Friends of Ecological Reserves Newsletter

Victoria, B.C. Spring 1996

Getting to know our Grasslands

hile one can't help but In the Cariboo-Chilcotin, the noticeable, and after 40 years the Wnotice a forest of 700-year- grasslands complex may be sepa• grassland is still improving in old trees or the bouquest of flow• rated into three zones, based on diversity and vigour. ers that greets summer, the Big Sky the plants that are dominant at the country we call grassland seems time of climax vegetation. Lower unvegetated and urunhabited, and grasslands (BGxh3, in the NOTE POST 7 appears to go on forever. Not so. biogeoclimatic scheme) occur on The Friends Annual There is great diversity of both benches along the Fraser and General Meeting fauna (scorpions, bats, owls) and Chilcotin rivers and climax to big flora — bitterroot, Mariposa lilies sage. Middle grasslands (BGxw2) 3 pm., Saturday, June 15,1996 and porcupine grass, to name a are characterized by bluebunch Mary Rannie's home: few. Study of the host of lichens wheat grass. Upper grassland 6 Woodville Place, View Royal and invertebrates has only begun. (IDFxm), dominated by porcupine Sooke FTills field trip 10 am. Different grassland communities grass, are more extensive. Pot-luck supper 5 pm — appear in four regions of British Until recently, very little grass• Columbia: the Southern Interior land in the Interior Douglas Fir see the Calendar section. (Nicola, Okanagan and Thompson zone was protected. And it's no valleys), East Kootenay, Cariboo- surprise that, given the history of Many of us are beginning to Chilcotin and Peace River. resource use in the Cariboo- notice the life that thrives under The Friends want to support Chilcotin, "protection" seldom the Big Sky — a necessary first research and stewardship of the means excluding an area from step of awareness. grasslands. We are investigating cattle grazing. There are several Those studyin' up will find the those in the Cariboo-Chilcotin and small enclosures where a section of Problem Analysis for Chilcotin- East Kootenay regions. grassland has been fenced to keep Cariboo Grassland Biodiversity, cattle out, and one larger area, the published in 1995 by the Ministry IN THIS ISSUE 4,700-ha. Junction Sheep Range, of Environment, Lands and Parks, with grassland in the Bunchgrass especially pertinent. Lone Pine Friends' Business 2 zone not under pressure or recov• Press is about to publish the Calendar 3 ering from grazing. definitive Guide to Plants of the Threatened Grasslands 4 Southern Interior, edited by Parrish, Gap analysis 6 Recovery requires a good seed Coupe and Lloyd. Marbled Murrelet news 8 year followed by a good germina• Mara Meadows threat, part 2 10 tion year, with sufficient moisture Add vigilance and good will, Salal Picking on Galiano 11 and sunlight for good growth. and we can surely conserve some New ERs on Island 12 Research scientist Alastair McLean of the original diversity of B.C.'s Salt Spring Id. protection ppl 13 suggested that at least 10 to 15 wonderful grasslands! Nimpkish Island visited 16 years pass before real change is Peggy Frank The Log

FRIENDS' BUSINESS Ecological Reserve, the redesigna- Garry Oak Meadow (Vancouver Annual Report for 1995 tion of several ecological reserves, Island) Plants Placemat, a sparkling and the Vancouver Island Goal 2 rainbow display of common ere are the highlights of an protected area process. understorey species, both indica• interesting year; full report H Management Bristol and Trudy tive and introduced. and accounts at the Friends' led "broom pulls" at Brackman Id. annual meeting. Produced in a run of 3000, the Finances Revenues totalled 11" by 17" placemats should $13,171, including generous Our Board of Directors generate meaningful funds to invest in research, starting once we donations from several individuals he Friends' board of directors recover costs, which will happen and a sustaining grant from the meet about every quarter to T around placemat number 1000. Eden Conservation Trust. Our guide the society's operation. expenses came to $18,858: $3800 Any member in good standing Friends' Treasurer Lynne Milnes went to field research (sea otters, may stand for director in the vote submitted the assessment, adopted killer whales, marbled murrelets) at the annual meeting. by the board, that placemats should henceforth wholesale for $5 and education (Ocean News), The 12 incumbents are: each, $4 each in orders of 20 or $2000 toward the Jedediah pur• Pen Brown, Victoria more, for retail in the $5 - $6 range. chase, $5708 for placemat printing (membership secretary) and laminating, $6617 for adminis• Syd Cannings, Victoria Vendors with public service to tration (office management, two Sue Carr, Victoria donate have the option of selling newsletters, executive expenses, Trudy Chatwin, Nanaimo the attractive objets de table at market value and ploughing the bookkeeping and auditing serv• (vice president) added bucks back into our coffers. ices) and GST of $733. We ended Bristol Foster, Salt Spring Island 1995 with $11,879 in the bank. Peggy Frank, Salt Spring Island How popular are the 'mats? Carried over: a commitment to Evelyn Hamilton, Victoria Lynne took a bundle to her In a seed and support a landowner Vicky Husband, Victoria Victoria Garden table at the Native contact program. Kaaren Lewis, Victoria Plant Symposium at the University Membership 144 members paid Lynne Milnes, Victoria (treasurer) of Victoria on March 9 and sold up at year end, plus the wardens Briony Penn, Salt Spring Island close to 100, netting the Friends who number 80. Mary Rannie, Victoria (secretary) $445. (Lynne takes no profit.) Executive The Friends lacked a The board chooses the society's More recently, Evelyn and Peter president at year's end, and so it officers for the year at its first taped an eight-minute spot on continues. Lynne Milnes took over meeting following. Shaw Cable's Community Update. the job of treasurer, while Kaaren To order the Douglas Fir or Lewis stood for a vacated direc• Garry Oak placemats contact the tor's position and was acclaimed Please renew (or begin) office manager at 595-4813. at the annual meeting. your membership! Terms are flexible: prepaid, Office The Friends produced and e value our members' invoiced or on consignment. distributed two newsletters. support! Still only $15 a Shipping charges (tube + 1st class W postage) added to mail orders. Josette Wier stepped down as the year; $20 for families; $60 for a Friends' mail-list manager, and the sustaining membership. Handy database migrated to the office. form enclosed. Landowner Contact Field trips in 1995 included his project, conceived a year Jedediah / Lasqueti islands, Placemats a hit, already! Tago with the intent of Ragged Mountain, Caren Range, ouglas fir forests are selling funneling resources to places the Highlands and Nimpkish Dlike hotcakes out there, but where protection of ecosystems is Island. Field trips continue to be these sales will help save forests, urgent but advocates are lacking, is planned from the office. because we're selling Douglas Fir gaining focus and support. The The Friends maintained commu• Forests: The Plants Placemat — advice of several potential partners nication with our supporters and created by a cabal of artistic was to establish a community basis co-operators, with Government, Friends; handed on to the compu• for the project. The directors other NGOs and the enquiring ter graphics expertise of Raymond discussed the Friends' interests in public. In 1995 we intervened "Thumbprints" Ractliffe; thence to the project and proposed as an regarding the Greater Victoria Manning Press for printing and initial focus the grasslands in the Water Supply Area, the Hornby laminating. All gave service plus, Cariboo-Chilcotin region — the Island 1000 Oaks, Mt. Tuam and the result is, like its sib the area centred on the junction of the

Spring 1996 2 The Log

Fraser and Chilcotin rivers; ranch• CALENDAR Highlands ing country many of us know. Only notice to members Saturday, June 29 Grasslands of the Columbia Lake Your attendance is requested! A tour of the "Western Forest - Kootenay River area in the Rocky Friends of Ecological Reserves Products (WFP) North" property, Mountain Trench are, if anything, 1996 General Meeting lots 58 and 59, northeast of Jocelyn less available for protection than in 3 pm, Saturday, June 15 Hill, with Highlands resident and other regions. The East Kootenay at Mary Rannie's home preservationist Elliott Gose. Land Use Plan protected no Conservation covenants will grasslands. 6 Woodville Place, View Royal We'll review the past year's ensure that this subdivision retains The tools of gap analysis are its natural qualities. We'll also tour accomplishments and chart the useful for "zeroing in" on endan• the Highlands' beautiful Cal society's course for 1996-97. gered ecosystems. Friends' director Revelle Nature Sanctuary, donated Members, wardens and guests Kaaren Lewis, who is a senior by WFP's Herb Doman. policy analyst with the Land-Use are cordially invited to the pot luck buffet supper in Mary's gorgeous Meet at 10 am in the WFP North Co-ordination Office (LUCO), site. If driving from the West recently co-authored the Provincial waterfront garden (weather permitting!) Please RSVP (595¬ Saanich Highway, take Willis Point Overview and Status Report for the Road and turn left onto Durrance Protected Areas Strategy, a key 4813) if you can come and will bring a dish. For directions to Road, which becomes Ross document in land-use study and Ehirrance Road. If driving from the the source of much data in this Mary's, see the field trip note following. Trans- Highway via Mill- issue's grasslands articles. stream Road, take the right fork, The next step is to publicise our then the left fork, so as to stay on search in regional and environ• Spring and Summer Millstream Lake Road. Either way, mental media, while continuing to 1996 Field Trips turn onto Hazlitt Creek Road, then look for dollars. right onto Old Mossy Road; drive The Friends are seeking to Sooke Hills to the top of the road and park; contact people and groups in these Saturday, June 15 please avoid blocking driveways. regions who could run efficient Ray Zimmermann, a tireless Please call Peter (595-4813) for information programs to promote campaigner with the Sea to Sea more information. private land stewardship.There's Greenbelt Society, will lead us on a much to discuss: conservation hike into the hills between Saanich Kyuquot Sound covenants and the consequent Inlet and Sooke Basin. Promises to August 11-17 or 18-24 income tax breaks; co-management be stimulating and informative. West Coast Expeditions offers schemes; thorny problems of Bring lunch and gear appropriate the Friends a group discount of 15 fencing and access; the very real for the weather. per cent. Two programs to choose threat of disappearing habitats. Meet at 10 am at MaryRannie's from: the Mission Group Novice Ranchers are legendarily conserva• home, 6 Woodville Place, View Kayaking ($624) the first week or tive. This project will be about Royal, just off the Old Island West Coast Adventure ($652) for human relations as much as Highway, south of the Colwood the second (plus GST; includes habitats and ecosystems. overpass of the Trans-Canada transport from/to Fair Harbour; Highway. Turn left on on Dukrill extra from/to Campbell River). Road, using the left turn lane Depending on bookings, you may between the tire shop and gas not get your first choice of date. To station. If driving N, it's the first book or for more information, call WAIVER OF LIABILITY RE: FIELD right after Parson's Bridge. Use the Rupert Wong at 1-800-665-3040, parking lot and leave things at (604) 336-2131 in Courtenay or 926¬ TRIPS RUN BY THE FRIENDS Mary's place; simply cross a patch 1110 in the Vancouver area. riends of Ecological Reserves of ground-cover that borders the F takes great care to ensure ourparkin g lot. Mary's house number field trips are safe and enjoyable. is on a white sign leaning against a Neither the society, however, nor tree. Info? Call Peter at 595-4813. any member of the society, nor guide nor operator with whom we con• tract, will be liable for injury, mis• hap or privation incurred for any reason on a field trip we sponsor.

3 Spring 1996 The Log

Do Fence Me In B.C.'s Endangered Grasslands 'Because of combined disturbances, 'ancient'grasslands likely represent a much more endan• gered space (or habitat type) in than do 'ancient' or old-growth forests."

n their 1995 Problem Analysis for IChilcotin-Cariboo Grassland Biodiversity, T.D. Hooper and M.D. Pitt wrote: "Even though riparian areas are the most critical wildlife habitat associated with grasslands, they often experience severe environmental impacts from livestock-grazing and watering, water diversions for agricultural irrigation and urban develop• ments, timber harvesting, and recreational use. It is estimated that 70-90% of riparian habitat in the United States has already been severely altered... In the Okanagan Region of British Columbia, wetlands have been reduced by 85% of their original area." Over• all, studies estimate that only 9% of the historical grasslands in the Okanagan region remain in a relatively natural state. The southern limit of the Cariboo-Chilcotin grasslands is on the benchland above the Fraser Canyon at Fountain, near Lillooet. Zones where grasslands occur: Cariboo-Chilcotin In the intense summer heat of the relatively low river valley, The B.C. Government has Hooper and Pitt. grasslands of the more southerly recently made some significant Local points of view differ on Ponderosa Pine zone give way to commitments to protecting whether the Protected Areas the Bunchgrass zone. Northward, grasslands: the 24,368 ha. Churn Strategy can satisfy the need for the grasslands open up and out, Creek Protected Area in the more protection of grasslands, merging with the Interior Douglas Cariboo-Chilcotin and the 15,331 given the B.C. Government's Fir zone on the Fraser Plateau, ha. Lac du Bois Grasslands in the commitments to create parks and 1400+ metres above sea level. Kamloops region. Both have settle aboriginal land claims. Grasslands are intermittent north extensive grasslands. But existing Much of the Cariboo-Chilcotin to Alexandria and west along the grazing leases will be honoured. (and East Kootenay) grassland Chilcotin to Chilanko Forks. People are working in the zones are in private hands. Recent These beautiful, "empty" Cariboo-Chilcotin to enlarge the initiative by both provincial and grasslands are the subject of a new grassland component of the federal governments have made Friends initiative and this special region's protected areas — people conservation covenants an attrac• feature in The Log. Why like Anna Roberts, warden of the tive option for some landowners. grasslands? They are among the Cardiff Mountain and Doc English The Canadian Parks and Wilder• least studied of ecosystems, Bluff ecological reserves (#s 55 & ness Society (CPAWS) is conduct• perpetuating the fallacy that 101). "Probably few other areas in ing a grasslands symposium at Big they're "deserts" of biodiversity. Canada retain as much relatively Bar Ranch in June. We hope to be They're actually among the most intact native grassland as the there and will report back in due diverse ecosystems! Cariboo-Chilcotin," she told course.

Spring 1996 4 The Log

Biogeoclimatic Zones where Grasslands occur Focus Cariboo-Chilcotin IDFxw Shallow Lakes and BGxh2 Very Dry Warm subzone Sloughs Thompson Very Dry Hot variant Interior Douglas Fir zone r. Bert Brink writes from Bunchgrass (BG) zone N from Kelly Ck to Big Bar Ck, i.e. "midslopes of the Fraser River Vancouver: "I have long 250 - 700 MASL, Fraser R N from D wondered why there are not more Fountain Canyon to Big Bar Ck (E valley west of Clinton;" E'ward in representatives (i.e ecoreserves) bank above BGxh3); 75,094 hec• "lower elevations of major valleys around the shallow lakes and tares total area; most in Thompson in the Clinton-Cache Creek area" sloughs associated often with the Basin (THB) ecosection; "very few E to Deadman R.; 68,160 ha., half native grasslands of B.C.? I know climax plant communities because in CAB; PAR, Thompson Basin most but not all are on privately- of heavy grazing pressure." (THB); "Where grasslands are present on zonal sites [in the IDF owned land. There is much BGxh3 zone], they are a serai stage in the "biodiversity" associated with the Fraser Very Dry Hot variant development of forests." shallow waters & adjacent lands. Bunchgrass zone Mahoney Lake [Ecological Reserve < 650 MASL Fraser R. N from Kelly East Kootenay #130, near Okanagan Falls] might Ck to just above confl w Chilcotin be mentioned but the overuse of R. and W to Farwell Canyon; IDFdm2 the grassy margins is very great. 26,567 ha, most FRB; "prominent Kootenay Dry Mild Also, many areas of this nature are big sagebrush, abundant prickly Interior Douglas-fir variant modified for the recreational pear cactus, and v open vascular 800 -1200 MASL (S aspect), valley fishery, etc. Might Friends try to do plant cover on zonal sites." bottoms, lower slopes of Rocky more in this area of interest? I Mtn. Trench, from US border N to know some of the difficulties re BGxw2 nr Blaeberry R; 311,534 ha., mostly fencing etc, &c costs, but I believe Very Dry Warm subzone in EKT; "understorey dom by over a few years quite a bit could Alkali variant, BG zone pinegrass w high cover" of birch- be conserved and despite small 600 - 850 MASL Fraser R. N from Big leaved spirea, juniper, other shrubs sizes, I believe some representation Bar Ck to W of Spring House; W 7-to be worthwhile.' on lower Chilcotin to near IDFunn Hanceville; 63,311 ha., all in FRB; Undifferentiated Interior Doug• "On zonal sites, vegetation domi• las-fir (Windermere Lake) unit nated by bluebunch wheatgrass, 800 - 900 MASL; valley floor & lower need le-and-thread grass, slopes, Columbia & Windermere junegrass, and umber pussytoes." lakes (in 2 segments) & side drainages; 24,809 ha. in EKT, IDFxm primarily in private hands; small Very Dry Mild subzone area in Selkirk-Bitterroot Foothills Interior Douglas Fir (IDF) zone (SFH) W of Castlegar; bluebunch 650 -1200 MASL, from S of Gang wheatgrass and junegrass domi• Ranch N along Fraser R and nate understorey eastern trib'y valleys to just S of Alexandria, W along the Chilcotin PPdh2 R to the lower Chilanko R; 240,531 Kootenay Dry Hot ha., most in FRB; "large grassland Ponderosa Pine variant communities... due to a combina• 700 - 950 MASL; Rocky Mtn tion of edaphic and topographic Trench, Skookumchuk Ck E to St conditions combined with fire Mary R and Tobacco Plains N to history" (Hooper and Pitt) Baynes Lk; 70,444 ha. in EKT

KEY TO MAPS (not shown) BGxh2 MoF maps of biogeoclimatic units: IDF BGxh3 • Cariboo, Kamloops @ 1:250 000 BGxw2 • Ashcroft, Kamloops, Fernie, PP IDFxm Kananaskis, Lardeau @ 1:100 000 Era IDFxw Solid lines denote ecosection boundaries IDFxh The maps are in true geographic relationship (not described) East Kootenay Grassland Zones

5 Spring 1996 The Log

Gap Analysis Just what does it do? How to do gap analysis xcerpted from Provincial Over- separate these ecosystems within an i_i view and Status Report: A Pro• ecosection, the biogeoclimatic clas• he tables opposite are adapted tected Areas Strategy for British Co• sification system is used. It divides Tfrom Provincial Overview and lumbia by Kaaren Lewis and Susan the landscape into ecological map Status Report: A Protected Areas Westmacott (Land Use Cordination units based primarily on climate, soil Strategy for British Columbia (April Office, April 1996); edited for space, and vegetation. B.C. has 14 1996). with emphasis added. biogeoclimatic zones, divided into Rows relate to the ecosections subzones and variants. Subzones are "B.C.'s existing system of pro• and columns the biogeoclimatic the basic unit of zonal classification tected areas is not evenly distributed variants where grasslands occur. and consist of 'unique sequences of across the broad geographic regions Each square relates to one geographically related ecosystems, of the province and represents some association in one ecosection. The in which climatic climax ecosystems ecosystems and values better than shaded matrix in the larger table are members of the same zonal plant others. charts the occurrence of IDFxm, association.' [The system is pre• "The Protected Areas Strategy es• the Very Dry Mild subzone of the sented in Meidinger and Pojar, Eco• tablished the concept of ecosystem Interior Douglas Fir biogeoclimatic systems of British Columbia, Ministry representation as the fundamental zone, in CAB, the Cariboo Plateau of Forests, 1991.] premise guiding the identification ecosection. and evaluation of new protected ar• "The complementary use of the (More detailed information eas. A mapped ecological frame• two classification systems has prov• about the variants in each zone can work has been adopted for purposes en to be extremely useful as both an be found in the table on p 5.) of qualitatively evaluating how well analytic and reporting tool. It has al• The first number is the total area existing protected areas capture the lowed representation to be assessed in hectares (ha.) representative of range of ecosystem types across the in a variety of ways and at a variety that variant within that ecosection. province. The conventional ap• of scales. For example, how well the The second number is the area in proach to this evaluation is com• existing system represents the prov• ha. under protection, if any. (This monly referred to as gap ince's major ecosystems can number includes some proposed analysis. be determined at a very protected areas forwarded from "Our mapped ecological coarse level using only the Kamloops region planning.) framework combines two biogeoclimatic system at The third is the percentage of the separate ecological classifi• the zonal level. Major gaps total area that is under protection. cation systems to divide the in the geographic distribu• Thus, of 46,505 hectares of province into distinct eco• tion of protected areas can IDFxm in CAB, 28 hectares are in logical units. be determined by compar• the Protected Area system — 0.06 "The ecoregion classifica ing amounts of protected per cent of the total area repre• tion system, based prima-\ area by ecoprovince, ecore• sentative of that variant. The "gap" rily on landform and cli• gion or ecosection. For is the difference between that mate, is used to stratify the more detailed planning percentage and the target for province into broad geo• »urposes and more accu- representation (12 per cent across graphic units nested in a :ate assessments of gaps in the province.) ecosystem representation, hierarchy of 10 ecoprovinc- The bottom row of the chart the two systems can be es, 43 ecoregions and 110 aggregates the area of each variant combined in a variety of ecosections. [See Demarchi across its range and shows the area ways to yield progressive• et al, "The Environment, and percentage under protection. ly more detailed analyses. in Campbell, et al, The Birds Only 3.96% of the large area At the operational level, the of British Columbia, vol I,:pp. (240,531 ha.) of IDFxm is protected. 55-145] objective is to represent each ecosection by propor• A next step would be to identify "But ecoregions and grassland areas within the variant ecosections are themselves tionately representing all significant occurrences of and survey the existing protected ecologically heterogeneous, areas for grassland components. with different major ecosys• biogeoclimatic subzones tem types distributed along and variants." elevational gradients. To Liddon's sedge (Carex pelasaia)

Spring 1996 6 The Log

Gap analysis: zones in the Cariboo-Chilcotin where grasslands occur BGxh2 BGxh3 BGxw2 IDFxm IDFxw Cariboo 0 0 0 46 405 ha 34 448 ha Plateau 28 ha 3 017 ha (CAB) 0.06% protected 8.76% Chilcotin 0 0 0 46 961 ha 0 Plateau 304 ha (CHP) 0.65% protected Fraser River 2 241 ha 22 403 ha 63 311 ha 137 462 ha 0 Basin 11 ha 4 718 ha 7 480 ha 9199 ha (FRB) 0.49% protected 21.06% 11.81% 6.69% protected Nechako 0 0 0 7 302 ha 0 Lowlands 0 protected (NEL) N Thompson 0 0 0 0 3 211 ha Upland 0 protected (NTU) Pavillion 10 980 ha 4164 ha 0 2401 ha 16 292 ha Ranges 19 ha 1468 ha 0 protected 2 248 ha (PAR) 0.17% protected 3525% 13.8% S Thompson 1986 ha 0 0 0 0 Upland 0 protected (STU) Thompson 59 887 ha 0 0 0 14 209 ha Basin 2 708 ha 3 266 ha (THB) 4.52% protected 22.99% Range-wide 75 094 ha 26 567 ha 63 311 ha 240 531 ha 68 160 ha (All 2 738 ha 6186 ha 7480 ha 9 531 ha 8 531 ha Ecosections) 3.65% protected 2328% 11.81% 3.96% protected 1252%

Gap analysis: East Kootenay grassland zones Some references PPdh2 IDFdm2 IDFunn Ecosystems of British Columbia Border 0 2 233 ha 0 ed D. Meidinger and J Pojar. Ranges 13 ha MoF Special Report #6,1991 (BRR) 0.58% protected A Field Guide for Site Identification and Interpretation for the Nelson East 70 444 ha 268 464 ha 20 846 ha Forest Region ed T.F. Braumandl Kootenay 134 ha 2 030 ha 132 ha and M.P. Curran. MoF Land Mgt Trench (EKT) 0.19% protected 0.76% protected 0.63% protected Handbook #20, May 1992 Eastern 0 7565 ha 0 A Guide to Site Identification and Purcell Mtns 0 protected Interpretation for the Kamloops (EPM) Forest Region McGillivray 0 20 505 ha 0 by D. Lloyd et al. MoF Land Mgt Range 80 ha Handbook #23, February 1990 (MCR) 0.39% protected Problem Analysis for Chilcotin- Selkirk- 0 0 3 963 ha Cariboo Grassland Diversity Bitterroot 1445 ha by T.D. Hooper and Dr. M.D. Pitt. F'hills (SFH) 36.46% MoE Wildlife Bull. #B-82, March Southern 0 12 767 ha 0 1995 Park Ranges 264 ha A Review of Grassland Ecosystems in (SPK) 2.07% protected the Mica Wildlife Compensation Area Range-wide 70 444 ha 311 534 ha 24 809 ha by LA. (Penny) Ohanjanian. (All 144 ha 2387 ha 1577 ha MoELP and Mica Wildlife Com• Ecosections) 0.19% protected 0.77% protected 6.36% protected pensation Program, July 1993

7 Spring 1996 The Log

RESEARCH REPORTS Marbled Murrelet News ree-climbing nest surveyers possibly because the adjacent mas in both the Vancouver Prov• TStephanie Hughes and Kevin coastline is more open. The other ince and BC Report drew on the Jordan worked in the Carmanah trial, at the common mouth of the same information, based partly on and Walbran valleys on southwest• Bedwell and Ursus rivers, worked the observation that in Alaska ern Vancouver Island last fall, well, logging detections of be• marbled murrelets nest on the reports Alan Burger, head of the tween 900 and 1000 birds every ground. All evidence opposes the UVic marbled murrelet program. morning. Judging from the results same conclusion in B.C., he says. The expedition, involving your of audio-visual surveys, most birds basic hard, dirty, sheer vertical used the unlogged Ursus rather urrelet researcher Irene mountaineering, was partly than the largely second-growth MManley, now in graduate funded by the Friends. They found Bedwell. studies in Simon Fraser Universi• ty's resource management pro• no new nests. Checking on previ• At-sea surveys found high gram, is back in the Desolation ously discovered nests, they found densities along the West Coast Sound area this spring surveying two gone (branch down; top of tree Trail, especially near the Klanawa murrelet populations. off) and five not re-used. Their and Nitinat triangle areas. "We finding supports the conclusion should be looking intensively for Irene sent the Friends tearsheets that the marbled murrelet gener• marbled murrelets in the from published papers using the ally nests in a different places from Klanawa," says Alan. research data first published in year to year. Whether to reduce the 1994 in "Marbled Murrelet Forest Protection of less than 100 threat of predators or parasites, the and At-Sea Studies in Clayoquot hectares in the mid-Klanawa River, bird may need more than the Sound, B.C., 1993," which the 20 km. southeast of Bamfield, may minimum number of nest trees. Friends supported. fulfil a niche in the ecological We have these on file: The UVic program has studied reserve program, but Alan isn't "Decline of the Marbled marbled murrelet behaviour and impressed. "The Klanawa is a bit Murrelet in Clayoquot Sound, habitat use on the west coast of of a joke. The protected area is British Columbia: 1982-1993" by Vancouver Island since 1990, much less than the 200 ha. mini• John Kelson, Irene Manley and concentrating on the Carmanah mum recommended by the Mar• Harry Carter. Northwestern Natural• and Walbran valleys, and the at- bled Murrelet Recovery Team." ist, 76: 90-98 (Spring 1995). sea population in Barkley Sound The marbled murrelet guide• and along the West Coast Trail. It's lines, developed by the Marbled "Inland Habitat Associations in the longest running study of the Murrelet Recovery Team, are still British Columbia: Stand Attributes endangered, old-growth-depend• not accepted as part of the Forest and Relative Murrelet Densities" ent bird in B.C. — part of an Practices Code, Alan points out. by Alan Burger. In Ecology and international effort to document For example, TimberWest Ltd. is Conservation of the Marbled changes in the bird's population currently logging in the Walbran Murrelet. USDA Forest Service and act to protect its habitat — and and Logan valleys in good mar• General Technical Report PSW-152, it has the largest series of data. bled murrelet habitat. Were the 1995, pp 156-58. An experimental project in 1995 guidelines standard practice, the "Population Trends of the positioned a marine surveillance best habitat would be set aside. Marbled Murrelet Projected from Demographic Analyses" by radar set at two river mouths to try More repugnant to a research Stephen R. Beissinger. Ibid, pp. to count numbers of birds flying biologist is a movement led by the 385-93. up rivers to breeding / nesting Forest Alliance "to persuade areas. One trial at the mouth of people that concern about marbled Irene is now representing the Carmanah River provided less murrelet population decline is Friends on the Marbled Murrelet complete estimates of numbers, unjustified." Articles last Christ- Recovery Team.

Killer Whale Reports and pod-specific variability, Journal of Zoology 73:1300-1311 obin Baird sent us published foraging behaviour, and prey (1995). Rpapers incorporating data handling," by Robin W. Baird and "Killer Whales, Whalewatching from his work in ecological re• Lawrence M. Dill, Behavioural and Management: A Status Re• serves near Victoria: Ecology Research Group, Depart• port," by David A. Duffus and "Occurrence and behaviour of ment of Biological Seciences, Robin W. Baird. Whalewatcher, Fall/ transient killer whales: seasonal Simon Fraser University. Canadian Winter 1995, pp. 14-17.

Spring 1996 8 The Log

Stickleback - Loon Sea Otter Research Nimpkish River (from page 16) Last winter Rolf consulted with interaction at Drizzle L. ear Friends, Just a note to thank you once CanFor staff and contractors over riends of Ecological Reserves D the disposition of Forest Renewal provided financial support for again for your support of sea otter F research. We had a very successful B.C. (FRBC) "watershed restora• a study of antipredator defences of tion" funds. Canfor was pondering threespine stickleback fish to a field season. Using funds granted by the Friends we were able to whether to divert a tributary of variety of avian piscivores, a Sebalhall Creek, a big source of research project I conducted under sample the permanent sites set up in and outside the Checleset Bay gravel around Nimpkish Island, Dr. T.E. Reimchen. Between April into Vernon Lake. and August 19951 monitored ecological reserve. These sites were In January, Rolf sent BC Parks a threespine stickleback fish and set up in 1987 and 1988 to monitor warden's report on the Nimpkish loons (both common and red- changes in nearshore community River Ecological Reserve: throated) using Drizzle Lake, structure associated with the "Visited on January 4 with Graham Island. Bimonthly, I expansion of the sea otter Charlie Janzik of Canfor... signifi• collected dead fish that had populations. All of the sites in cant changes in both Kiyu Creek washed ashore. They will be Checleset Bay and Kyuquot Sound and in the Nimpkish River... measured and analysed for scars are now occupied by sea otters and resulting from interactions with have kelp forests of varying "Kiyu Creek has brought large loons. I recorded the numbers, successional stages growing at amounts of gravel into Nimpkish times and locations of loons on the them. The sites located outside of channel and reactivated its north• lake and the dive times of individ• the sea otter range in Barkley ern channel. The already inad• ual loons. In July, during the time Sound continued to be dominated equate waterways under the two of peak common loon activity, I by sea urchins and have little or no bridges have been reduced again sampled and measured threespine seaweed growing at them. by more gravel deposits. If the stream goes back to the northern stickleback fish. I also monitored Using funds from the Nestucca channel entirely, a bridge or road six small ponds on Graham Island trust fund (granted through the washout is sure to follow. A better throughout the summer months, Department of Fisheries and bridge is urgently needed. recording the numbers, times and Oceans) we were able to census the activities of avian piscivores. entire Vancouver Island sea otter "The Nimpkish River had a large Typically, the ponds were used by range, and counted approximately flood, which shifted many of the small numbers of bufflehead, 1450 sea otters between Estevan tied logs. Several ropes are now goldeneye, kingfisher, herons and Point and Quatsino Sound. The sea extremely tight and some may be common mergansers, both as otter population continues to gone, together with the attached resting spots and for foraging. expand its range and increase in logs. The main point of attack has Dive times and the time taken to size. Between 1975 and 1994 the shifted some 50 metres down• manipulate a fish were recorded. sea otter population increased at stream, and this has resulted in the Once a month I took a random about 18% per year, which is loss of a few trees, most down• subsample of threespine stickle• comparable to other expanding stream of the tied area. The cable back fish (they were measured and populations in SE Alaska and tying performed well and saved a returned to the ponds). Washington State. There were significant corner of the island approximately 400 sea otters from erosion. Data analysis of dive times and within Checleset Bay Ecological "The river is also getting close to fish morphology are still in Reserve. This number is probably attacking the NE corner of the progress. When completed it will close to carrying capacity for the reserve. This area has many fallen provide insight into the adapta• reserve, as the number of otters trees from the last erosion incident tions of threespine stickleback fish within the boundaries of the there of a few years ago. These to different avian piscivores. This reserve has not changed substan• trees should be tied too, which is research provided some excellent tially over the last few years. not a big job." preliminary data that will help Rolf hasn't heard back from BC focus additional studies. Thanks to Continued funding be the Parks. He'd like to see Canfor use Friends of Ecological Reserves for Friends has contributed signifi• some of that watershed restoration helping out! cantly to the continuation of this money to rebuild the bridge over Pamela Rutherford long-term research project. the northern channel of Kiyu Department of Biology Jane Watson Creek. Still, it's "loggers doing University of Victoria 64 Pirates Lane, Nanaimo river engineering." Oh, no!

9 Spring 1996 The Log

ECOLOGICAL RESERVES Water storage threat to Mara Meadows Ecological Reserve (continued) * I 'ilman Nahm, a member of the unprotected upper Violet Creek concerns and to meet with all J. Friends in Grindrod, holds a may also harbour rare plants. objectors." water licence on Violet Creek, Salmon Arm has nonetheless Salmon Arm views its heavy below Mara Meadows Ecological appealed the decision to the dependence on water piped from Reserve (#42). In The Log (October deputy comptroller of water rights Shuswap Lake as an emergency. 1992) we detailed his correspond• in Victoria. The district maintains Ward explained in the same letter: ence with the Province over that its amended plan will not "In total, the benefits of East Canoe several years about the District of impinge on waters that flow into Creek as a secondary water supply Salmon Arm's application to divert Violet Creek, despite the location source to Salmon Arm can not be and store one million gallons a day of the proposed reservoir on the overemphasised. A study of B.C. (since amended to 250,000) in East Violet Creek side of the line. community water supplies has Canoe Creek, which backs into In a February 2 letter to the found that for communities servic• Violet Creek in the Larch Hills. deputy comptroller, Salmon Arm ing aver 12,000 people directly Last November, Salmon Arm's operations manager C.R. Ward from surface waters, only Camp• water licence application was emphasised that the "application is bell river is totally dependent on a rejected after more than three years only dealing with surface waters single source (means over 90% of of review, and the assistant region• which are already flowing into BC population has multiple water al water manager wrote an extraor• East Canoe Creek and have been supply sources). Kamloops for dinarily detailed eight-page report. for fifty (50) years or longer albeit instance is mamtaining the old The cover letter cited two crucial from an existing diversion (author• pump stations on North Thomp• documents the district failed to ized or unauthorized)." He que• son for the emergency under prepare: an environmental impact ried why the need for an environ• which the South Thompson supply study of the dam project relative to mental study and engineering became inoperative (spills from the ecological reserve and an solution "wasn't first communicat• CPR and/or TCH and similar). If "engineering solution that would ed by Water Rights some 3 or 4 the principal Shuswap Lake sup• ensure water for storage was only years ago at the start of the appli• ply was to become inoperative for taken from the East Canoe Creek cation and not on the date of the Salmon Arm, then the average watershed." The report cites an refusal... early discussions with connection would be out of water order-in-council dated September Water Rights (1989-91/Penticton) in 22 hours in the winter and in 7 25,1975 creating a water reserve indicated that there was little need hours in summer peaks (sooner on Violet Creek upstream of the for environmental assessment with continued growth in water ecological reserve's lowest point. studies as long as the application demands)." According to the Guide to Ecologi• was scaled back to only formalize In a final pitch, Mr. Ward made cal Reserves, Mara Meadows' existing water flow patterns and this extraordinary claim: "unique calcareous fens" support not to create an impact on the "The peak diversions from "a great diversity of habitats and downstream Violet Creek water Upper Violet are critical to East plant species in [a] relatively small availability (the current 1992 Canoe Creek, have been recorded [189 hectare] reserve": more than application). I am not sure if this is over at least the last 11 years in 220 species of higher plants, 56 understood by Water Rights high flow conditions and are mosses and 43 lichens; most (Kamloops) and by the objectors." probably of significant environ• notably, 14 of 32 species of orchids Ward hinted legal action to mental benefit to the sensitive found in B.C. — "a diversity defend right of access: "There are ecology in the Violet Creek Mara unmatched anywhere else in the doubts that Water Rights can deny Meadows in any case (i.e. in• province." Four orchid species are without compensation an existing creased flows to Violet Creek may rare. BC Parks' submissions on the diversion (authorized or unauthor• "washout" the orchids)." application underlined the fragility ized) which has been known to Tilman is worried the project of the ecological reserve: "If the them and which has existed for may yet find support, despite what water regime to this fen was some 50 years or long before the he suspects are faulty assumptions permanently altered, trees would Violet Creek Mara Meadows about the impacts of machinery on grow into former wetlands, and Reserve of 1975." [The reserve was wet soil. Tom Crowley, a biology the diverse vegetation including actually created in 1972.] instructor at Okanagan University the orchids would be lost." BC College and a 26-year resident of Parks' 1995 report pointed out that Ward complained about having no opportunity "to address all Salmon Arm, sent us »»

Spring 1996 10 The Log

Salal Harvesting in Gali to Id. Ecological Reserve ERPs part of recently- made Protected Areas inister of Environment, Ecological Reserve, Bea Robson ondering what happened to Lands and Parks, Victoria coruirrned that salal pickers have M the Ecological Reserves December 11,1995 trespassed both the reserve and the W Program? Did it die a quiet death? I am privileged to share property property she shares with her "It has in fact done quite well, even on South Secretary Island in the husband quite recently. She said if under different names," Hans southern Gulf Island group. I the B.C. environment ministry Roemer writes from BC Parks. travel via Galiano and have responded to her written query by observed very large-scale salal asserting that salal harvesting These Ecological Reserve Pro• harvesting there. Clearcutting of doesn't do harm and pointing out posals (ERPs) have been protected salal is underway on Crown land, that it's a $13 million a year indus• under the Park Amendment Act including land in Ecological try. (The Galiano pickers' employer (ERP# first, current name in bold): Reserves, land owned by logging is apparently based in Duncan.) 61 Rae Basin (Hequiat Pen.) companies and other privately- "One of the problems," Mrs. 97 Khutzeymateen River owned land. Trails on private land Robson said, "is that picking does 111.4 Tsitika/Fickle Lake have been widened by salal do salal good. It comes back the (Claude Elliott) pickers' truck traffic. Salal is better for it." Quite apart from the (113 Lava Lake ) harvested without any regard for trespass and the mess the pickers (114 Tseax River Lava Beds ) maintenance of habitat or renewal. often leave behind, Mrs. Robson is (115 Tseax River Forest ) Local landowners have protested concerned about the gathering of (116 Aiyansh Lava Beds ) the trespass directly to the pickers certain other local species, citing (117 Zolzap Creek ) — to no avail. The employers use goldenseal, a medicinally valuable (Nisga Memorial Lava Bed) barges to remove large collections plant that that has disappeared in 166 Itcha Range (Itcha Ilgachuz) of salal from the north end of the eastern United States because 176 Skutz Falls (Cowichan River) Galiano. It is sold to florists, who of indiscriminate picking. Choco• 240 Rugged Mountain (Woss L.) use it in flower arrangements. late lily (Fritillaria lanceolata) is 241 Brooks Peninsula They also use club moss and wild used by some herbalists here, she 242 Shuttleworth Bight boxwood species, for which forest says. A B.C. herbalists' society has (Cape Scott additions) ground is stripped. Both species formed under the auspices of the 265 Syringa Creek regenerate very slowly. VanDusen Gardens in Vancouver. 268 McRae Creek (Gladstone) Mrs. Robson became aware of the Wild salal evergreen floral issue at a talk by a PhD candidate 327 Stubbs Island harvesting must stop. Please, we whose field is B.C. medicinal (Broughton Archipelago Marine) must all take responsibility here. plants. 355 Cluckata Ridge Vladimir Krajina (Big Creek I South Chilcotin) 4960 Chancellor Blvd, Vancouver BC Parks area supervisor Bob 358 Hesquiat Lake Vladimir }. Krajina, MD is the son Austad suggests residents make 363 Tahsish-Kwois of the late botanist. He sent copies of records of observations and call 373 Pierce Range this letter, which we have abridged, to the RCMP as soon as they dis• (Megin-Talbot add'n, Strathcona) many of those involved, including the cover trespass. (Galiano has its 374 White Ridge floral and air transport industries. own patrol and listed number.) 385 Clayoquot Plateau One needn't be directly involved, Kennedy River Bog resident whose property but the police have to catch people Marble River (Quatsino) Aadjoins the Galiano Island picking to bring charges. everal of the 11 "representa• Mara Meadows clippings from months." In support the Friends S tive" and 25 "special feature" the local press that reveal deep have approached the deputy protected areas created by orders- concern about the proposal. comptroller of water rights and are in-council in April on referral from Salmon Arm's cross-country ski grappling with a restriction in the the Kamloops Land and Resources community is aghast at the spectre appeal process. The act provides Management Planing process, are of a reservoir in the middle of the for intervention only by direct also ERPs in disguise, Hans points scenic, snowy Larch Hills. Crowley stakeholders — water licensees, in out: Lac du Bois Grasslands gives the appeal a 50:50 chance. other words. Meanwhile, Tilman (under the Environment and Land "If s a very drawn-out process," would welcome advice from Use Act) encloses several ERPs; Tilman explains. "It could take professionals in the field. Trophy Mountain was ERP #281.

11 Spring 1996 The Log

BC GOVERNMENT NEWS 'Goal 2" results in 8 new ecological reserves on Vancouver Island ancouver Island's public land- ena for the area;" the rare Bot- Several of these negotiation Vuse planning process, run by richium simplex (least moonwart) areas are of particular interest to the late Commission on Resources • Hudson Rocks 2.5 ha. + 47 ha. the Friends. One of the most and Environment (CORE), had a foreshore; 2.5 km. N of Newcas• important is a 762-hectare addition little sibling — a process for tle Id., nr Nanaimo; "nationally to Haley Lake Ecological Reserve, designating parcels of land 3000 significant breeding colony of including Butler Peak and the hectares or less that meet the endangered Pelagic Cormorants ridges above Haley Lake. It would second goal of the Protected Areas • Klanawa River 90 ha.; 5 km. provide additional protection for Strategy, to "preserve natural, from W coast, 20 km SE of the endangered Vancouver Island cultural, heritage or recreational Bamfield; Oxalis oregana and Marmot. The land deal has to be special features of regional, provin• marbled murrelet nesting habi• negotiated with TimberWest and cial, national or global significance tat; "interpretive potential" MacMillan Bloedel. and complete the protected areas • Ladysmith Bog 141 ha.; 3 km. W Niagara Creek, 522 ha. near on Vancouver Island up to the 13% of Yellow Pt., 10 km. S of Nan• Victoria, with remnant old-growth level." That process is complete. aimo; "unique" plant association Douglas-fir forests and a lovely "Goal 2" began with the Re• • Misty Lake 55 ha.; 12 km. NW waterfall, may be acquired from gional Protected Areas Team of Port McNeill; one of 3 lakes in the Greater Victoria Water District (RPAT) compiling and assessing the world with the Giant Black and added to Goldstream Park. more than 300 suggested special Stickleback fish, which further The Notch, 7 ha. on the SE slope areas. Priorities for protection were study may establish as a species of Nanoose Hill; Douglas-fir/ sites in the Nanaimo Lowlands distinct from the Queen Char• Garry oak-oniongrass and Garry ecosection and Quadra group of lotte Islands population oak-brome communities, with rare islands. (The Gulf Islands were not • San Juan River Estuary 79 ha.; 5 plants, mosses, and large popula• included.) A list of 78 "high value" km. NE of Fort Renfrew; rare tions of prickly pear cactus (hikers candidate areas totalling 35,000 elements: Cardamine angulata beware!), surrounded by houses hectares was circulated for discus• (angled bitter-cress); Mimulus and DND land, presently owned sion. Every hectare was counted; dentatus (tooth-leaved monkey- by Fairwinds Development Corp. the total had to be reduced to flower), only known occurrence Somass River Estuary, 48 ha., 1 11,770 hectares. The RPAT con• in Canada; Disporum smithii km SE of Port Alberni, is an sulted with many groups, includ• (Smith's fairybells); Orthocarpits Ecological Reserve Proposal ing the Friends; we made an castillejoides (paintbrush owl- flagged in previous issues of The extensive submission (see the clover); Pleuropogon refractus Log. The estuary, owned by Summer 1995 issue of The Log). (nodding semaphore grass); Macmillan Bloedel, contains many The Land Use Coordination Office floodplain benchmark; "camp• rare aquatic plants and is used by (LUCO) refined the list. Following ing, fishing, nature study" wintering waterfowl. an initial announcement of se• • Woodley Range 166 ha.; 6 km. S Somenos Garry oaks is a very lected areas in February (LUCO"s of Nanaimo; "rare meadow plant important 17-ha. area near Duncan Special Feature Protected Area species and unique communi• with deep-soil Garry oaks, includ• Summary Report) Cabinet issued ties" in Coastal Douglas Fir zone ing a record-size Garry oak tree (26 orders-in-council on April 30 Other areas designated as Class metres in height, 1.6 m. d.b.h.), creating eight new ecological A provincial parks include: with yellow montane violet (Viola reserves and 17 other protected • caves at Artlish River and praemorsa), other rare plants; bird areas on Vancouver Island. Weymer Creek on northern nesting and wintering areas. The hew ecological reserves are: Vancouver Island The Friends would like to see the • Bowser 116 ha.; 15 km. N of • Main Lakes Chain, Quadra Id. Province undertake negotiations to Parksville; with rare plants; • Lawn Point on the Klaskish R. establish conservation covenants Aeshna sitchensis dragonfly, Eleven areas of private land or some other agreements should "extremely rare on southeastern were included as "negotiation the public purse not support Vancouver Island;" a maturing areas" in the Special Feature Pro• purchase of these lands. second-growth forest tected Area Summary Report. The On top of enormous amounts of • Comox Lake Bluffs 47 ha.; on Province is negotiating for land work already completed by RPAT, NE shore, 5 km. SW of Courte- exchanges or purchase at fair LUCO and the participating public nay; "unique botanical phenom• market value. in seeing the new protected »»

Spring 1996 12 The Log

New ecological r erves? Why now? Friends urge Feds to he Province has created eight imposition of park use permits. buy Mill Farm on S. S. I. new ecological reserves — the "This is a way BC Parks can legally T he recent offering for sale of first new reserves since 1991 — permit uses that come with these the historic Mill Farm on Salt and enlarged a ninth (Mahoney areas — except logging, mining or T Spring Island prompted various Lake, near Penticton by 12 ha) after dams, which are prohibited by agencies to take a close look at the we grew accustomed to getting Section 5," Munn concludes. property and Friends director Briony reasons for not creating ecological Among 11 other "representative Penn, who lives nearby, to prepare this reserves: the management problem areas" and 25 "special feature" integrated area land-use proposal for posed by unenforceable restric• areas created by orders in council the Pacific Marine Heritage Legacy tions on access and use; and the in April on the advice of the (PMHL) management committee: legal problem that their very Kamloops Land and Resource restrictiveness is prejudicial to Management Plan, 15 are styled The Mount Tuam - Mount native land claim negotiations. "protected areas." They were Bruce - Satellite Channel Given that the government didn't created under the authority of the Protected Area Proposal make changes in the Ecological Environment and Land Use Act, Reserve Act it promised in 1994, but primarily because of the need to Canada's opportunity to protect: did beef up the powers of the Park permit grazing, with relevant • Remnant Garry oak meadows Act, why these new reserves, now? sections of the Park Act applied to • Old growth Douglas-fir Using the ER Act was partly "an provide sanctions. • Arbutus woodlands act of bravado," says Bill Munn, a As for the stalled amending of • Wetlands senior plark planner in Victoria. the ER Act, Munn's perspective is • Year-round creeks with deep "But I think we have covered off that "no-one has hitherto wanted ravines, rainforest vegetation the management problem," he to deal with that process, because • Rare plant sites says. "We attached part of the Park it hasn't been enough of a prior• • Raptor to reptile habitats Act." Amended Park Act s. 32.2 ity." He says a real public review is • Ten kilometres of undeveloped provides penalties of up to $1 needed, in any case, "to examine shoreline million and/or a year in prison for what ecological reserves are and • The tallest peaks in the Gulf infraction. As for the legal issue how they are functioning, and Islands with First Nations, he points to explore the relationship between Much of this land is already in recent legal advice discounting provincial parks and ecological public ownership or under protec• past judgements that ecological reserves so that we better under• tive designation. reserves place greater burdens on stand when to use which one." The mosaic of properties in• the land than do parks. Related to the issue of BC Parks' cludes ecological reserves, Crown Munn points out that, while mandate to conserve ecosystems is reserves, forest reserve land in most of the Park Amendment Act, the agency's concern about visitor private tenure and properties announced on July 4,1995, will be impacts. Bill cites Honeymoon Bay, covenanted for conservation. In rolled into the Park Act at the next where tour groups congregate to between are lands under private consolidation of BC's statutes, see the pink fawn lily. Manage• ownership, some with the poten• sections 5 to 7 will remain on the ment problems loom in several tial for protected status through books as a "stand-alone" accessory new ecological reserves: bikers and direct purchase, covenants or other to the 106 areas protected as hikers at Comox Lake bluffs, an mechanisms. All that is required to Schedule D of the act. Sections 5 to area of lovely spring flowers; keep this area natural forever is to 7 are the "grandfather clauses" boaters, fishers, swimmers at the formalise protection of the public that allow "existing authorized San Juan River estuary; and Misty lands and link them by acquisition uses," park use permits and Lake, beside a popular rest stop on of land or covenants from willing grazing licences or permits to the Sayward highway. BC Parks landowners. These timely invest• continue on those parklands alone. has taken over the rest stop and ments will ensure that 2800 hec• Section 5 provides for the »» has the power to close it. tares (7000 acres) of rare and threatened ecosystems are pro• tected under various designations. Goal 2 areas designated, the continuing challenges to keep The Mill Farm is being assessed as negotiations over boundaries and these protected areas as "islands" an ecologically suitable acquisition by management plans will take lots of intact naturalness in the sea of a federal - provincial team under the more work. And, since many of change on Vancouver Island. PMHL management committee. »> these areas are small, there will be Trudy Chatwin

13 Spring 1996 The Log

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ount Tuam and Mount Bruce form the largest mountain mass in the Strait of Georgia region and one of its Mlast large undeveloped areas. Their significance as a landmark can be traced to traditional Satish culture. Salt Spring Island itself was called Tuam, meaning "one on each end." They are the backdrop to views from three directions and as far away as BelHngham. An opportunity exists now to consolidate and protect 2800 hectares of this relatively undeveloped natural area. Features • eagle nests because they are areas of "eco• • intact parcels of up to 25 hectares • the highest peaks in the Gulf logical significance," available for of old growth Douglas-fir — the Islands, with stunning views income tax credits under new largest and least modified in the over Georgia and Haro straits legislation. Islands Trust area • continous undeveloped pebble Opportunity • the largest Garry oak tree in B.C. beaches for 10 kilometres • one of the largest stretches of • spectacular waterfalls to the sea • The Pacific Marine Heritage continuous second growth forest • lush cedar / sword fern swamps Legacy Fund has earmarked $60 million for acquisition of land in left in the Trust area Focus • intact wildflower and Garry oak this region meadow habitat of up to 80 ha. • 243 ha. of Ecological Reserve • Some landowners are willing to • at least 30 threatened and vul• • 728 ha. of Crown Reserve sell or grant covenants nerable wildflower species • 931 ha. private Forest Reserve, • Mill Farm, a key property, with • three endangered plant species: potentially under Forest Practices 26 ha. of old growth, is for sale phantom orchid; yellow montane Code, Biodiversity Guidelines • The Weldwood lands are for sale violet; scalepod (Idahoa scapagera) • 178 ha. with zero densities • Other private lands are in few • two endangered butterfly spe• • 53 ha. under covenants hands and relatively undevel• cies: Propertius Dusky Wings • 65 ha. are a Buddhist retreat oped and Zerene's Fritillary • ±800 ha. of key undeveloped • The Protected Area Strategy • last remaining wild area on Salt private land—priority candidates identifies this region as a high Spring Id. for bear and cougar for conservation covenants priority.

Spring 1996 14 The Log

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The experts agree this area is worth protecting. Now is the time to act to protect the Mount Tuam - Mount Bruce - Satellite Channel area! 1. Such areas are going fast! 2. Its value is recognized given a specific zoning, South In the Strait of Georgia Lowlands Parks Canada identified the Mount Island Uplands Land Use Designa• ecoregion, areas under protection Tuam-Mount Bruce area as a tion, with specific policies to guide total less than 1%. Some smaller candidate for selection as a site of land uses to preserve these values unique ecosystems are completely national significance in their recent in this area. unprotected. Few continuous report, "Identification of Repre• 3. The incentives are in place natural areas of any size remain. sentative Natural Areas in the Very little land is in public owner• Strait of Georgia Lowlands." B.C. Changes to the Income Tax Act ship and remaining private land Crown Lands staff identified these recognise conservation has been extensively logged, areas as priority candidates for covenenants as a fully creditable subdivided and urbanised. Minis• conservation and recreation. The income tax donation. This is an try of Forests ecologists say there Nature Conservancy of Canada incentive for landowners in eco• are less than 1000 hectares left of identified this area as of high logically significant areas who old growth Douglas-fir. B.C. priority for conservation of na• want to retain ownership of land Conservation Data Centre staff tional significance. but not be taxed at a high rate for have identified this region for its retaining conservation values. In the draft Official Community Plan high conservation values, includ• Conservation covenants can be of Salt Spring Island (April 15,1996) ing the remnant pockets of old donated for income tax credit or this entire area of the south island growth, Garry oak meadows, could be bought by the Crown. uplands is recognised for its wetlands and second growth important values as watershed 4. There's money to buy land Douglas-fir extending almost recharge area, wildlife habitat and continuously across the area. Canada's Pacific Marine Heritage unfragmented forest, with sensi• Legacy Fund has earmarked $60 tive ecosystems, open space and million for the purchase of land or recreational potential. It has been covenants today!

15 Spring 1996 Mary Campbell-Brown (1902-1995) he Friends were recently writes. "Ever since I can re• Tthe recipient of donations member whenever we were from family and friends of the walking or horseback riding or late Mary Campbell-Brown, even driving she would be whose name is associated with noticing the first buttercups, the Campbell-Brown the chocolate lily hiding in the (Kalamalka Lake) Ecological grass, the chickadees chattering Reserve (no. 77). Mrs. in the trees, the downy wood• Campbell-Brown and her pecker making his way up an husband, Dr. Hugh Campbell- old snag, the first appearance Brown (1901-1982), donated of the Merganser family on the the 107 hectare site — the first lake." Mary met Dr. Hugh of several such donations in Campbell-Brown in Vancouver. B.C. — for designation as an Born in England to Presbyte• ecological reserve in 1975. rian missionaries, Hugh's Bordering Highway 97 on the family moved to the Okanagan west side of Kalamalka Lake Valley in 1912. Mary and Hugh near Crystal Waters Resort, 5 married in 1935 and moved to km. north of Oyama, the steep Vernon, where he practiced rocky slopes of the reserve medicine. The family sold the harbour winter dens of Pacific ranch but kept the upper range, rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridus). which became the reserve we cherish. Linda Kennedy, Mrs. Campbell-Brown's daughter As for the resident rattle• and one of the wardens of the Mary and Hugh Campbell-Brown, 1970 snakes and the research they've reserve, gave us more information. attracted, Linda promises an article Born Mary Agnes Knox in Prince exploring the river banks, the for a future issue of The Log. Albert, Saskatchewan, Mrs. swamps and the grasslands and We're grateful for the donations Campbell-Brown was raised in a very young became a keen ob• in Mrs. Campbell-Brown's name. farming community. "She loved server of nature," Mrs. Kennedy

FIELD TRIPS stump of the tree that CanFor reserve, for whose "timber" we Nimpkish River E.R. workers had cut down on the had already paid the company lugubrious little group nearly $1 million. The rip-rap A followed leader Rolf dyke at the southeast corner is Kellerhals on a circuit of the The Log framed by a towering wall of riverbank firs, whose roots beleaguered reserve in the Friends of Ecological Reserves Newsletter riverbend on northorn Van• have been exposed to erosion couver Island last fall. The Spring 1996 by the very works intended to little Nimpkish River churns protect them; about which, we through vast flats of rock, Editor: Peter Grant gather, BC Parks can do nothing now, because Fisher• gravel, sand and silt — spaces Published twice a year and distributed to ies and Oceans has inderdict- like the parking lot of a major members, volunteer wardens, affiliates, ed moving logs around in the shopping mall. Rolf noticed a supporters, government, friends and the river, having allowed CanFor, similar phenomenon in the enquiring public. We promote the twice, to yard "salvage" wood Elk River above Campbell establishment, management and — magnificent Douglas firs, Lake: one could barely discern maintenance of ecological reserves in fallen from the reserve into the river on air photos taken British Columbia. prior to logging (late 1940s). the river. Improve protection Now there's an ever-widening of the reserve by tying some channel as winter floodwaters of the current crop of fallen act on unresisting earth. trees against the island? Oh, no! (A history of the reserve is Piles of charred debris sit on FRIENDS OF ECOLOGICAL RESERVES in the Winter 1994/95 Log.) the disused main Nimpkish BOX 8477 channel. Rootless stumps have VICTORIA, B.C. V8W3S1 Please turn to page 9 been pushed over the rooted