PGNC News & Notes, February 18, 2024

• PGNC Next Executive Meeting, Wednesday February 21
• PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
• Report: PGNC Swan & Eagle Count, Sunday January 21
• PGNC Annual General Meeting, Thursday March 21, Spruce City Wildlife Fish Hatchery
• Thursday February 22, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Zoom. Are we Prepared for the Zombie (Fungi) Apocalypse?
• Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWPC) Events
• About this newsletter

Club News and Events

PGNC Next Executive Meeting, Wednesday February 21

The next Executive meeting will be on Wednesday February 21. All members are welcome to attend. If you wish to attend, send an email to the Club at princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com to obtain meeting details.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals

Thank you to everyone who is joining the PGNC or renewing memberships for 2024. Your membership supports the Prince George Naturalists Club and BC Nature, our parent organization, in all their good work.

E-Transfer is available by sending to PrinceGeorgeNaturalistsClub@gmail.com and it goes directly into the Club’s bank account. No secret word is needed. Payments by cheque can be mailed to Prince George Naturalists Club, PO Box 1092, Prince George BC V2L 4V2. 

Memberships run from January 1 to December 31. Cost is $25 per calendar year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. Benefits of membership: Subscription to the online version of BC Nature magazine, liability insurance coverage for Club work parties and field trips, and access to popular events limited to Club members only. Add $5 if you wish to receive a printed version of the BC Nature magazine in the mail.

“To be a naturalist is to be joyful, inquisitive, and at home in the world. To be home is to treat every life form as a family member”: Marina Richie.

Report: PGNC Swan & Eagle Count – Sunday, January 21

The delay with the Swan Count paid off! On Sunday, January 21, six eager naturalists were able to enjoy the waterfowl with the milder -8 C weather and open roads. Much of the river was still frozen from the very cold temperatures the week before. This concentrates the swans.

A conservative count of 65 Trumpeter Swans were seen and heard along the Crooked River, north of Prince George. Cold springs keep much of the river open in the winter, even during -40 C temperatures. We haven’t had numbers like this since the late 1980’s.

Short snowshoe forays off the roads paid off with a mix of waterfowl. As well as swans we saw American Dipper, Common Goldeneye, Mallard, one Bufflehead, one Hooded Merganser, one adult Bald Eagle, two Belted Kingfishers, one Downy Woodpecker, and the ubiquitous Common Raven. Small birds were noticeably absent, with only a couple of Black-capped Chickadees calling.

It snowed up until the night before so not much for tracks, but a set of ermine tracks and a set of moose tracks provided excitement along one un-ploughed road.

Thank you to everyone who came out to make this a great day! Report by Sandra Kinsey. Photos by Angelina Joiner.

PGNC Annual General Meeting, Thursday March 21, Spruce City Wildlife Fish Hatchery

Save the date for the PGNC Annual General Meeting on Thursday March 21 at 7 p.m. at the Spruce City Wildlife Fish Hatchery. More details coming soon!

Other Events and News

Thursday February 22, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Zoom. Are we Prepared for the Zombie (Fungi) Apocalypse?

Zombie fungi are a group of ascomycetes, all formerly in the genus Cordyceps, that parasitize insects (and a few other organisms). The fungi often alter the behaviour of the insects, to the benefit of the fungi, essentially turning the insects into ‘zombies’ under the control of the fungi. Though zombie fungi are best known from tropical and subtropical ecosystems, there are a number of species known from BC, and from Clayoquot Sound. These zombi fungi are the basis of the popular video game, and subsequent television series, ‘The Last of Us’.

About our Speaker: Dr. Andy MacKinnon is a forest ecologist who lives in Metchosin BC. His fields of study include BC’s native plants, fungi and lichens. Andy is co-author of Mushrooms of British Columbia , and of six field guides to plants of western North America. He is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Resource and Environmental Management at Simon Fraser University, and past President of the South Vancouver Island Mycological Society.  Andy is going on the 11th year of co-teaching  RES’s “Mushrooms of the West Coast’ with the RES.This event is sponsored by the Raincoast Education Society. The Zoom link is here: 

http://tinyurl.com/2u9dwc5n.

Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWPC)

The FWCP is running a series of information sessions in early 2024. Here are details about one in the Peace Region.

• Improving fish passage in our Peace Region, Friday, February 23, at 12 p.m. PST  

For registration see this link: https://fwcp.ca/events/

About this Newsletter 

The newsletter is sent from the PGNC mailing address: princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com. We welcome contributions from members and supporters about matters of interest to naturalists. Feel free to send stories and links to princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com.

PGNC News & Notes, September 19, 2023

• PGNC Executive News
• PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
• PGNC Photo Contest Deadline Saturday Sept. 30
• PGNC Nature Walk, Saturday October 14, 9:30 a.m., Cottonwood Island Park
• Message From the Editor
• Friday September 22: NRESi Colloquium, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., Room 7-238 and online. Implementation of Climate Education by UNBC Teacher Candidates: From Theory to Practice
• Tuesday September 26, 7 p.m. online. Reversing the Damage: BC’s Beleaguered Forest Ecosystems
• Saturday October 7, 7 to 9 p.m. David Suzuki Fundraiser for Conservation North, House of Ancestors, 355 Vancouver Street.

Club News and Events

PGNC Executive News

The next Executive meeting will be on Wednesday October 11. All members are welcome to attend. If you wish to attend, send an email to the Club at princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com to obtain meeting details.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals

It’s never too late to renew our memberships in the Prince George Naturalists Club. Thank you to everyone who is joining the PGNC or renewing memberships.

 Your membership supports the Prince George Naturalists Club and BC Nature, our parent organization, in all their good work.

E-Transfer is available by sending to PrinceGeorgeNaturalistsClub@gmail.com and it goes directly into the Club’s bank account. No secret word is needed. Payments by cheque can be mailed to Prince George Naturalists Club, PO Box 1092, Prince George BC V2L 4V2. 

Memberships run from January 1 to December 31. Cost is $25 per calendar year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. Benefits of membership: Subscription to BC Nature magazine, liability insurance coverage for Club work parties and field trips, and access to popular events limited to Club members only. 

“To be a naturalist is to be joyful, inquisitive, and at home on the world. To be home is to treat every life form as a family member”: Marina Richie.

PGNC Photo Contest Deadline Saturday Sept. 30

Nature photo submissions are being accepted until Sept. 30th for a chance to be showcased on our social media platforms! Submit photos to pgncsubmit@gmail.com. (Photo by Angelina Joiner)

PGNC Nature Walk, Saturday October 14, 9:30 a.m., Cottonwood Island Park

PGNC will hold a nature walk at Cottonwood Island Park on Saturday October 14 at 9:30 a.m. We will meet at the southern parking lot beside the river and behind the Stone Company. Members and potential new members are welcome to attend the nature walk. For more information, email princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com, or contact PGNaturalists on Facebook or Instagram.

Message From the Editor

The newsletter is now sent from the PGNC mailing address: princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com. We welcome contributions from members and supporters about matters of interest to naturalists. Feel free to send stories and links to ahogan2@me.com.

Other Events and News

Friday September 22: NRESi Colloquium, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., Room 7-238 and online

Implementation of Climate Education by UNBC Teacher Candidates: From Theory to Practice – Drs. Hart Banack, Christine Ho Younghusband, Alexander Lautensach, David Litz, and Glen Thielmann
The world’s climate is changing, affecting numerous aspects of our environment.  Moreover, Canada’s northern regions are particularly vulnerable to climate change. School education in northern British Columbia (B.C.) has yet to comprehensively consider how teachers approach learning about climate change or even address this complex issue in their practice. A unique demographic of teachers are teacher candidates, pre-service teachers preparing to be certified B.C. teachers. This project aims to explore attitudes and ways of knowing/understanding climate change from the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) Teacher Candidates, and then engage and expose UNBC Teacher Candidates to Canadian climate education resources.  Specifically, the research question asked in this study is: How are climate education strategies, developed across Canada to support novice teachers teaching climate education to their students, being implemented into practice by UNBC pre-service teachers in northern B.C.?  Using an Educational Design-Based Research methodology (Collins, 1992), the project will follow UNBC Teacher Candidates through their first year of teacher education program and then into their early years of practice. Tuesday

The Natural Resources & Environmental Studies Institute (NRESi) at UNBC hosts a weekly lecture series at the Prince George campus. Anyone from the university or wider community with interest in the topic area is welcome to attend. Presentations are also made available to remote participants through Zoom Webinar. Go to http://www.unbc.ca/nres-institute/colloquium-webcasts to view the presentation remotely.

Tuesday September 26, 7 p.m. online. Reversing the Damage: BC’s Beleaguered Forest Ecosystems

Don’t miss this important conservation webinar – Jeffery Werner (University of Northern British Columbia) will discuss how forest policy impacts ecosystem health and restoration and what our next steps should be to ensure thriving forests in B.C. Here’s the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YL_pDJ2OSz2JJdLFNxRJxA#/registration

Saturday October 7, 7 to 9 p.m. David Suzuki Fundraiser for Conservation North, House of Ancestors, 355 Vancouver Street.

Renowned scientist and broadcaster David Suzuki will be doing a keynote address at the House of Ancestors in Lheidli T’enneh territory (Prince George) on October 7^th as a fundraiser for local ecological advocacy group Conservation North. A meet and greet reception with David will take place before the main event. Tickets are on sale at Books and Company and on Eventbrite.

PGNC News & Notes March 22, 2023

• Saturday March 25, 9:30 a.m. PGNC Tracks and Signs Walk, Ferguson Lake
• Wednesday April 12, PGNC Executive Meeting
• PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
• Report: PGNC Annual General Meeting, March 16
• Friday March 24 NRESi Colloquium – Indigenous sysems of management for culturally and ecological resilient Pacific salmon fisheries, UBC Room 7-212 and online
• Tuesday March 28, International Fly Fishing Film Festival, 7 p.m. Canfor Theatre UNBC
• Bird Chatter

Club News and Events

Saturday March 25, 9:30 a.m. Tracks & Signs Walk, Ferguson Lake

The Tracks & Signs walk at Ferguson Lake Nature Reserve is scheduled for Saturday, March 25. Meet under the big sign at Spruceland parking lot near the bus stop at 9:30 a.m. for waiver signing and carpooling. This will NOT be a full day walk, just a few hours. IMPORTANT: It’s March and it may still be icy, so please bring ice cleats and/or walking poles. No falling, please! Contact us at princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com for more info.

Wednesday April 12, PGNC Executive Meeting

The Executive meets on the second Wednesday of the month. The next in-person meeting is on Wednesday April 12. The following positions will be filled at this first meeting of the new Executive: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and BC Nature Director. Current PGNC members are welcome to attend Executive meetings. If you would like to attend, just send an email to the Club at princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com to obtain meeting details.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals

It’s time to renew our memberships in the Prince George Naturalists Club. Thank you to everyone who is joining the PGNC or renewing memberships. Your membership supports the Naturalists Club and BC Nature, our parent organization, in all their good work.

E-Transfer is available by sending to PrinceGeorgeNaturalistsClub@gmail.com and it goes directly into the Club’s bank account. No secret word is needed. Payments by cheque can be mailed to Prince George Naturalists Club, PO Box 1092, Prince George BC V2L 4V2. 

Memberships run from January 1 to December 31. Cost is $25 per calendar year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. Benefits of membership: Subscription to BC Nature magazine, liability insurance coverage for Club work parties and field trips, and access to popular events limited to Club members only. 

“To be a naturalist is to be joyful, inquisitive, and at home on the world. To be home is to treat every life form as a family member”: Marina Richie.

Report: PGNC Annual General Meeting, March 16

The PGNC Annual General Meeting was held at UNBC on March 16. Fourteen members were in attendance. The following individuals were elected by acclamation: Dave Leman, Angelina Joiner, Caitlin Zvanovec, Diana Corona Castro, Sandra Kinsey and Cara Snell. The meeting set the number of directors at seven, which allows for one additional director to be appointed in 2023.

Other Events and News

Friday March 24 NRESi Colloquium – Indigenous sysems of management for culturally and ecological resilient Pacific salmon fisheries, UBC Room 7-212 and online

“Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are at the centre of social–ecological systems that have supported Indigenous peoples around the North Pacific Rim since time immemorial”. Here’s the link to a full description of this presentation: https://www2.unbc.ca/events/73916/nresi-colloquium-indigenous-systems-management-culturally-and-ecologically-resilient-pacific-salmon-fisheries-dr-andrea-reid. The page includes the online link to view the presentation remotely.

Tuesday March 28, International Fly Fishing Film Festival, 7 p.m. Canfor Theatre UNBC

This poster provides all the detail needed for people wishing to attend the Festival.

Bird Chatter

By popular demand, here are some useful links to obtain bird-related information. Newsletter readers may also have other recommendations which will be included in future newsletters.

• An essential bird book: The Sibley Guide to Birds, second edition. Here’s the link to the Sibley Guides website: https://www.sibleyguides.com. Books & Company in Prince George currently has two copies of Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America in stock.
• Birds Canada: https://www.birdscanada.org The goal of this non-profit is to “drive action to increase the understanding, appreciation and conservation of birds in Canada”. One of their major citizen science initiatives in British Columbia is Project Feeder Watch.
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search# This is a treasure trove of bird information.
• E-bird: https://ebird.org/explore Go to “Explore Hotspots” and find all the places around Prince George with lists of species observed and checklists. Hotspots include Cottonwood Island Park, Hudson’s Bay Wetland Nature Park, and many other locations in or near Prince George.
• iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations Type “Birds” in the species box and “Prince George” in the Location box and see 132 species on display.
• ncenbird listserv: a free email listserv. It shares subscriber emails about birds and sometimes other nature related topics. Emails from subscribers go to everyone on the list which is run by Sandra Kinsey, one of many local birding experts. There are some very knowledgeable and helpful local people and others in the field who answer questions with no put-downs for beginner questions. Send an email to ncenbird-subscribe@list.bcgroup.net with Subscribe in the subject line and only Subscribe in the body of the email.

And there’s more to come in future newsletters: curlew-mania, birding backpacks, local checklists, BCFO, Merlin.

PGNC News & Notes, July 28, 2022

• Prince George Naturalists Club, Invasive Plant Cleanup, Carrie Jane Gray Park, Wednesday August 10, 9 a.m. to 12 noon
• Prince George Naturalists Club Weed Pull, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, Saturday August 20, Hudson’s Bay Wetland
• Sad News
• PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
• Report: Learn to be in Nature, Saturday June 25, West Lake Provincial Park
• Saturday August 27, Nature-Related Book Sale
• Cottonwood Seeds Needed

Club News and Events

The Executive met on June 8 and will meet again in September, either in-person or online. The date will be publicized for any members who wish to attend.

Prince George Naturalists Club, Invasive Plant Cleanup, Carrie Jane Gray Park, Wednesday August 10, 9 a.m. to 12 noon

Come on out on Wednesday August 10 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. Long bladed trimmers are also useful. The Club will provide garbage bags as well as extra work gloves and clippers if someone needs them. The work is suitable for adults and teens. 

We will meet at 9 a.m. 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. 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. 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 12 noon, Saturday August 20, Hudson’s Bay Wetland

On Saturday August 20, the Prince George Naturalists Club will hold a weed-pull to remove common tansy and burdock at the Hudson’s Bay Wetland. Club members and supporters are invited to meet at the parking lot at The Exploration Place for waiver signing and a quick introduction to techniques for removing tansy and burdock. Bring your favourite hand tool for cutting off flowers and seed, as well as a shovel, work gloves and a personal water bottle. The Club will provide garbage bags, extra work gloves and clippers if someone needs them. Participants should consider wearing long pants and sturdy footwear. The work is suitable for adults and teens and all levels of ability. For more information email Sandra at sjkinsey@direct.ca, voice: 250.963.8381 and text: 250.617.8381.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals

Thank you to everyone who is joining the PGNC or renewing memberships.

 E-Transfer is available by sending to PrinceGeorgeNaturalistsClub@gmail.com and it goes directly into the Club’s bank account. No secret word is needed. Payments by cheque can be mailed to Prince George Naturalists Club, PO Box 1092, Prince George BC V2L 4V2. 

Memberships run from January 1 to December 31. Cost is $25 per calendar year for individuals, $40 for a family, and $15 for students. Benefits of membership: Subscription to BC Nature magazine, liability insurance coverage for Club work parties and field trips, and access to popular events limited to Club members only. 

Sad News

We are very sad to advise that former PGNC director Doug Wilson died on July 20 following a long and debilitating illness. Doug was a volunteer and director with the PGNC from 2012 to 2018 before stepping down due to declining health. Doug retired in 2014 from a long career as a wildlife biologist with the provincial government. He had a wide range of interests in the natural world and was passionate about encouraging the Club to explore all aspects of nature. If you have a favourite story about Doug, please send it to princegeorgenaturalistsclub@gmail.com or reply to this email. It will go in a future newsletter. 

Tribute to Doug Wilson, by Clive Keen: A decade or so ago, when a few of us were trying to resurrect the Prince George Naturalist Club, Doug Wilson stepped up not just with heavyweight support, advice and a calm presence, but by solving our most pressing problem: giving us a home.  All meetings of the club were held in the boardroom of his workplace during the early days. I well remember all those times waiting for Doug to drive up and open the gates — nobody could ever accuse him of being too early for meetings. Doug stuck to that policy for every Directors’ meeting over the next six years, but we were always glad when he did finally appear. His interventions at meetings were given quietly, but they carried charm and authority, and his many contacts proved invaluable, allowing us to offer presentations and events (e.g. watching caribou at Kennedy Siding) that would have been impossible without him. He was a great and kindly friend to the club, and we are lucky to have had him.

Club Reports

Report: Learn to be in Nature, Saturday June 25, West Lake Provincial Park

The Learn to be in Nature event at West Lake went very well on Saturday June 25. It was a beautiful day weatherwise, which was a big boon. Dave and Lauren, two members of the PGNC Executive, set up at one of the tables allocated to about 12 partnering organizations. Lauren brought an impressive collection of UNBC teaching taxidermy specimens, which were a big hit. Over the course of the event, most of the immigrant attendees, close to 100 adults and kids, visited the PGNC table. They included immigrants from the Philippines, China, Iran, Tanzania, Argentina, Poland and Ukraine. They were wonderful to meet and welcome to our community and our natural environment. Lauren happily explained the taxidermy items to everyone who came by. Several people asked how to find out about PGNC events and how to become members. They were directed to the Club’s website and Facebook page (Report by Dave Leman, photo by Natasha Ewing).

Other Events and News

Saturday August 27, Nature-Related Book Sale

Save this date! A longtime supporter of the PGNC is holding a big sale of natural history books, art relating to nature, and nature-related travel. This sale will be of interest to students and others who wish to fill out their collection of books on nature. More details to come in future newsletter including location, time, and a list of some titles.

Cottonwood Seeds Needed

Message from Spruce City Wildlife Association: In partnership with the local provincial biologists, SCWA is needing to collect seeds from Cottonwood trees! These seeds will be dried out and then grown in a nursery and planted along select areas of the Nechako to build riparian habitat and increase mature cottonwoods in areas lacking them.

Here’s the kicker, those seeds are small and we’re hoping to get about 500,000 of them! If you’re out on a walk, bring a paper bag and collect some seeds. Email us at info@scwa.bc.ca or message us on Facebook and let us know if you’ve collected some and we can arrange drop off/pick up. Or you can place your bag of cottonwood seeds in the mailbox at the hatchery, 1384 River Road. Thanks for your help folks!

PGNC News and Notes, July 31, 2021

• PGNC Weed Pull, 9 a.m. Tuesday August 3, Hudson’s Bay Wetland
• Prince George Naturalists Club, Invasive Plant Cleanup, Carrie Jane Gray Park, Wednesday August 11, 9 a.m. to 12 noon
• PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals
• Nature Canada Photo Contest Closes on August 16
• Spruce City Wildlife Association seeks volunteers
• Mugaha Bird Banding Station, Mackenzie, Volunteer Opportunities

Club Events and News

Prince George Naturalists Club Weed-Pull, 9 a.m. Tuesday August 3, Hudson’s Bay Wetland

The Prince George Naturalists Club is holding its second weed-pull at 9 a.m. on Tuesday August 3 to coninue removing common tansy and other invasive plants at the Hudson’s Bay Wetland. Club members and supporters are invited to meet in the parking lot at The Exploration Place 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. The work is suitable for adults and teens and all levels of ability, and there’s lots of space to spread out. For more information, email Sandra at sjkinsey@direct.ca, voice: 250.963.8381 and text: 250.617.8381.

Prince George Naturalists Club, Invasive Plant Cleanup, Carrie Jane Gray Park, Wednesday August 11, 9 a.m. to 12 noon

Come on out on Wednesday August 11 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. 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. For more information, email Sandra at sjkinsey@direct.ca, voice: 250.963.8381 and text: 250.617.8381.

PGNC Memberships: New and Renewals

Club members continue to renew their memberships by mail or online at https://pgnc.wordpress.com/membership/. New members are also joining the Club. This support is much appreciated. Memberships can now be paid using eTransfer. No secret word is needed. Just send the e-Transfer to PrinceGeorgeNaturalistsClub@gmail.com and it goes directly into the club’s bank account. 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 run from January 1 to December 31 and 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/. Payments by cheque can be mailed to Prince George Naturalists Club, 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

Nature Canada Photo Contest closes on August 16

The Nature Canada photo contest opened on May25 and closes on August 16, 2021. Details are here: https://tinyurl.com/43jad39t

Nature Canada announcement: We have partnered with Black Feather the Wilderness Adventure Company for our 2021 Photo Contest Grand Prize. This year’s first prize winner of our contest will receive a spot on an incredible seven-day sea kayaking trip exploring the 30,000 Islands that surround Georgian Bay in the 2022 season, valued at over $2000! 

The 30,000 Islands make northeast Georgian Bay a kayaker’s paradise. From a few square meters to several square kilometres, these granite islands form a protective maze for the paddler to explore. Away from the sheltered channels, there are also open bays and crossings to distant islands for the experienced paddler. There is very little soil in this area, and most of the vegetation on the coastline consists of wind-twisted and gnarled trees that are far older than they look. It’s a harsh and fragile environment — the least-settled wilderness on the great bay.

Spruce City Wildlife Association seeks volunteers

Message from the SCWA:
– Could you spare a weekend or 2 in August or September?- Do you like Salmon and the outdoors? – Would you like to be a part of the Upper Fraser’s ONLY volunteer team operating stock rebuilding programs? (on endangered runs)

Email us today and we can send you details on being a part of SCWA Salmon Support Team! Brood capture is set to start in about 3 weeks. Join us today and help us bring these stocks back! Contact us at Salmonspprtteam@gmail.com and we will reach out to you!

Mugaha Bird Banding Station, Mackenzie, Volunteer Opportunities

Message from Mugaha Bird Banding Station: To out-of-town volunteers, potential volunteers and visitors: The station is up and running as of Monday, July 19. With BC opening up again, we are able to welcome back all volunteers with not too many rules and restrictions. We are really hoping to see new and familiar faces again. Unfortunately, we have yet to find a replacement for our visitor trailer so accommodation options are tenting or you can bring a RV if you have one.  You would also have use of the kitchen, and would have access to the showers at the municipal campground beside the Municipal Office and near the Ministry of Forests building.  

Our Birder-in-Charge (BIC) this year is Laura Tabbakh, Assistant 1 is Kristen Mancuso and Assistant 2 is Zoe Roberts. Sue Crosby will be the contact person for scheduling of volunteers this summer. Please let her know if you are interested in coming and what dates you are thinking of.  Sue will do her best to accommodate your preferred dates. You can phone her: 250-997-3858 landline; call/text cell 250-997-7447 or email suecrosby79@gmail.com 

Our Covid Guidelines: We are restricting the number of people in the lab and kitchen to 4 people at one time.  As well, if you are not 2 weeks clear of your second vaccination, we ask that you wear a mask inside the buildings for your safety and that of the other volunteers and banders.   Hand washing and sanitizing of shared surfaces are pretty much the extent of it and not being around others if you are ill. Please let Sue know if you have any questions. We are so excited that the station is open and look forward to having a great season. 

Website: http://www.mackenzienatureobservatory.ca/ Directions to Mugaha Marsh Banding Station:

Text version:  http://www.mackenzienatureobservatory.ca/Banding/Directions%20Text.htmMap Viewhttps://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msid=212941849169360375018.0004bcba66eb6b671a9b1&msa=0&iwloc=0004bcba6a916c7d77904 

Things volunteers can do:•    Scribing•    Checking nets and extracting or notifying an extractor of birds in the net•    Census•    Observations•    Banding •    Releasing birds•    Cleaning, sanitizing the station (sweeping, tidying), cleaning outhouse.•    Turning bird bags, taking home to wash and bringing back•    Checking data•    Greeting and dealing with the public•    Watering plants, deadheading flowers•    Maintaining/repairing bicycles•    Closing nets at end of day•    Removing garbage and recycling from site•    Netlane maintenance•    Trailer maintenance•    Marking and mending nets (usually done at the end of the season)•    Set up and take down of station. 

PGNC News and Notes, September 24, 2019

• Prince George Naturalists Club, Wednesday Walk, September 25, Ridgeview Trail
• PGNC Memberships, New and Renewals
• Report: Wednesday September 11, Wednesday Walk
• Report: Thursday September 19, Edible Mushrooms Presentation
• Wednesday September 25^th, 7 to 9.m. UNBC Canfor Theatre, free screening of Climate Change and the Human Prospect 
• Thursday September 26^th, keynote address by Dr. Gregory Heming on Climate Change, UNBC Canfor Theatre
• Friday September 27, NRESi Colloquium: Integrated Watershed Research in the Nechako, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., UNBC Room 8-164
• CleanBC Plastics Action Plan, deadline for response extended to September 30
• Co-Existing with Bears, Friday October 4, 6 to 9 p.m., Spruce City Wildlife Association, 1384 River Road
• The Fascinating Connection Between Plants, People and the Environment, Saturday October 5, 1 to 3 p.m. UNBC Weldwood Theatre

Club Events and News

Prince George Naturalists Club, Wednesday Walk, September 25, Ridgeview Trail

Sandra Kinsey will lead this Wednesday Walk. Join her on September 25th for our first Wednesday Walk on the Ridgeview Trail in the Hart Highlands. This woodsy walk is about 3km on a well maintained trail with no concerns about steep hills. We meet in the parking lot at Spruceland Shopping Mall at the corner of 5^th 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, so invite a friend.

This will be our last Wednesday Walk for 2019. The October Walks to Forests for the World and Wilkins Regional Park have been cancelled.

PGNC Memberships, New and Renewals

 

This is a great time for new members to join the PGNC! New members joining between October 1 and December 31 will be paid up until December 31 of the following year. The membership year runs from January 1 to December 31. 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/. If you’re not sure your membership is up to date, you can check with Sandra Kinsey at sjkinsey@direct.ca.

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

Wednesday September 11, Wednesday Walk, Peardon Road Trails

Submitted by Dora Hunter

It was another Wednesday Walk with much to see and ponder: moose and bear tracks, a toad, fungi and late summer flowers and early fall colours. The dorsal, mid-line white stripe; webbed hind toes; generally warty skin and prominent parotoid glands (looking like shoulder blades) help identify this as a Western Toad. Before long this little one will be digging down into our sandy soil, below the frost line, to hibernate for the winter.  Google: Canadian Herpetological Society. The long tubular yellow flower of the hemi-parasitic Common Paintbrush, nearly hidden by red bracts, is designed for pollination by bees and, particularly, hummingbirds. Mosses, lichen and fungi adorn this old stump still making its contribution to the forest. Thank you, Sandy, for once again leading our WW and, Gillian, for your fine photos and for the app which helped the group identify the ubiquitous Eyebright (Euphrasia sp).

Sandra’s Bird List

          Black-capped Chickadee

          Boreal Chickadee

          Red-breasted Nuthatch

          Golden-crowned Kinglet

          Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Thursday September 19, Edible Mushrooms Presentation

A capacity crowd filled the Atrium at The Exploration Place for Steph Laurent’s edible mushrooms presentation and cooking demonstration. The event was presented in partnership with The Exploration Place. This was a fine follow-up to the very successful September 8 Mushroom walk in Wilkins Park. Here’s the link to the CBC story on the Mushroom Walk: https://tinyurl.com/y5r384ca

Other Events and News

A message from Sam Legebokow, President of Students for a Green University (SGU) at UNBC:

Activist, politician, and literary ecologist Dr. Gregory Heming will be at UNBC this week. Gregory is the founder and co-director for the Centre for Local Prosperity in rural Nova Scotia, he was an advisor for Project Drawdown, and he is a municipal councillor in rural Nova Scotia.

On Wednesday September 25^th, there will be a free screening of Climate Change and the Human Prospect, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Canfor Theatre. This documentary follows as an assembly of thinkers gather to discuss and outline a plausible solution to climate change.

On Thursday September 26^th, from 7 to 9 p.m., in the Canfor Theatre, Dr. Heming will give a keynote address regarding the topic of Climate Change and the impacts we can make as individuals and rural community members.

For more information on these events, email sgu.unbc@gmail.com.

Friday September 27, NRESi Colloquium: Integrated Watershed Research in the Nechako, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., UNBC Room 8-164

Drs. Ellen Petticrew, Stephan Dery, Margot Parkes and Phil Owens, UNBC will be presenting “Integrated watershed research in the Nechako”. The Nechako Watershed encompasses nearly 50,000 square kilometers from the Coast Mountains to the Interior Plateau of British Columbia, forming the second largest sub-watershed of the Fraser River Basin. The Nechako (a derivation of a Dakelh word meaning “big river”) remains a vital waterway for anadromous fish including three species of salmon and non-anadromous fish such as bull trout, rainbow trout, and the endangered Nechako white sturgeon. Despite its ecological, societal and cultural importance, the nature of this complex system remains elusive. Cumulative stressors including climate change, landcover disturbances (e.g. wild-fires, the mountain pine beetle outbreak and forest harvesting), land use changes (e.g. the expansion of the Vanderhoof agricultural belt), and damming of the Nechako River main stem have led to drastic changes to the water and landscapes of the Nechako. Over the past five years, a team of four UNBC researchers with complementary expertise has thus undertaken a study to integrate knowledge on climate change and water security, sediment sources and fluxes, and the health and well-being of the Nechako. This colloquium delivered by the four members of the Integrated Watershed Research Group will report on their findings through the first years of research in the Nechako and lessons learned in this collaborative effort involving many stakeholders across the Nechako. This presentation will also be available on-line through the UNBC LiveStream feed.

CleanBC Plastics Action Plan, deadline for response extended to September 30

The province is seeking feedback on how to reduce plastics pollution in BC. Here’s the link to the CleanBC Plastics Action Plan and related online public survey: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/govtogetherbc/consultation/cleanbc-plastics-action-plan/. Deadline to respond is September 30.

Co-Existing with Bears, Friday October 4, 6 to 9 p.m., Spruce City Wildlife Association, 1384 River Road

SCWA is offering two free workshops outlined below. Just show up – everyone is welcome!

6 to 8 p.m. Grizzly Bear Safety and Bear Spray Training: What do you do when you encounter a grizzly bear? How to prevent conflicts and hands-on practice with inert bear spray.

8 to 9 p.m. Electric fencing for bears workshop. Protect your fruit trees, gardens, chickens and livestock from bears. Learn how to install and maintain effective electric fencing to keep bears out.

The Fascinating Connection Between Plants, People and the Environment, Saturday October 5, 1 to 3 p.m. UNBC Weldwood Theatre

Master Gardener Brian Minter will explain the connections between plants, people and the environment. Here’s some background on the connections with the environment that Brian discusses in his gardening columns:  https://tinyurl.com/y65txmat. This event is sponsored by the David Douglas Botanical Garden Society. See poster for ticket information.