PGNC News and Notes, November 9, 2020

• Friday November 13, NRESi Colloquium, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Let’s talk about herbicide residues in forest communities: what are they doing?
• TWS Student Chapter 2020 Photo Contest: Deadline Friday November 13
• CORRECTION: WEDNESDAY November 18, NRESi-sponsored Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, noon to 1:30 p.m. Navigating the uncertain and difficult road to restoration and recovery of Klinse-Za caribou

Prince George Naturalists Club Other Events

Friday November 13, NRESi Colloquium, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Let’s talk about herbicide residues in forest communities: what are they doing?

The presenter for this colloquium is Dr. Lisa Wood, UNBC. The risks associated with long-term, low-level glyphosate persistence in living plants are mostly unknown, and residues in plant tissue may have implications for ecosystem functions. The research explored here will discuss the real-life timelines associated with glyphosate residues in plant tissues, and what we know so far about the plant population-level responses to glyphosate residues when then do persist in interior British Columbian forests. Dr. Wood will share some current research she is conducting on cumulative effects of glyphosate-based herbicides, and pose questions about what her results may mean for land management and species conservation.Please email Al.Wiensczyk@unbc.ca to obtain the passcode and then click the link below to join the webinar:https://ca01web.zoom.us/j/67709834314

Or Telephone:

    Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

        Canada: +1 647 375 2971  or +1 778 907 2071  or +1 204 272 7920  or +1 438 809 7799  or +1 587 328 1099  or +1 613 209 3054  or +1 647 374 4685  or +1 647 375 2970

TWS Student Chapter 2020 Photo Contest: Deadline Friday November 13

Message from UNBC’s Student Chapter of The Fish and Wildlife Society: Our annual calendar contest is here! Submit your best wildlife and/or fisheries photo for a chance to be featured in the 2021 calendar! Proceeds from the calender sales go to support the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter! 

Submissions will be open until Friday November 13. Cost to enter is $5/first photo plus $1 for each extra photo for student chapter members or $2 extra for each photo for non-members (maximum 5 photos per person). Photos should be in an 8×10 landscape format. The photos will be displayed in a Yogile album and voting will be held for people’s choice and the top 3 ending on November 20th. For more information including the contest waiver and entry form click here: <http://tws.unbc.ca> or email <tws@unbc.ca> or check the TWS Facebook page.

CORRECTION: WEDNESDAY November 18, NRESi-sponsored Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, noon to 1:30 p.m. Navigating the uncertain and difficult road to restoration and recovery of Klinse-Za caribou
The Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) sponsored NRESi colloquium will be taking place on Wednesday, November 18^th from noon-1:30 pm. The presenter for this special colloquium is Dr. Scott McNay, Senior Wildlife and Forest Ecologist, Wildlife Infometrics, Inc. Scott will be giving a talk entitled, “Navigating the uncertain and difficult road to restoration and recovery of Klinse-Za caribou.”  While there are no examples of caribou populations that have been fully recovered from near extirpation, that is the objective shared by Canada, British Columbia, and two First Nations communities for the Klinse-Za caribou herd. Having used direct population management to successfully avert extirpation of the herd in the short-term, restoration of human-altered caribou habitat is now the fundamental management action being used to achieve a self-sustaining population. But the way to achieve the necessary restoration is fraught with uncertainty and socio- and economic-challenges. I will discuss why restoration is so fundamental to recovery, what habitat restoration actually is, what some of the implementation challenges have been, what we have accomplished so far, and what is left to achieve. This event is funded by the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP). The FWCP is a partnership between BC Hydro, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, First Nations, Public Stakeholders and the Province of BC, to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife in watersheds impacted by existing BC Hydro dams. Please email Al.Wiensczyk@unbc.ca to obtain the passcode and then click the link below to join the webinar:https://ca01web.zoom.us/j/62202042284 Or Telephone:    Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):        Canada: +1 647 374 4685  or +1 647 375 2970  or +1 647 375 2971  or +1 778 907 2071  or +1 204 272 7920  or +1 438 809 7799  or +1 587 328 1099  or +1 613 209 3054

PGNC News and Notes, Nov. 8, 2020

• PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
• Monday November 9, The Exploration Place, 7 p.m. Virtual Adult Speaker Series, The Muskwa-Kechika Management Area
• TWS Student Chapter 2020 Photo Contest: deadline November 13
• Friday November 18, NRESi-sponsored Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, noon to 1:30 p.m. Navigating the Uncertain and Difficult Road to Restoration and Recovery of Klinse-Za Caribou
• Project FeederWatch, November 2020 to April 2021

Prince George Naturalists Club Events and News
No in-person Club events are in the works at this time due to the pandemic. The Club is happy to promote virtual events sponsored by other organizations. See below for details.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
Club members continue to renew their memberships online or by mail. New members are also joining the Club. This support is much appreciated. BC Nature has changed how individual Club membership lists are kept so anyone more than three months in arrears will not receive BC Nature magazine or BC Nature’s monthly eNews. 
Memberships are available online any time. Cost is $25 per calendar year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. Information including payment by PayPal is available at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/. Membership cheques and forms can also be mailed to PGNC, PO Box 1092, Prince George BC V2L 4V2.
Benefits of membership: Subscription to BC Nature magazine, liability insurance coverage for Club work parties and field trips, 10% discount on some of the bird seed purchased at Spruce Capital Feeds, and access to popular events limited to Club members only. 

Other Events and News

Monday November 9, The Exploration Place, 7 p.m. Virtual Adult Speaker Series, The Muskwa-Kechika Management Area

Register in advance for this webinar:https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VrAiCOP4TAqfeeKMNl02_w

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

The Muskwa-Kechika Management Area (M-KMA) in northern British Columbia is globally significant for its size, special resource management, and cultural and ecological values. These characteristics were secured in perpetuity through the British Columbian Government’s M-KMA Act in 1998. However, low public awareness and engagement is seen as a threat to the M- KMA’s effectiveness and longevity. By using a mixed methods approach, this research explores the role of awareness and engagement in safeguarding the M-KMA using interviews and a media review, both of which have informed a public survey. This presentation will explore the contemporary challenges facing the M-KMA and will share some preliminary results.

About the presenter: Originally from the Lower Mainland, Rachelle Linde moved to northern BC for the educational opportunities available at UNBC in the Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management Program. A series of exciting and variable summer jobs in the environmental education and recreation world eventually led Rachelle back to her love for research. Now, Rachelle is a UNBC graduate student in the Masters of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies program studying public involvement and approaches to engage citizenry in place protection

We are pleased to acknowledge that CBC Daybreak North – Northern British Columbia is the official media sponsor of the Adult Speaker Series. https://www.cbc.ca/Listen to CBC Radio Daybreak North the morning of November 9 to hear a short interview with the evening’s presenter

TWS Student Chapter 2020 Photo Contest: deadline November 13

From UNBC’s Student Chapter of The Fish and Wildlife Society: Our annual calendar contest is here! Submit your best wildlife and/or fisheries photo for a chance to be featured in our 2021 calendar! Submissions will be open November 2-13 on our yogile album. Cost to enter is $5/photo (maximum 5 photos per person). $1/extra photo for sutudent chapter members, $2/extra photo for non members. Photos should be 8×10. Voting will be held for people’s choice and top 3 on November 20th. Proceeds from the calender sales go to support Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter! Please send us an email at tws@unbc.ca if you have any questions! For more details follow this link: http://tws.unbc.ca

Friday November 18, NRESi-sponsored Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, noon to 1:30 p.m. Navigating the Uncertain and Difficult Road to Restoration and Recovery of Klinse-Za Caribou
The Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) sponsored NRESi colloquium will be taking place on Wednesday, November 18^th from noon-1:30 pm. The presenter for this special colloquium is Dr. Scott McNay, Senior Wildlife and Forest Ecologist, Wildlife Infometrics, Inc. Scott will be giving a talk entitled, “Navigating the uncertain and difficult road to restoration and recovery of Klinse-Za caribou.”  While there are no examples of caribou populations that have been fully recovered from near extirpation, that is the objective shared by Canada, British Columbia, and two First Nations communities for the Klinse-Za caribou herd. Having used direct population management to successfully avert extirpation of the herd in the short-term, restoration of human-altered caribou habitat is now the fundamental management action being used to achieve a self-sustaining population. But the way to achieve the necessary restoration is fraught with uncertainty and socio- and economic-challenges. I will discuss why restoration is so fundamental to recovery, what habitat restoration actually is, what some of the implementation challenges have been, what we have accomplished so far, and what is left to achieve. 

This event is funded by the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP). The FWCP is a partnership between BC Hydro, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, First Nations, Public Stakeholders and the Province of BC, to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife in watersheds impacted by existing BC Hydro dams. Please email Al.Wiensczyk@unbc.ca to obtain the passcode and then click the link below to join the webinar:https://ca01web.zoom.us/j/62202042284 Or Telephone:    Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):        Canada: +1 647 374 4685  or +1 647 375 2970  or +1 647 375 2971  or +1 778 907 2071  or +1 204 272 7920  or +1 438 809 7799  or +1 587 328 1099  or +1 613 209 3054

Project FeederWatch, November 2020 to April 2021
Looking for something to do this winter that’s both inspiring and useful? Join the North America-wide flock of bird lovers who participate in Project FeederWatch as citizen scientists. You don’t even need a feeder. Here’s the link to get you going: https://feederwatch.org/about/project-overview/

PGNC News and Notes, October 16, 2020

• Friday October 16, NRESi Colloquium, 3:30 p.m. Webinar: Supplemental Feeding and Endangered Caribou Populations
• Monday October 19, The Exploration Place,  7 p.m. Virtual Adult Speaker Series, The Impact of Climate Change on Mountain Ranges
• 2020 Phenomenal Mushroom Season

Prince George Naturalists Club Events and News
No in-person Club events are in the works at this time. The Club is happy to promote virtual events sponsored by other organizations. See below for details.

Other Events and News

Friday October 16, NRESi Colloquium, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Webinar: Supplemental Feeding and Endangered Caribou Populations

The presenter for this colloquium is Doug Heard, RPBio, Adjunct Professor, UNBC, who will be giving the talk “Can Supplemental Feeding Promote Growth in Endangered Caribou Populations? A Test of the Aesop Hypothesis”Increased predation risk may be preventing caribou from surfing the green wave, compromising their nutritional status and contributing to population declines. To test that hypothesis, we fed high-quality food pellets to free-ranging caribou in the Kennedy Siding herd each fall for 6 years. Supplemental feeding appeared to increase population growth. Was Aesop right in concluding that “It’s better to eat simply in peace than to feast in terror”?
Please contact Al Wiensczyk, Research Manager at Al.Wiensczyk@unbc.ca for the webinar link and passcode.

Monday October 19, The Exploration Place,  7 p.m., Virtual Adult Speaker Series, The Impact of Climate Change on Mountain Ranges

Please note* Zoom link will be available one hour prior to the event.

Presenter is Dr. Joseph Shea, Assistant Professor, Environmental Geomatics at UNBC. Mountains are the proverbial canary in the coal mine when it comes to climate change, and the impacts of climate change on high elevation regions will be felt far downstream. Mountain glaciers and snowpacks are critical sources of seasonal streamflow and soil moisture. Mountains provide unique habitats and ecological niches and support a huge range of biodiversity. And mountains are seeing some of the greatest rates of warming observed on the planet. This talk will focus on ongoing and future research in mountains both near and far, identify how and why mountains are changing so fast, highlight the challenges in collecting data from high elevations, and hopefully generate a mountain of discussion. About the presenter: Born and raised in Southwestern Ontario, Dr. Joseph Shea has moved from the Hamilton “Mountain” to conduct research on snow, ice, and water in mountain ranges around the planet. His research is focused on measuring and modelling the impact of climate change at high elevations, and the application of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS, aka drones) and satellites for change detection. After completing his PhD in 2010 and conducting post-doctoral research at UNBC, he spent 4 years in Nepal with his family working in the Himalayas before returning to Prince George. When he’s not parenting three fantastic kids he trail runs, mountain bikes, and skis, and can be occasionally seen around town performing with his band The Ebbs. We are pleased to acknowledge that CBC Daybreak North – Northern British Columbia is the official media sponsor of the Adult Speaker Series. https://www.cbc.ca/

2020 Phenomenal Mushroom Season
Mushrooms in Prince George are well covered this morning by a layer of wet snow. Here’s a link to a September 28 article about one of the best years ever for local fungi lovers: https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/news/wet-weather-later-frost-extends-mushroom-season-1.24211567

PGNC News and Notes, September 9, 2020

• Prince George Naturalists Club Executive
• PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
• Report: Weed Pull, Hudson’s Bay Wetland, Saturday August 22
• Dr. Hugues Massicotte Retires
• Beaverly Community Association Lost Lake Trails: public input deadline September 24
• Regional Parks Plan Review: survey deadline September 30
• Takla Nation Fish Hatchery
• Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud

Prince George Naturalists Club Events and News

Prince George Naturalists Club Executive

The March 19 Annual General Meeting had to be cancelled due to pandemic restrictions. It may be some time before the Club can schedule an AGM, either in person or online. In the meantime, members of the current Executive are staying on to help guide the Club through these pandemic times. For a list of directors, visit the Club’s blog at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/737-2/. The Executive will continue to conduct any necessary business by email or phone as needed.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
Club members continue to renew their memberships online or by mail. New members are also joining the Club. This support is much appreciated. BC Nature has changed how individual Club membership lists are kept so anyone more than three months in arrears will not receive BC Nature magazine or BC Nature’s monthly eNews. 
Memberships are available online any time. Cost is $25 per calendar year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. Information including payment by PayPal is available at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/. 
Benefits of membership: Subscription to BC Nature magazine, liability insurance coverage for Club work parties and field trips, 10% discount on bird seed purchased at Spruce Capital Feeds, and access to popular events limited to Club members only. 

Club Reports

Prince George Naturalists Club, Weed Pull, Saturday August 22, Hudson’s Bay Wetland

The last weed pull of the year successfully finished off the Deck 2 (north side) area at Hudson’s Bay Wetland. Besides helping the environment, this was a great opportunity for networking with the public.  People stopped by to ask what we were doing and why. Some were checking on us to make sure we were doing good work to protect the park, not just pulling out flowering plants on a whim. This was good to hear. It showed a sense of stewardship for the area.

Results this day were:  9 bags of Tansy, half a bag of Salsify, half a bag of thistle, half a bag of Burdock and a quarter bag of Campanula and Dalmatian Toadflax. The Burdock is a new one for us (see photos below). We had seen a clump of these huge-leaved plants last year. When we saw the clump this year, with the 7-foot stem of burrs, identification was confirmed! It has a 2-year cycle. It is an invasive also. We also found a strange fungus called Dog Stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus).

Many thanks to members who came out for all or some of the weed pulls: Dora H, Ric M, Anne H, Bonnie W, Jennifer M, Nancy Ku, Miguel, Laird L, and Linda C.; and to Audrey Faber of the Northwest Invasive Plant Council for her encouragement and weed pulling (report by Sandra Kinsey, photos by Miguel Trompo).

Editor’s note: Special thanks to Sandra Kinsey who organized and led all four weed pulls at the Hudson’s Bay Wetland and Carrie Jane Gray Park this year. They gave members a chance to socialize at a distance while removing invasive plants. The events were productive and fun!

Other Events and News

Dr. Hugues Massicotte Retires
Dr. Hugues Massicotte retired from UNBC this July. Hugues, aided and abetted by his partner Linda Tackaberry, is one of the Club’s favourite presenters. He has entertained and educated us with his presentations and field trips on fungi. Fortunately Hugues and Linda continue to reside in Prince George so we may be able to draw on them for fungi field trips and presentations at a future date.  

Hugues received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Natural Resources and Environmental Services Institute. Here’s the NRESi summary of Hugues’ contributions while at UNBC:
Hugues was an original NRES Faculty member in the Forestry Program. He is an outstanding colleague, researcher, teacher, and community member. Hugues engaged in many collaborative and multidisciplinary research projects throughout his career at UNBC with a wide number of colleagues, and was very successfully funded. Collectively, this work resulted in an impressive array of publications (82 peer-reviewed journal articles to date (10 more in the works); 1 co-authored book, 7 book chapters, 11 conference papers, 7 book chapters, 139 meeting and conference presentations and posters – and a host of other non-refereed articles and letters.  Perhaps even more importantly, Hugues gave 58 media interviews across his nearly 26 years at UNBC, many for Radio Canada en francais. As a professional forester (Laval), mycologist and ectomycorrizal expert, his skills (and Linda’s) were very much sought after. Hugues, and his partner Linda Tackaberry, also contributed to many types of multidisplinary service external to the UNBC campus. Dr. Massicotte’s expertise and passion for natural history, particularly plants and their fungal root associations, were in constant demand by Prince George and BC communities.  His ability to identify sporocarps (aka mushrooms), often from poor specimens left in bags on his office door or from field trips and courses, epitomizes his tireless enthusiasm for his discipline.

Beaverly Community Association Lost Lake Trails: public input deadline September 24
The Beaverly Community Association recently submitted an application to develop and maintain a system of trails in the vicinity of Lost Lake. The BC Government is accepting comments on this submission until September 24, 2020.We are expecting the comments from the community will be overwhelmingly in support of having the Beaverly Community Association develop and maintain the trail system. This expectation is due to the immense amount of time and community engagement that has already gone into designing the trail system. Comments on our community application can be made on the BC Government Crown Lands website until September 24, 2020: https://comment.nrs.gov.bc.ca/applications?clidDtid=7410134&id=5f46d23c4c007e0021b1069b#detailsPlease encourage your neighbours and others to provide their comments. Questions about the Beaverly Community Association application can be directed to Doug Beckett at druid@pgweb.com or 250-560-5556.

Regional Parks Plan Review: survey deadline September 30The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George is updating and reviewing its Regional Parks Plan to provide a clear direction, vision and priorities for regional parks over the next ten years. Public input is essential. For more information on the Review and access to the survey, see: http://www.rdffg.bc.ca/services/environment/regional-parks/regional-parks-plan-review. The online survey is open until September 30.

Takla Nation Fish Hatchery
Takla Nation is planning to install a small fish hatchery in response to current salmon declines. Here’s a video by Takla Nation about the project: https://www.facebook.com/TaklaNation/videos/344331510077754 (submitted by Mike Nash).

Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud
Todd Whitcombe recently wrote a fascinating story in the local paper on the role of mud in our world: https://tinyurl.com/yxnhsamc. This has been the summer of mud, and who doesn’t have vivid memories of playing in mud as a child, hiking in mud, trying to build a house on mud, and hoping against hope to grow a garden in mud. Mud is definitely glorious even if we find it frustrating at times.

PGNC News and Notes, August 19, 2020

• • Prince George Naturalists Club, Weed Pull, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday August 22, Hudson’s Bay Wetland
  • PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
  • Report: Invasive Plant Cleanup, Hudson’s Bay Wetland, Saturday August 15
  • A note about the PGNC at work at the Hudson’s Bay Wetland

Prince George Naturalists Club Events and News

Prince George Naturalists Club, Weed Pull, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday August 22, Hudson’s Bay Wetland

 

The Prince George Naturalists Club will hold another weed pull at Hudson’s Bay Wetland on Saturday August 22 to continue removing common tansy and other invasive plants at the Club’s second observation deck, located east of Queensway and north of  the channel. We expect to finish cleaning up this area for the season.

Club members (and potential Club members) are invited to meet in the parking lot at The Exploration Place at 9 a.m. for waiver signing and a quick introduction to techniques for removing tansy. For those arriving after 9 a.m., the observation deck is also accessible from the foot of Ingledew Street at 20th Avenue. There is space for parking and a gate into Lheidli T’enneh Park. You will see and hear us on your right as you walk in on the paved path.

 

Bring your favourite hand tool for cutting off flowers and seed heads, or your favourite shovel for digging tansy, as well as work gloves and a personal water bottle. Participants should consider wearing long pants, long sleeves and sturdy footwear as the tansy is growing in long grass and among tall bushes. Bring personal hand sanitizer if possible. The Club will provide garbage bags, extra work gloves, and clippers if someone needs them. The work is suitable for adults and teens. There’s work for all levels of ability and there’s lots of room for social distancing. Come for an hour or come for the day – whatever length of time works best for you. For more information, email Sandra at sjkinsey@direct.ca, or phone 250.963.8381.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals

Club members continue to renew their memberships online or by mail. New members are also joining the Club. This support is much appreciated. BC Nature has changed how individual Club membership lists are kept so anyone more than three months in arrears will not receive BC Nature magazine or BC Nature’s monthly eNews.

Memberships are available online any time. Cost is $25 per calendar year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. Information including payment by PayPal is available at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/. 

 

Benefits of membership: Subscription to BC Nature magazine, liability insurance coverage for Club field trips, 10% discount on bird seed purchased at Spruce Capital Feeds, and access to popular events limited to Club members only. 

Club Reports

Invasive Plant Cleanup, Hudson’s Bay Wetland, Saturday August 15

We have been very lucky with the weather for our weed pulls this summer! Last Saturday was no exception. The sky clouded over part way through the day, giving relief to the dedicated weed pullers. A stop for Dora’s Nanaimo
Bars made for a welcome break. Like the other areas we have worked in this year, we are seeing results in this area by Deck 2. Even the northern and eastern edge of the area are looking better and they were cleaned up only last year.

Results: 9 garbage bags of Tansy, 1 bag of Salsify, 1/4 bag of thistle, 1/10 of a bag with Dalmatian Toadflax, and 1/10 bag of Campanula. The Campanula is a tall pretty purple-y blue bell flower spike that can be seen all over town. Thanks to the eight volunteers who gave up part or all of their Saturday for this important project. Many hands make light work (report by Sandra Kinsey. Photos by Dora Hunter and Sandra).

These tansy plants are standing tall and waiting to be harvested on August 22!

A note about the PGNC at work at the Hudson’s Bay Wetland

The Prince George Naturalists Club began work at the Hudson’s Bay Wetland in 2014, installing interpretation signs, building observation decks and removing invasive plants. In 2015, volunteers did considerable replanting with native plants in the area of Deck 1 by the yellow footbridge. While working on recent weed pulls in this area, we noticed that the wild currants are doing well with lots of tasty berries. Also doing well are the wild roses, yarrow and spruce trees.

Why is the Wetland so important to the Club and to local residents? As a wetland in the heart of the city it provides many opportunities to observe nature on our doorstep. One of its many functions is to drain stormwater from the west side of Prince George into the Fraser River. In recent years Club members have held work parties every summer to reduce the volume of invasive plants and prevent their spread down the Fraser.

The Northwest Invasive Plant Council recognizes the work the Club is doing. From a recent NWIPC email:  “The work your group has and is doing to help the NWIPC get invasive plants under control and hopefully eradicated, as in the case of Himalayan balsam, is starting to pay off. Please pass my sincere thanks to the group and also to Dave for his above and beyond work on the Himalyan balsam. It would be a shame to see it reappear in the Wetlands after all the work the group did with Andrea Eastham when she was with the NWIPC”.

PGNC News & Notes, August 13, 2020

• • Prince George Naturalists Club, Weed Pull, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday August 15, Hudson’s Bay Wetland
  • PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
  • Report: Invasive Plant Cleanup, Hudson’s Bay Wetland, Sunday July 26
  • Report: Mesh Removal From Wilson Park Pond, Tuesday August 4
  • Report: Weed Pull at Carrie Jane Gray Park, Saturday August 8
  • Birding at Hudson’s Bay Wetland

Prince George Naturalists Club Events and News

Prince George Naturalists Club, Weed Pull, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday August 15, Hudson’s Bay Wetland

 

The Prince George Naturalists Club will hold another weed pull at Hudson’s Bay Wetland to remove common tansy and other invasive plants. We will be working at the Club’s second observation deck, located east of Queensway and north of  the channel.

Club members (and potential Club members) are invited to meet in the parking lot at The Exploration Place at 9 a.m. for waiver signing and a quick introduction to techniques for removing tansy. For those arriving after 9 a.m., the observation deck is also accessible from the foot of Ingledew Street at 20th Avenue. There is space for parking and a gate into Lheidli T’enneh Park. You will see and hear us on your right as you walk in on the paved path.

 

Bring your favourite hand tool for cutting off flowers and seed heads, or your favourite shovel for digging tansy, as well as work gloves and a personal water bottle. Participants should consider wearing long pants and sturdy footwear as the tansy is growing in long grass. Bring personal hand sanitizer if possible. The Club will provide garbage bags, extra work gloves, and clippers if someone needs them, along with disinfectant for cleaning gloves and tools. The work is suitable for adults and teens. There’s work for all levels of ability and there’s lots of room for social distancing. Come for an hour or come for the day – whatever length of time works best for you.For more information, email Sandra at sjkinsey@direct.ca, or phone 250.963.8381.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals

Club members continue to renew their memberships online or by mail. New members are also joining the Club. This support is much appreciated. BC Nature has changed how individual Club membership lists are kept so anyone more than three months in arrears will not receive BC Nature magazine or BC Nature’s monthly eNews.

Memberships are available online any time. Cost is $25 per calendar year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. Information including payment by PayPal is available at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/. 

 

Benefits of membership: Subscription to BC Nature magazine, liability insurance coverage for Club field trips, 10% discount on bird seed purchased at Spruce Capital Feeds, and access to popular events limited to Club members only. 

Club Reports

 

Invasive Plant Cleanup, Hudson’s Bay Wetland, Sunday July 26

 

The PGNC held its first weed pull of the year at Hudson’s Bay Wetland on the morning of July 26. It was a very productive day, not too hot with a pleasant breeze that kept the mosquitos at bay. Six Club members worked from the yellow footbridge to the first observation deck. There was considerable tansy on the corner by the Heritage Trail but the group got most of it out. Canada Thistle was abundant between the channel and the trail. It was all cut down. Final count was six bags of thistle and seven bags of tansy. It was fun working together with other members outdoors, with lots of space to maintain respectful social distance.

Mesh Removal From Wilson Park Pond, Tuesday August 4

 

A few years ago, as part of an upgrading of the water pumping facilities along the Nechako, the City of Prince George undertook a major landscaping project. A pond with access to the Nechako was created. To prevent erosion while vegetation became established, a series of meshes were employed. These were meant to be photo-degradable, however one layer of mesh, in particular, remained strong. This, combined with the fact that the meshes were no longer anchored securely, resulted in the mesh rolling into unsightly mounds that posed a threat to wildlife and to the trees and shrubs growing through it.

 

In June, with permission from the City, Rob and Bonnie Watt and I removed three bags of mesh. This was followed by a visit to the site with City employees. They agreed the situation should be remedied, and expressed appreciation for the work we had already done. On August 4th nine PGNC members removed nine more bags of mesh. I would like to thank Doreen Dyson, Darilyn Giesbrecht, Sandra Kinsey, Jennifer Medd, Ric Mlynarczyk, Miguel Trompo, Bonnie Watt, and Rob Watt for a job well done. (Report by Dora Hunter, photos by Miguel Trompo).

Weed Pull at Carrie Jane Gray Park, Saturday August 8

 

Many hands do make for light work. Nine people attacked the invasive plants along the channel at Carrie Jane Gray Park on Saturday, August 8. The target species, Himalayan Balsam, took up a meager quarter bag. This is good! The club’s annual work here has brought the H. Balsam under control. The Tansy situation is also improving, and it’s a lot easier to remove now too as we are removing new shoots, rather than established plants. The Canada Thistle, well, it will take longer to see if we are winning. Results were four bags of Tansy, two bags of Thistle, and the bit of H. Balsam. The City of Prince George and the Northwest Invasive Plant Council appreciate all our work. Thank you to everyone who came out to help! After the formal work party, four eager weed pullers moved over to the area behind the Citizen Ball Diamond and filled another four bags with Tansy. (Report by Sandra Kinsey, photos by Miguel Trompo).

Other Events and News

Birding at Hudson’s Bay Wetland

An avid birdwatcher made the Four-Deck Tour at Hudson’s Bay Wetland (HBW) at midday on August 9. There were at least a dozen Yellow-rumped Warblers. Most, or all, were Hatch Year birds on the treed hillside west of Queensway. Finally! We haven’t had many detections of this species when out birding the past few weeks. 

HBW also had a dozen peeps including Western Sandpipers and Least Sandpipers, some Greater Yellowlegs and a Long-billed Dowitcher on the mud bar that extends into the pond on the west side of Queensway. Perhaps this will be our “shorebird spot” this fall.

For those who are not familiar with the Hudson’s Bay Wetland, it’s a large nature park located in downtown Prince George. The Prince George Naturalists Club constructed four observation decks at the Wetland and currently maintains them for public use. Two are located east of Queensway and two are on the west side. The Park is accessible from Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park and a small parking lot on Queensway Street across from Regents Crescent. Here’s a link to the City of Prince George page describing the park: https://tinyurl.com/yypbent9 And also a link to the long list of birds seen at the Wetland: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L445353

PGNC News and Notes, August 5, 2020

• Prince George Naturalists Club, Invasive Plant Cleanup, Carrie Jane Gray Park, Saturday August 8, 9 a.m. to 12 noon
• Prince George Naturalists Club, Weed Pull, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday August 15, Hudson’s Bay Wetland
• PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
• A Wolverine Experience

Prince George Naturalists Club Events and News

Prince George Naturalists Club, Invasive Plant Cleanup, Carrie Jane Gray Park, Saturday August 8, 9 a.m. to 12 noon

Come on out on Saturday August 8 to help remove invasive Himalayan Balsam at Carrie Jane Gray Park in Prince George. This pretty pink flower grows so well it crowds out our native species. We don’t want the seeds floating down the channel toward the Fraser River. It’s an annual that dies off in the fall, leaving the stream bank open to more erosion. For more information about Himalayan balsam and common tansy see: http://nwipc.org/invasive-plants

Long pants, long-sleeved shirts and sturdy, water-proof footwear are recommended (no sandals or open-toed shoes) as we may be working in wet areas. If possible, bring your own hand tool for cutting off flowers and seed heads, work gloves and a personal water bottle. Bring personal hand sanitizer if possible. Long bladed trimmers are also useful. The Club will provide garbage bags as well as extra work gloves and clippers if someone needs them, and also sanitizer for disinfecting tools. The work is suitable for adults and teens. 

 

We will meet in the small gravel parking lot behind the ball diamonds to sign a waiver and review how to remove the plants. There are two access roads from Massey Drive. The first is north of the new firehall currently under construction. The second is at Laverdure Way, behind the YWCA, past the horseshoe pits, then follow the paved road. You’ll see us in the small gravel parking lot at the far end of Carrie Jane Gray Park. This event is open to members and non-members. We’re hoping to get at least ten people out to help as there is lots of room for social distancing.  For more information, email Sandra at sjkinsey@direct.ca, voice: 250.963.8381 and text: 250.617.8381.

 

Prince George Naturalists Club, Weed Pull, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday August 15, Hudson’s Bay Wetland

 

The Prince George Naturalists Club will hold another weed pull at Hudson’s Bay Wetland to remove common tansy and other invasive plants. We will be working at the Club’s observation deck located east of Queensway and north of  the channel.

Club members (and potential Club members) are invited to meet in the parking lot at The Exploration Place at 9 a.m. for waiver signing and a quick introduction to techniques for removing tansy. For those arriving after 9 a.m., the observation deck is also accessible from the foot of Ingledew Street at 20th Avenue. There is space for parking and a gate into Lheidli T’enneh Park. You will see and hear us on your right as you walk in on the paved path.

 

Bring your favourite hand tool for cutting off flowers and seed heads, or your favourite shovel for digging tansy, as well as work gloves and a personal water bottle. Participants should consider wearing long pants and sturdy footwear as the tansy is growing in long grass. Bring personal hand sanitizer if possible. The Club will provide garbage bags, extra work gloves, and clippers if someone needs them, along with disinfectant for cleaning gloves and tools. The work is suitable for adults and teens. There’s work for all levels of ability and there’s lots of room for social distancing. For more information, email Sandra at sjkinsey@direct.ca, voice: 250.963.8381 and text: 250.617.8381.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals

The Executive is very pleased that Club members continue to renew their memberships online or by mail. BC Nature has changed how individual Club membership lists are kept so anyone more than three months in arrears will not receive BC Nature magazine or the monthly eNews from them.

Memberships are available online any time. Cost is $25 per calendar year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. Information including payment by PayPal is available at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/. 

 

Benefits of membership: Subscription to BC Nature magazine, liability insurance coverage for Club field trips, 10% discount on bird seed purchased at Spruce Capital Feeds, and access to popular events limited to Club members only. 

Other Events and News

 

The Exploration Place Weekly Challenge for Citizen Scientists

The Museum is running a weekly Nature Challenge for citizen scientists in conjunction with BC Parks Foundation. Lisa Connor of The Exploration Place just posted this week’s challenge called Clownin’ Around. Here’s the information: Finishing up International Clown Week has us wondering just how many jesters can be found in nature. From fish to funny antics of squirrels, we think this is a great way to tickle our funny bones by having you send in your thoughts, photos and videos depicting clowns found everyday clowning around making you laugh and smile. Points will be awarded for all submissions to be traded into our Nature Exchange upon reopening.

 

Information about the weekly challenges is available at The Exploration Place Nature Exchange Facebook group. Nature Exchange “encourages people of all ages to appreciate nature and learn about the biological and physical components of our environment, through observation, background research, and responsible collecting”.The Prince George Naturalists Club will be participating in the Museum’s weekly Nature Challenge, with more details to come soon.

A Wolverine Experience 

From Mike Nash: Attached is an image of a rare encounter with a wolverine while I was descending off Little Shovel Pass on the Skyline Trail last week. It ran across scree in the gully just below me and up to the snow patch on the other side, where it sprawled in the snow to cool off. This was my third wolverine sighting in 42 years of roaming the mountains of western Canada. It was fairly close for a wolverine sighting at about 150 metres initially, ranging to 200 metres at the snow patch. Of my other two sightings, one was much more distant from a high ridge in Erg Mountain Provincial Park and the other was an astonishing face-to-face (two metre) standoff while bushwhacking around an alpine lake below Viking Ridge in BC’s Sugarbowl-Grizzly Den Provincial Park. This latest one was in between distance wise.

PGNC News and Notes, July 22, 2020

• PGNC Weed Pull, 9 a.m. Sunday July 26, Hudson’s Bay Wetland
• PGNC Annual General Meeting
• PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
• The Exploration Place closed until spring 2021
• City of Prince George Seeking Feedback on Pidherny Recreation Site
• Two Revitalized Trails in the Inland Rainforest
• The Exploration Place Weekly Challenge for Citizen Scientists

Prince George Naturalists Club Events and News

Prince George Naturalists Club Weed Pull, 9 a.m. Sunday July 26, Hudson’s Bay Wetland

 

The Prince George Naturalists Club will hold its first weed pull of the year, to remove common tansy and other invasive plants at the Hudson’s Bay Wetland. Club members are invited to meet in the parking lot at The Exploration Place at 9 a.m. for waiver signing and a quick introduction to techniques for removing tansy. Bring your favourite hand tool for cutting off flowers and seed heads, or your favourite shovel for digging tansy, as well as work gloves and a personal water bottle. Participants should consider wearing long pants and waterproof footwear, and bring personal hand sanitizer if possible. The Club will provide garbage bags, extra work gloves, and clippers if someone needs them, along with disinfectant for cleaning gloves and tools. There’s work for all levels of ability and there’s lots of room for social distancing. The work is suitable for adults and teens. For more information, email Sandra at sjkinsey@direct.ca, voice: 250.963.8381 and text: 250.617.8381.

Prince George Naturalists Club Annual General Meeting

The pandemic lockdown in March meant that the Club’s Annual General Meeting had to be postponed. We will be looking for a suitable venue that meets all the requirements for in-person gatherings during the pandemic.The current Executive is serving until a date can be set, hopefully in the fall and with an in-person meeting rather than online.

The current Executive includes Vice-President Heather Meier, Treasurer Sandra Kinsey, Secretary Anne Hogan, BC Nature Director Dave Leman, David Breault, Blaire Smith and Sandra Hepburn. There are currently three vacancies on the Executive. Anyone who would like to participate in the Executive now can email princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com for details. Essential business is being conducted by email until the Executive can meet again in person.

At this time in the Club’s history it’s important for new people to get involved and provide leadership to the Club. We encourage Club members to think about volunteering for the Executive.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals

Members continue to renew their memberships online or by mail. BC Nature has changed how individual Club membership lists are kept so anyone more than three months in arrears will not receive BC Nature magazine or the monthly eNews from them.

Memberships are available online any time. Cost is $25 per calendar year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. Information including payment by PayPal is available at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/. 

 

Benefits of membership: Subscription to BC Nature magazine, liability insurance coverage for Club field trips, 10% discount on bird seed purchased at Spruce Capital Feeds, and access to popular events limited to Club members only. 

 

The Exploration Place closed until spring 2021

The Exploration Place has been a valuable partner with the PGNC since 2013 when the Club held its first monthly presentation nights at the Museum. We were sad to learn that the Museum will not be re-opening its doors until spring of 2021 as staff work on renovating the galleries, access points and interpretation. For all the details see the Museum’s recent media release: https://tinyurl.com/ybtpg7h7. We are very grateful for all the support the Museum has provided to the Club over the past seven years and we look forward to working together again next spring. In the meantime we expect to work on virtual projects together.

Other Events and News

City of Prince George Seeking Feedback on Pidherny Recreation Site

The City of Prince George is seeking feedback from the public about the use of one of the City’s increasingly popular outdoor recreation destinations. In recent years, Pidherny Recreation Site has seen a steady increase in visitations from outdoor recreation enthusiasts, such as hikers, dog walkers, and mountain bikers in particular, including visitors from out of town.

 

Full details including links to a survey and an interactive map are here: https://news.princegeorge.ca/en/news/city-seeking-feedback-on-pidherny-recreation-site.aspx Feedback will be accepted until August 4.

Two Revitalized Trails in the Inland Rainforest

 

Conservation North and Save-The-Cedar League have been working this summer to revitalize  the Morkill Old Growth Cedar Trail and the Goat River Canyon Trail. Detailed directions to access these trails are on the Conservation North website: https://conservationnorth.org/fresh-trails/

 

The Exploration Place Weekly Challenge for Citizen Scientists

The Museum is running a weekly Nature Challenge for citizen scientists in conjunction with BC Parks Foundation. Last week the Challenge celebrated World Snake Day on July 16. Information about the weekly challenges is available at The Exploration Place Nature Exchange Facebook group. Nature Exchange “encourages people of all ages to appreciate nature and learn about the biological and physical components of our environment, through observation, background research, and responsible collecting”.The Prince George Naturalists Club will be participating in the Museum’s weekly Nature Challenge in August, with more details to come soon.

PGNC News and Notes, July 3, 2020

• Prince George Naturalists Club Events and News
• PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
• City of Prince George Seeking Feedback on Pidherny Recreation Site
• White-Throated Sparrows Research at UNBC
• iNaturalists – BC’s Big Nature Challenge
• Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Annual Newsletter
• Jasper National Park
• Built From Within by Ansel Adams

Prince George Naturalists Club Events and News

BC has entered Phase 3 of the province’s restart plan. As a result, some outdoor clubs are now resuming activities with limits on attendance and carpooling. Any PGNC member wishing to lead a nature walk or field trip is invited to contact the Executive at princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com with their ideas.

The pandemic lockdown in March meant that the Club’s Annual General Meeting had to be postponed. The current Executive is holding the fort until a date can be set, hopefully in the fall and with in-person meeting rather than online. Several members of the current Executive will be stepping down at the AGM. It’s very important for new people to get involved and provide leadership to the Club. We encourage Club members to think about volunteering for the Executive at the next AGM.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals

The Club is very grateful to members who have renewed their memberships online or by mail in the past three months. BC Nature has changed how individual Club membership lists are kept so anyone more than three months in arrears will not receive BC Nature magazine or the monthly eNews from them.

Memberships are available online any time. Cost is $25 per year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. Information including payment by PayPal is available at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/. 

 

Benefits of membership: Subscription to BC Nature magazine, liability insurance coverage for Club field trips, 10% discount on bird seed purchased at Spruce Capital Feeds, and access to popular events limited to Club members only. 

Other Events and News

City of Prince George Seeking Feedback on Pidherny Recreation Site

The City of Prince George is seeking feedback from the public about the use of one of the City’s increasingly popular outdoor recreation destinations. In recent years, Pidherny Recreation Site has seen a steady increase in visitations from outdoor recreation enthusiasts, such as hikers, dog walkers, and mountain bikers in particular, including visitors from out of town.

 

Full details including links to a survey and an interactive map are here: https://news.princegeorge.ca/en/news/city-seeking-feedback-on-pidherny-recreation-site.aspx Feedback will be accepted until August 4.

White-Throated Sparrows Research at UNBC

 

Congratulations to Dr. Ken Otter, Biology Professor at UNBC, for his many years of research on song evolution of white-throated sparrows. On July 2 the results were published in Current Biology and the news went worldwide immediately. A quick media search shows links to reports that have appeared in Canada, the US, the UK, Australia and Asia overnight. Here’s a link to the story in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/02/science/sparrow-bird-song.html In the past few years Ken and then-PhD candidate Stefanie LaZerte have made presentations to the PGNC, sharing their research on the changing song of white-throated sparrows. Our members really enjoyed learning about the research as it progressed.

 

iNaturalists – BC’s Big Nature Challenge

A message from the BC Parks Foundation: The BC Parks Foundation in partnership with BC Parks, UVIC and SFU, want to meaningfully engage the British Columbia public in citizen science, so this year, we are launching B.C.’s Nature Challenge campaign. Our goal is to collect one million observations, province wide, to not only support scientific discovery but also provide data that supports informed, conservation-minded management of natural resources in B.C. As an example, observations from iNaturalist have already been used to inform the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

 As you may know, there is very poor information about parks and what is in them, and how that is changing due to climate, use, and other factors. British Columbians have such passion and respect for their environment, and many are looking for a way to be more engaged. Let’s work together to get them involved!

We are connecting with other organizations in the province and adding all our observations together to reach this audacious goal. We need everyone we can get, and with parks re-opening and summer just getting started, there’s no better time to get outside. It’s a simple and enjoyable thing to do – you just take some photos while you are out and upload them to iNaturalist, or our platform partners (eBird, Birds Canada, or the WhaleReport App). It can be inside or outside parks. We are also using remote wildlife cameras in case any of your members have those out on the landscape or near their homes.

As nature enthusiasts and naturalists, PG Naturalists Club members are already excellent citizen scientists and it would be great to have your involvement in this initiative. Learn more at www.naturechallenge.ca.

Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Annual Newsletter

The FWCP annual newsletter is available now. It’s full of updates and results from fish and wildlife projects in the Coastal, Columbia and Peace regions. The newsletter is in a new reader-friendly format: http://fwcp.ca/annual-newsletter/

Jasper National Park

2019 Jasper National Park Annual Report Now Available:

https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/jasper/info/plan/rapports-reports/2019

Built From Within is a three-minute historic 16mm colour film shot along Teton Crest Trail in Wyoming, narrated by Ansel Adams, renowned American photographer and environmentalist: https://vimeo.com/410137897. Thanks to Mike Nash for passing this along.

PGNC News & Notes, May 6, 2020

• Prince George Naturalists Club in-person events cancelled
• Curlewmania Continues
• PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
• iNaturalists at UNBC and Forests for the World
• Regional Parks Now Open
• Advice from the BC Wildlife Federation re: Hunting and Angling Activities
• Log Decks of the Rainforest
• Canadian Institute of Forestry E-Lectures on Citizen Science
• Hoary Marmots
• Willow Canyon in full flood

Club Events and News

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all in-person Club activities have been suspended until further notice, including the Annual General Meeting, the May presentation night, and Wednesday Walkers. Everyone is welcome to join the Prince George Naturalists Club Discussion Facebook group to share nature-related information.

Curlewmania Continues

The webinar held on April 17 on long-billed curlews was well-attended. Curlewmania continues, with regular updates among bird-lovers regarding recent curlew arrivals and activities. For those who missed it, the webinar is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dVp4DGhOFQ The Club is very grateful to Dr. David Bradley and Graham Sorenson from Birds Canada who put this presentation together.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals

BC Nature has changed how individual Club membership lists are kept so anyone more than three months in arrears will not receive BC Nature magazine or the monthly eNews from them. Therefore, personalized reminders will be emailed to those whose membership is due.

Memberships are available online any time. Cost is $25 per year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. Information including payment by PayPal is available at: https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/. 

 

Benefits of membership: Subscription to BC Nature magazine, liability insurance coverage for Club field trips, 10% discount on bird seed purchased at Spruce Capital Feeds, and access to popular events limited to Club members only. 

Other Events and News

iNaturalists at UNBC and Forests for the World

Saphida Migabo, who teaches at UNBC in the Biology program, advises that the UNBC Forest Lands and Forests for the World iNaturalists project is up and running. Everyone visiting UNBC and Forests for the World is invited to contribute to the project: https://www.inaturalist.org/places/university-of-northern-british-columbia-unbc-forest-lands-forests-for-the-world Be sure to click on the link to see the variety of plant and animal life already identified at UNBC and Forests for the World.

Regional Parks Now Open

Media Release: After a long winter, the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George is pleased to confirm that many of its Regional parks are open for the season as of May 1. There are 11 sites within the Regional District park system which provide residents opportunities for recreation and space to enjoy the natural beauty of our area. Parks are day use only with no overnight camping permitted.

The Regional District reminds everyone that for the safety and comfort of all park users and to align with public health guidelines, visitors should keep their time at the parks short and maintain a minimum distance of 6 feet away from other users and refrain from contacting gates, fences and other surfaces with their hands.

As ground conditions and snow-melt vary for the parks, some may have areas cordoned off for visitor safety.

The Regional District is pleased to provide the parks for residents as a place to go and enjoy open spaces, but encourages visitors to be responsible with park use.

The 11 parks within the Regional District parks system are:

• Berman Lake

• Cedarside

• George Hicks

• Giscome-Portage/Huble Homestead (opening June 1)

• Harold Mann

• John Dahl

• Koeneman

• Kristian Winther

• McMillan Creek

• Ness Lake

• Wilkins

Further details on the parks can be found at: http://www.rdffg.bc.ca/services/environment/regional-parks/regional-parks-overview.Media Contact:Petra Wildauer, General Manager, Environmental Services,

(250)961-4483

Advice from the BC Wildlife Federation re: Hunting and Angling Activities

Log Decks of the Rainforest

Conservation North has made a short video, Log Decks of the Rainforest: https://youtu.be/oGHas2JXpGQ “In what is becoming an unpleasant annual tradition, we have again documented log decks at Pass Lake FSR near Prince George, BC. These logs come from BC’s globally unique temperate inland rainforest. We are logging the last of our old growth forests. Once gone, these forests and the species that rely on them will never come back.” 

Our Facebook post is here: https://www.facebook.com/ConservationNorth/posts/1887672958031925

Our Twitter post here: https://twitter.com/Conserva_North/status/1252249302228860928

Our Instagram post will be here: https://www.instagram.com/conservationnorth/

 

Here is last year’s footage from the same area: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KZy6Rap59s&t=3s

www.conservationnorth.org

Conservation North is a 100% volunteer-run community group. We support and advocate for the protection of nature in northern BC. Reach us at info@conservationnorth.org

Canadian Institute of Forestry E-Lectures on Citizen Science

Wednesday May 13, 2020, 10:30 a.m. PDT: Citizen Science and Invasive Species. Presenter is Lauren Bell, Education and Community Outreach Coordinator, Invasive Species Centre.

This is the first of six lectures on Partnerships through Citizen Science: Success Stories and Solutions. All electronic lectures are free but registration is required. For more information and to register online, visit: https://www.cif-ifc.org/e-lectures/

Hoary Marmots

 

Mike Nash has passed along a short video about hoary marmots, with suitably heroic musical background: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1QwseK7fec

Willow Canyon in full flood

Forty-six years ago this weekend, a party of eight teenage boys set off in canoes down the Willow River from Highway 16 east of Prince George. Unknowing of what lay ahead, they quickly rounded a bend and were swept into an impassible canyon just downstream of the highway. All were lost in what became one of Canada’s worst ever canoeing accidents. The tragedy galvanized the community and was the beginning of the Prince George Search & Rescue Group, which continues to this day.

Despite its tragic history, the Willow Canyon is also one of this area’s best, but lesser known natural wonders, especially during the spring freshet which we are in the midst of now. This is surprising since there is pretty good vehicle access to a fenced viewing area. To get an idea of what the canyon looks like in full flood, these images were taken in late April and early May this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyBo6SVlog0.

If you wish to see the canyon in person, the fenced viewpoint is accessible either by walking or by vehicle or some combination. On foot, you can park at the paved Highway Rest Area and walk along the CIF interpretive trail to the picnic shelter, and just beyond that walk up the forest road for the remaining kilometre to the viewpoint. Note: if you undertake this option, there are quite a few wet sections and trees down that have not yet been cleared, as well as fresh bear sign, so I would only recommend this for reasonably fit hikers at the present time. However, you can drive to the viewpoint, turning north off Highway 16 just over a kilometre before (west of) the Willow River highway bridge and rest area. The dirt road is narrow and may have a few muddy spots, but should be passable for a car. The viewpoint is on the right (east) side of the road as you drive north, just past the 1.5 km sign. (with thanks to Mike Nash for this history as well as a chance to view the spring flood in action from the comfort of our couches).