“Know nature and keep it worth knowing”
Bringing Back the Sharpie
Sea Star Catastrophe
Fish Farm Expansion
Great Bear Live
The Magazine of BC Nature
www.bcnature.ca • Spring 2014 • Vol. 52 No. 1 • ISSN 0228-8824
Bcnature
Volume 52 No. 1
In This Issue:
Departments:
Guest Editoria...................................................................3
President’s Perch..............................................................5
Regular columns:
Natural Mistakes...............................................................6
Conservation Report.........................................................7
Book Review.. ..................................................................25
Club Chat..........................................................................32
Spotlight on BC Nature Federated Club...........................39
The Last Word..................................................................40
Features:
Letters to the Editor............................................................4
Focus on IBA's - Bird Studies..............................................9
Birding in the Pribilofs........................................................10
A Different Snow Forest.....................................................11
Columbia Treaty.................................................................12
Loss of Environmental Education.......................................13
YNC Updates......................................................................14
Fish Farm Expansion..........................................................15
Alien Species Invasion.......................................................16
Bringing Back the Sharpie.................................................17
Outdoor Recreational Vehicle Update..............................18
Lungwort............................................................................20
Nechacko Sturgeon Centre................................................20
Sea Star Catastrophe..........................................................21
Mountain Caribou Update.................................................22
BC Nature Historical Files...................................................23
Racoons in Urban Areas.....................................................25
What's Here is Here...........................................................27
Great Bear Live..................................................................29
Finding Endangered Orcas.................................................30
Barbara Frum's Canadian Garden......................................31
Notices:
Dates to Remember.............................................................4
FGM - Shuswap....................................................................4
Camp Updates.....................................................................6
Volunteers for Nightjar Survey............................................8
Strategic Plan.....................................................................26
AGM 2014 Schedule..........................................................37
AGM 2014 Registration.....................................................38
House Finch
in Spring!
2
BCnature Spring 2014
Objectives of BC Nature
(Federation of BC Naturalists)
• To provide naturalists and natural history clubs
of BC with a unified voice on conservation and
environmental issues.
• To foster an awareness, appreciation and
understanding of our natural environment, that
it may be wisely used and maintained for future
generations.
• To encourage the formation and cooperation of
natural history clubs throughout BC.
• To provide a means of communication between
naturalists in BC.
BCnature magazine is published quarterly by
BC Nature - Circulation 5,300
Editorial Team: Penelope Edwards - [email protected]
Betty Davison - [email protected]
Editorial: Chris Tollefson - [email protected]
Website: www.bcnature.ca
BC Nature Office ([email protected])
We welcome your articles, photos and letters.
Please send them through the office. BCnature reserves the
right to edit submissions for length, style and clarity.
For advertising rates, and cut-off dates, please email the office.
BC Nature - Heritage Centre, 1620 Mount Seymour Rd.
North Vancouver, BC  V7G 2R9
Tel: 604-985-3057
Fax 604-985-3059
BCnature is printed on 100 percent recycled stock
Color Version of BCnature is available online www.bcnature.ca
Cover photo
Cover Photo: "Tidy Raccoon"
Photograph Courtesy of Penny Hall
Feature articles are the sole responsibility of
their authors. Opinions expressed therein are not
necessarily those of BC Nature.
In association with the Elders Council for Parks in British
Columbia, BC Nature¹s home office is located at the Heritage Centre in Mount Seymour Provincial Park. Please
visit Elders Council website
http://www.elderscouncilforparks.org/
Guest Editorial
By Chris Tollefson
or almost twenty years, the Environmental Law Centre (ELC) at the University of Victoria has provided
pro bono legal representation to community groups,
conservation organizations and First Nations across
British Columbia, building legal capacity to tackle the
complex environmental challenges our province is facing.
This record of service has been made possible
through a unique partnership with the UVic Faculty of
Law. Together, we manage and operate Canada’s first and largest clinical program
in public-interest environmental law.
The ELC takes on about 40 new files each year for clients across the province.
These cases involve various kinds of legal work, from high profile litigation and
advocacy before regulatory tribunals, to environmental law reform efforts, to education and outreach on a range of environmental law and policy issues. One of our
key goals is to promote access to justice for clients and causes that might otherwise
go unrepresented. We are strongly committed to ensuring that legal and policy
decisions are properly informed and that decision-makers are held accountable to
rigorous and independent scientific standards. We are equally dedicated to inspiring and mentoring the next generation of public-interest environmental lawyers.
Since its incorporation as a non-profit society in 1996, the ELC has raised all of its
operating funds from a variety of private sources. For the last eight years, our core
funder has been the Tula Foundation, a BC-based family organization.
Having founded the ELC when I was a junior law professor, I have had the privilege
of growing the organization into one of Canada’s largest public-interest environmental law service providers. We have a top notch, legal staff that includes some of
this country’s most experienced environmental lawyers: Calvin Sandborn, Deborah
Curran and Mark Haddock. Our team also includes our Paralegal/Administrator
Holly Pattison, a full-time articled student, and more than 30 law students enrolled
in the ELC clinic program each year.
Over the last two years, much of my time has been devoted to leading the ELC
legal team that represented the co-intervenors BC Nature and Nature Canada at
hearings into the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline. During these hearings,
with the enthusiastic assistance of a small team of clinic students, the ELC has:
• Conducted more than 25 hours of cross-examination of four distinct Northern Gateway expert panels on topics ranging from caribou biology to ornithology to spills probability and consequence modeling;
• Filed and argued about half a dozen procedural motions that, among other
things, put forward critical new evidence around caribou issues, and drawn
national attention to the procedural deficiencies with the current Joint Review
Panel process;
• Submitted final written argument and oral arguments to the hearing tribunal;
and;
• Secured national and regional media coverage of BC Nature’s role in these
hearings in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun and dozens of
other media;
Following the release of the Panel’s report, which recommended that Federal
Cabinet approve the proposed project with 209 conditions, BC Nature retained the
ELC to file an application for judicial review of this report on its behalf. BC Nature’s
challenge to the report is now pending in the Federal Court of Appeal. In this challenge, we are arguing that the JRP’s report is seriously flawed in various ways,
including that the report fails to offer a legally adequate justification for the harm
that it acknowledges the pipeline will do to caribou and that it makes erroneous
conclusions about the likelihood and impacts of a catastrophic oil spill.
The ELC is also legal counsel for BC Nature and Nature Canada in the upcoming
hearings into Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline application, which would
see a dramatic increase of tanker traffic in Burrard Inlet and the Salish Sea. This
hearing process will rival that of the recently-concluded Northern Gateway hearings in terms of complexity and importance. On BC Nature’s behalf, we have assembled a strong team of scientific experts that includes some of British Columbia’s
leading ornithologists. These hearings are likely to start within the next few months
and continue into early 2015. To learn more about our work on other files, please
visit our website.
F
BCnature Spring 2014
In recent years, we have:
Investigated the close proximity of
sour gas wells to schools in Northern BC, permitted due to the lax
provincial regulations in this area;
• Persuaded Canada’s Information
Commissioner to investigate allegations that government scientists
are being muzzled in contravention
of federal access to information
laws, a story that has received national and international attention;
• Spearheaded a legal team that represented a broad-based community
coalition (the Friends of Nanaimo
Harbour Society) that successfully
defeated a plan by the federal Port
Authority to privatize Nanaimo harbour under an agreement that contemplated a 30-year lease with an
American developer;
• Led the legal fight against the Raven Coal Mine on northern Vancouver Island by, among other things,
seeking a drinking water protection order on behalf of a variety of
North Island-based clients;
• Represented the ELC and Ecojustice as intervenors at the Supreme
Court of Canada on an important
case involving legal fees and access
to justice;
• Filed a written brief to the federal
and BC Ministers of Environment
detailing concerns about the nature
and pace of liquid natural gas (LNG)
development in northern British
Columbia, and requesting a strategic economic and environmental
assessment; and
• Represented local residents in Kitimat and Terrace concerned about
a decision by the Ministry of Environment to allow Rio Tinto Alcan to
increase sulphur dioxide emissions
from its Kitimat smelter by more
than 55%, a fight that is ongoing
before both the BC Supreme Court
and the Environmental Appeal
Board.
The ELC is proud of its ongoing relationship with BC Nature and for the
work done together to date. As we seek
judicial review of the Northern Gateway
report and prepare for the Kinder Morgan hearings, the ELC is committed to
ensuring that the voices and expertise
of BC Nature and its members are heard
by those charged with responsibility for
making decisions that will shape the
future of our beautiful province. 
•
Chris Tollefson is Founding Executive
Director of the UVic Environmental Law
Centre, and Hakai Chair in Environmental Law and Sustainability at the Faculty
of Law, University of Victoria.
3
Foundation Grant to BC Nature
Increases in 2014
T
he BC Naturalists’ Foundation Board is pleased to announce that the
Foundation was able to make a year-end contribution of $10,000 to
BC Nature for Club Support Grants. It is most rewarding to witness over
the years the increase of the capital investments of the Foundation,
resulting in rising investment earnings which thereby increase the annual grant funds available.
The Foundation Board would also like to thank the many generous donors who contributed to the Foundation’s capital in the recent
appeal. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Please, a reminder to all to consider naming the Foundation in your
will. Or consider other ways to donate in the long term such as naming the Foundation as a beneficiary in your Retirement Savings Plan
or Retirement Income Fund, gifting your life insurance proceeds, or
gifting the remaining capital in your annuity to the Foundation. All
such charitable giving contributes to the Foundation’s growing capital,
the investments earnings from which support naturalist clubs projects,
encouraging more people to get outdoors appreciating nature. 
Feb. 26/14 -The BC Naturalists Foundation, together with BC Nature,
has just circulated the news to clubs on grants awarded for 2014. Seven
BC Nature clubs are thrilled to receive the good news. More details to be
provided in the summer magazine issue.
Dates to Remember
Deadline for AGM Reports - April 15/14
Tofino Camp - April 27 - May 1/14
AGM 2014 - Vict.Nat.History Society & Rocky Pt. Bird
Observatory co-hosting. May 1 - 4/14
Skagit Bird Blitz - May 9 - 11/14
Rene Savenye Scholarship - Apply by May 30/14
Nicola Valley Camp - May 29 - June 1/14
Manning Park Bird Blitz - June 20 - 22, 2014
Well Grey Camp - August 12--17/14 (2 Camps)
FGM Salmon Arm - September 25 - 28/14
AGM Salt Spring Island - May 2015
FGM 2014
Shuswap Naturalist Club,
Salmon Arm
Salmon and Shorebirds –
Incredible Journeys
T
he Shuswap Naturalist Club is pleased to host
another BC Nature event. The 2014 Conference
and Fall General Meeting will be held at the Prestige
Harbourfront Resort in Salmon Arm, September 2528, 2014. Our program will be an interesting and informative selection of presentations and field trips
around the conference theme of
"Salmon and Shorebirds – Incredible Journeys."
Sockeye and other species of salmon embark on
a circuit that may span five years and thousands of
miles as they return to their natal rivers to spawn.
This year is a dominant year and we hope to see millions of sockeye returning. During our field trips we
will visit four salmon rivers which flow into Shuswap
Lake – the Adams, Salmon, Shuswap and Eagle rivers.
Photo: C. Bryson
Every fall large numbers of shorebirds visit the
productive mudflats of Salmon Arm bay on Shuswap
Pectoral Sandpipers
Lake, as they stop to feed and rest along their migratory routes, some migrating from one end of the world to the other. These birds rely on a network of wetland habitats and
are vulnerable to habitat loss or degradation which can lead to dramatic declines in their populations. We will have field trips
and presentations about local shorebird populations and also global shorebird issues.
An underlying theme of our conference is education. Some of our presenters are educators who are engaged in exciting
programs introducing young people to the value and wonders of nature. Come and join us in our salute to these magnificent
migrations. We will be posting information as it becomes available at: www.shuswapnaturalists.org/FGM2014.htm. If you
have any questions regarding our displays or other activities you may contact Janet Pattinson at: 250-835-2270, or scouse5@
icloud.com.
4
BCnature Spring 2014
The President’s Perch
By John Neville
thought it would be interesting to document
an a-typical week of my experiences with BC
Nature. On a daily basis, I receive between 20
and 40 emails, which I try to answer or read in
detail. After dealing with my daily emails, I had
a quick Skype meeting with David Tsang, (Treasurer), Kees Visser, (Vice-President) and Betty
Davison (BC Nature Office manager) to keep
up-dated with our operating budget. Later, in
the day the Gaming Commission notified us that we had been awarded
$29,790, to be spent on the BC Nature magazine, Important Birding Areas,
and our BC Nature Viewing Guide. Everyone involved was very pleased!
The following day, we packed up the motor home and headed into Victoria to fulfill a long delayed meeting with Prof. Chris Tollefson and his team
of the Environmental Law Centre (ELC) at the University of Victoria. Chris
and his ELC team represented Nature Canada and BC Nature last summer,
opposing the Northern Gateway Project (Enbridge). Just last week Nature
Canada announced that Chris Tollefson was their Volunteer of the Year! I
extended an invitation to Chris to attend our Club Directors meeting at the
AGM 2014 in Victoria, which he gladly accepted. After our meeting, we
headed up-island and that same evening we arrived at a beautiful rustic,
log building, housing the Nanoose Library. The notice board announced a
meeting of the Nanoose Naturalists and my talk on Raptors of Canada. In
the carpark the sound of barking Steller and California Sea Lions came up
from the bay. The evening was full of good fun with some great jokes by
President Joe Crichton. I'm still trying to remember some of them!
Later in the week, I was notified by Ian Davidson that Nature Canada and
BC Nature had been awarded almost the full amount of our application
request ($140,000), from the National Energy Board. These funds will be
administered by Nature Canada and used to submit scientific information,
and legal council to oppose the Kinder Morgan, (Trans Mountain) pipeline
project.
The following Monday, we arrived at the BC Nature office in Mount Seymour Provincial Park to attend the BC Naturalists' Foundation meeting.
Investments have been depressed in the recent past, but currently we
have $257,000 invested with Odlum Brown and another $190,000 with
the Vancouver Foundation. These are record numbers so I give thanks to
the Foundation Board, and to all of you who contributed, and not least to all
the club members who spend the grants each spring so wisely for nature.
Foundation President, Bev Ramey, and all the elves have also upgraded the
policy manual (not everyone's favourite pastime.)
The next day we drove into a Chilliwack school yard where the students
were rehearsing a play called, Legally Blond. After the thespians had left
we took our equipment into the library to prepare for the Chilliwack Naturalists. President Janne Perrin reported that the Eagle Festival at Harrison
Flats had gone well, the previous weekend. Sixteen hundred Bald Eagles
had been counted waiting for the returning Salmon. Eventually eagle
numbers may reach 7,000. In the audience was a White Morph Gyrfalcon
belonging to John Lejeune. She was very calm and allowed me to stroke
her. During the presentation she listened to all the raptor recordings and
became quite animated when I played my recording of a Gyrfalcon.
The next day we headed to Delta's Cammidge House on the edge of
Boundary Bay Park to meet with the Delta Naturalists. The drive was spectacular on this glorious winter day, sunny and plus 50. We were greeted
by two Bald Eagles, who gave their thin descending alarm calls. In the bay,
large rafts of American Wigeon were gathering, we estimated about 700.
The outside temperature had dropped below zero when we entered the
warm and cozy room in Cammidge House. The space was ideal for 30 or
40 naturalists and Tom Bearss and I traded some friendly banter during the
introductions. Their meeting place, on the edge of Boundary Bay must be
one of the richest birding spots in the province!
The next night, off to the Community Music School in Langley to meet up
with the Langley Field Naturalists. They are certainly an enthusiastic group!
Bob Puls invited eight or 10 committee chairs to report on their activities.
Rees Griffiths was celebrating his 88th birthday. Congratulations Rees! One
I
BCnature Spring 2014
of the members told me a success story I'd heard
in Nanoose Bay about the Purple Martin. From a
low of 19 pairs,15 years ago, there are now 950
pairs. Thanks in part to the bird box program.
Thank you to everyone who builds and maintains
those boxes.
The next day, we visited WildResearch in
Burnaby. This was a busy and special night for
them, with their AGM, an appreciation party
for their volunteers and my presentation. There
was even time for a pop-quiz from President
Paul Levesque. They had enough door prizes
for nearly everyone! Today this club is the third
largest in the province, and their average age is
about 30. I reflected that 50 years earlier on this
day, JFK died and his most famous pronouncement was "Ask not what your country can do for
you, but what can you do for your country." The
members of WildResearch are definitely putting
out for their club and country, in a big way!
On Saturday morning we went to the Nature
House in Richmond to talk to the Young Naturalists. Eva Nagy does a great job providing meetings for these family groups. In addition to my
talk, there happened to be a display of Raptors
from The Victoria Museum. In the afternoon we
once again head over to the ferry, this time to
Bowen Island, our second presentation of the
day. It was held in a private home, high on a hillside on Bowen Island. There were two Labrador
dogs in the audience in addition to children and
adults. One of the dogs managed to lie on the
extension cord, turning off the projector twice!
We met Emily who takes the group on walks
every Saturday. It was also a delight to have our
grandson, Aiden, in the audience.
The following week, we made our eighth presentation of the month to the Salt Spring Trail
and Nature Club. One person in the audience
reported seeing Peregrine Falcon and Gyrfalcon
sold in the market place, in the Middle East.
We capped our whirlwind tour off by attending
the Salt Spring Club holiday function. The next
day we once again headed to the ferry to the BC
Nature Christmas party and a photo shoot with
MLA Jane Thornthwaite for the Gaming Grant
we were awarded. The parties all symbolized
a strong year for BC Nature and I hope we can
keep the positive momentum going for 2014. 
Thank you all!
Jay Brogan, Emily McAuley, Elly Knight, Mike
Boyd (left to right, top row) Christine Rock, and
Paul Levesque (left to right bottom row)
5
2014 BC Nature
Camps Updates
Natural Mistakes
The Shame of It
H
By Clive Keen
ave you ever misidentified a bird? I'm just kidding. I know that
it's a mind-boggling stupid question. Of course you have. And
I'll bet that you still feel bad about it. We're not, of course, talking
about the misidentifications you made in your earliest birding
days, when nobody expected you to know a thrush from a warbler. Nor are we talking about the time you had a fleeting view
of a bird in awful light and declared it to be a Rusty Blackbird,
though it turned out to be a Brewer's. You'd be proud of yourself
for getting so close. No, what we are talking about is the time not
so long along ago when you had a clear look at a bird in perfectly
reasonable conditions, and called it out as something that it very
emphatically wasn't. Ooh, the shame. You're still wincing about
it as I write.
This is all a bit odd. Compared to mass murder, theft and pillage,
misidentifying a bird is not really that heinous. I can't find any references to it at all in the criminal code. Even the Catholic Church
doesn't give a penance for bird misidentifications, though that
could be because they've overlooked the issue so far. Whatever,
it's not at all clear why a misidentification should bother you so
much.
OK, perhaps you were leading a group of beginners, and confidently named a bird, only to have an eleven-year old correct you.
That does dent your credibility a bit. Or, more likely, you were
among a distinguished group of birders, and you drew their attention to a rarity which turned out instead to be something dime a
dozen. You suddenly felt six inches tall, didn't you?
So, what's to be done? One approach is never to be decisive
about what you see. "I see, er, perhaps, could it be, a Clark's Nutcracker?" or "That might possibly be a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher,
but I didn't get a clear view." Etc. This would seem to offer some
cover, but I'm afraid it can't be recommended. People are drawn
to and respect confident pronouncements, even when the pronouncer turns out to be wrong. Wimp out, and you don't start
to earn credibility. Television pundits learned this years ago, as
however many times they are proven wrong they keep getting
called back and treated as Experts, while the prevaricators get left
in oblivion. It's much better in the long term to boldly misidentify
things than to sheepishly fudge.
That means, though, that you are bound to unleash some corkers in the full light of day. How do you maintain equanimity in this
situation? A story might help.
Most birders are on e-mail distribution lists that can include
bird photographs and requests for identification. There are several in my part of the world. On one occasion, the very dean of
birding, he who wrote the book on the province's birds, declared
a photograph to be of a species which even the humbler subscribers suspected was not the case. It took his son, growing to be
almost as a famous as his dad, to point out the error; the rest of
us were too traumatized to speak up. It was too much like telling
the Pope he was wrong on a point of theology. Then not too long
after, the son, he who could hear a single Cackling Goose in a
flock of ten thousand Canadas, and could pish down your chosen
rarity on demand, made a similar misidentification, only to be
corrected, this time by his dad. The joy in the birding community
was unbounded. It was like being forgiven all our sins at once. If
the mighty could make mistakes just like us peons, surely we had
no reason ever to blench over our blunders.
As in many things, Pete Dunne has written the wisest words on
the issue. The difference between beginning birders and veteran
birders, says he, is that beginners haven't made many misidentifications yet, whereas veterans have made thousands.
So, lighten up. You are hereby forgiven your ornithological
sins. 
6
BCnature Spring 2014
Tofino Camp - April 27 - May 1, 2014
Sold out - with waiting list for any cancellations.
Nicola Valley Camp - May 29-June 1, 2014
Sold out with waiting list for cancellations
Adventures in Wells Grey
Wells Gray Park - Camp 1 - August 14 - 17, 2014
Four-day camp which allows people to explore the
wonders of Wells Gray Provincial Park. Day trips and
talks include flora and fauna, fire and ice (volcanos and
glaciers), the pioneering experience and the Clearwater
River. Dynamic trip leaders will make this a worthwhile
adventure for all participants! Price $300.00 *
Registration - 10:00 am - March 30, 2014- Teresa
Corboy - 250-376-7505
Wells Gray Park - Alpine Trek - Note Date Change:
August 13 - 17, 2014 - Price Reduced to $795.00
(+GST)
Registration - 9:00 am - March 30, 2014 - Teresa
Corboy - 250-320-0889
Please note: Registration Phone numbers and times
are different but the date is the same! Please specify
when calling for your camp reservation - "Alpine Trek"
or "Park Camp."
* Includes all meals and outings. Accomodation is
separate, please refer to: http://www.bcnature.ca/
education/field-camps/wells-gray-camp-2014/ for
further details. 
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Conservation Report
A
rguably the most contentious issue
in BC today in terms of environmental impact is the search for, and development of energy – including wind farms,
hydro development, shale gas development, and, perhaps the most contentious
of all, the Northern Gateway Pipeline
and Kinder Morgan’s Trans-Mountain Expansion projects to transport the heavy
oil deposits of the Alberta tar sands to
port on the BC coast for export to Asia.
The planned expansion of port facilities
in response to increased opportunities
for overseas trade is increasing pressure
on the sensitive ecosystems of the Fraser
delta. BC Nature recognizes the need for
BC and Canada to foster a healthy economy. Our interest in these developments
relates to their widespread potential to
affect our province’s natural systems and
rich biodiversity, and our recognition
that in the, long term, it is not possible
to have a healthy economy without a
healthy environment. For these reasons,
we participated in the Northern Gateway Pipeline hearings, and have now
applied to the National Energy Board for
intervenor status in the upcoming hearings into Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion. We also plan to
participate in the hearings into the proposed Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project,
which have not yet been called. More
information follows on these and other
conservation issues in which BC Nature
is involved. Feedback from members is
welcome.
Northern Gateway Pipeline Project
The Northern Gateway Pipeline hearings ended in June 2013. In December the Joint Review Panel (JRP) of the
National Energy Board announced its
approval of the project, concluding that
there would likely be “significant adverse
environmental affects on woodland caribou and grizzly bear that can be justified
in the circumstances”. In January, BC
Nature was one of a number of groups
who applied for a Judicial Review into
the JRP’s decision.
Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Expansion Project
Currently, the 60 year old, 1,150 - kilometre Trans Mountain pipeline system
provides such access to the west coast
for Canadian oil products, including
most of the gasoline supplied to the Interior and south coast of British Columbia.
Trans Mountain proposes to expand its
current pipeline from the Alberta oil
sands to Kinder Morgan’s Westridge Terminal in Burnaby, BC, by tripling the current pipeline capacity from 300,000 barrels per day to 890,000 barrels of diluted
bitumen (dilbit) per day. This will require
BCnature Spring 2014
By Rosemary Fox with input from Conservation Committee members
an increase in the number of tankers ment. Most of the proposed LNG refinleaving Burrard Inlet from the present eries are in Kitimat, with a few in Prince
five or so a month to around 34.
Rupert, and one has been proposed for
On December 16 2013 Trans Moun- the old Woodfibre site near Squamish.
tain submitted its Application to expand The latter would increase shipping trafits pipeline to the National Energy Board fic in the area of the Squamish estu(NEB). The next step in this process will ary, Howe Sound, and into the Strait of
be for the NEB to establish a hearing Georgia, past the Fraser River estuary.
schedule that corresponds to the fed- For naturalists, LNG concerns relate to
eral government’s legislated 15-month the large amounts of water required
review and decision time frame. There by fracking, air pollution from released
is strong opposition in the Lower Main- methane, and the fragmentation of the
land to the Trans Mountain Expansion land base with roads and structures,
project because there is the poten- leading to the degradation of ecosystial for an oil spill at some point. BC tems and threatening many species of
Nature’s interest relates to the diluted birds and other animals.
bitumen spill potential and associated Roberts Bank Terminal 2
impacts on the Fraser River Estuary and
As described on Port Metro VancouSalish Sea ecosystems as well as pipe- ver’s website, the Roberts Bank Termiline crossings of protected areas such as nal 2 Project (RBT2) is “a proposed new
Lac du Bois Grasslands Provincial Park. three-berth container terminal …. that
In partnership with Nature Canada, we could provide additional capacity of 2.4
have applied for intervenor status and, million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent
if granted, will be represented at the unit containers) per year to meet forehearings by our Counsel, Chris Tollef- cast demand until 2030. The proposed
son and Mark Haddock of the Environ- project would drive economic growth
mental Law Centre at the University of and increase employment, benefitting
Victoria. Expertise on marine birds will the region, the province and the counbe provided by Anne Harfenist and Dr. try”. Unfortunately, it is situated in
Caroline Fox with assistance from Anne the centre of the Fraser Estuary ecosysMurray. On behalf of BC Nature, Elaine tem which has Canada’s largest salmon
Golds will also provide help.
runs and habitat for marine mammals,
Kamloops Naturalists Club and Con- including the endangered southern
servation Committee member, Frances resident population of Killer Whales,
Vyse, author of the Background Report Humpback Whales, Grey Whales, two
and Master Plan for Lac du Bois Grass- species of Sea Lion, and two species
lands Provincial Park, have also applied of Porpoise. The importance of this
for Intervenor status at the NEB hear- ecosystem has been recognized interings. Trans Mountain’s preferred route nationally under the following designadown the North Thompson valley in tions:
Kamloops would go through the grass- • Ramsar Site (United Nations Wetlands in the NE section of the park, in
land of International Importance);
preference to using the existing right of • Globally significant Important Bird
way through a community beside the
Area (IBA) under BirdLife Internariver.
tional, with the greatest number
Liquified Natural Gas (LNG):
of bird species reaching global
Conventional reserves of natural gas
population thresholds of any IBA
in BC have largely been used up; howin Canada and;
ever a few years ago an efficient method • Hemispheric site in the Western
was developed to extract gas from shale
Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve
rock by hydraulic fracturing (fracking).
Network
Shales are the most commonly occurOn January 7 the federal Minister
ring type of sedimentary rock in north- of the Environment referred the Robeast British Columbia. Liquified Natu- erts Bank Terminal 2 project to the
ral Gas (more commonly known by its Canadian Environmental Assessment
acronym LNG), is natural gas that has Agency for a review, with funding availbeen cooled to -1620 C, which turns it able for public participation. BC Nature
into a liquid for easier transportation has applied for funding, and nominated
and storage. As a result of these tech- Trevor Jones its representative on this
nological advances, there is a rush cur- project. It is expected that hearings will
rently underway reminiscent of earlier take place in 2015.
North American gold rushes to develop Wetlands Stewardship Partnership
northeast BC’s shale gas reserves for
Two focus areas for the upcoming
export as LNG, and LNG development is year were agreed upon at the JanuCon't Page 8
now a major priority of the BC govern7
Conservation Report Con't
ary meeting of the Wetlands Stewardship Partnership. Habitat
Compensation and Mitigation will be one focus. Such work is
becoming an increasingly controversial topic as large developments like Deltaport attempt to "bank" habitat compensation
in advance of projects being approved. Over the past decade,
mitigation and compensation activities have mostly taken place
on lands and wetlands already protected, rather than using
the funds to secure privately held wetlands or other wildlife
habitat areas. Sadly, it is a rare occurrence for such mitigation/
compensation to have a follow-up evaluation, to determine its
success. A good record of past mitigation/compensation work
in the Fraser River Estuary exists, and is documented on maps
publicly available through the Community Mapping Network.
A present day evaluation will be made, and a policy paper
prepared about such future work. It is well documented in
scientific research that restoration or the creation of wetlands
is rarely as successful as protecting an existing wetland.
The other focus for the Wetlands Stewardship Partnership in
the coming year will be Outreach, with efforts to increase public
and government awareness of the many values and ecosystem
services provided by wetlands.
Harrison-Chehalis, Proposed Wildlife Management Area
BC Nature has sought the protection of critical staging and
wintering habitat for bald eagles and trumpeter swans and significant spawning habitat for salmon and white sturgeon along
the Harrison and Chehalis rivers near Harrison Hot Springs since
1990. It was therefore immensely gratifying when, in November 2013, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource
Operations proposed the area be designated the Harrison-Chehalis Wildlife Management Area and invited public input on its
proposal. Local naturalists clubs attended the Ministry’s Open
House and BC Nature wrote to support the proposed designation, noting our efforts over many years to get protection for
this area, and that “Naturalists and ecotourists are drawn to the
large number of eagles feeding and perching along the HarrisonChehalis in Fall and Winter. The salmon, sturgeon, and other fish
species that thrive in this wetland complex drive the food web
and benefit numerous bird species and many other species. The extensive wetlands of the confluence of the Chehalis with the Harrison River, the Morris Creek wetlands,
and the large Harrison Bay area provide very important
habitat for many species.” Our letter also noted that this
area “is recognized as internationally significant for birds,
through the Important Bird Area designation, namely the
Chehalis River Estuary (#BC033)”, a designation based on
the large numbers of wintering birds that congregate in
these wetlands, especially the bald eagle and trumpeter
swans. The lesson of this long and successful campaign to
secure protection for the Harrison-Chehalis is the importance of never giving up on our conservation goals!
Species at Risk:
A Federal Court judge has rapped the federal environment and fisheries ministers over the knuckles for failing
to enforce the Species at Risk Act. Five environmental
groups – the David Suzuki Foundation, Greenpeace Canada, the Sierra Club of BC, the Western Canada Wilderness Committee and Wildsight – have taken the federal
government to court for failing to protect four of BC’s
endangered species under the Species at Risk Act. The
four species cited are the Nechako White Sturgeon, the
Pacific Humpback Whale, the Marbled Murrelet, and the
Southern Mountain Woodland Caribou. Interestingly, all
four are potentially at risk from the Northern Gateway
Pipeline project. In each case, the government failed to
develop recovery strategies after the four species were
classified, and has missed the statutory deadlines by up
to six and a half years. Recovery strategies are overdue for
163 species out of a total of 192. There is no penalty for
the government missing its deadlines under the Species at
Risk Act, but the court did award costs of $22,500 to the
five groups that brought the suit.
Off Road Vehicles Joint Advisory Group
Complete update on Page 19 or http://www.for.gov.
bc.ca/mof/orv/ 
Volunteers needed WildResearch BC Nightjar Survey!
W
ildResearch is seeking volunteers to
survey for Common Poorwills and
Common Nighthawks across British Columbia. We have expanded the BC Nightjar Survey for 2014 and there are now
survey routes located across the entire
province. Visit the “Information for Surveyors” section of our website and click
on “BC Nightjar Survey map” to find a
route near you!
Surveying for nightjars in British Columbia is important for the conservation
of Common Nighthawks and Common
Poorwills. Due to their nocturnal habits,
little is known about population trends of
nightjars in BC, and there is concern that
both species may be declining rapidly.
Common Nighthawks are already listed
8
BCnature Spring 2014
By Renae Mackas
as Threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act, and
Common Poorwills have not
been assessed because so little is known about their populations. WildResearch needs
volunteers to conduct nightjar surveys to help us understand and conserve these two
unique species! You can read
more about nightjar populations and our survey objecPhoto: E. Knight
tives on our website: http://
wildresearch.ca/programs/
Common Poorwill Nestling
bc-nightjar-surveys/volunteer/
Signing up for a BC Nightjar Survey route will require two to three hours of surveying and one hour of data entry. Each route is a series of road-side stops and
needs to be surveyed once per year during the nightjar breeding season (approximately mid-May to mid-July depending on location). Anyone with a vehicle and
good hearing is capable of conducting a BC Nightjar Survey! For more information on the surveys, check out the “Information for Surveyors” section of our
website. If you’re interested in participating in the WildResearch Nightjar survey,
lease visit us at www.wildresearch.ca/programs/bc-nightjar-surveys/ for more
information or email [email protected] 
Focus on IBA : Bird Studies Canada coastal monitoring programs
support the IBA Network
By Krista Englund
pproximately 60% of British Columbia’s 84 Important
Bird Areas (IBA) are located along the coast. Monitoring
birds within these sites can be a challenge, especially given
the large size of many IBAs. A citizen science program called
the BC Coastal Waterbird Survey (BCCWS), coordinated by
Bird Studies Canada www.birdscanada.org, is one program
that helps us monitor birds within many coastal Important
Bird Areas.
Since 1999, about 600 Coastal Waterbird Survey volunteers have participated in this program and over 19,000
individual monthly surveys have been conducted at several
hundred fixed sites along BC’s coast. The data collected is
used to assess long-term trends in waterbird distribution
and abundance (Ducks, Loons, Grebes, Cormorants, shorebirds, Gulls and other seabirds).
Photo: K. Barry
The data also have more specific uses for the IBA program, such as helping to refine boundaries of IBAs, update
Birding Pipers - Nanaimo
online site summaries (www.ibacanada.ca), and demonstrating that these areas continue to support globally sig- spread across a large area, like an IBA, to be combined. The
nificant numbers of birds. For example, BCCWS data from data are freely and publicly available through an online data
up to 52 survey sites on Vancouver Island, Hornby and warehouse, Nature Counts (www.naturecounts.ca).
Denman Islands helped to identify areas of high bird use
Numerous IBA Caretakers already participate in the BC Coastal
and provide rationale for amalgamating three IBAs on Van- Waterbird Survey. The program is a great way for other voluncouver Island near Courtenay-Comox and defining a new teers to support the IBA program as well. New volunteers are
boundary. BCCWS data demonstrated that the new IBA, always needed and there are a number of vacant sites around
called K’omoks, supports globally or continentally signifi- Metro Vancouver, Greater Victoria, Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach,
cant concentrations of Glaucous-winged Gull, Thayer’s Gull Comox, Tofino, Sunshine Coast, Gulf Island and northern coastal
and Mew Gull.
areas. Volunteers should have good bird identification skills and
BCCWS data were also recently used to update the Eng- be available to conduct surveys on a monthly basis (e.g. second
lish Bay, Burrard Inlet and Fraser River Estuary IBA site Sunday of each month at high tide).
summaries. Both sites have extensive coastline areas, with
Volunteers who are not able to participate in the Coastal
approximately 40 individual BCCWS sites in English Bay Waterbird Survey can still contribute to the IBA program by parBurrard Inlet and 22 in the Fraser River Estuary, although ticipating in other citizen science programs, such as the Nocnot all sites are surveyed regularly. BCCWS data helped turnal Owl Survey, Beached Bird Survey, Christmas Bird Count,
demonstrate the importance of English Bay-Burrard Inlet to Breeding Bird Surveys, eBird, bird blitzes and other surveys
Surf Scoters and Barrow’s Goldeneyes. In the Fraser River coordinated by local naturalist clubs and organizations.
Estuary, BCCWS data was particularly useful for demonBCCWS surveyors have made great contributions to the BC
strating use of this IBA by globally significant numbers of Important Bird Areas program and we thank all past and presThayer’s Gull, Red-necked Grebe and Western Grebe. As ent volunteers. For more information, please visit BSC’s webthese examples illustrate, one of the key advantages of the site or contact Karen Barry at [email protected] or
BCCWS is that it enables counts from multiple observers 1-877-349-2473. 
A
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BCnature Spring 2014
9
Birding the Pribilofs
By Dave Milsom
A
Flora & Fauna
Field Tours
laska is the most magnificent true wilderness still remaining
Sign up for these
in North America. The Pribilof Islands epitomize the wild raw
beauty which is Alaska. Six hundred miles from the mainland,
Fabulous
situated 500 miles off the coast of Asia, the Pribilof Islands are
home annually to more than two million seabirds which breed
Birding Tours
on the steep cliffs, as well as thousands of breeding Northern
Fur Seals. The seabirds include Parakeet, Least and Crested
Auklets, Horned and Tufted Puffins, Thick-billed and Common
Murres, Northern Fulmar, Red-faced Cormorants, Black-legged
Alaska - Pribilofs - June 3 - 10, 2014- $3780 US
and Red-legged Kittiwakes. Also breeding are Snow Buntings,
(From Anchorage)
Lapland Longspurs, Gray-crowned Rosy Finches and Rock SandVietnam - Oct. 22 - Nov. 14, 2014 - $2995 US
pipers.
(From Hanoi)
May and June are undoubtedly the best time to see these
Brazil-Bahia - March 2 - 19, 2015 - $4295 US
birds, as well as beautiful tundra wildflowers like Arctic Poppy
(From Fortaleza)
and Whorled Lousewort. Arctic Foxes are abundant. Whales
Eastern Himalayas - April 1 - 18, 2015 - $4285 US
and sea ducks are often visible from shore. Visitors may also
appreciate meeting the friendly Aleut inhabitants of the
(From Kolkata)
islands, decendants from the Russian far north, formerly stag- China-Sichuan May 29 - June 15, 2015 - $3895 US
ing an annual seal hunt but now more dependent on snow crab,
(From Chengdu)
fishing and international shipping. A huge bonus for birders,
Bolivia
Sept.
10-24, 2015 - $4185 US
when the winds are favourable, is the presence on the islands
of rare Asian vagrants at this time of the year. Rare passerines,
(From Santa Cruz)
shorebirds, waterfowl and raptors can be found. Regular finds
Flora & Fauna Field Tours
include White-tailed Sea Eagle, Brambling, Eye-browed Thrush,
1093 Scollard Dr., Peterborough, ON K9H 0A9
Red-throated and Olive-backed Pipits, Red-necked Stint, Comwww.florafaunafieldtours.com
mon Greenshank, Common Snipe, Wood Sandpiper, Bar-tailed
Godwit, Emperor Goose, Smew, and Yellow-billed Loon.
[email protected]
Flora and Fauna Field Tours is one of the companies on the
Tel: 705-874-8531
Pribilof's St. Paul Island. This year we will be on St. Paul Island
at the height of migration and nest-building. Two days will also
be spent in Anchorage with visits to Potter Marsh (breeding Arctic Terns, Mew Gulls, Short-billed Dowitchers, Red-necked and
Horned Grebes, Redpolls, Rusty Blackbirds) and Westchester
Lagoons. As well, a pelagic trip into Resurrection Bay and beyond,
will take place from the town of Seward on the Kenai Peninsula.
Humpback Whales, Orcas, Dolphins, Seals and Sea Otters should
be seen, plus Murrelets, Auklets, Cormorants, Gulls and Shearwaters. Calving glaciers should also be witnessed. A morning’s
birding near Seward should yield American Dipper, Bald Eagle,
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Varied Thrush and Townsend’s Warbler among others. This Alaska tour is the North American trip of
a lifetime ! 
Dave Milsom : Nature tour guide and serious birder since 1979
when he went birding with his brother in Yorkshire. Loves photographing birds, butterflies, dragonflies, wildflowers. Travelled
to all the continents except Australia, a definite future destination when he has the time !"
Photo: Dave Milsom
Crested Least Auklets
10
BCnature Spring 2014
Ancient Snow Forests of the North Central Interior
By Mike Nash
T
erry Taylor told us in the Winter 2013 issue of BCnature
that the higher-elevation subalpine forests of the coastal
regions of BC are sometimes called snow forests. Yet there
is another type of snow forest in British Columbia, the
lower-elevation Interior Cedar-Hemlock (ICH) zone of the
Rocky Mountain Trench east of Prince George, that is variously known as the Interior Wet Belt or the Inland Rainforest. While this most northerly part of the ICH zone enjoys a
higher rainfall than the Interior Plateau to the west, it generally does not receive enough precipitation to qualify as a true
rainforest except for isolated pockets such as the first part
of the Berg Lake Trail at Mount Robson. Instead, its ancient
wet forests, that are best found on northeast aspect benches and toe slopes, are watered year round by seeps from
the mountain snowpack above. This prompted UNBC’s Dr.
Darwyn Coxson to coin the term Snow Forest to better describe this zone. To experience what it’s like to walk through
these forests through the seasons, check out the 12-minute
slide show at http://www3.telus.net/pgoutdoors/ and scroll
down to Ancient Snow Forests of Canada. Scroll down a little
farther to a related slide show Primordial Landscape of Slim
Creek Park which includes a zoning map of the area. And for
more information on UNBC’s work there, see the Interior
Wet Belt website at http://wetbelt.unbc.ca/
I began exploring the roughly 15-kilometre long Driscoll
Ridge more than 20 years ago, alternately bushwhacking, hiking, backcountry skiing and snowshoeing. My original focus
was to explore alpine ridge-walking opportunities above,
but my interest slowly morphed to an overriding curiosity
about, and appreciation of the ancient forests below. A seminal moment occurred in the early 2000’s when I led a Prince
George Naturalist Club snowshoe trip (some slides from that
trip are included in the Snow Forests slide show) and Darwyn
Coxson pointed out many ancient attributes of the forest
from low to mid-elevation. Driscoll Ridge hadn’t attracted
any prior attention from a recreational perspective because
it is disconnected from the surrounding higher mountains,
has only a minimal Alpine Tundra zone, and because of the
extreme ruggedness of its steep terrain, ubiquitous rock
bands, dense primordial-type vegetation and plentiful Devil’s Club. But its isolation also gave it perhaps the best mountain views in the area east of Prince George, overlooking the
Rocky Mountain Trench and Rocky Mountains to the north
and east and the Cariboo Mountains to the south. The ridge
top and upper benches are replete with centuries-old game
trails and are well used by large wildlife including mountain
caribou, moose, wolves, grizzly and black bear, wolverines,
cougar etc., and the summer flower meadows are magnificent. The advent of UNBC and the resulting research interest in the Interior Wet Belt was also a very significant and
timely factor in the area’s recent prominence. Driscoll Ridge
is now also home to two mountain trails with a high-elevation crossover link, and a very popular ancient forest trail
and boardwalk that was built some eight years entirely as a
community volunteer effort led by the Caledonia Ramblers
Hiking Club. The Universal (wheelchair accessible) Boardwalk was completed in October 2013 at a cost of $175,000
including 6,500 volunteer hours and is a must-see stop if you
are driving on Highway 16, roughly halfway between Prince
George and McBride. The ancient snow forests of Driscoll
Ridge are so significant biologically that they have been suggested as a future World Heritage Site: http://www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=647 
BCnature Spring 2014
Photo: M. Nash
Ancient forest of Driscoll Ridge engulfs summer visitors
Photo: M. Nash
Driscoll Ridge snow forest under winter cloak
11
Columbia Treaty Revisions
By Ken Farquharson
Black-and-red
Broadbill
Columbia River from Source to Mouth
T
he Columbia Treaty was ratified in 1964, leading to a decade of turmoil and change in the Kootenays as work proceeded on the Arrow, Duncan, Mica and Libby dams and their
reservoirs. A provision in the Treaty requires the parties, now
US and BC, to give 10 years notice prior to September 2024 if
they wish to terminate the Treaty. BC and the operating entity in the US, Bonneville Power Authority and the US Corps
of Engineers, have both prepared draft positions. BC and the
US State Department will soon have to start negotiations.
There are important points in these drafts which may affect
the environment in BC and are worthy of consideration by
naturalist groups. Both parties recognize that there are substantial benefits to the US and BC from the Treaty and do
not recommend termination, but the US has proposed two
major changes.
The first is that the Treaty should be modified in a way that
“ecosystem-based functions will be integrated into the
Treaty as a third primary purpose” in the same way that
hydropower and flood risk were developed in the present
Treaty. The possible risk to BC here is that the best way to
improve ecosystem function is to change the hydrograph
of the river to mimic the natural hydrograph. If agreed,
this requirement might have adverse effects on the Arrow
reservoir in particular, for if a significant portion of the
spring freshet was allowed to flow through it, the reservoir
might not fill in summer. Depending on the scale of release
required during the freshet period, the effective capacity of
the Mica/Revelstoke complex might be reduced.
The position of BC is that “ the Province will explore ecosystem based improvements recognizing there are a number of
available mechanisms inside and outside the Treaty”, not a
clear statement of what is deemed possible.
The second major change is the proposal to restore fish
passage on the main stem of the Columbia River with BC
and US sharing the cost. This is strongly supported by US
Native Americans and BC First Nations. The BC position is
that “salmon migration into Canada was eliminated by the
Grand Coulee Dam in 1938, prior to the Treaty, and as such,
not a Treaty issue”, and should restoration of fish passage be
feasible each country should bear the cost of adapting their
own infrastructure.
There are issues here that warrant the attention of groups
beyond the Kootenays, and the BC government should not
be left in doubt as to your opinion. 
12
BCnature Spring 2014
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since 1970
The Loss of Environmental Education in the New BC
Curriculum By Lenny Ross
F
or the last 27 years I have been a facilitator for environmental education
programs, working with agencies such
as Wild BC, The Department of Fisheries
and Oceans and the Urban Salmon Habitat program, creator of programs like the
Colquitz Watershed Stewardship Project
and Eco-Rowing at Esquimalt Lagoon.
These programs provided training to hundreds of teachers, giving them the skills
and resources to create environmental
education programs in their own schools.
We have also provided thousands of students with amazing field trips and environmental celebrations at festivals and
concerts. To date I continue to support my
school and in partnership with SeaChange
Marine Conservation Society, provide two
environmental education programs at Tod
Inlet near Victoria.
When reviewing the Science and Social
Studies curricula sections it became
apparent that environmental education
has been gutted. In science, where there
once was a clear scope and sequence from
Kindergarten to Grade Seven, many of the
environmental education subject areas
have been deleted, or moved to a much
younger grade. For instance, Grade Four
“weather” has been moved to Kindergarten and “structural and behavioral adaptations of animals” has been moved to Grade
One. In its place the Grade Fours will now
study “10 forms of energy”, “atoms and
molecules”, and “the life cycle of rocks”.
Without the seamless year-by-year study
of the environment, students cannot move
to a deeper and broader understanding of
how their world works and the connections that are essential for survival. The
same thing has happened to Social Studies. Where once there was a clear scope
and sequence, where every year students
were expected to become aware of environmental issues and take action to care
for the environment, there now exist confusing and vague guidelines to become
aware of the relationship between the
environment and human cultures at some
grade levels only.
This is of grave concern. Without a strong
environmental education structure, students will not get the chance to make connections with nature; they will be deprived
of very effective teaching topics and methods that engage students in meaningful
and relevant hands-on learning. They will
not become informed, knowledgeable
citizens capable of evaluating the myriad
of environmental issues that confront us
every day so that they can make wise decisions. Just look at our newspapers and you
BCnature Spring 2014
will see the wide range
of environmental education issues informed
citizens are required to
have opinions on. To
really understand these
issues and be involved
and engaged in solving them requires a
modest background in
environmental education concepts. Without
that background, we
By Lenny Ross
make poor decisions or
Students doing Hands-on Estuary Study
worse, we don’t care
enough to even have
an opinion. All of these topics will be
affecting you and your grandchildren is perhaps the biggest, unifying, and
right down to the food you eat, the air significant "Big Idea" of the 21st cenyou breathe, and the water you drink. tury and yet it is missing from our new
Now more than ever before the world curriculum.
Research has confirmed that keeping
requires an environmentally literate
citizenry to make wise decisions that children connected with nature and
will protect the survival of future gen- providing outdoor experiences coincides with what we know about child
erations.
The government has said that the development, how children learn, and
new curriculum will provide opportu- how they build major components of
nities for teachers to create environ- their personality such as identificamental education. I do not agree with tion with a sense of place, increased
this. While there are environmental self confidence and ability to focus
objectives expressed in the science on learning. Why would BC ignore
rationale and goals section, there the growing body of work around the
are few corresponding "big ideas," or rights of children to play and learn in
concepts in which to apply them. Also the outdoors as a method of fostering
the ministry feels that teachers will sound growth of a full intelligence?
be able to develop deep and broader If you feel the same way then please
understanding of the new "big ideas" email one of the contacts provided
and teach environmental education below and let them know that you
if they wish. Again I do not agree. In want Environmental Education “Big
some grades there are actually more Ideas” in every grade level of the new
major content areas to study than curriculum. 
before, making it very difficult to add Premier Christy Clark: premier@gov.
anything extra to an already full cur- bc.ca
riculum, especially something that is Minister of Education The Honourable
not mandated. Also the content in the Peter Fassbender: peter.fassbender.
new science curriculum is fractured [email protected]
and discordant. There is no progres- President of the BCTF Jim Iker: presision of learning topics over the years [email protected]
that indicates consideration of how Andrew Weaver MLA Green Party:
children learn at different stages of [email protected]
development. In the existing environ- Rob Fleming NDP Education Critic:
mental education, students moved [email protected]
through a process of building aware- The Ministry feedback site: https://
ness of their environment through curriculum.gov.bc.ca/feedback
nature play and study, exploration
and observation to the more detailed Lenny Ross is a member of BC Nature,
study of ecological concepts such as elementary teacher in the Greater
the study of habitats, food chains, Victoria School District, Masters in
adaptations, and sustainability while Environmental & Aboriginal Educaat the same time developing an envi- tion, recipient of the Hilroy Award for
ronmental ethic in socials. This cre- Teaching Innovation and Excellence.
ates a very broad and deep under- [email protected]
standing of how our world works. It
13
YNC Update: Connecting Children with Nature
By Kristine Webber
I
t is official - 2014 is already proving to be an exciting and full
year for the Young Naturalistss Club (YNC)! We are grateful
for our wonderful new intern, Stina, who will be working with
us for the next six months. Several new clubs have started or
are in development (with some great support from many BC
Nature Clubs). Given the interest in forest kindergartens and
early-years nature education, it is a wonderful new development that two YNCs, South Okanagan and Cowichan Valley Saturday Club, have begun welcoming younger members.
2014 is also a Strategic Planning year and we will look forward
to providing opportunities for input from our partners in nature
such as BC Nature.
New YN Clubs
YNC welcomes new clubs in the South Okanagan, Kimberley
Home Learners and Quesnel. Please see www.ync.ca for
club contact information and upcoming Explorer Day details.
Thank you to the South Okanagan Naturalists, Rocky Mountain Naturalists, Baker Creek Enhancement Society and Quesnel Naturalists for actively supporting these clubs.
Change in Vancouver YN Club Leadership-- Eva Nagy, who had
been an amazing, long-standing leader of the Vancouver YNC is
stepping aside after 12 incredible years. Eva's contributions to
the YNC have been enormous- she's been a Treasurer, a Director, a leader and amazing nature mentor to a generation of YNC
children. Thank you Eva!
We are actively seeking a new leader for the YNC's largest
Club and ask BCN to assist us in finding a special person to continue leading the Vancouver Club. Please forward any suggestions or recommendations to [email protected].
Introducing Stina Anderson- YNC’s intern
I joined the YNC through
UBC’s Arts Internship Program. My very first day on
the job I was interviewed
by high school students
for a project they were
working on about Nature
Deficiency Disorder! Not
exactly the typical first day,
that’s for sure. But that’s
one of the reasons I love
working here, every day is
a new and interesting challenge. In the next few months I’ve
got lots of exciting projects I’ll be working on, everything from
outreach events and social media development to grant writing
and graphic design. I am learning so much about all of the ins
and outs of non-profit organizations and getting a real sense of
the industry and all of the passionate people who work within
it.
I decided to volunteer with the YNC as a result of a life-changing experience. Last year I accomplished one of my big bucket
list goals, to go on exchange in Australia and while there I spent
more time outdoors than I have in quite a while. I was exposed
to the Twelve Apostles coastal rock formations, incredible coral
reefs teeming with life, as well as the awe-inspiring glory of the
Blue Mountains. I also took a course at the University of Syd-
14
BCnature Spring 2014
Photo: C. Berg
Christmas Bird Count for Kids - 2013
ney called Learning in Outdoor Education. Not only did we
learn about the native flora and fauna, but we were taught
that the process of learning in the outdoors is not only more
effective academically, but it establishes positive and longlasting relationships with the other team members as well
as the with the environment itself. I was inspired to find
ways to share this experience with others.
I am currently completing my final semester for a bachelor
of Arts at UBC.
Christmas Bird Count for Kids
This year in collaboration with Bird Studies Canada, YNC
clubs and members took part in the Christmas Bird Count
for Kids in several locations around the province. Comox,
Eastern Fraser Valley, Kamloops and Vancouver Clubs all
participated in the CBC4Kids and then submitted counts
to ebird. In their second annual CBC4Kids, 18 participants
from the Eastern Fraser Valley YNC traveled the Great Blue
Heron Nature Reserve, spotting 29 species including Brown
Creepers, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, a Great Horned Owl, and
of course Great Blue Herons.
We had our largest ever turnout for the Stanley Park
CBC4Kids. Thirteen families and over 30 participants (kids
plus parents) attended the event. The grand total for CBC4Kids in Stanley Park was 1957 birds and 50 species! Highlights
included 295 American Wigeon, 93 Surf Scoter, 76 Common
Goldeneye, seven Bald Eagles, a partially albino Fox Sparrow
and a rare Black-and-White Warbler found near the Stanley
Park pavilion. Program feedback was strong with 100% of
the respondents to the feedback survey indicating the event
encouraged them to continue birding on their own. “I do
believe that [this program] has gone a long way to encouraging our grandson, age nine, to be interested in birding”
wrote a CBC4Kids Vancouver Participant
We anticipate that many of our eager young birders will
also participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count in February. The next NatureWILD Magazine will be an all-bird issue,
just in time for Vancouver’s Bird Week and a great on-going
resource for our many bird-focused activities.
YNC has a new phone number! Please update your
contact information to 604-985-3059 
Contact Information - Young Naturalists’ Club of BC
Ian McKeachie, President [email protected]
Kristine Webber, Exec. Director - [email protected]
Tammy Keetch, Clubs Coordinator - [email protected]
Fish farm expansion, what it means to us
By Alexandra Morton
t the end of 2013, Stephen Harper quietly gave salmon farmers the green light to expand in British Columbia. He ignored the recommendations of his $26 million Cohen Commission into the loss of Canada’s biggest
wild salmon stock and widespread public rejection of the
industry. In January 2014, Marine Harvest, the biggest
salmon farming company in BC and the world, was listed
on the New York Stock Exchange, seeking American investors so that they may grow faster. If they succeed, it is the
end of the prolific wild salmon runs in British Columbia,
Canada.
In 1984, I settled in a remote archipelago on the BC
coast to spend my life studying whales. When the first
salmon farm moved into my community of Echo Bay, we
all thought it would be good for us. We were so wrong.
Today in Echo Bay there are 27 Norwegian salmon feedlots; in comparison, our school is closed with only eight
people left in my town, the resident whales have all left.
I am not an environmentalist – I am trying to protect my
home. After decades, I realize whether this coast lives or
dies hinges on whether people continue paying money to
eat farmed salmon.
Wild salmon feed in every ecosystem they pass through.
Salmon farms break the natural laws. Wild salmon counts
decline everywhere there are salmon farms (Ford and
Myers 2008).
Salmon farms are floating structures with huge box or
cylindrical-shaped nets hanging down into the ocean,
anchored to the sea floor. Ocean currents sweep through
providing oxygen and a free waste flush. Any farmers
dream, no shovelling of manure. Billions of wild fish
ground into pellets pass through farmed salmon and then
smother the sea floor below. These farms tend to rob one
ocean, to pollute another and end up with less food. It
makes no sense.
Viruses that enter salmon farms can become dangerous.
Salmon in farms are forced to swim in circles. Viruses
spread easily from fish-to-fish. Without predators, sick
farmed salmon die slowly, shedding viruses that pour out
into the ocean.
Norwegian companies own 98% of the BC salmon farming industry and they brought 30 million Atlantic salmon
eggs into BC. Canada never asked for any guarantee that
these eggs were not infected with the ISA virus, even as
it raged through Chile causing $2 billion in damages. ISA
A
Photo: Tavish Campbell
Fish farm pens lit up at night
BCnature Spring 2014
Farm fish being loaded up for processing
virus is a member of the influenza family, whose outbreak was
traced back to a hatchery in Norway.
As the biologist on-scene, I began publishing the changes to
my world in scientific journals, on annual sea louse epidemics,
escapement of Atlantic salmon and displaced whales. On-going
massive herring by-catch, anoxic sea floors, algae blooms flashing “OVERLOAD” in red and orange, and drowned marine mammals. Even the local bacteria has changed.
Today, I am a virus tracker. Working with top viral fish labs, I am
studying the three most lethal European salmon virus known. In
July 2013, we published in Virology Journal that the piscine reovirus, infecting most of the BC farmed salmon bought in supermarkets, appears to have come from Norway in 2007. The Canadian government refuses to acknowledge the threat this heart
virus represents to BC wild salmon. The federal licence to farm
salmon leaves it up to the companies to decide whether or not to
use infected salmon in their farms. I have learned viruses inspire
extreme politics, because they can close borders to trade.
In June 2013, a Norwegian pediatrician risked her career to
warn women that toxin levels in farmed salmon are so high that
eating it is a risk to babies. It’s the combination of concentrated
fish oils, pesticides and the high fat levels in farmed salmon that
bind to toxins. In April 2013, Norway lobbied the European Union
to increase the allowable Endosulfan content in farmed salmon
feed by ten times even though the 2010 Stockholm Conventional
recommended a global ban on this dangerous chemical. Some
countries are ignoring the ban. Apparently their grain is cheaper.
Running out of wild fish to grind up, grain is an increasing ingredient in farmed salmon feed.
Farmed salmon can’t feed the world, they use at least as much
fish as they make. Their flesh only looks like salmon, because it
is coloured and the toxins are a health concern.
I have a better idea. Put aquaculture on land, use the waste to
grow additional crops. Form the Department of Wild Salmon and
manage wild salmon ourselves.
Today, the people in charge of wild salmon are the same guys
that took the North Atlantic cod into commercial extinction. If
salmon farms expand in BC we will lose wild salmon. 
Alexandra Morton is an independent biologist who was studying killer whales in a remote archipelago on the coast of British
Columbia when the salmon farming industry moved in. As the
only person with a word processor Morton began writing letters
to advise government that there were critical problems with
placement of the farms. This led to a life-long fight to protect
wild salmon and all that depend on them from salmon farms.
AlexandraMorton.ca – coming soon
15
The Alien Species Invasion
By Anne Murray
sian carp invading the Great Lakes, lethal reptiles lurking in
B.C., a Snakehead fish on the loose in Burnaby: recent headlines have been pretty sensational when it comes to wildlife. Yet
it is the less spectacular animal escapees that have the largest impact on our local habitats. Non-indigenous molluscs, fish, frogs,
turtles, rabbits, and squirrels have all been released into the environment. Despite the problems caused by such animals, public
and government responses have been patchy. People need to be
more aware of the cost to our local wildlife of these strangers in
our midst, if we are to retain any semblance of specialized West
Coast habitats for the future
While some animals escape by accident, many more have
been deliberately released into the wild, whether for commercial interest, sport, or to get rid of an unwanted pet. Problems
with aquatic animals arise because the Lower Mainland is a vast,
inter-connected wetland, so fish, frogs, and turtles can move very
easily throughout the whole area. American bullfrogs were introduced throughout BC as live food items and then escaped. They
are much larger than native frogs, which they out-compete. They
will even eat ducklings. Non-native fish are regularly and illegally
introduced into B.C. waters. For example, Largemouth Bass and
Crappie deliberately released into lakes for sport fishing opportunities made their way to more remote watersheds, home to
endangered and specialized native species. Pacific oysters were
introduced into Boundary Bay by commercial growers in the early
1900s. They soon proliferated and out-competed the native oyster. In the course of industry operations, a host of oyster pests
and other non-indigenous shellfish were also introduced. The
combined effect that these snails, clams, and oysters have had on
the ecology of the mudflats and migratory birds has never been
studied. In more recent times, other shellfish have arrived in ballast water or on the hulls of ships, and non-native fish and shellfish
are regularly grown in aquaculture operations along the coast.
Bought on a whim, many animals that start out as small pets, such
as turtles, fish, snakes, rabbits, and even cats, end up relocated to
“the wild” as owners get bored with looking after them. Lower
Mainland parks and green spaces are not really wild, so they lack
predators. Tolerant of local climate conditions, introduced animals
may survive and breed, becoming invasive species. They then start
spreading further afield. Eastern grey squirrels originally released
in Stanley Park eventually made the transition to the suburbs and
within a few years had covered the Lower Mainland. Feral cats
suffer from poor health; if they survive, they will kill many native
birds and small mammals.
Baby Red-eared Sliders look like a reasonable pet, as they are
small and cheap. However, the average life span of a turtle is 20
to 30 years, during which time they need care, food, and housing. Some owners get bored or are unable to look after their pet.
Unfortunately, instead of returning the turtle to a pet store, they
release it into the nearest pond. This is a very bad idea. Red-eared
sliders consume ducklings, insects, larvae, and tadpoles that are
part of the ecological food chain. Surrey has banned their sale, due
to concerns around salmonella poisoning, but in places like False
Creek, people actively feed them, which allows them to breed.
Introduced fish are a huge issue for the Lower Mainland and one
that provokes quite divided opinions. There seems to be a curiously laissez faire attitude among regulators to Largemouth Bass,
a species that is hugely popular with sport fishers, while the discovery of one Snakehead Fish in Burnaby Lake created an uproar.
Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Goldfish, Pumpkinseeds, Bluegills, and
other Sunfish, are all introduced species that are now found in
rivers, tributaries, and lakes from the mouth of the Fraser to Chilliwack. While some spread is the natural consequence of wetland
A
16
BCnature Spring 2014
connections, they are also notoriously and illegally helped
along by a few anglers (the so-called “bucket brigade”).
Largemouth Bass are carnivorous and, despite beliefs to
the contrary, are known to consume Salmonids. Crowded
together in lakes, where many anglers gather, bass subsist
on insects, which maybe gives rise to the misconception.
Over the years, the composition of fish in the lower
Fraser valley has changed enormously. There must be an
impact on native fish, but it has not been comprehensively
assessed. Other than recognizing that fish farms can introduce diseases, the Cohen Commission inquiry did not look
at other introduced fish as a factor in the decline of salmon
stocks, although so many compete for food in the same
areas as young salmonid fry are rearing.
Snakehead Fish are valued by Asian owners who grow
them to large, valuable specimens. They are also one of
many Eurasian fish sold in Asian food stores, often as live
fish, for customers and restaurants. A Snakehead that had
been released or escaped was spotted at Burnaby Park
in 2012 and DFO staff drained the lake to capture it. It
took 300 hours of staff time and attracted a lot of media
attention, particularly as the fish looked so ferocious. It
was originally believed to be a northern Snakehead, a species that would have had a good chance of surviving a B.C.
winter, but subsequent study determined it to be likely a
blotched Snakehead.
As a result of the Snakehead scare, the provincial Wildlife
Act’s Controlled Alien Species Regulation was amended to
prevent the possession, release or escape of “aquatic invasives”. This included any species of the Snakehead, Carp,
Goby, and Bullhead families, or of any Mussels. This added
to the original regulation of 2009 that made it illegal for
individual owners to acquire any listed alien animal that
constitutes a threat to human health or safety, or to the
environment, including tigers, alligators, boa constrictors,
and about 1,200 other exotic animals.
Vigilance is a good deterrent to illegality, but there is
probably little funding for enforcement. Many more proactive inspections are required, at live fish markets and
retailers, points of entry, and in pet stores. One pet store
employee I spoke with said he had only seen one Ministry of Environment inspector and never anyone from DFO,
and he felt there was a need to be much more visible in
enforcing the regulations.
Fewer Red-eared Slider turtles are being sold but other
rarer species are sought after by collectors. It is illegal
to bring Fly River turtles from Indonesia and Papua New
Guinea, where wild populations are declining drastically.
Yet every one of these turtles in Canada must have been
Con't Page 17
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You may book any one tour or a combination of two or more.
Group size limited to 12 participants per section.
Details: www.peakadventures.ca
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604 526 9091
The Alien Species Invasion Con't
smuggled in, either as an egg or a hatchling. According to BC
Aquaria there are no licensed breeders and they do not breed
well in captivity. Customs officials are probably not trained on
turtle identification, and may not know much about the pet
industry.
Non-native turtles and bullfrogs out-eating native critters,
once wild rivers full of alien fish, and hordes of pet rabbits
running around parks: the problem of introduced animals is
huge. It seems almost impossible to stem the tide and move
back in time. Only much greater education, awareness-building, and a comprehensive approach across all levels of society
could have any effect on curbing the numbers. Unfortunately,
many people do not understand why releasing fish or pets is
detrimental and continue to do it.
Western painted turtles are at the northern limit of their
range in B.C., and the only native pond turtle still living in the
Lower Mainland. Much of their habitat is occupied by Redeared Sliders and to the non-discerning eye they look very
similar. Life is tough for native animals where urbanization
has changed so much of the natural habitat. Competition with
introduced species is yet one more challenge for them. Yet
a small population of painted turtles was living in Burnaby,
quietly hibernating in the lake mud through the winter. Then
a coal train spilled its load on a nearby rail line. A rain storm
washed piles of coal into the lake and turtle habitat was
smothered. Divers were at the scene assessing the damage.
Life is perilous when you are on the brink of survival. 
Anne Murray is an independent writer, naturalist, and author
of two books on the natural history of Boundary Bay—A Nature Guide to Boundary Bay and Tracing Our Past: A Heritage Guide to Boundary Bay (Nature Guides B.C.). She also
volunteers with a number of naturalist and community organizations. Her blog is www.natureguidesbc.wordpress.com.
BCnature Spring 2014
17
Bringing Back the Sharpie
The future of this once-familiar bird is still
uncertain in the East Kootenay
By Shannon West, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation
or an animal whose survival depends on being inconspicuous, the
Sharp-tailed Grouse has developed quite a following. That’s because once a year, the males of this cryptically coloured species gather
together for a dramatic display of dueling and dancing. If you've never
seen these birds in action, it’s worth a look. Though an increasingly
rare sight in the wild, a quick Google search will turn up multiple clips
of Sharp-tails stomping, vibrating, clucking and chirping at each other,
all part of a dance of dominance designed to capture the attention of
Sharp-tailed hens. Starting at dawn, the males gather to establish territories on the dancing grounds, known as leks. Birds return to these
sites year after year to perform their animated mating ritual, which
provides an excellent opportunity for researchers to do bird counts.
When it was first described by Lewis and Clark in the early 1800s, the
Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse was considered to be the most prolific
game bird in the Northwest. Historically, the Columbian subspecies
of Sharp-tail was found across nine of the Western United States and
British Columbia, but changes to its habitat have reduced it to a fraction of its historic range. While the forest ecotype occupying the north
of the province has held its own, the grassland Sharp-tails remain in
serious jeopardy. The birds have been extirpated from the Okanagan
and are virtually extinct in the East Kootenay.
The story of their decline is a familiar one. Sharp-tails became
less prolific as the open grasslands they depended on disappeared
through development, over-grazing, conversion of range to crops, and
the encroachment of forests that would have previously been suppressed by fire. In recent years, there has been increased recognition
of the importance of protecting what remains of these rare grassland
ecosystems, and restoration techniques such as prescribed burning
have been used to reduce ingrowth and return them to their natural
state. The establishment of protected areas combined with habitat
improvements have made conservationists hopeful that extirpated
grassland animals such as the Sharp-tail might be returned to their
historic ranges. One of these people is East Kootenay biologist Penny
Ohanjanian.
Like many, Ohanjanian became captivated by the small grouse species after witnessing its memorable mating ritual. In 1990, the Habitat
Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) funded her inventory of Sharptailed Grouse on selected grasslands in the East Kootenay, where the
bird had once been a common sight. Ohanjanian’s field surveys only
turned up two individuals. She repeated the inventory in 2005, and
this time failed to locate a single Sharp-tail. The bird that had once
been an integral part of the East Kootenay landscape seemed little
more than a memory, but Ohanjanian was hopeful that they could
be returned. She sought out the advice of her colleagues both in B.C.
and the United States, where Sharp-tail reintroduction programs had
been going on for more than 10 years. Rather than reinvent the wheel,
Ohanjanian wanted to learn from their experiences in terms of what
factors made for a successful reintroduction and the pitfalls of programs that had failed.
Ohanjanian found her experience in the United States to be hugely
informative. “I learned so much: from the little things, like they’ve
found the best way of transporting birds for relocation is using a liquor
box, to big things, like what habitat factors are crucial for a successful
reintroduction.”
Armed with information, Ohanjanian set out to do a feasibility study
of two highly-ranked potential reintroduction sites in the East Kootenay. HCTF provided Ohanjanian with a grant to evaluate if the Wycliffe
conservation lands (previously secured with Foundation funding) and
a reclaimed tract owned by resource company, Teck, could successfully support a reintroduced Sharp-tailed grouse population. Ohanjanian’s study included a thorough evaluation of site vegetation to see
F
18 BCnature Spring 2014
Sharp-tailed Grouse perform elaborate courtship
dances. To see video footage of the birds in action,
visit www.hctf.ca
if it could provide suitable winter cover, nesting and
brood rearing habitat for the birds.
At first, things looked promising. Range conditions had actually improved over the last 30 years,
and there seemed to be adequate summer and fall
vegetation for brood rearing. But when Ohanjanian returned to the sites in the spring, she found
a crucial component of Sharp-tail habitat was missing: residual nesting cover. Before the new season’s
growth is established, Sharp-tails rely on small
shrubs and dried bunches of grass such as fescue to
provide cover and structure for their nests. Unfortunately, this particular grass species also happens to
be a favourite food source for elk in the winter, and
they had removed a significant portion in the area.
“It’s one of those unfortunate circumstances
where two species are (incompatibly) using the
same element of the habitat,” says Ohanjanian. Historically, there may not have been a conflict, as elk
distribution patterns are believed to have changed.
After sharing the photos of the spring range conditions with Sharp-tail experts, the group came to the
disappointing conclusion that the reintroduction
should not go ahead. “We thought, "if we try it and
it flops, it’s unlikely we’ll get funding to try it again,”
says Ohanjanian. “It's not necessarily impossible,
just not for the immediate future. It might work, but
the difficulties inherent with any transplant means
you really want to have your ducks in a row before
you go ahead. We really want to dot our i's and cross
our t's with this one.”
Perhaps the impetus for returning these birds goes
beyond biological reasons and to the heart of our
own engagement with a place and the species that
formed part of that experience, the human connection that motivates us towards conservation. “These
lands at Wycliffe were acquired to preserve what
was historically there - the ecosystem in its originality - and the Sharp- tailed grouse was definitely a
part of that.” Hopefully the birds will one day return
to Wycliffe as more than just a memory. 
The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation invests
surcharge money from angling and hunting licences
into projects that maintain and enhance BC’s fish
and wildlife populations and habitats. For more information about the Foundation and its programs,
visit www.hctf.ca
Off-Road Vehicle Legislation Introduced By Joan Best and Bev Ramey
I
t is with great pleasure that we announce some longawaited news, WONDERFUL news!
On February 24, Minister Steve Thomson introduced
Bill 13 to the Legislative Assembly, to provide improved
management for all Off Road Vehicles (including Snowmobiles, Quads, All-Terrain Vehicles, and Motorized Trail
Bikes) . The legislation will mandate the one-time registration through ICBC of all Off Road Vehicles driven off
road on public lands, with the display of a clearly visible
number plate.
However, we're not there yet! Before a bill becomes law
it must go through three readings so it is vitally important
that our members contact your respective MLAs to support the Bill, regardless of their party affiliation.
BCnature Spring 2014
Improved management of ORVs has been discussed over the
past four years by the government-led Off Road Vehicle Joint
Advisory Group, in which BC Nature participates. The legislation
will enable more management-specific regulations to be introduced, beginning within the year. This great news has been a
long time coming. Many naturalists will remember as far back
as the 1970s, that the Federation of B.C. Naturalists has been
asking successive governments to bring in this legislation. Our
efforts, and those of many others, have finally been acknowledged. 
More information on the government website at: http://www.
newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2014/02/orv-legislation-will-keep-bcsbackcountry-safe.htmlles
19
The Lungwort Lichens
By Terry Taylor
ungworts are large lichens with a surface covered by ridges and bowlshaped depressions. They grow on trees and are only numerous in
areas with clean air. Along the coast in sites with old trees they can be
quite numerous and branches fallen from the canopy look as if they are
covered with strange pitted leaves. As their large thalli are only loosely
attached to the branches, windstorms can bring them down quite regularly. In such locations these lichens are more than curiosities. They are
the fertilizer factories of the forest.
The substance Lungworts give to the soil is nitrogen. Nitrogen is often
the limiting nutrient in land ecosystems. It is an essential component in
the proteins of all organisms, and is the element that makes up most of
the air we breathe. However, nitrogen molecules are very stable, and
almost inert. It takes a great deal of energy to pry them apart so that they
can be combined with other elements and used by living organisms. The
only life forms that have developed the biochemistry to do this are a few
groups of bacteria. All the larger organisms owe their existence to these
bacteria. The reason why we grow legumes to enrich soil is due to the
fact that legume roots contain nitrogen fixing bacteria that extract nitrogen from the atmosphere. When their plant hosts die these nitrogenous
compounds are released into the soil.
Lichens differ from most of the other organisms with which we are
familiar as they are actually two or three separate organisms so closely
intermeshed that they form a composite life form that functions as a single organism. Most lichens are a cooperative venture by two kingdoms - a
fungus and a plant. The plant is usually a green alga that produces sugars
to feed the fungus. The Lungworts are composed of three kingdoms fungi, plants, and bacteria. The bacteria are blue-green bacteria, one of
the groups that fixes nitrogen. Nitrogen-fixation is the process of splitting nitrogen molecules apart and combining the two atoms within each
molecule with hydrogen, to make fertilizer. This fixed nitrogen builds the
proteins of the lichen while the lichen is alive, but some of the nitrogen
leaches out of it, and the rest of it goes into the soil once the lichen falls
from the tree.
The common Lungwort (L. pulmonaria) most often grows in the canopies of old Broadleaf Maple trees. It is most common on the maples of
the east coast of Vancouver Island. If you are walking in such a site after
a winter storm you may be fortunate enough to find great piles of their
leaf-like thalli covering the forest floor. A disaster for the fallen Lungwort,
but a banquet for the plants growing here.
L
Photo: R.Taylor
Lobaria pulmonaria
Another Lungwort is the Oregon Lungwort
(L. oregana). Its preferred habitat is the canopies of old-growth Douglas firs. It is very similar to the previous species, but has a slightly
different colour, and the edge of the lichen is
minutely frilly. In its coniferous forest habitat
its fertilizer contributions are probably even
more important than those of the previously
described Lungwort. Coniferous forest soils are
more acidic and nutrient-poor than those of
deciduous forest stands. Veteran Douglas firs
can live for a thousand years, and in some old
forests such as in the Elaho Valley the ground is
covered with Oregon Lungwort fragments. The
lichens in such areas have been raining down
onto the ground for century after century, and
are probably the main nitrogen reservoir for
these old trees and their associated ecosystem. 
Nechako White Sturgeon Conservation Centre
By June Wood
The Nechako White Sturgeon Conservation Centre,
owned and operated by the Freshwater Fisheries
Society of BC, has, after many years of hard work
and collaboration led by the Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative (NWSRI), finally become
a reality. The first brood program will be carried
out late this spring and it is anticipated that up
to 12,000 juveniles will be released each year.
Whether the first juveniles will be released this fall
or held over until the spring of 2015, when they
stand a better chance of survival, is still in question.
While the hatchery is a great achievement for the
NWSRI, and absolutely necessary to prevent the
Nechako white sturgeon from slipping into extincPhoto: J. Wood
tion, it is recognized that the facility is not a permanent solution for this ancient fish’s recovery — but it
Nechako White Sturgeon Conservation Centre
will buy time for the continued research and monitoring that will hopefully lead to a self-sustaining population. One prong of the NWSRI, a hatchery, has been achieved but the
second prong, the health of the Nechako River, is still waiting. 
20
BCnature Spring 2014
Sea Star Catastrophe
By Andy Lamb
T
he marine environment of the Pacific coast is one of the planet’s epicentres for Sea Stars. This coastline, from California to
Alaska, has the greatest number and diversity of temperate water
species as well as the greatest total mass of Sea Stars. The number
of species, depending upon where exactly the geographic “line” is
drawn, is in the neighbourhood of 100. Several of these are also
amongst the largest and fastest-moving in the world.
Including even the youngest children, most divers and ocean-oriented folk who travel to the west coast are familiar with Sea Stars.
On any given low tide, at least six Sea Star species are exposed
in abundance along these shores for kayakers, beachcombers and
others to encounter easily. On the most extreme spring low-water
events, an additional four or five are occasionally exposed to view.
For the recreational SCUBA fraternity, at least 20 different Sea Stars
inhabit readily accessible depths where paths may cross.
Biologically, the iconic Sea Stars are amazing life forms that possess anatomical features and behaviours that are most unique.
Rather than attempt to provide details here, I will simply refer the
reader to two excellent publications by two outstanding local Sea
Star authorities: Sea Stars of British Columbia, Southeast Alaska
and Puget Sound, by Philip Lambert, 2000, Royal BC Museum
Handbook, UBC Press, 186 pp., and A Field Guide to Sea Stars of
the Pacific Northwest, by Neil McDaniel.
Suddenly, late this past summer the recreational dive community
began noticing an alarming mass mortality of Sea Stars in Howe
Sound, the fjord adjacent to Vancouver. Nearby Indian Arm was
also hit hard. The catastrophic event initially seemed to target two
large and obvious species, the Giant Pink Star Pisaster brevispinus
and the Sunflower Star Pycnopodia helianthoides. Later reports
and photography have documented two other species, the Mottled Star Evasterias troschelii and the Morning Sun Star Solaster
dawsoni as being involved as well. Affected specimens simply
seemed to disintegrate totally after severe internal disruption. This
phenomenon is being referred to as “Sea Star wasting disease.”
More and more such observations from concerned divers were
reported electronically, resulting in considerable on-line conversation. Eventually, the media became aware of the situation and
organizations such as the Vancouver Aquarium, The University
of B.C. (UBC) and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
became involved trying to address the growing concern. What is
happening? What is the cause?
As of this writing, the centre of this catastrophe continues to be
Howe Sound. However, divers have apparently found more affected
Sea Stars in Indian Arm, along the Sunshine Coast, off Victoria, in
Sechelt Inlet, and off Saturna and Savary Islands.
As of the first week of November, Seattle Aquarium
divers have found a similar outbreak in their area. This
was the first report of “Sea Star wasting disease” in
Puget Sound and Washington State. A return to the
site is planned to collect samples for scientists at Cornell University, New York to investigate. Even more
recently, observant divers found/photographed an
afflicted specimen at Day Island, near Tacoma, further
south in Puget Sound.
During the second week of November, Peter Luckham
(49th Parallel Dive Charters) and I found many affected
specimens on a shallow reef next to the Boeing 737
artificial reef, near Chemainus, Vancouver Island and
our Thetis Island home base.
Some initial samples sent to DFO and UBC have not
isolated a specific causative agent for this Sea Star dieoff. More samples are being collected and additional
tests conducted. A definitive answer will eventually
arrive -- hopefully.
As distressing as this event is for those of us in the
Pacific Northwest, similar events have occurred elsewhere over the last 30 years. Sea Stars have perished
in alarming numbers in Mexico, California and other
localities. In some cases, the particular causes still
remain a mystery.
As noted above, amateur and professional SCUBA
divers – our “connection to the underwater world”
have become very involved as citizen scientists. However, as mentioned already, several of the particularly vulnerable Sea Stars are intertidal. This situation
provides beachcombers, kayakers and other surfacebased naturalists an opportunity to help. The Vancouver Aquarium has established a link to their website
at www.vanaqua.org/act/research/sea-stars. For a
Californian perspective, try www.eeb.ucsc.edu/pacificrockyintertidal/data-products/sea-star wasting/.
Having reached this point in your reading, you know
how fast moving and dynamic this sad story is. For a terrific summary and up-to-the moment developments,
check out Jackie Hildering’s excellent blog “The Marine
Detective” and the Sea Star wasting syndrome.
Andy Lamb has been a SCUBA diver of 46 years
with 3,237 dives and counting, Andy did two tours of
duty with the Vancouver Aquarium that sandwiched
one with Fisheries and Oceans. Currently living at
his wife's B&B on Thetis Island, he is co-author of
Coastal Fishes of the Pacific Northwest and Marine
Life of the Pacific Northwest.
BCnature Spring 2014
21
Mountain Caribou Revisited
By Joan Snyder
Photo: G. Beaudry
I
A rare sighting of the Mountain Caribou
n this article I first discuss and hope to clarify the oftenasked questions about what and where the mountain caribou are and what their present provincial and federal statuses are. Secondly, I provide an update of what actions and
reports are currently in progress, provincially and federally,
along with some comments and recommendations.
The southern mountain caribou (COSEWIC designation) is
a geographically distinct southern mountain population of
woodland caribou. The Species at Risk Act (SARA) designation of its status is "threatened" while it enjoys ’red listed’
status provincially. There are three mountain caribou groups
within the southern mountain caribou population: the Northern Mountain, Central Mountain and Southern Mountain
Groups. They occur in the southern two-thirds of B.C., in part
of west-Central Alberta and one small herd that ranges into
northern Idaho and Washington. The Northern and Central
Mountain Groups are considered northern mountain ecotypes that occur where winter snow cover is shallow. They
feed primarily on terrestrial lichen in the winter. The Southern
Mountain Group or ecotype occurs in southeastern BC where
the winter snow is deep and it feeds primarily on arboreal
lichens. At present most of the subpopulations of southern
mountain caribou are experiencing a decline in numbers with
the Southern Group most endangered.
In 2002, the Mountain Caribou Technical Advisory Committee Recovery Team prepared and published version 1
of "Strategy for the Recovery of Mountain Caribou in BC."
Since then the Mountain Caribou Project has been, and continues to be, an active participant and watchdog during the
development of the various initiatives and mountain caribou
recovery actions. On October 16, 2007 the BC government
announced the Mountain Caribou Recovery Implementation
Plan (MCRIP). The Science Team (MCST) composed of knowledgeable caribou biologists provided the technical advice and
analysis for the recovery plan. The recovery plan was implemented with a number of recommendations and recovery
actions. This plan has been the foundation document for the
recovery. One of the most important actions resulting from
the plan was the establishment of 2.2 million ha of protected
mountain caribou critical habitat.
Since the October 2007 MCRIP announcement there have
been a number of committees established that included government biologists, stakeholders and often local government
officials. Action plans for specific herds and local areas were
circulated as follow-ups to the implementation of the MCRIP.
22
BCnature Spring 2014
In March of 2013 the Board of the provincial Mountain
Caribou Recovery Implementation Plan published their
report on activities. There is progress in seven Recovery
Actions with recommendations. These are:
1. 2.2 million ha of mountain caribou habitat protected
from logging and road building;
2. Management of human recreational activities through
interaction with snowmobile clubs, heli-skiinig operations, and other groups;
3. Predator population management with monitoring,
trapping and hunting regulation changes and sterilization of alpha wolves;
4. Management of primary prey of caribou predators i.e.
moose removal from caribou habitats;
5. Boosting of caribou numbers in threatened herds
(transplants, development of maternal penning and
plans to develop a captive breeding strategy);
6. Support for adaptive management and research and
implement effective monitoring plans, and;
7. Cross-sector progress board established to monitor
the effectiveness of recovery actions;
In February 2014 Environment Canada, as part of the
Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series, published a
68-page [Proposed] Recovery Strategy for the Woodland
Caribou, Southern Mountain population (Rangifer tarandus) in Canada. This very good and comprehensive report is
a review of the history of the state of the mountain caribou
and provides a good overview of the processes essential to
mountain caribou recovery.
The plan states that the recovery strategy will be followed
by action plans. The often-used term in the report, “to the
extent possible” emphasizes the serious restrictions to the
proposals of the action plan. The preface also states that,
“Implementation of this strategy is subject to appropriations, priorities, and budgetary constraints of the participating jurisdiction and organizations.”
Greg Utzig, a member of the Science Team, comments
that these statements, “make the outcome highly uncertain. Without a commitment to implement the strategy, this
document may become another in the tall stack of reports
with good recommendations that do little to curb habitat
destruction and ineffective management.” Other weak
points in the strategy stressed by Utzig:
• Failure to adequately address the unique requirements of the Southern Group of the southern mountain caribou where heavy snow and steep slopes
occur.;
• Lack of emphasis on low-elevation Cedar-Hemlock
stands in the southern group should be considered as
high priority critical habitat.;
• It is unclear how the recommended 65% minimum undisturbed habitat could actually be implemented, and;
• There should be more emphasis on climate change
impacts over the next ten years, particularly increases
in fire and extreme events such as snow depth and
increases in avalanches.
In summary, the data show that most of the subpopulations of the Southern Mountain Caribou have been experiencing long-term decline in population numbers, which
suggests that this decline will continue into the future.
Despite the best efforts of scientists, MCP and stakeholders, current provincial actions are not working and if
adequately funded actions are not adopted very soon, the
mountain caribou, especially the southern group, will be
Con't Page 26
BC Nature’s Historical Files:
By Bev Ramey
C Nature’s historical records are now organized and securely stored at the University of Victoria Library Archives.
Organizing the historical records proved to be a huge task.
Why, you might ask? The task was complex due to the varied
filing methods of previous office staff over four decades, plus
the several storage locations over at least four office moves.
On top of this, several past presidents kept their own Federation records at home and after stepping down, donated
these to the office. This resulted in two, three or even four
copies of some items, often kept in differently labeled files, in
different storage boxes, and even at different locations. The
challenge was to sort, reduce the materials to one clean copy
of each record and remove all the staples.
How long did this organization take? When BC Nature
moved office in March 2007 to the Heritage Centre at the
base of Mt Seymour the disorganized storage of our files
became all too evident. Finally, after six years of intermittent
volunteer effort and help from summer students, the task
is finished! Bev Ramey and Penney Edwards delivered nine
boxes of records to the University of Victoria Library Archives
in November 2013. These documents cover the years from
the 1960s up to 2010. Since then, the documents are kept
electronically, posted on the BC Nature website, with backup
on a separate hard drive.
UVIC was chosen as the repository because it already holds
the records from other environmental organizations. There
is value for researchers to have such records all in one location, plus the Provincial Archives are located in Victoria, again
helpful for a researcher.
Minutes, Executive, Regional and General Meetings
The volume of minutes peaked during the late 1980s,
through to the early 2000s, as this was the era when Regional
Directors’ meetings were held at least three times a year in
various locations, minutes were prepared and circulated and
the Federation executive provided a portion of the agenda
to Regional Directors meetings. Copying of materials had
become easier, since the methods in the 1970s of mimeograph duplications or transparent copy paper. In the past
few years, records from such meetings have been largely
replaced by email communication and Skype phone calls,
with electronic copies filed. Workshops and roundtables in
the 1980s and 1990s also involved extensive paper records,
covering organization and proceedings. Such workshops are
now rarely organized as separate events, but instead, the
conference portion of the AGMs and FGMs focusses on educational themes through speakers and field trips, organized
by the host club.
The outstanding impression from the files of minutes is
the democratic process of our organization over the years,
through two-way communication with clubs and regional
directors. Only one major controversy stands out, the raising of fees in 1997. This was controversial because one of
the larger clubs threatened to withdraw over the proposed
$2 fee increase, questioning what the federation did for
it. In the end the fee increase was approved and no clubs
withdrew. Interestingly, in 2008 another $2 membership fee
increase was approved by Directors with no opposition and
strong support voiced for the Federation. Naturalists have
come to appreciate the value of coming together as a provincial organization to share nature knowledge and provide
a strong voice for conservation.
The archival record includes minutes of the formation of
the BC Nature Council in the early 1960s, meetings, discussion and the decision of the federated clubs to form a soci-
Reflections on Archival Record
B
BCnature Spring 2014
Photo: B. Ramey
Over 50 years of records fit nicely in 9 boxes for transportation to UVIC.
ety, the Federation of British Columbia Naturalists, in April
30, 1969, with nine founding clubs. It is wonderful to see the
growth in membership and increase in number of clubs over
the decades.
Conservation Activities
Possibly of more interest than the minutes are the five
boxes of conservation activity records, activities of the Federation from 1963 to 2010. Most letters, briefs, and replies
were scanned by the summer students and uploaded to the
BC Nature website. Members can view by logging in to www.
bcnature.ca, Archival Materials.
Conservation has always been at the core of the Federation,
the “Keep it Worth Knowing” portion of BC Nature’s motto.
Reviewing conservation activities over the decades, it is sad
to report that there has been a significant decrease in the
past few years in the replies received from government. Even
though BC Nature still sends letters to government on issues
and these letters do request a response, the responses are
often not forthcoming from the federal and provincial governments. On a positive note, many local clubs have established
excellent communication with their local and regional governments, resulting in good working partnerships to better
manage local natural areas.
The 1970s and 1980s were wonderful years in terms of communication with senior levels of government on conservation
matters through letters, briefs, replies received, meetings
attended, liaison and public committees established and the
respect and many courtesies provided by the staff of federal
and provincial governments. The 1990s were the heyday of
park creation, with extensive public involvement in land use
planning, based on a consensus approach. Provincial parkland area doubled in size during that decade from 5.7% of
the province in 1990 to about 12% by the year 2000 (now
up to 15%). Unfortunately, those three great decades were
followed in the late 1990s and 2000s by budget and staff cutbacks. BC Nature led a campaign by a large coalition of environmental groups, the HELP MELP campaign (1998 to 2001)
to restore funding to provincial environmental management,
to parks operations, to park interpretation and to forestry
research. Unfortunately those efforts did not succeed in the
long term. Recently even deeper cuts have been made at
the federal level, especially to long-term scientific biological
research and record keeping.
Another realization from the historical perspective of the
conservation files is that even when battles have been won,
Con't Page 24
23
y
mbia
sity
r
BC Nature Archives Con't
moratoria established and parks created and celebrated, several of these very same issues rear up again in future years.
Examples include: park boundary adjustments, proposals for
inappropriate recreation activities or facilities such as new
fixed roof accommodation in provincial parks, dam proposals,
weakening of regulations and the lifting of moratoriums which
had been understood to carry on indefinitely. Truly, environmental organizations must always maintain vigilance in order
to protect a natural area in perpetuity.
One final reflection on the Federation’s conservation activities is that the past decade has seen a new focus. Through
the 1990s, activities centred on creation of new parks, special
management zones for wildlife, land use planning to better recognize the values of all wildlife, and implementing regulations
to improve protection of wildlife when impacted by resource
extraction. The shift in the 2000s, made even more challenging by government staff cuts and weakened regulations, has
been to issues arising from energy production. Beginning in
2002 with the Sumas 2 Power Generating Plant proposal, the
pace has quickened to a frenzy with: coal bed methane extraction, fracking, Independent Power Projects, wind farm proposals and most recently with proposed pipelines to transport raw
bitumen from Alberta’s tar sands through Enbridge Northern
Gateway to Kitimat and Trans Mountain Expansion to Burnaby,
and then through inland waters to offshore destinations.
Now in 2014 when we really do need some good news, it is
uplifting to recall that naturalists have achieved many victories through the past decades. There are countless examples
showing how the Federation successfully provided a provincial voice for naturalists, contributed to significant changes in
actions and policies of government and generally increased
appreciation of the environment and improved management.
The Federation helped in the establishment of many parks,
ecological reserves and wildlife management areas. The many
successes where local clubs achieved protection of smaller
natural areas, often wetlands located closer to residential
areas, should be widely applauded for it is increasingly recognized that these smaller sites provide critical habitat and linkages between larger protected areas. The range of issues covered throughout the province and the depth of well-reasoned,
science-based knowledge contributed largely by volunteers,
is outstanding. (These contributions and topics are detailed
further in the Federation’s History book now in preparation.)
The project work of the Federation has also made significant
Rene Savenye Scholarship for 2014
In July 2014, BC Nature
will award a $1,000 scholarship
To qualify, a candidate must be:
• a member of BC Nature or the spouse,
son or daughter of a member
• registered at an accredited institution
of higher learning in BC in a degree
program in a discipline that contributes
to an awareness, appreciation and
understanding of our natural environment
Information and Applications for
Scholarships may be obtained by:
* visiting www.bcnature.ca
* email ([email protected])
* or mail to:
BC Nature
Heritage Centre, 1620 Mt. Seymour Rd.,
North Vancouver, BC V7G 2R9
Completed applications should reach the
BC Nature office by May 30, 2014
The successful candidate will be
recognized at the BC Nature FGM in
Salmon Arm, September 27, 2014
BC Nature wishes to acknowledge the many generous
donations made in memory of the late Rene Savenye, which
made this scholarship possible. Future scholarships depend
on future donations.
contributions through contracted professional staff with projects such as Land for Nature, Living by Water, Wildlife Tree
Stewardship (WiTS), and Important Bird Areas (IBAs).
In these present years of government cutbacks to environmental management and protection, to parks, wildlife and
nature education, it is heartening to reflect on the many past
achievements of naturalists and the value of joining together
to provide a strong voice for nature. Looking ahead, there is
a great need for naturalists to stand strong provincially and
provide a voice to "Know Nature and to Keep Nature Worth
Knowing." 
Lea
Don
to he
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Leave a Lasting Legacy to Nature
For m
at de
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Your bequest to The Nature Trust of British Columbia
will help conserve the natural diversity of wildlife, plants
and their critical habitats for future generations.
ww
For more information or to receive our
free bequest brochure, contact Deb Kennedy
at [email protected] or call
604-924-9771 or 1-866-288-7878.
www.naturetrust.bc.ca
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BCnature
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1
2013-10-16 6:06 AM
Raccoons in Urban Areas - Living with Wildlife
By Penny Hall
Mother and Kit in the Tidal Marsh
ith a habitat ranging from mountainous areas,
coastal marshes and urban areas, most people are
familiar with raccoons. The raccoon is highly adaptable,
sociable, curious and smart. Their masked faces can be
seen in a variety of places as they forage for food, rest in
trees, or enjoy a midday meal.
A mother and her two kits were recently occupying a
small island in the Sechelts tidal marsh. Taking advantage
of the low water levels, they were probing the mud along
the water’s edge with their dexterous long fingers looking
for fresh plant shoots, frogs, crayfish, fish, snails or other
aquatic life. After hunting and nibbling on the found delicacies, they retreated up the bank to groom and rest in
the sunshine. The youngsters began to play, while their
mother sat and kept guard.
Raccoons are omnivorous and eat a wide variety of
plants and animals. Although their preference seems to
be dining along the shoreline, they will also feed on fruit,
insects, slugs, eggs, mice, rats and squirrels. Their sheltering on the small island may have contributed to the
obvious decline of the rat population that had surged to
an all time high.
Urban living offers a couple of other options for food.
Raccoons can’t resist the tantalizing odors of food in garbage cans and pet food. Once they find this easily accessible, readily available food source they will return. Foraging for food from these sources causes a conflict between
wildlife, people and pets. Point in case - earlier in the day,
I had watched the family being chased from a nearby
W
Book Review
The Devils Curve
condo by a broom yielding, yelling woman; in the afternoon, I
had to stop two boys from stoning the family. The boy’s reasoning
“they deserve it, they’ll only hurt the ducks.” Their attitude was
probably instilled by people who have had to clean up garbage
messes or had an injured pet. Yes, they will defend themselves
out of self-preservation; to protect their family; to protect their
food source that magically appears every night in a bowl. They
will definitely defend themselves if cornered.
The most common natural predators of the Raccoon are Coyotes and Bobcats. Both Eagles and Great Horned Owls also prey
on the young coons.
In nature Raccoon den in tree cavities, old stumps, abandoned
burrows, rock crevices, caves and brush piles. In urban areas they
need to find alternative solutions and will seek out den space in
attics, crawl spaces, sheds, barn lofts or any other suitable area.
The local wildlife rehab centre gets many calls in the spring, asking
them to remove the raccoons from homes or outbuildings. The
best way to deal with this problem is to close off any openings
prior to the animals breeding season. By doing so, you will also
prevent squirrels, chipmunks, rats, mice and birds from nesting
in the buildings. Always make sure that an animal or bird hasn’t
already taken up residency before closing off access.
Raccoons breed anywhere from late January into March. The
females will only mate with one male. Gestation averages around
64 days and a usual litter is two to five kits. The kits are blind and
deaf for the first three weeks, but grow quickly. Their care and
rearing is done exclusively by the mother, who will teach them
how to forage and find shelter. Once the youngsters leave the
den, the family doesn’t return but the kits usually stay with the
mother through the first winter. Motherly instinct is quite strong
and the female will become aggressive if separated from her
young.
The raccoons that live in BC do not carry rabies, but they do
carry a roundworm parasite that is harmful to humans and is
present in their feces. They have a tendency to use a community bathroom site and will continually return to the same site to
eliminate. If you find you have a raccoon latrine on your property
where you might come in contact with the feces, cleanup should
be done with care.
Raccoons have the same basic needs as we do; food, shelter and
water. They are only trying to fulfill those needs and look after
their families just as any living being does (or should do). Don’t
give the masked bandit a bad rap; take steps to avoid conflicts
with this beautiful creature and in doing so, you will also be taking
steps to avoid conflicts with other wildlife as well. Garbage cans,
compost boxes, bird feeders, uncleaned barbecues and pet food
will attract a variety of night raiders including bears, dogs, coyote
and raccoon. By limiting access to human food sources and denning sites, locking pet doors and keeping pets indoors at night,
you will be making great strides towards protecting your pets and
living harmoniously with wildlife. 
T
Reviewed by: J. Sprague
his book is not a nature guide, but environmentalists might read it for
Authors: Kopechy, Arno.
insight on events in the rainforests of the upper Amazon (Peru and Columbia). It is a tale of government oppression of natives, and exploitation by
D & M Publishers
mining companies, some of them Canadian.
306 pp.
The "Devil's Curve" is on a main highway of western Peru. There, a huge
Soft Cover - $29.95
sit-in by local people is ended by a hail of bullets from hundreds of soldiers.
The book continues with tales of the people, government repression, and corporate land-grabs. The
story is told by a young Canadian author who lived and travelled with the people for many months. It is
difficult to keep in mind the geography since the story jumps from place to place. Similarly it is hard to
keep in mind the individuals in the stories. Despite that, I recommend the book as a lively and shocking
education about ongoing degradation of headwater Amazonian ecosystems and native societies. 
BCnature Spring 2014
25
Strategic Five-yearplan
2015 to 2020 By Kees Visser
A
t the Fall General Meeting (FGM)in Cranbrook last September, we promised to look at a new strategic five-year
plan for BC Nature, 2015 to 2020. After review of the previous plan, prepared under the leadership of Anne Murray, we
see that this plan is excellent and intend to use the framework and make use of the many facets of it.
The first phase of the new plan will mainly focus on a situational analysis, trying to gather information from the membership of how we are doing and what can be improved. In
the next month or so you will receive a questionnaire with a
number of questions which will address this.
We have formed a subcommittee of three BC Nature
members, Gwyn Thomas of Wild Research, Jim Morrison of
the Delta Naturalists, and myself. Rosemary Fox has offered
to help out later on with editing and other feedback. I thank
all three for their willingness to assist in this process.
I intend to report at the AGM in Victoria on the first phase
of the plan preparation, so mainly on our strengths, weaknesses and new ideas.
In the second phase we will transform the assessment
and the new ideas into new goals, still using Anne’s plan as
the framework. This phase will require involvement of the
Executive and Board, and results will be presented at the
FGM in Salmon Arm in September 2014.
Lastly, of course report writing and acceptance and adoption at the AGM in 2015.
I would like to ask that our membership assist us in our
work, because BC Nature will only work with your input and
participation. 
Spring
and Summer
excitement
Summer
Excitement
with with
Eagle-Eye
Tours!
Eagle-Eye!
Arctic & Atlantic Voyages; Greenland,
Newfoundland, Eastern Arctic & Sable
Island aboard the “Sea Adventurer”
June - August, 2014 with resource staff & Pierre Richard
Unique Sable Island, fascinating Newfoundland, and
magic & mystery of Far North: icebergs & fjords, exciting
wildlife, intriguing human history and cultural experience.
Spain Birds and Flowers
May 2 - 13, 2014 with Richard Knapton & Lucy Chang
Excellent birding and delightful spring & summer
flowers in established nature reserves and national parks
Churchill & Southern Manitoba
May 31 - June 11, 2014 with Ken DeSmet
Surprising diversity and exceptional birding: prairies,
forests and tundra - and possible Ross’s Gull!
Baffin Island Floe Edge
June 16 - 23, 2014 with Cam Gillies
Photo: E. Marshall
Humpback Whale in Hawaii
Mountain Caribou Con't
extirpated. To stop the population decline, immediate adoption of the SARA Recovery Strategy is essential, followed by
strong actions. 
References
A Strategy for the Recovery of Mountain Caribou in British
Columbia Version 1.0., Mountain Caribou Technical Advisory Committee Recovery Team for the Arboreal LichenWinter Feeding Ecotype of Woodland Caribou (Rangifer
tarandus caribou) within the Southern Mountains National
Ecological Area, 2002.
Environment Canada. 2014. Recovery Strategy for the
Woodland Caribou, Southern Mountain population (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Canada [Proposed]. Species at
Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Environment Canada,
Ottawa. viii + 68 pp.
Utzig, G. 2/1/2014.Mountain Caribou Recovery Strategy
Comments. Kutenai Nature Investigations Ltd.
26
BCnature Spring 2014
Stunning glaciers, rugged mountains, flocks of northern
seabirds, wonderful Narwal and traditional Inuit culture.
High Arctic & Northwest Territories
July 1 - 11, 2014 with Richard Knapton
Exquisite High Arctic tundra at Cambridge Bay, boreal
forest at Yellowknife, parkland and wetlands of Alberta.
High Arctic Photo Tour: July 1 - 9, 2014 with Brad Hill
Portugal & Madeira
July 4 - 13, 2013 with João Jara
Marvelous endemics of Madeira & very best of Portugal
Eagle-Eye Tours
Travel with Vision
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What’s Here is Here: The Race to Conserve Napier Lake Ranch
By Lesley Marian Neilson
n 1974 an eager young Kamloops couple
purchased some land in the Nicola Valley. The century-old ranch had been worked
hard and grasslands were the worse for wear.
“When we bought the ranch, the bunchgrass
was worn out,” says Agnes Jackson. “But the
land responds to good stewardship.”
Today, after 40 years of careful management, the bunchgrass of Napier Lake Ranch
once again grows as high as a horse’s belly,
and a recent assessment confirms the grasslands are in good to excellent condition.
“It’s been quite a challenge to bring it back,”
says Jackson. “This piece of land sustained
my family. It has been so good to us.”
Looking around the Nicola Valley, it’s easy
to see that much of the native grasslands
are being carved into smaller parcels and
populated with homes, hobby farms and
disruptive human activity. Industrial activity
and incompatible agricultural practices are
eroding the health of the native ecosystems.
Wildlife is being pushed to the margins or
simply disappears.
This is not the future Jackson wants for the
land that sustained her and her family for 40
years. Instead, Jackson is working with the
Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to protect more than 1,300 acres of Napier Lake
Ranch’s most productive grasslands.
Napier Lake Ranch’s credentials as a biodiversity hotspot cannot be understated.
Sitting in the heart of the Nicola Valley, the
ranch spans an important ecological transition zone from mid-elevation grasslands to
Douglas-fir forests, linking a variety of habitats that provide movement corridors for
animals shifting between summer and winter ranges. Gently rolling hills of bunchgrass
provide cover for the abundance of birds and
other small animals that flourish here. Hawks
and falcons circle in the sky above, searching for movement in the waving grasses
below. Cliffs and rocky outcrops are home to
hibernating snakes and bats, while pockets
of trembling aspen woodlands grow in the
gullies, providing shade and niche habitat for
wildlife.
Birds flourish in BC’s native grasslands, and
the ranch is particularly suited to provide
prime habitat for these species. Situated
in the Douglas Lake Plateau Important Bird
Area, Napier Lake Ranch is a known breeding
site for Long-billed Curlews and Sharp-tailed
Grouse, both species-at-risk.
“In the spring hundreds of Sandhill Cranes
come to the west side of the property,” says
Jackson. “If someone were to build a house
there and have a couple of dogs and some
Llamas, the birds would be pushed aside.
That’s what is happening – they are driven
into smaller and smaller spaces.”
I
BCnature Spring 2014
Photo: R. Howie
Sharp-tailed Grouse males squaring off
Conserving Napier Lake Ranch will protect a large, intact swath of native
grassland from development, while also allowing for some gentle cattle grazing that follows the wise use established by the Jackson’s over their ranching
career.
“The key to making these grassland conservation projects succeed is to
combine habitat protection with sensitive, sustainable land use,” says Barb
Pryce, a program director with NCC. “We have been fortunate to work with
some of British Columbia’s most inspiring ranching families. Each of them has
learned by direct experience how to build a productive ranching business that
both relies on and enhances the native ecology of their land. Their knowledge
supports our conservation efforts.”
NCC is currently fundraising to purchase 1,318 acres of Napier Lake Ranch
and create a first-class conservation area. A key component of this project
will be to encourage more people to experience the beauty and vitality of the
grasslands by welcoming walk-in access to the conservation area.
“Grasslands are part of our natural heritage,” says Pryce, “Everyone should
know what it feels like to stand out under the big sky while the grasses blow
around you and the hawks circle above.”
Jackson too is hopeful that people will come out and experience the grasslands, especially those who live in the city and can so easily feel disconnected
from nature. This is the legacy she truly hopes to leave behind.
“We can’t make more native grasslands, says Jackson. “What’s here is here.
We need to raise the awareness about them.”
Help make history
Conserving Napier Lake Ranch will make a significant impact on the natural
and cultural legacy of the Nicola Valley. The Nature Conservancy of Canada is
well on its way to reaching the May 8 deadline for raising $3.4 million needed
to protect this incredible grassland property, but still requires support of all
sizes to reach the goal. Achieving this target will ensure Napier Lake Ranch is
conserved and will support the stewardship of this and all NCC lands in the
Heritage Grasslands Natural Area – forever.
For more information and to make a donation, please contact barbara.
[email protected] or 250-497-8010 or toll-free 1-888-404-8428.

Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the nation’s leading land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and
the species they sustain. Since 1962 NCC and its partners have helped to protect more than 2.6 million acres, coast to coast, including over 1 million acres
here in British Columbia. www.natureconservancy.ca/bc
27
28
BCnature Spring 2014
Great Bear Live
streamed into the school in
Bella Bella, providing First
Nations youth with a conBy Max Bakken
nection to their territory
very year millions of Herring return from within the classroom.
to the coast of B.C. to lay their eggs,
The cameras capture
and then swim out to sea again. The incredible footage, says
spawn is anticipated by virtually all of Pacific Wild director Ian
the residents of the Great Bear Rain- McAllister. “In the twenty
forest. Skinny wolves and bears prowl years I’ve spent in the Great
the shoreline looking for signs of their Bear, I’ve witnessed a lot of
arrival. Eagles and Ravens head to the amazing things, but only
outer coast, patrolling inlets and off- once or twice a year do I
shore islands. Seals and Sea Lions leave see the kind of things that
their haul outs on offshore rocks hop- Great Bear Live is getting us
Photo by: Ian McAllister
ing to catch the first schools, while Orca weekly.”
and Humpback Whales dive and spout,
In less than a month’s time, we will be installing cameras above and below the
patiently waiting.
water to document the Herring spawn. From the trees, we are hoping the camThere is a human interest too. First eras find Wolves, Bears, Whales, Sea Lions and abundant bird life. The underwater
Nations in the Great Bear have been camera will see the Herring, and whatever is feeding on them and their roe. This
harvesting Herring roe for millennia. means you could have a fish-eye view of seals, sea lions, salmon, diving birds, and
When the Herring arrive, the central potentially dolphins and whales all from the comfort of your home!
coast explodes in a feeding frenzy, and
The other side of the Great Bear Live project is all below the surface. Our Great
one of the most remarkable natural Bear Sea Hydrophone Network captures the sounds of passing whales and monievents on the planet takes place.
tors ambient ocean noise from Hakai Pass to Seaforth Channel. The underwater
The Herring spawn is difficult to cap- acoustic data collected by the network is essential for researchers studying changture. It takes place quickly, with very lit- ing levels of underwater noise and impacts on marine life, and to inform marine
tle warning, in remote areas, and often use planning decisions. It has also been used for Pacific Wild’s new Great Bear
in harsh weather conditions. You have whale ring tone.
to be in the right place at the right time.
This research has never been more important. The provincial and federal governThis is why Pacific Wild has set up a net- ments are considering whether to approve the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline
work of remote cameras in the Great Project, and several LNG facilities (and natural gas pipelines). The approval of these
Bear Rainforest.
projects will require hundreds of supertankers each year to transport condensate,
Remote high definition pan-tilt-zoom liquefied natural gas, and diluted bitumen through the narrow and treacherous
video cameras provide access to places waters of the Great Bear. Researchers need to know what level of noise exists in
that are not easy to get to, and where our the ocean now to make any sort of claims about increases in ocean noise in the
presence would otherwise disturb the future, and our hydrophone data is helping establish this baseline.
wildlife we are trying to film. Whether
The hydrophones also act as a notification system for the cameras. Last year, our
it’s an offshore rock covered in sea lions, outer coast hydrophone captured the sounds of Orca, dolphins and Humpback
a pristine estuary where wolves feed on Whales, and it became a useful tool for finding them on camera. Check out some
wild salmon, or a Sandhill Crane nesting of the footage on YouTube of resident Orca and Dolphins passing by Sea Lions on
site, the cameras provide a view of the an offshore rock.
natural world that used to be impossible
If you sign up for Great Bear Live alerts, we will let you know when something
to get.
exciting is happening on camera and on the hydrophones. Hear Humpback Whales
From our headquarters near Bella singing in Fitzhugh Sound, where their calls echo off underwater cliffs, or catch
Bella, our “Great Bear Live” project some of the Herring spawn at its peak like we did last year in Reid Pass with an
streams the camera feeds live online, international film crew. When the Herring swam into the pass, seals and sea lions
bringing the Great Bear to people all piled in behind them. A low hanging cedar had as many as twenty eagles in its
over the world. The same feeds are
branches, and we had to manoeuvre past humpbacks hanging in the shallows as we left.
Whether you catch whale calls over the hydrophones,
hoards of sea lions feasting on Herring underwater, or get
lucky enough to witness wolves snapping them from the
shore, it is important to remember that what we see now is
a fraction of what once was. Even more importantly, remember that what we are seeing today is under threat from proposals that promise to bring hundreds of oil and liquefied
natural gas tankers to the central and north coast. These
projects threaten the threads of life upon which the entire
coastal ecosystem depends. Tune in this year to take part
in the excitement of the Herring spawn and learn what is a
stake at www.pacificwild.org 
Max Bakken had his first experience with a whale at the age
of five, when a Beluga at the Vancouver Aquarium spat on
Photo by: Max Bakken
him. Since then he has spent most of his life on the water as
a sailor, whale watcher, and photographer, and now fills the
Sea Lions watching us with curiosity
role of field technician at Pacific Wild
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BCnature Spring 2014
29
Finding Endangered Orcas in Fragile Waters - Part I
By Rick Wood
It was cold. It was “loss of feeling in our extremities” cold.
Even the protective layers of the survival suit couldn't prevent
the bone-chilling sting of the frigid winter air on my face as we
raced across the Strait of Juan De Fuca in a rigid-hull inflatable
speed boat.
There are good reasons why most people wouldn't think of
going whale watching off the coast of Vancouver Island in January. Short days, cold weather and cloudy skies top the list on
a personal level. More pragmatically speaking, it's also very
unlikely to come across the more coveted killer whales at this
time of year.
This was no tourist trip, though. The only other passengers
included Shari Macy, my co-director, and Josh McInnis, a Transient Orca researcher attending University of Victoria. We were
there to watch him work, and hopefully film some killer whales.
At the Sooke Coastal Explorations owner Paul Pudwell slowed
the boat as we neared Race Rocks. A magnificent Elephant Seal
bull sat on the crest of a jagged rock, surrounded by his harem.
The hallmark bulbous nose and huge, brown body were plainly
visible among the contrast of gray stones. Across the water, on
another rock formation, there were several Stellar Sea Lions. Sea
lions and seals are prey for certain groups of Orcas. This was definitely a good place to start looking for transients, who eat marine
mammals.
For six months we'd been filming “Fragile Waters,” a documentary about Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKWs) who share
the Salish Sea with transients. The resident Orcas are fish eaters,
though. In fact, 80-percent of their diet comes from one, specific
type of fish: Chinook salmon.
My first time, seeing them in the wild was the passing of a
super-pod, while I was on a whale-watching trip in 2004. Among
the 80-plus Orcas that passed our vessel was the venerable “Ruffles.” He was the only one that I did not need help identifying. His
tall, ruffled sail of a dorsal fin was unmistakable.
Each of the following years, my family went on similar commercial whale watching trips. And every year we saw “Ruffles.”
The last time I saw him was in the summer of 2010. Even then,
he seemed full of life, breaching and swimming alongside his pod
members.
He was estimated to be around 60-years-old and it’s likely he
passed away in late 2010. Sixty years is an impressive age for a
male killer whale and I could wrap my mind around his passing
being part of the ebb and flow of the natural cycle.
What I didn’t know then, that I know in earnest now, is I had
my first experiences with the SRKWs in a period of upheaval and
transition. Since my initial sighting in 2006, their numbers have
declined precipitously. They have literally been decimated in the
past nine years.
There are a few very key factors for their decline and many
more ancillary issues. But the one that will likely cause the population's rapid extinction is the declining number and health of
Chinook salmon.
There was a Native saying, “No fish, no Blackfish.” It’s an ancient
knowledge that some say now we defy. The Chinook salmon are
imperiled because of loss or impediment of spawning habitat,
pollution in the Salish Sea, non-sustainable fishing practices and
destruction of habitat.
Back on the water, racing along near Sooke Bay in a rigid-hull
inflatable boat, a quick view of a dorsal fin slicing through the
water pulled my attention to the opposite side of the vessel. I
think I called out that there was another Harbour Porpoise and
soon the boat captain idled the engine.
We sat there - small but frantic waves lapping against the hull
and the crisp air of the Strait of Juan de Fuca still stinging our
30
BCnature Spring 2014
Photo: R. Wood
Spy hopping Southern Resident Killer Whale from J pod
faces like icy needles - until there was another fin…then
another.
Without warning, the world exploded in porpoises - in
front, behind, to all sides of us. For minutes they passed
like a massive school of fish. There was no direction to
look and not see one of the marine mammals. In all, we
estimate the pod to have been in the hundreds - certainly
more than a hundred.
McGinnis had just finished saying how the area was
“primetime Transient Orca feeding grounds.”
Even though the transient killer whales share these
waters with resident Orcas, their story is a much different one.
“The transients are quiet, stealthy,” McGinnis said,
describing their foraging habits. “The residents, on the
other hand, make a racket.”
Transient Orca primarily feed on marine mammals,
who all share a heightened sense of acoustic information
underwater, he said.
“If the (transients) call out, they’ll scare away their
prey,” McGinnis said.
After the last of the porpoises passed the boat Paul
started up the motor and we headed in for the day. There
had been no killer whales in the area but Shari and I were
beaming with smiles. We really hadn’t expected much on
a cold, cloudy winter day. But to see the abundance of
marine mammals and to do it alongside McGinnis was
well worth making the trip.
It might seem odd to come all that way for transients
when our film is about Southern Residents but there certainly was a method to our madness. The transients are
thriving and their prey is thriving. The contrast is very telling to the group that feeds mainly on Chinook salmon.
Our film is a lot like a jigsaw puzzle that way. Hundreds
of intricate parts make up one picture.
Southern Resident researcher and co-founder of Orca
Network, Howard Garrett, said time is critical for taking
action to save the endangered killer whales.
“Who knows where the tipping point is for survival of
these Orcas or their essential food source, but if we're
not there we're probably close,” Garrett said. “But the
real challenge in the absence of real knowledge of when
it's probably too late, is to turn the trend lines from ever
more destruction to something toward restoration, which
is not unlike redemption, looking inward at ourselves.”
Con't Page 31
Finding Orca Con't
Photo: R. Wood
The totem pole was part of the Kwel hoy’ totem pole journey
and a ceremony to protect Cherry Point, sacred Lummi land.
It’s not a clear trend because SRKWs numbers have gone
up and down, but they are way down now, although there
were about 10 fewer in the mid-seventies, he said.
“It’s also their behaviour. After the captures there were
only about 70 left, but they travelled in big groups and
went all over Puget Sound in the summer and all over the
San Juans pretty much six months of every year,” Garrett
said. “Now they are often - not always but much more
than decades ago - scattered and fragmented in small
bunches and aren't in the inland waters nearly as much
throughout the summers.”
When that is correlated with a broad brush, and you look
at the overall declines in Chinook runs from Sacramento to
Vancouver Island, especially around Puget Sound, you can
see the Orcas are responding to the disappearance of their
food supply, he said.
Geopolitical boundaries are almost meaningless when
talking about salmon and Orca whales. The issues transcend laws and lines on a map.
“I don't see any difference between what people on
either side of the border know and care about, and the
Orcas cross that line constantly because it doesn't exist for
them, so what's with the institutional and governmental
obstructions?” Garrett said. “But there is a lot of communication over the border already; it could just be a bit more free on
the governmental level.”
Many Canadian and U.S. researchers work together daily and
advocate for the same level of conservation for both species,
he said.
“Things are always changing of course, but it's the direction
of change that matters,” Garrett said. “It seems there are conflicting trend lines in play now, where the economic energy –
meaning control over the vast majority of property, including
the natural world – is concentrated in the hands of a very few
who have little regard or even disdain for the natural world,
while a substantial and growing community is aware of what is
going wrong and what is needed.”
Those people are fragmented and mostly penniless and powerless, so the owners of the economy continue to wreak havoc
on massive, global scales, he said.
“The Southern Residents may well succumb to their devastation of natural systems, as we may all,” Garrett said.
The story of the Southern Residents is as much about salmon
as it is killer whales. Their history – and future – is linked together
by many fluid variables. Without salmon, specifically Chinook
salmon, the Southern Residents will cease to be.
To tell a full and accurate account of the health of the “fish
eaters of the Salish Sea,” one must start with the oldest known
interaction with humans in Puget Sound. Native American tribes
both revered and included salmon as integral parts of their diet.
Today, that reverence plays out in ceremonies marking the
beginning of runs throughout the Northwest. It seems each
tribe is linked with different species of salmon. The Nisqually
celebrate the chum, while the Lummi honor Chinook.
It’s factual to say that each tribe owed their survival to the
respective type of salmon found in their area. Many totem poles
place the salmon in a position of prominence, if not outright
honor.  Part 2 - Available in BCnature Summer edition
Shari Macy is an on-air talent with NorthWest Indian News and
I am a veteran journalist with seven Washington Newspaper
Publisher Association awards for writing and photography
excellence. My leap into documentary work came with the Canadian production company Filmworks Canada (Toronto) and
the film, "Fly, Colt, Fly." I went on to direct/produce "Journey
Home: On a Mission to Save a Species" and "Saving Sirenia."
Barbara Frum’s Canadian Garden
By Bill Merilees
or all those people interested in wildlife gardening, a very interesting and practical description was put forward by one
of Canada’s eminent broadcasters. Barbara Frum of the CBC,
when being interviewed about gardening, one of her life-long
passions, provided an ideal definition of “the Canadian Garden”.
It was not a garden that was exquisitely designed, planted with
exotic, colourful and horticulturally modified species - and then
- so carefully manicured, weeded and fumigated etc. that it became virtually devoid of wildlife!
Barbara Frum’s idea of the Canadian Garden begins with a
nicely planned centrepiece that gradually transitions outwards,
merging with the natural vegetation beyond. The concept she
put forward was intriguing. As I mulled over this definition I
became quite enamoured by it.
In my books Attracting Backyard Wildlife and Gardening for
Wildlife my definition of a good wildlife garden was one “with
an orderly presence verging on chaos”. To the dedicated garA planned garden verging on chaos
dener, Barbara’s definition might be more attractive than mine, but
for wildlife enthusiasts and those who enjoy living closer to nature,
the Canadian Garden concept makes sense. The more "rough and tumble" a garden, the better habitat it provides. Improved
nature appreciation opportunities with considerably less effort, are the additional positives! This style of garden fits nicely
with the Canadian Garden concept, uniquely defined by Barbara Frum.
F
BCnature Spring 2014
31
Club Chat
Lower Mainland
Abbotsford-Mission Nature Club
Submitted By Hank Roos
T
his November we continue our annual involvement with the Fraser
Valley Bald Eagle Festival by manning
our club display for the two day event.
Our clubs exposure is always greatly
enhanced with the display belonging
to club member, Gerry Powers, collection of BC owls. This is always an added
attraction.
At our November club meeting we
elected new members to the executive
for the first time in a long time. This is a
positive development and has resulted
starting up our bi-monthly newsletter.
Once again, we will focus attention
on our well attended field trips. We
have also teamed up with the owner
of several valley locations of Wild Birds
Unlimited stores, to lead and promote
a “birding” field trip each month.
An exciting new development has
come about through a simple bird box
relocation to the Abbotsford Parks.
Due to removal of some invasive plant
we had put a request in to relocate
some overgrown swallow nest boxes
and add a few Wood Duck boxes in
Willband Creek Park. We wanted to
control and remove some of the invasive reed Canary Grass and Himalayan
Blackberry in this park and as a result
of this request we were asked by the
city to partner with them on a grant
application to TD Bank. Following a
meeting at the park office and a visit
to the park with four of our executive,
a project site was designated. Since
then a project description was developed and the application submitted.
If successful our club will organize
and provide the volunteers necessary for replanting the site with native
materials to enhance the area for bird
and wildlife habitat. 
Burke Mountain Naturalists
Submitted by Elaine Golds
T
he Burke Mountain Naturalists recently celebrated their 25 year anniversary as a club. Volunteers have
been busy in February maintaining
and cleaning the hundreds of nest
boxes the club has installed in several
regional parks. Participants are always
excited to discover some unexpected
inhabitants such as the northern flying squirrels that occasionally take
32
BCnature Spring 2014
over some of the nest boxes. Club
members are busy at work on developing a new booklet, a children’s
nature guide to the Coquitlam, Port
Coquitlam, Belcarra and Port Moody
areas. This guide is intended to introduce new families to some of the
best places to enjoy wildlife in this
rapidly-developing portion of the
lower mainland.
Two conservation issues of concern
which are expected to take considerable time and effort in 2014 are the
upcoming Kinder Morgan hearings
on the proposed new pipeline and
hugely-expanded shipping facilities
for diluted bitumen on Burrard Inlet
as well as land use planning for the
future of the former Riverview Hospital lands. Every year, in conjunction
with the Riverview Horticultural Centre
Society which offers regular tree tours
through one of the lower mainland’s
most impressive arboretums, BMN
hosts a popular heritage walk through
the Riverview grounds. Protection of
this significant green space along with
its heritage buildings is expected to be
a major challenge for the local community as the provincial government initiates a long-anticipated land use planning process. 
Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society
Submitted by Marg Cuthbert
T
he Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society (FoSBS) Annual General Meeting was held in November and it was
short and sweet! We were pleased to
welcome three new members to our
Board including two youth who have
taken on coordinating the World Ocean
Day Festival next June 8 at Blackie Spit,
Crescent Beach. They are currently
working on offering free paddle boarding and an environmental song writing
contest for youth under 18 in Surrey
and White Rock.
We shared a lovely Project Partner
and Volunteer Appreciation in November, with Anne Murray’s talk, "Mongolia, Nature on the Steppes." Guests
also saw the spawning salmon in the
river and enjoyed a guided walk to our
newly completed ephemeral wetland
project. 25 volunteers completed the
major planting and mulching on the
project just before the late fall rains
came in October. The site flooded nicely
as hoped but to our surprise, two pair
of coho leaped into the channels and
spawned! We’ll have to now monitor
closely for fry when the channels dry
next summer. Meanwhile we plan to
introduce Red-Legged Frog eggs to the
ponds that were designed especially
for them. Shortly after the planting,
three volunteers found an adult near
the site, the frogs may introduce themselves!
The Birds on the Bay & Beyond Program is again offering brochures for the
January to March and we hope everyone will have enjoyed participating in
programs. We hope lower mainland
clubs will send Jude Grass their programs to be promoted in the April thru
June quarterly brochure and we’ll also
post them on our website calendar.
Volunteers are super busy already
this winter with numerous programs.
10 volunteers went out at the end of
January to clean out the Tree Swallow and Wood Duck nest boxes at the
Serpentine WMA. It was a foggy and
cold morning but the team cleaned 45,
replaced four with new and collected
nesting data.
In February, we hosted a World Wetlands Day presentation with a talk
about various types of wetlands and
the flora and fauna that inhabit them.
After refreshments we guided walks
along the Little Campbell River wetlands then car pooled to our project
partners, A Rocha, site to visit their
pond where the Salish Sucker was
found. They have since discovered a
number of sites along the river where
this once extirpated species is present.
We are also participating in a stakeholder group with City of Surrey
addressing conservation of the ecological values of purchased land along the
Fergus Creek watershed, a tributary of
the Little Campbell River. As compensation for high density development
along the Highway 99 Corridor, we are
working for an ecological reserve while
staff tends to plan for active human
recreation rather than for site stewardship activities in support of restoration
and conservation. Time will tell.
together to plan, install and maintain
a native plant demonstration area in
the park. The area divides the horticultural garden from the natural
succession forest area of the Surrey
Park where we’ll also be involved in
invasive removal and planting of trees
and shrubs to increase habitat values.
We’ll be planting March 22!
We also have two shoreline cleanups
and invasive plant removals coming up
midmarch and late April, details on our
website calendar www.birdsonthebay.
ca Right now we are looking forward
to sunnier, warmer weather. Our volunteers make all the difference! 
Langley Field Naturalists
Submitted by Kathy Masse
L
angley field Naturalists have a re-designed website and a new committee! Check out our beautiful website at
www.langleyfieldnaturalists.org. The
pages were redesigned by members
Lisa Parker and John Gordon. The wonderful photography for the site was
provided by John Gordon and our president Bob Puls. This fall we established
a new group called the Membership
Participation Committee, in response
to BC Nature’s call to have a succession
plan for club executives. Our idea for
the committee is to strengthen club
membership numbers and encourage
more members to become involved in
club activities and ultimately to take on
leadership roles as others retire. An active, engaged membership will ensure
the long term survival of the Langley
Field Naturalists!
In November we enjoyed BC Natures
President John Neville’s presentation,
an interesting talk about Raptor songs
and cries with excellent photos provided by Heather. At our December
meeting, our holiday social featured
member slides. And January saw Dan
Buffet of Ducks Unlimited give an excellent talk about his wetlands restoration projects in the province including a new water-control structure at
Pitt-Addington Wildlife Management
Area.
Mid November, the Langley Field
Naturalists were at Reifel Bird Sanctuary led by Al Grass on an exciting day
where many raptors, waterfowl and
sparrows were seen. We had our usual
enthusiastic member teams in the
Langley section of the White Rock/Surrey Bird Count, seeing one more species, but less numbers than last year.
In January we had a rare good weather
day on the West Dyke Trail at Terra
BCnature Spring 2014
Nova Park in Richmond, led by Gareth
Pugh. After being greeted by a gaggle
of Snow Geese we went on to tally
36 species. At the end of January, we
had an amazing trip to Campbell Valley
Park, again led by Al, to discover Owls.
We enjoyed a clear star filled sky and
had a conversation with an unseen
Barred Owl.
Conservation issues abound and letters have been written to try to stop
the sale of Jackman pit, a valuable
wetland that has developed in a former Aldergrove gravel pit. We are
also concerned with the proposed
route for the Kinder Morgan pipeline
that would be routed through Hope/
Redwoods Natural Area that the Langley Field Naturalists maintain. Ryan
and his Forslund Watson Committee
have planted new trees at the site and
are arranging to plant a special tree in
memory of Mr. Forslund. 
Little Campbell Watershed Society
Submitted by David Riley
A
large tributary enters the Little
Campbell River between the estuary and the hatchery. For years much
of the land in this sub-watershed provided beautiful habitat in a partly agricultural, partly urban area bisected by
a freeway, a major artery and a hydro
corridor. The city parents decided it
was perfect for a commercial/industrial area and thus came to be the Highway 99 Corridor Plan. Extensive advocacy from local enviro groups resulted
in the Plan calling for 100 acres to be
set aside as ‘an environmental feature’
to basically compensate for the huge
losses of fish & wildlife that would
occur as a result of paving & building
over the rest. Various financial plans
and a development cost charge structure to support this happening were
initiated.
From a pure pave- it-all-plan to this
was a huge step forward for the local
urban government but now comes the
fine tuning.
The City of Surrey has an excellent
Environmental Section of Engineering
(imagine engineering having a permanent biologist on staff) and we felt,
since they had been more involved
with the “Plan”, that they should manage the land.
But instead the land was given to
“Parks “ to manage and “Parks” must
be seen to be managing space primarily for human enjoyment. So on
with the usual consultations and the
next thing we know we are being told
a disc golf course is a perfect fit for a
habitat management area or ecological
reserve.
Our argument is for an outside the
box solution: a park that give access to
anyone wishing to perform a stewardship function under city guidance. We
will keep you posted as to how that
flies! 
Nature Vancouver
Submitted by Cynthia Crampton
N
ature Vancouver’s evening programs have been drawing in the
crowds. A birders’ night with young
Ian Thomas, who spent four months in
Laysan, a seabird kingdom in the heart
of the Pacific Ocean, had 120 in the
audience. Many of them were young
people (WildResearch Members?),
which is always encouraging. A similar audience came out for the documentary film Hitchhiking Across the
Atlantic, when Thorsten Boehnke took
off (on other people’s boats) from Kiel,
Germany to the Canary Islands, to record conservation projects and nature
reserves, and the people dedicated to
protecting endangered species. Marine Ecologist, Laura Winter, was presenting. (A short trailer of this journey
can be found on their website www.
tigersnail.com/preview/html.
As a nature club, we want to be relevant to young people, and offer them
experiences in nature; we encourage
families to come to our annual summer
wilderness camp, and offer a campership to a family who might not otherwise be able to go.
In December, a float on the Squamish River was organized. Our quarry
were the Bald Eagles that come for the
spawned out chum salmon. 30 of us
floated along in four rafts, and were
joined by a sea lion, two seals, and
flocks of Barrow’s Goldeneye; a glorious day. 
WildResearch
Submitted by Renae Mackas
W
ildResearch is pleased to announce the launch of our updated website: www.wildresearch .
ca. Special thanks to volunteers Doug
Avery and Kala Harris for their efforts
in redesigning the website.
WildResearch continued our work
at Iona Island Bird Observatory (IIBO)
this winter. 25 volunteers banded nine
days from Nov to mid-Feb, for a total of
293 volunteer hours, and 396 banded
birds. WildResearch teamed up with
33
for those banding at the IIBO this
winter and upcoming spring. IIBO’s
spring migration monitoring program
will start 15th April, and will continue
daily until 30 May.
In November, WildResearch hosted
its Annual General Meeting and fourth
Volunteer Appreciation Party. Highlights included John Neville’s presentation on raptors, volunteer recognition awards presented by the Members’ Services Committee, and many
door prizes donated by local business.
Thanks to members and supporters
that attended the event, making it a
night to remember. Additional membership events included two wellattended social evenings, and the
annual bird bag making party.
Director, Jay Brogan, hosted identification field trips this winter. We had a
great turnout at Reifel Bird Sanctuary
in December, Maplewood Flats in January, and Iona Regional Park in February.
Our final trip will be held at Boundary
Bay in March. Thanks to Tom Plath for
helping lead the trip at Reifel, and to
Sean McCann and Mike Hrabas for volunteering their photography skills.
WildResearch is pleased to announce
that our 2014 Spring Pelagic Seabird
Trip will be held on Sunday May 11,
2014! The upcoming trip will follow the
same itinerary as previous trips, departing Ucluelet, to travel to La Perouse
Bank, a seven hour sail. WildResearch's
pelagic trips are a fantastic opportunity
to view pelagic seabird species rarely
seen from shore. For those interested
in attending, full details and registration are available on our website. 
Thompson-Okanagan
Lillooet Naturalists Society
Submitted by Vivian Birch-Jones
C
hristmas Bird Counts were held in
the Yalakom, Hat Creek and Lillooet
again this year. Mid January we had
a well attended AGM. We had a full
agenda with the various group updates
and project reports. We welcomed
Andra Forney to our executive - a young
forester working with Xaxli'p Community Forest. Hal Stathers stepped aside
– many thanks to Hal for all his service.
We also took the occasion of our AGM
to honour Anne Heath with a lifetime
membership for all her contributions
to our Society. A report on the events
was provided to the local newspaper.
We will be hosting the BCFO for some
birding outings in June – preliminary
work was done on that.
34
BCnature Spring 2014
We have a presentation on the Yellow-billed loons and Ken Wright’s work
in the Arctic in February. 
South Okanagan Naturalists' Club
Submitted by Joyce Hoglund
A
number of South Okanagan Naturalists’ Club members participated
in the mid-December Christmas Bird
Count in Penticton, Summerland and
Naramata. There were 49 observers
with a species count of 96 and total individual count of 24,950. The club also
gave a donation to Bird Studies Canada. SONC members participated in
the following South Okanagan counts
– Vaseux Lake, Oliver-Osoyoos, Bridesville, Cawston, Apex-Hedley, Princeton,
Peachland and Kelowna.
Our club is pleased to support two
local outdoor enthusiasts and mothers, Alyson and Paula who have taken
the initiative to form a South Okanagan
branch of the Young Naturalists’ Club of
BC. Further information is available on
the provincial website at www.ync.bc
or Alyson and Paula can be contacted
at [email protected].
Club members voted to send a donation in support of the Greater Sagegrouse which is an endangered species
on the brink of extinction in Canada.
The Greater Sage-grouse were once
inhabitants in the southern Okanagan valley of British Columbia. It has
been extirpated from this region for
over a century. The few remaining
sage-grouse in Canada are found in
Alberta and Saskatchewan. Without
emergency protection for their grassland habitat, Sage-grouse are expected
to disappear from Alberta within two
years and from Saskatchewan within
10 years. 
Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists
Submitted By Janis Wright
T
he last months of 2013 brought
some changes to our club, as we
lost several members, largely due to
moves, while we gained a few new
ones. We sadly said farewell to longstanding member, Tony Cherry, who
passed away in December, while we
welcomed Jean Turner, a relatively new
member who ably stepped into the
role of president in September.
Our Christmas Bird Count was once
again organized by Madelon Schouten,
the founder of our club, and the total
number of species observed was 54.
The cold morning temperature was a
contributing factor to lower numbers
than usual, but the day itself was successful, with 13 people participating in
the annual event. The day ended with
a pizza dinner at Riverside Centre, as
teams tallied their individual lists and
compared notes. This is the last year
that Madelon will be in charge of the
CBC, (feeling that 20+ years is enough!),
and Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists
recognize and appreciate the dedication of this remarkable woman.
The Christmas season included our
annual party, a well-attended and festive occasion hosted by the Kelly’s,
who not only opened their doors to
our group, but provide entertainment
as well! Some of us also celebrated
December with a moonlight snowshoe
outing during the night of the full moon,
an absolutely breathtaking experience,
one we hope to repeat before the season ends. The winter wonderland that
exists in the Similkameen has been disrupted this year by mild temperatures,
but we have continued to hold two
field trips each month, whether we
snowshoe, hike, or walk.
As we step into spring we look forward to resuming our birding activities, Hummingbird banding, and ongoing improvements and maintenance at
Swan Lake, our wildlife conservation
site. The ongoing involvement of many
members in our wide range of interests
is encouraging! 
Northern BC
Quesnel Naturalists
Submitted by Lorna Schley
I
n the fall, a few of us participated in
the Pink Salmon patrol along Baker
Creek, organized by the Baker Creek
Enhancement Society, to provide
awareness of the spawning salmon
and to encourage respectful viewing. A
Cottonwood River hike led by Joe Patton was another popular and successful field trip.
It was a pleasure to connect again
with June Wood, who treated the
residents of Quesnel to a presentation about her new book, Home to the
Nechako, The River and the Land. We
learned the history of the river and of
the Kenney Dam Project with its farreaching ill effects on the people and
the land.
We enjoyed watching some slides of
earlier hikes and tried our luck with a
word association nature quiz.
Some of our members participated in
the Christmas Bird Count, organized by
the Quesnel Birding Club. Numbers of
birds as well as species were slightly below average, but
on the whole it was a good day.
Our snowshoe enthusiasts have taken us on a few outings. The Peters Creek trips, led by Don Austin, were challenging ascents but the views were well worth the effort.
A few of us, led by Lavinia Switzer, did an evening snowshoe trip above the boat launch at Dragon Lake, enjoying
the lights around the lake and the city.
Our AGM and elections were held mid January setting
us up for the coming year.
We are looking forward to future hikes and activities,
one of which is running a station at the Quesnel Winter
Carnival in February. 
Vancouver Island
Cowichan Valley Naturalists
Submitted by Eric Marshall
T
he fall session ended with our annual Solstice Party
with our two Young Naturalists’ Clubs (YNC). A potluck meal was followed by crafts, songs and a visit from
Mrs Claus with gifts for the YNC members. The evening
was rounded off when two groups who had composed
new words to two Christmas songs related to local birds
(the Steller’s Jay and the Chickadee,) sang and were accompanied by ukuleles.
In November we started our weekly counts of swans,
geese and raptors. Initially numbers of swans and geese
were lower than usual and also the ratio of juvenile swans
was low. Following a cold snap in early December numbers dropped but in 2014 they are increasing. In December Bald Eagles reached record numbers in trees near our
rivers where they were feasting on salmon carcasses. We
did have a single Sandhill Crane in the flocks of swans for
a few weeks when we started our counts. We hope it flew
on to warmer places.
Monthly counts of shorebirds on both sides of Cowichan
Bay have continued with the expected increases in the
numbers compared with the summer counts. Some of our
members are also making monthly surveys for beached
birds in the Bay area. A total of three dead shore birds has
now been counted since we started almost a year ago.
Sea lions came as usual into the Bay in October and as
many as 50 were counted in November; they were mainly
Steller’s. There were fewer California’s than usual. They
all departed earlier than usual in December following the
BCnature Spring 2014
cold snap mentioned. They usually depart between Christmas
Day and New Years Day.
The Christmas bird count was a great success with a record
number of 48 birders participating supplemented by eight
feeder counters. The weather was kind – no rain and mild
temperatures – and initially many reported low numbers of
birds sighted but when the final count was made this was not
the case. The bird of the day was a Ring-necked Pheasant.
Big misses this year were Harlequin Duck, Red-throated Loon
and Black Oystercatchers. Duck numbers took a bit of a tumble and the very dry conditions had much too blame for this.
Eurasian Collared Doves and Anna’s Hummingbirds continue
to increase in numbers. Our total of 47 species was a record
low over the 25 years for which our leader has run the count.
26,484 birds were counted.
In my previous Club Chat I mentioned that our Club was protesting the application by North Cowichan to have a piece of
their land in Somenos Marsh removed from the ALR. We have
just heard that we were unsuccessful in spite of our protests.
However they seem to have found another plot of land on
higher ground for the new police station and we hope they
build there and not on the land in Somenos Marsh now no
longer in the ALR.
Our regular Monday morning and Tuesday evening meetings
have resumed in 2014 and we look forward to another successful year. 
Pender Island Field Naturalists
Submitted By Gerald McKeating
A
s an introductory primer to Christmas season birds, an
outing was held in early December. An extremely cold day
was not enough to dampen the enthusiasm, 18 avid nature
buffs turned up.
2013 marks Pender Island Field Naturalists 50th Christmas
Bird Count. This year 74 + one CW species were recorded
for Pender, one more than last year and totals for our sister
islands were: Mayne 74 species followed by Saturna with 63.
The composite total for the three islands is 92 + two CW species. On Pender, we had at least 41 people in the field counting birds with another couple of dozen counting birds at their
feeder.
Of interest was the recent arrival of large flocks of Robins,
the most in several seasons. More numerous than usual were
Bewick’s Wrens. New for the Pender count list was a Whitefronted Goose that was mixed in with a large Canada Goose
flock, and an Orange-crowned Warbler, one of those diminutive little green birds.
The Field Naturalists is organizing a trip to the Olympic
National Park in Washington from Monday, August 4 to Friday, August 8 (five days and four nights). We will also visit
the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge located on the coast
east of Port Angeles. We have booked the accommodation
which is limited to nine people with several additional spots
available for campers.
January - John Heinonen will give a talk about hiking on Hurricane Ridge in the Olympics.
The Field Naturalist working committee was pleased to provide Sylvia Pincott with an Honorary Membership in the field
naturalists. Sylvia has been a tireless advocate for nature and
has dedicated much of her life to fostering a greater appreciation of nature of the Southern Gulf Islands and the Salish Sea
region. The new Pender Island Bird Checklist has now been
printed and in use. A BIG THANK YOU to the BC Nature Foundation for supporting this project.” 
35
BC Nature AGM
May 1-4, 2014, Victoria, BC
“Coastal Connections”
Schedule details and updates at http://rpbo.org/bcnatureagm.php
Conservation through monitoring,
research, and public education
Thursday, May 1
6:00 am – 4:00 pm
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
6:00 to 8:30 pm
Registration Desk and Display area open 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Botanical Beach/Avatar Grove extension trip ($)
NEW Fantasea II Marine Charter – Juan de Fuca – Race Rocks (5 hours)$
Directors’ Meeting
Casual social evening at the Harbour Towers Hotel
VICTORIA NATURAL
HISTORY SOCIETY
Friday, May 2
Registration Desk, Hospitality Room and Display area open 8:00 am – 5 pm
6:00 to 8:15 am
Early Morning Birding
8:30 to 8:55 am
Welcome and Announcements
Field Trips
9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Speakers
Dr. Richard Hebda – Origins and Development of our Modern Terrestrial
Intertidal Explorations –
Coastal Ecosystems
Fleming Beach
Dr. Purnima Govindarajalu – Citizen Science and Naturalists: The Challenge
Mill Hill Wildflowers
of Addressing Knowledge Gaps Currently Hampering Effective Conservation
East or West Victoria
Dr. Brenda Beckwith – There is No Wilderness But Home: Re-storying
Birding
the Lost Camas Meadows of the South Island
Saanich Peninsula Birding
Dr. Neville Winchester – Life in a Raindrop and Beyond: from
Microarthropods to Grizzly Bears – a Celebration of Coastal Biodiversity
Dr. Thomas Pedersen – Compromising the Future of Humanity: Why Global
Warming is More Than an Assault on Nature.
Mr. Jim Cosgrove – Giant Pacific Octopus – No Mother Could Give More
Lunch on your own
Field Trips
1:30 – 4:30 pm.
Speakers
Beacon
Hill Meadows-FULL
Dr. Eileen van der Flier-Keller – How Vancouver Island Came to Be: The
Thetis Lake Mosses
Rock Story
East or West Victoria
Dr. Robb Bennett – BC’s Spiders: Surveying the Province’s Diversity
Birding
Mr. David Nagorsen – Islands, Mountains and Glaciers – The Land
Saanich Peninsula Birding
Mammals of Coastal British Columbia
Supper on your own (4:30 pm – 7:00 pm)
7:00 to 9:00 pm Reception at the Robert Bateman Centre (with Robert Bateman)
NEW – Star Party at the University of Victoria (Time TBA)
Saturday May 3
Registration Desk, Hospitality Room and Display area open 8:00 am – 4 pm
6:00 to 8:30 am
Early Morning Birding
9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Speakers
Field Trips
Dr. Brian Starzomski – Biodiversity of British Columbia’s Central Coast
Victoria Breakwater: Diving
Dr. Jeremy Tatum – Moths of Southern Vancouver Island
for Diversity
Dr. John Ford – West Coast Whales: Natural History and Conservation Status
Witty’s Lagoon Nature
of Cetaceans in British Columbia
Uplands Park Wildflowers
Ms Ann Nightingale – How Technology is Changing the Way We See Birds
East Victoria Birding
Dr. Cori Lausen – As the Bat Flies: Understanding Seasonal Patterns of Bats
West Victoria Birding (6 am)
in Light of Wind Energy Developments and White Nose Syndrome
Saanich Peninsula Birding
Mr. David Denning – Get a Grip On It: Life at the Sea's Edge
Lunch on your own
1:30 – 4:30 pm.
BC Nature Annual General Meeting
5:30 – 6:00 pm.
Pre-Banquet Social – Cash Bar
6:00 – 10:00 pm
Banquet, Awards, Silent Auction
Keynote Speaker – Tom Reimchen – Ecosystems without Borders: The Role of
Salmon and Bears in Forest Biodiversity
Sunday May 4
9:00 AM
36
BCnature Spring 2014
Farewell Field Trips ($ indicates additional fee)
Fantasea II Marine Charter – Juan de Fuca – Race Rocks-FULL
Cowichan Garry Oak- Elkington Preserve (Duncan)
Victoria Harbour Tour (Pickle Boats)$
Goldstream Park
Mt. Newton (Saanich Peninsula)
Whale Watching $
BC Nature Annual General Meeting - May 1-4, 2014
Co-Hosted by Rocky Point Bird Observatory &
Victoria Natural History Society
"Coastal Connections"
Conservation through monitoring,
research, and public education
VICTORIA NATURAL
HISTORY SOCIETY
Online Registration, event descriptions, detailed conference information, spousal options and
additional trips/speakers at http://rpbo.org/bcnatureagm.php
Or complete this form and send it with your payment to
RPBO, 170-1581H Hillside Ave, Victoria, BC, V8T 2C1
Please complete a separate registration for each person.
Name:
Club*:
Director: Yes 
*Non-members must join BC Nature ($20 per year) or one of the member clubs to attend these events. Add to
selection below.
Address
Postal Code
Phone
City
E-mail
Options
Full registration (includes all presentations, workshops, socials,
refreshments and field trips on May 2-4 but not the banquet, Bateman
reception or special excursions.
Thursday Avatar Grove/Botanical Beach Trip Pre-AGM Excursion
Thursday - Fantasea II Race Rocks trip
Friday only (Presentations and Field Trips)
Friday Reception at the Bateman Centre (with Robert Bateman)
Saturday only (Presentations, Field Trips, and Meetings)
Saturday Banquet Buffet
FULL - Sunday - Fantasea II Race Rocks trip
Sunday – Whale Watching
Sunday – Victoria Harbour Tour (Pickle Boats)
*New club membership (required for non-members – contact registrar
for information on family, student or senior memberships)
BC Nature
Rocky Point Bird Observatory
Victoria Natural History Society
Other (please specify):
Total
Will you be attending the BC Nature Directors’ Meeting?
st
nd
By Mar 1
After
Mar 1
$110.00
$130.00
$80.00
$70.00
$75.00
$25.00
$45.00
$40.00
$70.00
$95.00
$25.00
$90.00
$75.00
$80.00
$30.00
$50.00
$45.00
$75.00
$100.00
$27.00
$20
$20
$30
$20
$20
$30
Total
FULL
rd
Field Trip Signup. Please indicate 1 , 2 , 3 choice for each time slot you wish to attend. Please note that speaker
sessions run concurrently with field trips. Keep some time open for some AWESOME talks!
(Additional options and instant confirmation by registering online. Payment can be made online or by mail.)
Friday
__Intertidal Explorations
__Mill Hill Spring Flowers
Morning:
__East Victoria Birding
__Saanich Peninsula BIrding
__West Victoria Birding
Friday
__Thetis Lake Mosses
FULL - Beacon Hill Meadows
Afternoon:
__East Victoria Birding
__Saanich Peninsula Birding
__West Victoria Birding
Saturday
__Victoria Breakwater:
__Witty’s Lagoon Nature
__Uplands Park Wildflowers
Morning:
__East Victoria Birding
__Saanich Peninsula Birding
__West Victoria Birding
Sunday
__Garry Oak Preserve
_Mt. Newton (Saanich
__Goldstream Park
Morning
(Duncan)
Peninsula)
NOTICE: Registration and a signed waiver form are required for all field trips. Print waiver form from the website
for each person, read carefully, sign and include with registration. Make cheques payable to:
Rocky Point Bird Observatory and mail to RPBO, 170-1581H Hillside Ave, Victoria BC, V8T 2C1
No refunds after April 1, 2014. We will send most registration confirmations by E-mail.
For more information – contact Donna Ross Email [email protected] or Phone: 250-655-1327.
Accommodations: Book early for the discounted AGM conference rates at the Harbour Towers Hotel, single or
double occupancy. Mention the BC Nature AGM for your discount.
BCnature Spring 2014
37
Spotlight on a BC Nature Federated Club
Delta Naturalists Society
By Ursula Easterbrook
he Delta Naturalists Society (DNS) club was
started in 1988 by a group of people interested in the natural environment and its preservation. They met monthly, organized field
trips and displays at local events. They were actively involved in many environmental issues.
Anne Murray spoke on behalf of DNS at public
hearings, as did others. Membership hovered
between 15 and 60. DNS was an affiliate member in the Boundary Bay Conservation Committee, protecting habitat in the Lower Mainland
We were involved in the formation of Wildlife
Management Areas (WMAs) in Delta and Surrey. Boundary Bay Regional Park and Burns Bog
Ecological Reserve owes a lot to our Naturalists’ efforts and lobbying.
In the 1990s, the monthly meetings were very
much social occasions, with entertainment
but not a lot of involvement or letter-writing
on conservation issues facing us in Delta. Our
membership started to lag in numbers.
We moved around a lot in the early years
with meetings held in the basement (56th
St.,) then over to the old Delta Fire Hall and
for quite a while we headquartered out of the
Phoenix Club. When the Phoenix Club was
slated for demolition, DNS had to find another
home. Ursula Easterbrook, as a member of
Metro Vancouver’s Forum, was involved with
Cammidge House in Boundary Bay Regional
Park (BBRP) and Metro’s Partnership Program.
It was thanks to her that DNS obtained free use
of the Cammidge House. The club opened its
2003-04 season in its new home, a fitting place
for a club interested in natural history and in
one of the richest bird areas in the lower mainland.
Probably the most important event of 2004
was the formation of the Environment Com-
T
Photo:U. Easterbrook
Smiling, happy Delta Naturalists after FGM 2011
mittee. That Committee has been dealing with various issues, including pesticide control and local tree management. Jim Ronback is actively involved in
VAPOR (jet fuel) and stopping the radio transmitter towers in Point Roberts.
Then Tom Bearss happened! He put new life into the club, energizing a
few incumbents to become more active and helped to increase our flagging
membership numbers to the low eighties with his Casual Bird Walks – these
are the only “field trips” we manage to put on. People interested in nonbirding nature outings can select from other listed events in our electronic
newsletter edited by Susan Burns. At the urging of Ursula and with Tom at
the helm, in September 2011 we hosted the BC Nature Fall General Meeting. That event went very well, we organized a bang-up event and even
made a profit! Hanging bird boxes and monitoring in BBRP is another one of
Tom’s activities. He also encourages us to participate in local events which
showcase our educational displays, hands-on “stuff” like bird nests, bones,
etc. and allows us to share our knowledgeable members with the public. All
of these activities have helped our club to grow tremendously over the last
few years.
Terry Carr started a Picasa photo site; Rick Woolley a Wordpress blog for
the Casual Bird Report and more, which Ken Borrie has been updating.
Our aims have not changed, but our activity level has. We write more letters and attend more Public meetings. Our meetings on the 2nd Monday
of the month have speakers, both scientific and knowledgeable amateurs,
which bring us information on everything from local to celestial out-of-thisworld, from aquatic to terrestrial to aerial beings (birds), to geology to awesome travel shows with a definite emphasis on nature.
We are an active, social, informative, and happy Club and always welcome
visitors! 
Objectives of Delta
Naturalists Society
Chat?
What happened to my Club
Where are all the Club Contacts?
Y
our Editorial committee has made a few changes to this
edition, namely that the last two pages will now contain
articles and a new feature called the "Last Word" in every
other edition. This new, recurring article called the Last Word
will in future contain a Species at Risk profile, the why, the
where and if there are any recovery strategies. For our first
article, we have chosen to use the article on the Fisheries Library that is no more. Although a different species at risk, it
does share a demise with so many of the species on the Red
List. Gone Forever!
You will see the return of the Club Chat and Club Contacts in
the Summer Magazine. The Club Chat will still be published,
but it will be in the electronic version of our magazine and
also available as a separate article on our website. The Club
Chat is an update from some of our clubs around the province, their activities, their speakers and their projects. The
web edition of our magazine has no page/print restrictions
so it will have an expanded page count. 
38
BCnature Spring 2014
To foster interest in natural history
To share and enjoy nature
To promote environmental awareness
Photo:U. Easterbrook
Delta Naturalists show-case their education display
The Last Word By Eric Marshall
"Libricide" in Federal Government Departments
L
ibraries are being closed , "consolidated" is the term used, in many Federal Government Departments – Environment,
Natural Resources and Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to mention only a few. The word ‘libricide’ has been coined for this
breaking up of the carefully collected intellectual property in these libraries. It has been compared to the Romans destroying
the Royal Library in Alexandria.
DFO had nine libraries, one in each of its research laboratories and one in Ottawa. Seven of these are being ‘consolidated’
into the libraries in Sidney, BC, and in Dartmouth, NS. Among those being closed is the Eric Marshall Aquatic Research Library
in the Freshwater Institute in Winnipeg. This is the only library in DFO concentrating on freshwater research materials. It was
widely recognized as the best of its type in North America. The libraries in Nanaimo and St. Andrew’s, New Brunswick are
two of the oldest in DFO and held many historic items. The library in St. John’s, Newfoundland, had a world class collection
of marine material. Volumes from all of these libraries have been moved to either Dartmouth or Sidney leaving research scientists elsewhere with no library on site. It is argued that most of the material needed is available online but these libraries
contained old material which has not been digitized. When needed, this material will be have to be mailed or faxed on request;
after a delay and assuming the material in question did not get lost in the moves. Most scientists agree that they frequently
have to print out part or all of an article being read online; it is difficult to flip back to a chart or diagram while reading text a
page or so further on which refers to that chart. If the printed copy is available it is so easy to flip pages.
I spent 25 years building up the library in Winnipeg and now it has been broken up; granted some volumes have been shipped
to Sidney. Many volumes were lost when the doors were opened to anyone who wished to take them; a local consulting company took truckloads of material. Clearly valuable material has gone; was it all material that was already in Sidney? This was
a unique collection that should not have been broken up. It was on the Fort Garry Campus of the University of Manitoba and
functioned closely with the University library system. The Institute library should have been offered to that system because
the Freshwater Institute was established on the University Campus to the mutual advantage of both organizations.
The Minister has claimed that a total of only about 10 non-DFO people use all of the DFO libraries each year. In Winnipeg
we used to have that many each week!
All of these closures are making it more difficult for the research scientists remaining in DFO to work efficiently. Many projects have been closed, including the famous Experimental Lakes Area. This was rescued at the eleventh hour by the International Centre for Sustainable Research in Winnipeg with support from the Ontario Government. DFO staff working there
received their pink slips and any new staff will not have the Institute library to use.
The Fisheries Act has also been gutted. The government’s plan appears to be to exploit our natural resources quickly and
that science will only get in the way of this by pointing out potential environmental damage. 
Join us for:
Pelagic Seabirds of
the Canadian Pacific
Sunday, May 11th, 2014
WildResearch, a Vancouver based non-profit group, is organizing a
fundraising event to raise money for its conservation programs. The
event will be a 7hr pelagic birding trip that sails from Ucluelet, BC aboard
the MV Frances Barkley to La Perouse Bank.
Come aboard and enjoy the experience!
A great opportunity to view seabirds that are rarely seen from shore.
Complete with indoor cafeteria and washrooms, this large and stable
vessel should offer stunning viewing and photographic opportunities.
Visit www.wildresearch.ca for details about the trip.
BCnature Spring 2014
Michael Ashbee
39
A
APPEAL for SUPPORT in our FIGHT against the PIPELINES
Help us protect these species
s a voice for nature in British Columbia, BC Nature will be continuing on with our fight to protect, preserve and conserve
the areas and the species that would be affected by both the Northern Gateway Pipeline (Enbridge) and the twinning
of the Kinder Morgan pipeline. BC Nature has chosen to partner and work with the Environmental Law Centre.
The Environmental Law Centre (ELC) at the University of Victoria provides free legal representation to community groups,
conservation organizations and First Nations across British Columbia, building legal capacity to tackle the complex environmental challenges that face our province.
The ELC and BCN are working together on two significant issues: intervening in the Trans Mountain Expansion Project
(i.e. Kinder Morgan Pipeline) and challenging the Northern Gateway Joint Review Panel decision with a judicial review in
Federal Court. If these two projects are to proceed, it is crucial that we ensure the full potential impact on the environment is taken into consideration.
The legal advice and representation that the ELC provides to BC Nature is free, but there are many other costs associated
with this important work: court filing fees, service of documents on other parties, expert evidence reports, photocopies
and document preparation.
That’s why BCN and ELC are partnering in this joint appeal for your support. Your donation will assist both organizations
defray the out-of-pocket expenses incurred as we work together on these issues to help protect BC’s natural environment.
Thank you for your support!
There are a number of ways you can contribute. Use the below form for Cheque or Credit Card. To use bank E-transfers
send your etransfer to [email protected], under separate email to same email address, send us the password to finalize the transfer. For all donations, please specify that your contribution is for the BCN/ELC Joint Appeal.
Donation for the BC Nature and the Environmental Law Centre Appeal
Name ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City____________________________________________ Province ____________ Postal code ________________________________
PHONE ________________________________________ EMAIL ___________________________
VISA/MASTERCARD NO.
Expiry:
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Or phone (604) 985-3057 for Credit Card Payments over the telephone
Income tax receipts will be issued for donations over $20.00.
Donations can also be made at www.bcnature.ca through PayPal or Canada Helps (look for the Support Us button)
BCnature is published four times a year by the FBCN,1620 Mount Seymour Road, North Vancouver, BC V7G 2R9
Publications Mail No. 41804027