PGNC News and Notes, November 28, 2018

Club Events

Christmas Bird Count, Sunday  December 16, 2018

This year marks the 51st Prince George Christmas Bird Count. The PG Naturalists Club held the first one in 1968! The main activity is an all-day commitment working with a field team to count birds in specific areas, concluding with a potluck tally-up in the early evening. You can also take part by keeping a count of your feeder and yard birds, as long as you live within the Prince George count circle. For details see:  http://www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/cbc/maps/BCPG.pdf. If you would like to participate, contact Cathy Antoniazzi  (PG CBC Compiler) by email at canton1@telus.net by Sunday December 9.

 

Club Reports

 

1. The Pacific Marten on Haida Gwaii, Thursday November 15

A capacity audience in the Kordyban Learning Centre enjoyed David Breault’s presentation on his research on Pacific Marten on Haida Gwaii. David included considerable context on the culture of Haida Gwaii as well as marten biology and eating habits. We learned that they are dietary generalists and will eat just about anything, including birds eggs, which could pose a threat to bird populations if the marten population expands. The event was presented in partnership with The Exploration Place.

 

2. Caribou Viewing Field Trip, Saturday November 17

The group of 15 Club members traveled to Kennedy Siding, just past Mackenzie, to learn about the woodland caribou from three local biologists. The attendees were treated to an up-close and personal look at roughly 20 caribou feeding and playing in the snow. Wildlife ecologist, Dale Seip, taught the group about the population recovery program and habitat ecology of the caribou herds in the area. Doug Heard, the wildlife biologist involved with the supplemental feeding and monitoring program, spoke about the individual animals identified from photo analysis, as well as the winter feeding habits. Mike Klaczek, a local wildlife biologist who studies the caribou’s movements, spoke about the GPS monitoring taking place, and what it tells us about seasonal movements and patterns in wolf predation.

3. Join the PGNC or Renew Your Membership

The membership year runs from January 1 to December 31. First-time members who join now are paid-up to December 31, 2019. Information including payment by PayPal is available at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/ Cost is $25 per year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. 

Notes

 

Wednesday December 5, Bears, Bylaws and Bungee Cords, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Prince George Public Library, Keith Gordon Room

From Northern Bear Awareness Society: Join us for a presentation and open discussion forum focused on the bears and garbage issue in Prince George. After we give an overview of the current situation and factors involved, we invite you to share your ideas for practical solutions. Everything from securing cans with bungee cords, to encouraging the City to develop and enforce stricter garbage bylaws will be addressed. Following the presentation and discussion, we will hold our Annual General Meeting at 8:00. If you are passionate about bears and would like to put that passion to use proactively, please consider joining our board of directors.

 

Wednesday December 5, Free Solo, 7 p.m. Famous Players 6 Cinemas in Prince George (submitted by Mike Nash)

The movie Free Solo is playing in Prince George on Wednesday December 5 at 7 p.m. at the Famous Players 6 Cinemas in Prince George. Sponsored by the Prince George Section of the Alpine Club of Canada, tickets are $19 each and are only available through Eventbrite at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/free-solo-film-screening-tickets-51597184568 Judy and I saw this remarkable film at a sold out screening at the Lux Theatre in Banff just before this year’s Mountain Book Festival, and I highly recommend it. Both a stunning athletic achievement and a strong human story, you could have heard a pin drop in the crowded theatre as tension built.

About the film: From award-winning documentary filmmaker E. Chai Vasarhelyi (“MERU”) and world-renowned photographer and mountaineer Jimmy Chin comes National Geographic Documentary Film’s FREE SOLO, a stunning, intimate and unflinching portrait of the free soloist climber Alex Honnold, as he prepares to achieve his lifelong dream: climbing the face of the world’s most famous rock … the 3,000ft El Capitan in Yosemite National Park … without a rope. Celebrated as one of the greatest athletic feats of any kind, Honnold’s climb set the ultimate standard: perfection or death. Succeeding in this challenge, Honnold enters his story in the annals of human achievement. FREE SOLO is both an edge-of-your seat thriller and an inspiring portrait of an athlete who exceeded our current understanding of human physical and mental potential. The result is a triumph of the human spirit.

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PGNC News and Notes, November 12, 2018

Club Events

Thursday November 15, Presentation Night: The Pacific Marten on Haida Gwaii, 7 to 9 p.m. at The Exploration Place

The landscape and trophic ecology of Haida Gwaii have been altered in the last century by industrial logging and introduced black-tailed deer. Pacific marten are a native predator that is potentially benefitting from these changes and may be impacting species at risk. Presenter David Breault is an MSc candidate in Biology at UNBC. His research focuses on the habitat and diet ecology of Pacific marten on Haida Gwaii. David is looking at relationships between marten detections from remote wildlife cameras and habitat metrics collected using LiDAR, to better understand the habitat ecology of marten in this unique context. David is also using stable isotope analysis to estimate the diet of marten across seasons and in coastal areas. This event is presented in partnership with The Exploration Place. Everyone welcome.

Saturday November 17, Caribou Viewing Field Trip

The Club is holding a special field trip on November 17 to view a caribou herd located north of Prince George. Local experts Dale Seip and Doug Heard will be our guides to explain the province’s caribou recovery program for this region. The field trip is limited to 25 paid-up Club members who will carpool together in as few cars as possible. Interested Club members should email David Breault at davidnobreault@gmail.com to let him know you wish to participate. Participants will be advised privately about what time and where to meet up for carpooling to the caribou site.

Club Reports

Wednesday Walkers, October 24

On our last walk of the season, it was a fine autumn day for a visit to the Western Larches (Larix occidentalis), with the trees caught mid-point in shedding their needles; some needles still bright on the trees, some making a golden carpet on the trail. (Darilyn’s photo) The view of the Nechako and the hills beyond was splendid.  The feathery Clematis (Clematis occidentalis), in seed, would have been in bloom last May, with its sepals a lovely shade of blue.  (Darilyn’s photo). The bog, where some cranberries were tucked in the sphagnum, was in its autumn colours. (Darilyn’s photo) Once again, we were lucky to see a Brown Creeper (Certhia familiaris) plying its way up a tree truck. To learn more about this all-season resident, check out the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at www.allaboutbirds.org.

I’d like to thank the many participants on our Wednesday Walks. Your enthusiasm is much appreciated.  I’m grateful to Sandra E., Anne A., Darilyn, Miguel, Dave G. Nancy M., and Lorraine for the photographs they have contributed. I also appreciated the assistance of Anne A., Nancy K., Dyanne, Suzanne and Nancy M. in pre-hiking.  A special thank you goes to Sandra K. who, amidst all our chatter, tends to the birding and birders. I am especially grateful for the support of Christine, Uta, Gillian, Dave and Sandra on our most recent walk, and for all who have offered constructive and supportive suggestions for the future conduct of our walks. If you have suggestions for a venue for a walk or would like to be involved in some pre-walking of trails please get in touch with me.  The 2019 Wednesday Walkers will get underway April 10^th.  I’ll send a schedule in the late winter. Let me know if you would like to have your name removed from the email list.  hunterdora@shaw.ca

 

Club Membership

First-time members can sign up now and enjoy membership to December 31, 2019. Arrive a few minutes early for the November 15 presentation and we’ll be happy to process your membership. Or sign up through the Club website at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/ Individual membership is $25 per year, and family membership is $40. Student membership is $15. Membership year is January 1 to December 31.

 

Other News and Events

 

Monday November 19, Dirt Rich: The Power Beneath Our Feet, 6:30 to 9 p.m. UNBC, Room 7-238 

 

UNBC’s Students for a Green University are hosting a free showing of Dirt Rich: The Power Between Our Feet. Dirt Rich is an award-winning environmental documentary that highlights the importance of protecting our soil, how we should go about it and much more! Everyone is welcome and there will be popcorn and drinks. If you’re interested in watching the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDIHqQOuP_I

 

 

Wednesday December 5, Bears, Bylaws and Bungee Cords, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Prince George Public Library, Keith Gordon Room

 

From Northern Bear Awareness Society: Join us for a presentation and open discussion forum focused on the bears and garbage issue in Prince George. After we give an overview of the current situation and factors involved, we invite you to share your ideas for practical solutions. Everything from securing cans with bungee cords, to encouraging the City to develop and enforce stricter garbage bylaws will be addressed. Following the presentation and discussion, we will hold our Annual General Meeting at 8:00. If you are passionate about bears and would like to put that passion to use proactively, please consider joining our board of directors.

 

Project Feeder Watch

Are you in need of some winter entertainment while contributing to citizen science? Consider signing up for Project Feeder Watch through Bird Studies Canada: https://www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/pfw/index.jsp?lang=EN The project runs from November 10, 2018 to April 5, 2019. Your local birds – and the scientists who study birds – will love you for it, and you’ll never be bored!

Urban Forests Research: A Call for Interview Participants

The UFORIA Lab in the Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, is recruiting experts and key informants in the areas of urban forestry, urban forest governance and decision making, public and open space design and management, and neighborhood greening to take part in an interview on urban forest decision making and management. We would like to learn more about urban forestry in your city and the factors that promote good urban forest decision making and help cities respond to urban forest stresses, such as weather calamities and rapid urban development. Interviews will be semi-structured and will be conducted in person.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Cecil C. Konijnendijk

Study Title: Urban Forest Governance in Canadian Cities – Managing for Success and Handling

Calamities

Date: September 2018 to March 2019 – to be arranged with participants

Time: By appointment – approximately 30-60 minutes

Contact information:

Email: wirtzz@mail.ubc.ca / lorien.nesbitt@ubc.ca

Phone: (604) 355-1445

Cecil C. Konijnendijk, Professor, Faculty of Forestry

Lorien Nesbitt, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Faculty of Forestry

Zachary Wirtz, MSc Student, Faculty of Forestry

 

PGNC News and Notes, October 29, 2018

Club Events

Thursday November 15, Presentation Night: The Pacific Marten on Haida Gwaii, 7 to 9 p.m. at The Exploration Place

The landscape and trophic ecology of Haida Gwaii have been altered in the last century by industrial logging and introduced black-tailed deer. Pacific marten are a native predator that is potentially benefitting from these changes and may be impacting species at risk. Presenter David Breault is an MSc candidate in Biology at UNBC. His research focuses on the habitat and diet ecology of Pacific marten on Haida Gwaii. David is looking at relationships between marten detections from remote wildlife cameras and habitat metrics collected using LiDAR, to better understand the habitat ecology of marten in this unique context. David is also using stable isotope analysis to estimate the diet of marten across seasons and in coastal areas. This event is presented in partnership with The Exploration Place. Everyone welcome.

Saturday November 17: Caribou Viewing Field Trip

The Club is holding a special field trip on November 17 to view a caribou herd located north of Prince George. Local experts Dale Seip and Doug Heard will be our guides to explain the province’s caribou recovery program for this region. The field trip is limited to 25 paid-up Club members who will carpool together in as few cars as possible. Interested Club members should email David Breault at davidnobreault@gmail.com to let him know you wish to participate. Participants will be advised privately about what time and where to meet up for carpooling to the caribou site.

Club Reports

Thursday October 18: Presentation on Amphibians in northern BC

Participants enjoyed an evening learning about amphibians in northern BC. Cherie Mosher, UNBC PhD candidate, shared her research on ways amphibians have migrated into central/northern BC, and how they survive the winters. Cherie also talked about her work on the coastal tailed frog (Ascaphus truei) of the Coastal Mountains. The evening was presented in partnership with The Exploration Place.

For more information on local amphibians, take a look at Checklist of North-Central Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians on the Club’s blog at https://pgnc.wordpress.com/links/ It lists five amphibians and three reptiles observed in the Prince George region.

Club News

 

Club Membership

First-time members can sign up now and enjoy membership to December 31, 2019. Arrive a few minutes early for the November 15 presentation and we’ll be happy to process your membership. Or sign up through the Club website at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/ Individual membership is $25 per year, and family membership is $40. Student membership is $15. Membership year is January 1 to December 31.

New Email address

The Club now has a new email address: Princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com We will continue to monitor the previous email account.

Notes

Thursday November 1: A Night with the Stars, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., PGPL Bob Harkins Branch

The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Prince George Centre and the Prince George Public Library are holding an introduction to astronomy on November 1. Telescope purchase and use will be discussed and, weather permitting, telescopes will be available for stargazing. Adults are the target audience. There is no charge to attend.

Friday November 2: NRESi Colloquium, Satellite Data to Quantify Return of Forests Following Wildfire and Harvest. 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. UNBC, Room 8-164

Speaker is Dr. Michael Wulder, Canadian Forest Service. In forest environments wildfire and harvesting activities are the primary mechanisms for the removal of trees. Following these disturbances, the lifecycle of trees can resume naturally or via planting activities. The mapping of forest disturbances is increasingly common, with the quantification of the return of forests, or forest recovery, receiving less attention. In the same fashion that satellite data can be used to capture disturbances based upon temporal changes visible in the imagery, forest recovery can be monitored. However, given the punctual nature of forest removal and the longer time period required to observe the return of forests, different approaches are required. Here we show that analysis of time series satellite data can be used to relate forest recovery and that the spectral changes evident in the imagery can be corroborated using field plots, airborne laser data, or spatial patterns indicative of pre-disturbance conditions.

Following the colloquium, the NRES graduate students will presenting their posters in the Teaching and Learning Building Atrium.

 

Tuesday November 6: Free STEAM Family Event, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., The Exploration Place

Calling all Prince George residents! Join the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre for a fun night of discovery and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) themed activities. Journey through the universe in a Portable Planetarium, check out telescopes, vacuum chamber science demos, and out-of-this-world art activities! Participants will interact with local astronomers, have hands-on experiences, and learn all about our solar system and beyond. Free admission. Kid-friendly.

PGNC News and Notes, October 21, 2018

Club Events

Wednesday Walkers, October 24, The Pidherny Larches with Spur Trip to the Bog 

 

This walk is a stroll in the Pidherny Hills to the larch grove over-looking the Nechako with, on our return, a quick stop at the bog, perhaps, to see some cranberries. I spotted the larch grove in all its golden glory from L.C. Gunn on the 17^th. It will be fine if the needles stay on the trees until the 24^th, but, if not, we’ll have an even finer view of the valley and river below and the hills beyond. We meet in the parking lot at the Spruceland Shopping Mall at the corner of 5th Avenue and Hwy 97 under the big Save On Foods sign at 9:20 a.m. There we sign a waiver form and arrange for carpooling. Departure time is 9:30 a.m. with return in the noon hour. Please dress for the weather, wear sturdy footwear, bring water and a snack. These slow walks to observe nature are open to members and non-members. If you accept a ride to the walk site, please chip in a Toonie for gas. For more information, or to join an email contact list, contact Dora at hunterdora@shaw.ca

Thursday November 15, Presentation Night: The Pacific Marten on Haida Gwaii, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Exploration Place

David Breault will talk about his UNBC graduate research on the habitat ecology of the Pacific marten on Haida Gwaii. This event is presented in partnership with The Exploration Place. Everyone welcome.

Club Reports

Wednesday Walkers, October 10, McMillan Creek Regional Park

With the temperature around freezing, well below normal, it was a chilly day for Walkers at McMillan Park. However, with the carpet of colourful leaves and the mosses and lichens enjoying their time in the sun, the forest floor was bright and colourful.  Darilyn captured some of that colour, but also an interesting drama unfolding in the fungus world. Professor Egger at UNBC pointed out, on the cut end of wood, the white fungus and, above and overgrowing it, the black fungus “are competing to hold onto their bit of turf… As you know, it’s a cut-throat world at fungus level.” The competition between mosses and lichens appears to be no less vigorous on the log end in Darilyn’s second photo (submitted by Dora Hunter).

Sandra’s Checklists for the Day

Mosses

Pleurozium schreberi   Red-stemmed Feathermoss

Ptilium crista-castrensis   Knight’s Plume

Polytrichum commune   Haircap Moss

Birds

Common Raven — overwinter
Black-capped Chickadee — overwinter
Red-breasted Nuthatch — overwinter
Brown Creeper — some may overwinter
Pacific Wren — will migrate eventually
Golden-crowned Kinglet — a few may overwinter.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet — will migrate
Pine Siskin —  usually leave, some milder winters we have some
Dark-eyed Junco — some will overwinter
Yellow-rumped Warbler — will migrate

Club News

 

Club Membership

First-time members can sign up now and enjoy membership to December 31, 2019. Arrive a few minutes early for the November 15 presentation and we’ll be happy to process your membership. Or sign up through the Club website at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/ Individual membership is $25 per year, and family membership is $40. Student membership is $15. Membership year is January 1 to December 31.

New Email address

The Club now has a new email address: Princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com We will continue to monitor the previous email account.

Notes

Wednesday October 24, Symbiosis Workshop Series – Incredible Insects, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., The Exploration Place

Entomology for Beginners. The Exploration Place invites youth (8+) and their grownups to join them for workshops of learning, collaboration, and knowledge sharing. Each workshop is designed to offer hands on experience in different STEAM fields (science, technology, engineering, art & design, and math). Attendance is free, but space is limited so please pre-register at bookings@theexplorationplace.com  Please register as adult/child pairs or trios. The Museum will be doing this workshop monthly so stay tuned for the next workshop!

 

New Alpine Species Research near Tumbler Ridge

PGNC members might enjoy this October 19 CBC Quirks & Quarks episode on new alpine species biology research near Tumbler Ridge:

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/rain-spiders-and-bears-are-all-part-of-discovering-canada-s-backcountry-biology-1.4868092 (submitted by Mike Nash).

PGNC News and Notes, October 12, 2018

Club Event

Thursday October 18, 7 to 9 p.m., Presentation on Amphibians in Central and Northern BC, The Exploration Place

Amphibians in central/northern British Columbia are uniquely adapted to seemingly inhospitable winter climates. These species are typically near the northern extent of their ranges, and likely migrated into the geographic region within the last 10,000 years. Cherie Mosher, a PhD Candidate at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), will talk about known ways amphibians have migrated into central/northern BC, and how they survive the winters. In addition, Cherie will present her work on the coastal tailed frog (Ascaphus truei) of the Coastal Mountains. This ancient species has an unusual life history and, potentially, an even more unusual history and future in British Columbia. This event is brought to us in partnership with The Exploration Place. Everyone welcome (Bob Steventon photos).

Club News

 

Club Membership

First-time members can sign up as of October 1 and enjoy membership to December 31, 2019. Arrive a few minutes early for the October 18 presentation and we’ll be happy to process your membership. Or sign up through the Club website at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/Individual membership is $25 per year, and family membership is $40. Student membership is $15. Membership year is January 1 to December 31.

New Email address

The Club now has a new email address: Princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com We will continue to monitor the previous email account.

 

Notes

1. UNBC Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society (TWS) Photo Contest, October 15 to 19

Information provided by David Breault on behalf of TWS: This year, our annual photo and calendar contest will be held from October 15th to the 19th. Photo submissions will be from Monday to Wednesday, with voting taking place on Thursday October 18 and Friday October 19. 

Submissions will be $5 for the first picture. For additional photos, club members pay an additional $1 per photo, non-club members pay an additional $2 per photo for 3 for a maximum of three photos. Photos must be 8 x 10 inches, and must be dropped off in person at our table at the TWS table in the UNBC Winter Garden. Submissions will be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday next week, and must be made in person. The table will be set up from 10-4. Voting on photos must also be done in person at the table, from 8-4 on Thursday and Friday. Your photos do not need to be taken in BC, but they do need to be species found in BC.

Voting takes place on the 18th and 19th. Anyone and everyone can submit and vote for photos, so tell your friends! For first, second, and third place, we bring in a panel of our favourite professors to judge, and student voting is for people’s choice! 

There are prizes! The top photos that come out of the contest will go into the TWS calendar! All proceeds of the calendar sales go to the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter in Smithers, so we want to sell as many calendars as we for them! Queries about the contest should go to tws@unbc.ca

2. Geological Tour Guide for Prince George

For anyone interested in the geology of our area, there’s an updated geological tour guide for Prince George from the Geological Survey of Canada at:

https://www.mineralsed.ca/site/assets/files/3451/princegeorgegeotourguide.pdf

 

Editor’s Note: This publication is full of colourful graphics and information about all the geological features we hike in, drive through, and photograph on a regular basis (thanks to Mike Nash for forwarding this).

 

PGNC News and Notes, October 8, 2018

Club Events

Wednesday Walkers, October 10, McMillan Regional Park

We’ll walk in hilly McMillan Regional Park at a leisurely pace to enjoy the rich woodland and the view from the top of the cutbanks. We meet in the parking lot at the Spruceland Shopping Mall at the corner of 5th Avenue and Hwy 97 under the big Save On Foods sign at 9:20 a.m. There we sign a waiver form and arrange for carpooling. Departure time is 9:30 a.m., with return in the noon hour. Please dress for the weather, wear sturdy footwear, bring water and a snack. These slow walks to observe nature are open to members and non-members. If you accept a ride to the walk site, please chip in a Toonie for gas.  For more information, or to join an email contact list, contact Dora at hunterdora@shaw.ca.

Thursday October 18, 7 to 9 p.m., Presentation on amphibians, The Exploration Place

Cherie Mosher of UNBC will talk about amphibian ecology in North Central BC. This event is brought to us in partnership with The Exploration Place. Everyone welcome.

Ed note: As background, here is some key information about BC amphibians: https://tinyurl.com/yb4nwve8

Club Membership

First-time members can sign up as of October 1 and enjoy membership to December 31, 2019. Come a few minutes early to the October 18 presentation and we’ll be happy to process your membership. Or sign up through the Club website at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/

Club Reports

Thursday September 20, Panel on Citizen Science

Three dozen attendees enjoyed a panel presentation and discussion about how people in Prince George, North America, and around the world actually participate in citizen science. The Prince George Public Library co-hosted the event, and set out displays of books of interest. Special thanks to David Breault, Jack Bowling and Heather Meier for the helpful information they shared and to Angie Joiner for pulling it all together. The  citizen science hand-out provides links to many citizen science initiatives whether you are interested in birds, fish, bugs, and everything in between, and includes free smartphone apps. If you find more sites to add to the list, please email the information to the Club at pgnaturalists@hotmail.ca and we will add to the citizen science links soon to be located on the blog.

And here is an extensive article in the Globe and Mail on the contributions of citizen scientists to overall scientific knowledge of butterflies: https://tinyurl.com/y8b9esps as well as a link to UBC’s e-flora site where plant lovers can enter data and photos: http://ibis.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/eflora/

Wednesday Walkers, September 26, Cranbrook Greenway off Westcrest Drive (report by Dora Hunter)

We began our walk at the end of Westcrest Drive, where, in this summer of wildfires, a fire had been put out in its infancy, saving Prince George from the fate of some other communities in the province. On the Greenway, we found fungi to be few and far between, but, as Darilyn’s photo shows, we did find a small clump which served to demonstrate some of the many features a mycologist would note in the identification of a mushroom. Darilyn’s photo of the Orange Jelly captures the beauty of this specimen, which until recent rains was a crusty splotch on this conifer stump.  Can you spot the Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) in Miguel’s photo? It can withstand the cold temperatures of northern B.C. by converting liver glycogen to glucose and moving it into its cells, to serve as antifreeze. Any water is confined to body cavities and between cells where ice crystals do no harm. Another wonderful overwintering adaptation is that of the Black-capped Chickadee (Parus atricapillus), which on winter nights, as an energy conserving strategy, decreases its body temperature by about half. In our on-going quest to identify the mosses, Sandra demonstrated the defining points of Step Moss (Hylocomium splendens) (Photo: Miguel).

Sandra’s Checklist for the 26th

• Common Raven–stay for the winter.
• White-winged Crossbill — could stay for the winter; they go where the food
• is (cones), and it doesn’t matter what time of year it is.
• Golden-crowned Kinglet — a few will overwinter.
• Pine Siskin —   usually leave, some milder winters we have some.
• Black-capped Chickadee — will overwinter.
• Pileated Woodpecker — will overwinter.

Notes

Tuesday October 30, Northwest Invasive Plant Council AGM, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Smithers BC

Please join the Northwest Invasive Plant Council’s Board of Directors, staff and invasive plant specialists and  invasive plant management contractors at our 2018 AGM and member’s meeting. RSVP to manager@nwipc.org as lunch is provided.

Tiny Lichens to Giant Trees: An inventory of the Robson Valley Flora

The September 14, 2018 colloquium “Tiny lichens to giant trees: An inventory of the Robson Valley flora” by Dr. Curtis Bjork is now available to watch online. This excellent presentation is about the amazing inventory of flora that has recently been done mostly in our local mountain parks, Sugarbowl-Grizzly, Ancient Forest/Chun T’oh Whudujut, Slim Creek etc:

https://video.unbc.ca/media/Tiny+Lichens+to+giant+treesA+An+Inventory+of+the+Robson+Valley+flora+-+Dr.+Curtis+Bjork+-+September+14%2C+2018/0_7uumt69h/19801 (submitted by Mike Nash)

Eskers Provincial Park is 30 years old!

2018 is the 30^th anniversary year of the establishment of Eskers Provincial Park, which was fast-tracked by the outgoing environment minister of the day. Fall is one of the best times to visit the park, as depicted in the following video. The notes accompanying (below) the YouTube presentation outline some of Eskers Provincial Park’s history. What you might not know is that the park was nearly doubled in size in the late 1990s as part of British Columbia’s protected area strategy, and we have yet to explore the extension which also remains undeveloped: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz-KIohRoNc

For anyone visiting or new to BC’s interior, Mike Nash’s YouTube channel has over 50 slide-show videos covering many outdoor aspects of Prince George and North Central British Columbia, as well as farther afield: https://www.youtube.com/user/TMKNE/videos  (with thanks to Mike Nash for this information)

 

PGNC News and Notes, September 20, 2018

Club Events

Wednesday Walkers, September 26, Cranbrook Hill Greenway off Westcrest Drive

We will access the Greenway from the end of Westcrest Drive on Cranbrook Hill. Last fall this area was a fairyland of fungi, and, with luck, recent rainy weather will ensure another bumper crop. We meet in the parking lot at the Spruceland Shopping Mall at the corner of 5th Avenue and Hwy 97 under the big Save On Foods sign at 9:20 a.m. There we sign a waiver form and arrange for carpooling. Departure time is 9:30 a.m., with return in the noon hour. Please dress for the weather, wear sturdy footwear, bring water and a snack. These slow walks to observe nature are open to members and non-members. If you accept a ride to the walk site, please chip in a Toonie for gas.  For more information, or to join an email contact list, contact Dora at hunterdora@shaw.ca.

Club Reports

Wednesday Walkers, September 12, Moore’s Meadow Nature Park

(Submitted by Dora Hunter)

After a chilly night and with snowflakes in the air, the ants in their many hills were all tucked in under their thatched rooves. There were, however, birds to be seen and heard. Here is Sandra Kinsey’s list for the day with her notes on likely migratory behaviour.

Northern Flicker —   some will overwinter
Black-capped Chickadee —  will overwinter
Red-breasted Nuthatch  —  most will overwinter
Brown Creeper  —   some will overwinter
Golden-crowned Kinglet — a few will overwinter
Ruby-crowned Kinglet —  all will leave
American Robin —  a couple will stay in town
Pine Siskin  —   usually leave, some winters we have some
Dark-eyed Junco —   a few will overwinter, but usually in town
Yellow-rumped Warbler  —  all will leave

Notes

Friday September 21, NRESi Colloquium, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., UNBC Room 8-164

 

This Friday’s (Sept 21^st) NRESi colloquium will feature Dr. Roy Rea who will be giving the presentation, “You Cannot Love Softwoods and Hate Hardwoods … and Other Thoughts About Silvicultural Racism by a Flaming Moosologist”. Room 8-164 – 3:30 – 4:30 pm.

 

Saturday September 22, Ethnobotany Workshop, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

David Douglas Botanical Garden Society presents an Ethnobotany workshop with Carla Burton. Presentation on plant uses by local First Nations for food, medicine, spirituality, and technology. Short walk to examine native plants. Making Devil’s Club and Rose Hip salves with native plants to take home. Location: Lab 8-325, Teaching Laboratory at UNBC

DDBGS members $25. Non-members $60 (includes a DDBGS membership). To register or for more information contact Anne at secretary@ddbotgarden.bc.ca Participants to bring a sharp paring knife, sturdy gloves, and a mallet for crushing rose hips. Registration for non-members will be open on September 16th.

 

Thursday September 27, Documentary Screening, 5 p.m., UNBC Room 7-212

In partnership with the Green Centre, Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) will be screening the documentary film Directly Affected on Thursday, September 27^th at 5:00 pm in room 7-212. Free refreshments. (Sub-title is Pipeline Under Pressure relating to the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion).