The City of Port Moody recently held a Town Hall meeting to solicit public input regarding their
draft Official Community Plan to increase the population of the City to 60,000 people by 2041 by hugely
increasing density at the head of the Inlet, at Moody Centre, next to Rocky Point Park and in the newlynamed Westport area on the western edge of the City. I was among many residents expressing
concerns that these growth projections exceeded the Regional Growth Strategy and that inadequate
attention is being paid to creating more park space (for example, by extending Rocky Point to include
the Flavelle Cedar site), planning for more schools, playing fields and other much-needed community
amenities. I also expressed the need for the City to put more focus on the daylighting of streams such as
Dallas/Slaughterhouse Creek which now flow through older parts of Port Moody in culverts. With the
new Evergreen skytrain line expected to be complete by 2016, more growth is inevitable but it must be
planned for carefully. Many of us were left wishing we were getting light rail transit rather than
skytrain. This past summer we have already witnessed the loss of many mature trees along the
Evergreen line. Our community is far less green with a much reduced capacity to store carbon as a
consequence.
In general, more attention in this OCP needs to be made to protecting trees and streams with 15
metre or more riparian buffers because, once single family lots are rezoned, the pressure will be on to
maximize building space and minimize stream setbacks. This is especially important for Melrose Creek,
South Schoolhouse Creek, Pigeon Creek and the headwaters of Dallas Creek which are still open. The socalled Ioco lands have apparently been sold for development so the City should initiate an integrated
storm water management plan for Mossom and North Schoolhouse Creeks as soon as possible. Right
now, most of these two watersheds remain forested in Port Moody so their development must proceed
with caution and extensive input from the community to ensure that we achieve a sustainable plan for
community living without compromising the environment. We need to ensure future residents in Port
Moody will be able to conveniently walk or cycle to public transit, live in complete communities, enjoy
healthy streams with salmon in them and continue to live in a beautiful forested community.
10
Attachment 4.2
2. Kinder Morgan Pipeline Proposal
This proposal is expected to be filed with the National Energy Board before the end of 2013
which will then trigger a much flawed review process in which members of the public will have to file a 9
page application to receive permission to submit a mere letter of comment. The proposal will triple the
capacity of the existing pipeline and allow the shipment of diluted bitumen overseas on an estimated
408 tankers per year. How that many tankers will be able to safely exit Burrard Inlet though the 2nd
Narrows on a required high tide (only one per day) for clearance remains a huge concern. Also of
concern are potential impacts on the Southern Resident population of Orcas which now number only 81
individuals. They will also have to deal with noise from these tankers plus hugely increased container
traffic from a much expanded proposed facility at Roberts Bank in Delta. All reports to date suggest any
ability of the current authorities to deal with an oil spill anywhere on the west coast is quite inadequate.
Many people, including myself, believe it is simply inappropriate for Canada to be promoting such a
large expansion of the tar sands for export purposes. If this expansion goes ahead against the wishes of
First Nations and many other people, we must ensure our Inlet and coast are not irrevocably damaged
from a toxic oil spill.
11
Attachment 4.2
Personal Reflections on the “State of Wildlife in Port Moody”, December 4, 2013
Submitted by Elaine Golds, Vice President and Conservation/Education Chair, Burke Mountain
Naturalists; Past President, Port Moody Ecological Society; resident of College Park
1. Gray Squirrels and Bobcats:
Having lived in Port Moody since 1989, I can remember some interesting changes in the wildlife
I have observed over the years. For example, when we first arrived there were no Gray Squirrels as they
were still radiating out from Stanley Park where they had been released many years ago. As a
consequence, we had the delightful, but noisy, Douglas Squirrels in our neighborhood. I could always
tell by their chatter if we had a cat lurking in our yard around the bird feeder. When the Grays arrived in
the early 1990s, to my dismay, the Douglas squirrels disappeared. However, they were not far away.
Although they must compete with grays, they tend to be able to hold their own better in forested
areas…but, generally speaking, not in backyards. Around 2008, we had a Douglas return to our yard
during a harsh winter. We put up a nest box for her which she used for about 3 years. During that time,
I put up a feeder specifically for her and her offspring from which the gray squirrels could not reach the
sunflower seeds. She disappeared eventually – maybe it was old age or maybe she got hit by a car.
Regardless, I miss her presence and the antics of her offspring in my yard.
As the Gray Squirrels increased in abundance in the Tri-Cities, another interesting thing
happened. People started reporting much more frequent observations of bobcats. It became not at all
uncommon for people to get good photos of a bobcat in their backyard – especially if they lived near a
greenbelt. I surmise that, with the increase in the gray squirrel population, the bobcats have now
discovered what a tasty snack they make. Nature, it seems, has reached a new balance!
2. Band-tailed Pigeons, a species at risk:
This blue-listed species appears on Port Moody’s crest. At one time, hundreds of them used to
roost in the coniferous trees in the Shoreline Park. Up until 1971, they were hunted there which led to a
contamination of the mudflats from all the lead shot. With all the tall conifers in our neighborhood, we
have excellent habitat for these pigeons. Typically, they arrive from the south in late February or early
March. I love having them around in the trees. It’s soothing to listen to their cooing. They are a little
ungainly when they fly off – their wings sound like clothes flapping on a clothesline when they take
flight. We installed a large, pigeon-sized feeder in our yard and enjoy watching the pigeons bring their
young to the feeder in late summer. By October, they usually leave, typically, once the first big
rainstorm arrives. In 2013, these pigeons were still being hunted in Washington State and Oregon. In
addition to sunflower seeds, they love eating the berries of the red elderberry and cascara so I
encourage the City to plant these in local Parks. Once again, these pigeons are now regular visitors to
12
Attachment 4.2
the Shoreline Park and quite possibly nest there in the conifers. I wonder if hunting for them will
eventually be prohibited in the USA?
3. Swallows:
When we first moved here, swallows were common in the neighborhood. Tree Swallows and
Violet- green Swallows nested in our neighbor’s yard just up the street – and also at Westhill Pool - but
our yard had too many big trees to attract them. One year in the early 1990s, Barn Swallows tried to
nest in our carport. However, we became worried when we noticed how much acidic bird feces was
collecting on our new car so we discouraged them from that nesting site. I feel very guilty about that
now because Barn Swallow populations have decreased tremendously in the past 5 years. They are now
a species at risk. When the new City Hall was built, Barn Swallows nested in the parking garage up until
about 2010. One year, they sadly failed to return. I worry what the future holds for these swallows –
once so common that we took them completely for granted…just like the now-extinct passenger
pigeons.
4. Red-legged frogs, a species at risk:
In the mid 1990s, I was delighted to discover Red-legged Frogs (another species at risk) breeding
in the wetlands of Neighborhoods 3 & 4 (now protected as Bert Flinn Park). A few years later, I
discovered them breeding in the wetlands which once filled most of the Suterbrook property. When
this site was developed, we rescued the eggs and brought them to a wetland just created for that
purpose at the Old Mill Site in the Shoreline Park. However, this area lacks sufficient forest for the
adults to survive so this turned out to be not such a good choice for a new site. However, this summer,
we confirmed that Red-legged Frogs – as well as Tree Frogs – continue to breed in the wetlands of Bert
Flinn Park. I hope they will continue to do so in the future. I get worried every time I see discarded ice
cream buckets around the wetlands there as I know this means someone has been out collecting
tadpoles. The frogs won’t thrive if this continues to happen. These wetlands also support carnivorous
sundew plants, gentian and bog laurel. I hope these bog species will survive here for many more years.
5. Barred Owls:
As an environmentalist, one of the first issues I tackled was to try to stop logging in the drinking
watersheds of Metro Vancouver (then called the Greater Vancouver Regional District). It took about 10
years of analyzing reports and many delegations to the Water Committee, but we did finally succeed.
One reason I was so pleased to have protected those old growth forests just over the hill from Port
Moody in the Coquitlam River watershed was that they still provided habitat for Spotted Owls, one of
the most endangered species in BC. Local forests in residential areas and parks were occupied by
Western Screech Owls. Then, the Barred Owls moved in from the east. First, the smaller Screech Owls
13
Attachment 4.2
disappeared due to competition with the more aggressive Barred Owls. And then, the Barred Owls
moved into the watersheds where they have also out-competed the Spotted Owls, their close cousins.
Today, less than a half dozen Spotted Owls remain in the wild in BC. First, these owls lost most of the
old growth forest which they utterly rely on for habitat through inappropriate logging and then, the
Barred Owls out-competed them. However, Barred Owls are now relatively common in the Tri-Cities.
Many people, including me, enjoy hearing their calls and catching an occasional glimpse. But, I have to
wonder - will spotted owls become extinct?
6. Invasive Plant Species:
When I first moved to Port Moody, there was little awareness of how much our natural
environment had been impacted by the spread of invasive non-native plants. Indeed, even the concept
that some plants in natural areas were not native and had aggressive growth habits was not really an
issue of interest to anyone but a few botanists and naturalists. How, things have changed! With each
passing year, more people are getting involved in helping to remove invasive plant species. In the past 5
or so years, most municipalities have produced brochures which help residents to identify invasive
plants and encourage their removal. I wonder how the landscape will look in 25 years? Is it really
possible there might be no ivy, knotweed or lamium growing in our parks? It’s hard for me to imagine a
riparian area with no blackberry (except for the native species).
7. Purple Martins, a species at risk:
This is one of Port Moody’s great success stories. When the Burke Mountain Naturalists
undertook a flora and fauna survey of the Shoreline Park Port Moody in the early 1990s, we lamented
the absence of Purple Martins nesting over the mudflats. These largest members of the swallow family,
a species at risk in BC, had last been seen nesting in Port Moody in the early 1970s. They disappeared
because of the loss of suitable nesting habitat in dead trees in and around the mudflats. In 1993, the
Ministry of the Environment initiated a program to install nest boxes on pilings in the mudflats at Rocky
Point Park and elsewhere in the lower mainland in hopes of encouraging the martins to return. In 1996,
we were delighted when martins returned to nest at Rocky Point Park after an absence of a quarter
century. Since that time, volunteers from the Burke Mountain Naturalists, mainly Kiyoshi Takahashi,
have been building and installing new nest boxes as well as monitoring and banding the now-thriving
colony of Purple Martins. Although the provincial government initiated this program, they have not had
the ability to continue with it. However, the Naturalists are now facing a volunteer deficit. Kiyoshi’s
failing health means that he must step down from these onerous duties and there are concerns that this
program will be difficult to continue without new volunteers coming forward. For the three
environmental groups which have been very active in Port Moody for the past two decades or more,
enlisting the support of new volunteers as older people step down has become a challenge that must be
met in the future if these groups wish to continue with their contributions to the community.
14
Attachment 4.2
Recent increase in abundance of Anna’s Hummingbirds
December 2013
by Victoria Otton (resident of Glenayre)
with Hilary Maguire (resident of Alderside Drive)
There have been several reports of Anna’s Hummingbirds (ANHU, Calypte anna) in local gardens these
past few winters. I seem to have a male and female ANHU coming to a nectar feeder I’m maintaining in
Glenayre, and Hilary Maguire is in her third winter of feeding ANHUs in her garden on the north shore of
the Inlet. But why are these birds over-wintering in our area now when they didn’t do so before?
Hilary and I were pondering this question and were prompted to do some online and offline research.
While we didn’t find the answer to this question, we learned several interesting tidbits about this
species. For example, early bird observers do not mention ANHU sightings. The journal and birding
notes of Hilary’s grandfather – Walter Stanley Maguire, a noted birder in the Port Moody area between
1938 and 1951 – make no reference to ANHUs, even though he regularly notes the arrival of the smaller
Rufous Hummingbirds in March/April. In the 1997 tome Birds of British Columbia, vol. 2 by R. Wayne
Campbell et al. (Vancouver UBC Press), it reads,
“Since the publication of J.A. Munro and Cowan (1947), who make no mention of the species, the
Anna’s Hummingbird has established itself as a resident in south-central and southwestern BC,
expanding its range north along the coast from California. The species may have appeared in BC
as early as 1944. In a letter to the editor of a Victoria newspaper in January 1953, J.O. Clay writes,
‘a hummingbird was observed here [Victoria] for three winters since 1944 until January 13, 1947
and this season at intervals until January 12.’ In the 1950s, 18 records of wintering birds are on
file, all from southern Vancouver Island, but identification of the wintering birds was not made
until 1958 (Guiguet 19591). The first breeding record was also reported that year. The first record
for the mainland coast was from West Vancouver in 1959. Twelve are on file for the 1960s, all but
one from the south coast. Sightings increased dramatically from 1970 to the present; in the
Victoria area alone nearly 300 records are on file from 1970 to 1979 and over 400 from 1980 to
1987. The first Okanagan record was on 23 October 1974 at Penticton; on 26 September 1975,
the species was reported in Terrace.”
Data from the Burke Mountain Naturalist Christmas Bird Count data in the TriCities indicate that 1 to 3
ANHUs were recorded each year between 1977 and 2010. In 2011, 11 birds were recorded and this
year, there were 8 ANHU. A similar jump in numbers was observed on the Vancouver area Christmas
Bird Counts: an average of 8 ANHU with much variability in numbers (ranging between 1 to 28 birds)
was recorded between 1971 and 2007. The years 2008 and 2009 both saw 47-48 birds; 84 were spotted
in 2010, and in 2011 and 2012, 127 and 131 ANHUs were recorded."
15
Attachment 4.2
Other interesting tidbits of information gleaned from the internet included a scientific article2 describing
the speeds of male ANHU during their display flights. Birds were measured flying at 385 body lengths
per second, faster than a Peregrine Falcon’s dive (200 body lengths per second) and making them the
fastest vertebrate on earth. They experience nearly 9 times the force of gravity at this speed. By
comparison, a fighter jet can reach 150 body lengths per second and the pilot would black out at 7
gravities.
Hilary reports that she has heard displaying male ANHUs during their courtship dives in her garden
previous Februarys. She thought it was the call of some kind of a raptor, being so loud, but has now
realized that the explosive sound comes from the tail feathers of an ANHU. There is much more
information on the internet on how ANHUs make this sound, and you can watch displaying birds on
YouTube.
And just who was Anna? That question too churned up some interesting information. The ANHU
species was first recognized by the 19th century French naturalist Réne Primevère Lesson (1794-1849).
He wrote the first major book on the lives of hummingbirds3. Lesson discovered the first ANHU
specimen in a collection of his Italian friend, Prince Victor Massena. Massena’s wife’s name was Anna
and ANHUs were named in her honour.
Why are ANHUs extending their range northwards and why are they now over-wintering in our area? It
seems likely they are dependent upon our efforts to maintain nectar feeders over the winter months. Is
global warming also responsible for extending their range? Time will tell.
References:
1
Guiguet CJ. 1959. Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) at Victoria, British Columbia. Murrelet 40:13.
2
Clark CJ. 2009. Courtship dives of Anna’s hummingbird offer insights into flight performance limits.
Proc Royal Soc B 276:3047-3052.
3
Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux-Mouches, 1829-1833. [available on googlebooks]
Note: In 2013, Victoria Otton was the President of the Burke Mountain Naturalists (established in 1989)
and Hilary Maguire was a member of the Board and Editor of their monthly newsletter.
16
Attachment 4.2
The Marine Environment of Port Moody 2013
Let it be known that in 2006, the City of Port Moody was found to be the home of the world's largest
recorded giant pink sea star (Pisaster brevispinus) which measured 99 cm across. It was found by
marine educator Rod MacVicar in sub-tidal water west of the Pacific Coast Terminals and was returned
to its habitat alive.
In 2013, Port Moody and the rest of Burrard Inlet and Indian Arm suffered a mysterious die-off of
mature giant pink sea stars and sunflower sea stars (Pycnopodia helianthoides). Invasive golden star
tunicates have been seen growing over the mussels at Reed Point for years now and have been
identified by Fisheries and Oceans as a species of great concern. There are apparently a host of invasive
marine organisms in this area and researchers are just beginning to turn their attention to them.
The City of Port Moody was recently involved in a project called 'What Swims Beneath' which was a
public education effort plus a year of beach seines near creek mouths in Port Moody Arm. This report
identifies numbers and abundances of near shore fish species. Little is known about deep water species
or plankton and it is recommended that baseline studies be conducted in the near future. This is
particularly important because of proposals for much increased tanker traffic in the inlet.
We are beginning to get a handle on bird populations in Burrard Inlet. Dr.Rob Butler and Rod MacVicar
have completed a year of monthly surveys for Bird Studies Canada. The log booms near the Flavelle
Cedar Mill are an important component of the marine habitat in Port Moody and are used by a variety
of shorebirds including black turnstones and western sandpipers as well as great blue heron, bald eagles
and several species of gulls. The logs provide shade and refuge for salmon fry emerging from the many
salmon-bearing streams in Port Moody and their surface is an important haul-out site for large numbers
of harbour seals. In the fall, during salmon spawning time, up to 300 seals have been counted on the
booms.
There have been five attempts to restore eelgrass to Port Moody, two in the vicinity of Rocky Point and
three near the mouth of Mossom Creek. None have been successful. Old-timers say that there was a
large and healthy band of eelgrass that extended at least from Old Orchard Park to the foot of First
Avenue. That was reliably the best place to capture Dungeness crabs.
Purple martin boxes have been in place for at least fifteen years near Rocky Point and in most years
have been very successful nesting habitat. An osprey nesting platform also exists near Rocky Point.
Most years, a pair of Canada geese beats the osprey to this site, and a pair regularly nests on the
navigational marker at the entrance to Rocky Point dock. One or two osprey chicks has been reared per
year but seldom if ever have they been successfully brought to fledgling stage perhaps because of eagle
attacks.
As many as ten bald eagles can be seen on the estuary of Mossom Creek during spawning season.
So many glaucous-winged gulls use the inlet in the fall that Pacific Coast Terminals and Imperial Oil have
contracted a falconer whose bird discouraged the gulls from alighting on walkways and other structures
and creating a slipping hazard for personnel. Canada geese that are overwintering in Port Moody has
been the subject of debate at City council meetings and some form of control of their population or
presence is desired as they are fouling Rocky Point Park.
~ submitted by Ruth Foster
17
Attachment 4.2
BURRARD INLET MARINE ENHANCEMENT SOCIETY
Mossom Creek Hatchery
December 2013
In 2013, our 37th year of operation, the Mossom Creek Hatchery has been active, as always, with instream restoration and enhancement work and has also been speaking up for the local environment in
public forums. It continues to steward the watershed of Mossom Creek and keep an eye on adjacent
Schoolhouse Creek North. The membership of our group, the Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement
Society (est. 1992), continues to grow and it is supported by a Facebook presence and a website
(www.mossomcreek.org). The Centennial School Salmon Project which started in 1976 on Mossom
Creek is still going strong and is being sponsored by teacher Melanie Mattson, a former club member
and a hatchery volunteer for many years.
The hatchery has had a great deal of dialogue with the Village of Anmore regarding siltation issues and,
in the past two years, has seen a dramatic improvement in water quality due to a much higher level of
vigilance by staff and hired consultants for the Village.
At issue currently is the sale and fate of the Ioco Lands, a 232 Acre parcel one-third in Port Moody and
two-thirds in Anmore. We have requested an eco-gift from Imperial Oil to protect the most vulnerable
parts of the Lands, but have not yet received a response. The David Avenue connector is on the drawing
board to potentially serve the homes that will be built on those lands. However, the Village of Anmore is
completing an OCP draft with explicit language opposing it. A plus $20 million bridge over Mossom
Creek just upstream of the hatchery is part of the plan promoted by planner Michael Geller.
The hatchery and its society, the Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society (since 1992), have recently
been engaged in expressing concerns about the City of Port Moody's draft Official Community Plan. We
are lobbying for better stream protection, day-lighting of streams in the Port Moody core, and the
expansion of Rocky Point Park onto the Mill and Timber site. We are advocating for more green space
to accommodate planned density increases and we are concerned about the number of high rise
buildings currently proposed.
Although we have had an unusually dry fall, the salmon return into Mossom was still quite robust with
over 100 coho and over 500 chum spawners counted in the system. The coho extended all the way up
to East Road in Anmore and their passage was greatly aided by recent volunteer work to remove
obstacles to upstream migration.
This is the historic first year for the incubation of pink salmon eggs in Port Moody. Pinks were likely one
of the species that historically populated the creeks of Port Moody. This incubation is being done at
Mossom Creek Hatchery using egg stock from the Tenderfoot Hatchery in Squamish. The plan is to
begin by starting a pink run on Mossom Creek and then out-planting pink fry to other streams including
Schoolhouse Creek South which is now being impacted by the Evergreen Line construction. When that
sky train line construction is completed, the creek will be re-channeled in such a way that it will be
suitable for the spawning of chum and pink salmon. It is hoped that one day soon, folks will be able to
fish for pink salmon from the Rocky Point Pier.
18
Attachment 4.2
Wildlife sightings in the Mossom Creek watershed in the past year have included bobcat, bear, deer,
western tanager, American dipper, great blue heron, barred owl, tailed frog, red-legged frog, and
alligator lizard. The aquatic insect life in Mossom Creek continues to be highly diverse and indicative of
a very healthy coastal watercourse. The hatchery keeps a wildlife list.
The Mossom Creek Hatchery has archived in binders all press clippings associated with its activities
since 1976. These are about to be digitized and thus made more accessible.
A plan on the horizon is to make the hatchery more accessible for mobility challenged volunteers. There
is a need for approximately $9,000 more in grants to achieve the goal of building an accessible
washroom. The hatchery has received $2,000 from the Pacific Salmon Foundation towards this project.
The Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society/Mossom Creek Hatchery executive for 2013 is:
President - Kyle Pilon
Vice President - George Assaf
Treasurer - Elaine Willis
Secretary - Ruth Foster
Hatchery Manager - Janet Rickards
Assistant Hatchery Manager - Jesse Kouwenhoven Hatchery Engineer- George Assaf Membership
Director -Brian Henke School Liaison - Melanie Mattson
Founders - Rod MacVicar, Ruth Foster
Honorary Lifetime Member - Jim Mattson
Lifetime Members - George Assaf, Caroline Mullan, Zoe Royer, Mike Clay, Bob Elliot, Anne Marie Oktaba
~ submitted by Ruth Foster
19
Attachment 4.2
Noons Creek Update for Port Moody Time Capsule
December 2013
Volunteers from the Port Moody Ecological Society (established in 1990) began to dig a rearing
pond next to Noons Creek in 1991 on land leased from the City. Once funds were raised and community
help organized, hatchery construction was undertaken. The hatchery opened in 1993. However, the
first Fingerling Festival was held in 1992 with chum donated from the Mossom Creek Hatchery. Since
that time, PMES volunteers have raised both chum and coho salmon and, every spring, have hosted the
popular Fingerling Festival on the 1st Saturday of May to which children are invited to release chum into
Noons Creek. Volunteers also monitor water quality at several creeks around the Inlet on a weekly basis
and offer school programs for local children.
In 2013, the summer was exceptionally dry followed by an unusually dry October and
November. However, whenever it did rain, salmon moved into the Creek with an estimated 100 coho
and 80—100 chum entering the creek to spawn. Some coho were reported to have reached as high as
just upstream of the Heritage Mountain Bridge. Volunteers also noted that chum were attempting to
spawn in Slaughterhouse Creek in 2013. We hope the dry weather is not a harbinger of climate change.
In 2013, the Board members included President - Sandra Niven; Vice President - Dave Bennie;
Treasurer - John Andrew, Secretary, Brian Wormald; Water Quality Lab – Jennifer Whitcher;
Membership - Audrey Faber; Hatchery Operations – Michelle Chong; Director at large – Jim Mattson and
Past President – Elaine Golds. In addition, other members such as Eric Olsen, Doug Calder and Pete Yip
also provided critical help at the hatchery on a regular basis.