The Bowen Island Nature Club began the year in style with a traditional AGM potluck and an excellent presentation by UBC marine mammal expert Andrew Trites, explaining why B.C. Steller sea lions are thriving whilst their Alaskan relatives are in sharp decline. The answer appears to be food quality - they thrive on high food value fish such as herring and low value foods such as pollock cause them to have lower birth and infant survival rates. This suggests that the hard work of the Bowen Island Fish and Wildlife Club and other stream keepers associations, restoring herring spawning grounds in our area, will pay off in terms of increased sea mammal activity.
At the AGM, we also heard about the exciting adventures planned for this year, beginning with two events in March. On March 17 at 7 p.m., Bob Turner will discuss our local geological landscape. Living on Bowen, with its rocky shores and beaches full of pebbles, we encounter lots of geology. Our shoreline bedrock can be pale-coloured, or dark grey, or full of layers what's the difference? Smooth bedrock surfaces abound is this the work of ancient glaciers? How big was the glacier that carved our rock? How old is Bowen Island and has it always been an island? Our island rocks formed in the Jurassic Era could we find dinosaur bones here? Across the waters of Howe Sound are the famous climbing cliffs of Stawamus Chief. Why are these granite walls so steep? Rising even higher is Mount Garibaldi, a giant volcano that erupted violently 12,000 years ago, yet it doesn't look like a volcano at all. Could it erupt again? And asking a really big question why do we have mountains along the coast of B.C.? Our geological curiosity can range from the nature of a pebble to the origin of our coastal mountains. This talk explores the geological wonders around us. So bring your questions and your local rocks. This event is free and open to non-members.
During spring break, Emily van Lidth de Jeude will be leading a (F)unschool mini camp called Bog, Beach, Bluff on March 19, 20 and 21; from 2 to 4 p.m. The mini-camp is for people of all ages and we'll explore three different Bowen ecosystems. First we'll hike to Fairy Fen, where we'll see evidence of early logging on Bowen, see the slow transformation of a small lake into rainforest, and find some of the deepest mud in the bog and fen. On the second day, we'll be accompanied by local naturalist Will Husby, who will join our explorations of the estuary by Mother's Beach and the lagoon, and help us discover and identify various creatures that live there. And finally, we'll hike up a bluff to see our island from above. This activity is free, and for Nature Club members only. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Contact Emily van Lidth de Jeude at 9563 or email as below to register for Bog, Beach, Bluff.
For more information, please email [email protected] or phone 2760. The Bowen Nature Club has an affordable annual membership ($22/family or $18/single) that includes email notice of our outings, attendance to members-only outings, BC Nature Magazine, and insurance coverage for outings. Our outings list can be found at http://bowennatureclub.blogspot.ca/.
