th 59 Annual

Meeting of the

Western Division,

Canadian

Association of Geographers

Co- hosted by WWU and UFV

March 3-4, 2017

March 3, 2017

On behalf of the Geographers at the University of the Fraser Valley and Western Washington University, we welcome you to 2017 Annual Meeting of the Western Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers.

Our goal for this year’s conference has been to offer and attract a stimulating, diverse, and engaging array of papers, posters, and field trips. We hope that you are able to take part in one of the field excursions. The 49 papers, 47 posters, and the keynote and banquet speeches presented this weekend further demonstrate the wide breadth and diversity of material that geographers, planners, earth scientists, geologists, foresters, resource managers, planners, anthropologists, computer scientists, biologists, and others contribute to geographic knowledge.

Many of these papers and posters also represent excellence in research by undergraduate and graduate students. We look forward to presenting awards for the best student research paper and poster presentations on Saturday night at the banquet.

In addition, we welcome all participants to join us at the Friday night social and Saturday night’s banquet. On Saturday night, we will convene at the Quality Inn and Conference Centre, 36035 North Parallel Road, Abbotsford, BC for dinner, awards, the banquet speech, music and dancing. We hope you enjoy your stay on campus and in Abbotsford.

Sincerely,

The WDCAG 2017 Organizing Committee

WWU UFV

Patrick Buckley, Professor, Department Steven Marsh, Associate Professor, Geography Environmental Studies: Geography and the Environment Andrew Bach, Associate Professor, Department Claire Hay, Associate Professor, Geography and Environmental Studies: Geography the Environment Gigi Berardi, Professor, Department Garry Fehr, Director, Agriculture Centre of Environmental Studies: Geography Excellence Aquila Flower, Assistant Professor, Department Nicole Klassen, Manager, Academic & Environmental Studies: Geography Administrative Services, College of Arts David Rossiter, Assistant Professor, Department Sarah McLean, Department Assistant, Geography Environmental Studies: Geography and the Environment Madelaine Bourdages, Undergraduate Student, Geography and the Environment

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The WDCAG organizing committee would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following people and institutions: Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University; Canadian American Studies, Western Washington University; Department of Geography and the environment, University of the Fraser Valley, and Dean of the College of Arts, University of the Fraser Valley. We would like to thank the following individuals for leading field trips: Dr. Terah Sportel, Dr. Garry Fehr, and Sonny McHalsie (Cultural advisor/historian at Sto:lo Research and Resource Management Centre). And finally, we would like to acknowledge the numerous student volunteers from both WWU and UFV for assisting with the conference.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday March 3

8.00am – 4.00pm Registration (Road Runner café, A-building)

8.30am Field trips (field trips leaves area adjacent to Envision Athletic Centre); Please check in at the Registration Desk prior to field trip departure)

4.30pm – 7.00pm Registration (adjacent to B101)

5.30pm – 7.00pm Keynote Speaker (B101 Lecture Theatre)

7.00pm – 10.00pm Informal Social (Finnegan’s Pub, 33780 King Road, Abbotsford) – only those 19 years and older may attend this event; a selection of appetizers will be available at 7.30pm and 8pm.

Saturday March 4

8.00am – 8.30am Registration (S-Building)

8.00am – 8.30am Coffee (S- Building)

8.30am – 10.00am Morning Session I: Concurrent Paper and Poster Sessions (D-building/S-building)

10.00am – 10.30am Refreshment Break (S-Building)

10.30am – 12.00pm Morning Session II: Concurrent Paper and Poster Sessions (D-building/S- building)

12.00pm – 1.00pm Lunch (S- Building)

12.00pm – 1.00pm WDCAG Executive Meeting (C1429)

1.00pm – 2.30pm Afternoon Session I: Concurrent Paper and Poster Sessions (D-building/S- building)

2.30pm – 3.00pm Refreshment Break (S-Building)

3.00pm – 4.30pm Afternoon Session II: Concurrent Paper and Poster Sessions (D-building/S- building)

4.45pm – 6.15pm WDCAG Annual General Meeting (room D219

6.00pm – 11.00pm Banquet (Quality Inn, 36035 North Parallel Road, Abbotsford); room/cash bar opens at 6pm, welcome and speeches at 6.30pm, dinner served at 7pm sharp; banquet speaker at 8.15pm and dancing from 9pm)

SESSION DETAILS

Poster Session - Building S, Great Hall

Posters are to be in place prior to 10am and will remain in the Great Hall until 4:30. Use the ID Number for locating your poster display board in the Great Hall. Judging will take place from 10-10:30am, 12:30- 1pm and 2:30-3pm.

1) Marina Aitcheson: Open for Discussion: Foucauldian Analysis of Life as a UVic Geography Student (U) 2) Danika Anderson, Erin Bedard, et al: Student and faculty perspectives on QGIS vs ArcGIS in an introductory undergraduate geomatics course (U) 3) Jackson Baron: Fusing Computer Vision and Machine Learning for Invasive Species Classification in Remote Sensing Imagery (U) 4) Madelaine Bourdages, Steven Marsh, et al: Seasonal Variability of Geochemistry in the Fraser River, British Columbia (U) 5) Duncan Chalmers: Nous Venons D'Afrique – Race, Biopolitics, and African Immigration to France (U) 6) Gabrielle Hasenyager: Environmental Equity in the Borderlands: Comparing the Distribution of Environmental and Economic Burdens in the Salish Sea Basin (U) 7) Shyna Kanda, Sharon Gillies: Analysis of Decomposition Rates of Green and Yellow Knotweed Leaves (U) 8) Shyna Kanda, Alayna Miller, et al: Factors relating to the Decomposition Rates of Japanese Knotweed and Thimbleberry (U) 9) Brooke Kapeller, Hester Jiskoot: Red Rock Coulee Natural Area Sandstone Concretions: Mapping, Measuring, and Analysis (U) 10) Joel Knoop, Kailyn Wiebe: Uncertainty in the Athabasca (U) 11) Lily F. Murock, Sam C. Schultz: The Effects of Fair Trade Certification on Costa Rican Coffee Farmers (U) 12) Rachel Jampole, Molly Blower, et al: A thematic representation of at risk bird and plant species of Island View Beach, Victoria B.C. (U) 13) Casey Kilroy; Kevin Moradi, et al: Comparing and Contrasting Indigenous-Government Treaties in Canada and the United States (U) 14) Severin Rolland-Berge: The effects of oil spills on the critical habitat for both Chinook salmon and Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) in the Salish Sea (U) 15) Katharine Sell: Coral Reef and Mangrove Ecosystem Co-occurrence, Protected Areas, and Sea Turtle Breeding Sites along the Coast of Kenya, Africa (U) 16) Alanna Strangway Steven Marsh, et al: Geochemistry Report for Clayburn Creek Watershed in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada (U) 17) Jiajun Zhang: The 96 B-Line in Metro Vancouver: A Study on Transit-Efficiency and Ridership Improvement (U) 18) Jamie Shippit, Dr. David Hill: Reflecting on Protein: Assessing Forage Nutrition through Spectral Signatures (M) 19) Ike Bancroft, Ava Buss, Shane Crawford: Transnational Native Whaling Laws of the Northeastern Pacific (U) 20) Shane Carter, Darren Levrault, et al: Solar Development in China 21) Alexandra Groeneweg, Steven Marsh, et al: Seasonal Variations of Water Quality in Stoney Creek, Abbotsford BC

22) Amanda Harley, Mekena Harvey, et al: Management and Preservation of a Bioregion that Spans an International Border: The Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park 23) Bruce Pagnucco: A Creative Cities Analysis of Artists in Vancouver 24) Dianne Paulson, Steven Marsh, et al: Water Chemistry and Indicator Bacteria in Clayburn Creek Watershed - Fall 2016 (U) 25) Nathan Roueche, Christa Kohnert, et al: Assessing the influence of local climate on regional variation in the fruit fly Rhagoletis zephyria 26) Narain Spolia: The Commodification of Rural Landscapes for Resort Communities: A study of capital interests versus socio-environmental interests 27) Miranda Taylor, Audrey McHugh: NAFTA: The Real Winners and Losers 28) Shae Turner, Mariano Mapili: Land-use transitions and biodiversity shifts: the case of birds in the Sumas Prairie of British Columbia 29) Jason A. Kowal: Between a Snake and a Crocodile: A Spatial Analysis of the Stateless Rohingya People 30) Nicholas J. Roberts, Robin McKillop, et al: Landslide-generated wave geomorphology at Chehalis Lake, B.C. 31) Alanna Ewert: A Polycentric Policy Analysis and Assessment of Solutions for the Skagit River Water Wars 32) Madison K. Guthrie: A Dendroglaciological Investigation of Late Holocene Behaviour at Forrest Kerr Glacier, British Columbia Coast Mountains 33) Claire Irvine: Implementing sustainability in rural tourism as a way to minimize the negative impacts of commodifying landscapes (U) 34) Lindsey Jepsen: From Cows to Cabins: The Commodification of Ranches (U) 35) Joy Marconato, Geraldine Jordan, et al: Using Surface Analysis to Characterize Slope and Aspect of Quercus garryana Research Exclosures on Salt Spring Island, BC (U) 36) Joy Marconato et. al.: Using Surface Analysis to Characterize Slope and Aspect of Quercus garryana Research Enclosures on Salt Spring Island, BC (U) 37) Evie Morin: Mapping Invasive Marshpepper Knotweed in McMillan Lake in Langley, British Columbia 38) Sarah Speight: Evaluating Food Donation Quality in the Fraser Valley 39) Matthew G. Strelau: Spatial Relationship between Anthropogenic Trails and Daphne Laurel on Salt Spring Island, BC (U) 40) Huayun Wang: The Accessibility of Elementary Schools to Community Gardens in the City of Vancouver, BC, Canada 41) Kuizema, Christine: Determining spatial distribution and clustering of Japanese Knotweed (fallopia japonica) 42) Ross Neiman, Austin Aumell, Floyd Maddox: Fraser Valley Lowland dairy farming natural waste impacts 43) Jason Newell, Casey Kilroy, Nick Giroux: Crisis in the Eurozone: Why Periphery Economies Failed 44) Sarah Leslie: Mapping the Spatial Impact of the British Petroleum Oil Spill (2010) on Public Oyster Reefs and Marsh Vegetation Ecosystems in the Mississippi Delta, USA. (U)

Oral Presentation Sessions

Morning I – 8.30-10.00am

A) Special Session Roundtable – Building D Room D121 Learning in the Round: Reflections on applying feminist geography principles to course design and delivery Chair: Teresa Dawson Panelists: Teresa Dawson, Yujia Xu, Julia Comerford and Dimitri Giannoulis

B) School Commuting Geographies – Building D Room D217 Chair: Geraldine Jordan Geraldine Jordan, Jamie Spinney: An Overview of Active Commuting to School in North Langley, BC Geraldine Jordan, Jamie Spinney: Choice Programming and Active Commuting to James Kennedy Elementary School, Langley, BC Jason Xi Lin et. al.: Using Geographic Information Systems to Analyze Pedestrian Environmental Quality and Active Commuting Rates to James Kennedy Elementary School, Langley, BC, Canada (U)

C) Geographies of Agriculture - Building D Room D219 Chair: Harry Spaling Sean Adams, Kendra Hutchison: Finding Food: Urban Agriculture Strategies for Edmonton’s Food Deserts (U) Harry Spaling, Justin Wagenaar: How sustainable is conservation agriculture in Kenya? Part I: Questioning the claims Justin Wagenaar, Harry Spaling: How sustainable is conservation agriculture in Kenya? Part II: Comparing the claims to the literature (U) Tom Waldichuk, Toshio Kikuchi, et al: Agricultural Diversity in BC’s Thompson – Cariboo Region

D) Environmental Processes – Building D Room 213 Chair: Darryl Carlyle-Moses Sasha Nasonova, Randy Scharien: Understanding the Impacts of Rapidly Changing Sea Ice in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Why Do Melt Ponds Matter? (M) Jill E. Harvey, Dan J. Smith, et al: The influence of grassland proximity on insect and fire activity in interior British Columbia (P) Bryan J. Mood, Dan J. Smith: Historic snowpack reconstruction to 1710 AD from using tree-rings, southern Pacific Ranges, British Columbia, Canada (P) Brandon Turner, Dr. David Hill, et al: Leveraging Hobbyist Electronics in the Study of Stemflow: Insights, Challenges and Opportunities (U)

Morning II – 10.30am - 12.00noon

A) Special Session Roundtable – Building D Room D219 What to do with a geography degree: Jobs and other possibilities Chair: Tom Waldichuk Panelists: Blake Collins, Jillian Hansen-Carlson, Garry Fehr, Aneesha Dhillon

B) Geographical Education – Building D Room D217 Chair: Kim Naqvi Melanie Stammler: A classroom contemplation: who is empowered to lead discourse and define paradigms? – Casting a glance at knowledge production and decision-making (U) Kim Naqvi: Teaching a Geography of the Americas with Carmen Aguirre’s Something Fierce

C) Environmental Management Building D Room D213 Chair: Daniel Brendle-Maczuk Daniel Brendle-Moczuk, David Boudinot: Nurdles and turtles? Nurdles and plastic debris on Victoria beaches Thomas R.R. Johnston: The 2013 Alberta Floods: An Update on and Assessment of the Response by the Government of Alberta Kara Letain: What a Catch! The effects of commercial gillnet fisheries in major Manitoban bodies of water (U) Kathryn Binnema : Fire Management in American and Canadian National Parks: Fire in Protected Places (U)

Afternoon I – 1.00pm – 2.30pm

A) Special Session – Sustainable Livelihoods and the Spatial Politics of Inequality and Uneven Development Building D Room D217 Chair: Tyler Blackman Madison Stewart: Sustainable Livelihoods and Community-Based Development in Rural Peru (U) Abeni Steegstra: Environmental Impact, Racism, and the Clothing Industry (U) Naomi Gasparac: Conflict and Food Security: A Circular Link (U) Terah Sportel and René Véron: Coconut Crisis in Kerala? Mainstream Narrative and Alternative Perspectives

B) Glacial Environments – Building D Room D213 Chair: Olav Lian Colleen Fish: A regional inventory of rock glaciers in the north central Stikine Ranges of British Columbia’s Cassiar Mountains (U) Lauren Farmer: Mid- to Late Holocene Behavior of Klinaklini Glacier, British Columbia Coast Mountains Anna H. Galbraith; Dan J. Smith: Holocene Glacial Advances at Queen Bess Glacier, Pacific Ranges, British Columbia Coast Mountains (M)

C) Energy and Environment – Building D Room D219 Chair: Michael Mehta Janessa Daggett: Controversies over the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project: Assessing the Prominence of Stakeholder Perspectives through Newspaper Analyses Claire Surber, Kevin Moradi Takhtgahi, et al: Sticky Situation: Studying the Environmental Impact of Tar Sand Oil Lee A. S. Britton: Shoreline retention of diluted bitumen in Juan de Fuca and Harro strait

Afternoon II – 3.00pm – 4.30pm

A) Critical Human Geographies – Building D, Room D217 Chair: Terah Sportel Simon Chilvers: Recent Studies of Accumulation by Dispossession, a Foliated Concept (P) Kaymi Yoon-Maxwell: Mixed in the Colonial Margins: Towards Métis and Mixed Race Indigenous Geographies Kenzie Parry, Hay Go, et al: SONIC GEOGRAPHIES: A Study on the Effects of Sound on Human and Urban Animal Activity: Soundscape of the CIRS Building at UBC Arctica Cunningham, Zoë A. Meletis: “Risky behaviours” or basic needs? Raising questions about food deserts, vulnerability, and safety along northern BC’s Highway of Tears (U)

B) Planning and Development – Building D, Room D219 Chair: Leith Deacon Annika Airas: Is waterfront planning endangering diversity? Leith Deacon et. al.: Is This Sustainability? Making the case for planners and municipal planning departments Kate E. Hewitt: Exploring Indigenous-led collaborative planning in a watershed context: Perspectives from the Nechako headwaters Nicholas Byrne and David W. Edgington: The Little Port that Could: Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and its Pacific Rim Gateway Aspirations

C) Mapping and Spatial Inventories – Building D, Room D213 Chair: Roger Wheate Sarah Cooke: GIS Implementation at the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (U) Kayla Harris: Wetland Mapping in the Regional District of Nanaimo (U) Nalin S. Dhillon: Comparing Risk and Prevalence for Ischemic Heart Disease in South Asian Populations

WESTERN DIVISION, CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF GEOGRAPHERS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 4.45pm – 6.00pm Building D: Room 219

COMPLETE SESSION DETAILS (with abstracts)

Morning I – 8.30am – 10.00am

A) Special Session Roundtable - Learning in the Round: Reflections on applying feminist geography principles to course design and delivery

Teresa Dawson, Yujia Xu, Julia Comerford and Dimitri Giannoulis, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2. Contact email: [email protected]

A new student-requested course on geographies of gender, sexuality and identity at UVic provided an opportunity not only to bring some much needed new content to our curriculum but also to put feminist and de-colonising geography pedagogies into action at the same time. The “Personal Space” course community is currently on a journey together that has involved, amongst other approaches, co-constructing the syllabus, collaborative development of unique facilitation segments, writing and expression of a specific territorial acknowledgement by and for the class, journaling in activity spaces and creative expression of learning outcomes. Our goal at this roundtable is to share our varied reflections of the course experience and engage in conversation with anyone interested in exploring the joys (and challenges) of attempting to apply theoretical principles and values to lived classroom practice.

B) School Commuting Geographies

Choice Programming and Active Commuting to James Kennedy Elementary School, Langley, BC

Geraldine Jordan1; Jamie Spinney2

1 Department of Geography and Environment, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, V2Y 1Y1, [email protected]

2 Department of Geography, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, 57007, [email protected]

Choice language programs are offered only at some schools within districts, potentially requiring longer travel distances to school for children enrolled in these programs. Using locational data from surveys of parents/caregivers of schoolchildren attending either the English or French immersion programs at James Kennedy Elementary School, Langley (BC), we performed network analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to determine the distances schoolchildren travelled to school. In our sample of 95 respondents, we found a significant difference in the distance that English program students travelled to school (median = 580.1 m) compared to that of French immersion program students (median = 1849.9 m; Mann-Whitney=578.0, p=0.000). Additionally, there was a significantly higher proportion of English program students who actively commuted, 66.7% (24/36), while only 28.8% (17/59) of French immersion students did ( =13.1, p<0.000). Therefore, French immersion students travelled farther for the choice school program and engaged in significantly less active commuting.

An Overview of Active Commuting to School in North Langley, BC

Geraldine Jordan1; Jamie Spinney2

1 Department of Geography and Environment, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, V2Y 1Y1, [email protected]

2 Department of Geography, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, 57007, [email protected]

The objective of this study is to provide empirical data of schoolchildren’s transportation modes to/from school, and of the factors influencing mode-choice decisions for the journey between home and school for seven elementary schools in north Langley (BC). We collected information in 2013/2014 from 720 parents/caregivers of schoolchildren attending north Langley elementary schools about the factors affecting choice of travel mode to and from school. The survey results that 80% of schoolchildren live within 2 km walking distance and 56% live within 1 km walking distance. Respondents indicate that less than half (42.7%) of children actively commute to school (e.g., walking, cycling). For the commute home, slightly higher rates of active commuting (48.9%) were found. Survey results indicate that the top two factors affecting travel mode choices are distance and safety of intersections/crossings. Future research includes multivariate analysis of the factors affecting travel mode choices.

Using Geographic Information Systems to Analyze Pedestrian Environmental Quality and Active Commuting Rates to James Kennedy Elementary School, Langley, BC, Canada

Jason Xi Lin1, Amanda Heineman2, Geraldine Jordan1 and Jamie Spinney3

1 Department of Geography and Environment, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, V2Y 1Y1, [email protected]; [email protected]

2 University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019, [email protected]

3 Department of Geography, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, 57007, [email protected]

The Pedestrian Environmental Quality Index (PEQI) is an index that quantifies the walkability of streets. We explored whether the commuting mode of schoolchildren at James Kennedy Elementary School (Langley, BC) was related to the PEQI value of streets and trails in the school catchment. We evaluated the PEQI of street segments and surveyed caregivers of students to determine commuting mode choices for the journey between home and school, that is, actively (walking, cycling, etc.) or passively (car, bus, etc.). We used Geographic Information Systems network analyses to determine travel routes to school, and calculated the weighted average PEQI for each route. Our results indicate that the median PEQI route value for active commuters routes is 86.5, compared to passive commuters at 83.3 (Mann-Whitney U= 295.500, p=0.384). These results indicate that, at this school, PEQI is not a decisive factor influencing caregivers’ choices in how their children commute to school.

C) Geographies of Agriculture

Finding Food: Urban Agriculture Strategies for Edmonton’s Food Deserts

Sean Adams, Kendra Hutchison; The King’s University, Edmonton, AB. T6B 2H3

Emails: [email protected] & [email protected]

There are approximately eight identified food deserts within the City of Edmonton. A food desert is an urban area or neighborhood that has no, or grossly insufficient, access to healthy, affordable and culturally-appropriate foods for local residents. This presentation explores the roles that socioeconomic status, geographical location, and urban density play in creating food deserts. Lastly, new urban agricultural strategies that have been adopted by the City of Edmonton will be reviewed and evaluated as potential solutions to the fresh food scarcity and food deserts within Edmonton. In conclusion, while community gardens and supermarkets can help those with high needs increase their access to fresh food in some areas, their ability to solve the deficit of fresh food for an entire city is limited.

How sustainable is conservation agriculture in Kenya? Part I: Questioning the claims

Harry Spaling; Justin Wagenaar Geography & Environmental Studies, The King’s University, 9125-50 St. NW, Edmonton, AB, T6B 2H3 Email: [email protected] [email protected]

Conservation agriculture (CA) is viewed by many as an important development intervention for achieving sustainability outcomes for smallholder farming households in Kenya, including as a livelihood adaptation to climate change and resource degradation (e.g., soil erosion). CA is characterized by zero tillage, mulching, and crop rotation. “Farming God’s Way” (FGW), a variant of CA, also includes a set of religious principles designed to motivate farmers toward environmental stewardship on the farm. Our research is investigating the sustainability claims of CA and FGW through semi-structured interviews with CA experts in Canada and CA farmers in Kenya, and focus group discussions with farmer-related organizations (e.g., Farmer Field Schools). Sustainability claims among CA experts, CA farmers, and the literature are not always aligned. This first of a two-part presentation will describe the research project and raise questions about the sustainability claims of CA and FGW.

How sustainable is conservation agriculture in Kenya? Part II: Comparing the claims to the literature

Justin Wagenaar; Harry Spaling Geography & Environmental Studies, The King’s University, 9125-50 St. NW, Edmonton, AB, T6B 2H3 Email: [email protected] [email protected]

This is the second of a two-part presentation on ongoing research into the sustainability claims of Conservation Agriculture (CA), and its variant “Farming God’s Way” (FGW), in Kenya. Using semi-structured telephone interviews with CA/FGW experts from Canadian development NGOs, sustainability claims about CA are identified, and compared to the CA literature on biophysical and social sustainability. For example, claims of increased soil moisture on CA farms are generally supported in agronomic trials, but an assertion of improved soil health is less conclusive. Similarly, claims of reduced labour due to minimum tillage should be differentiated by gender. Traditionally, men till the soil and under CA labour for tillage is reduced. However, less tillage often results in a rapid onset of weeds, which is the traditional responsibility of women, and increases their labour demand. Distinctions in sustainability claims between CA and FGW will also be presented, as well as challenges.

Agricultural Diversity in BC’s Thompson – Cariboo Region

Tom Waldichuk, Dept. of Geography & Environmental Studies, Thompson Rivers U., Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8 [email protected]; Toshio Kikuchi, Graduate School of Urban Environmental Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan U., Tokyo 192-0397, Japan, [email protected]; Akira Tabayashi, Geoenvironmental Sciences (Human Geography), U. of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan [email protected]; Takaaki Nihei, Graduate School of Letters, Hokkaido U., Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810 Japan [email protected]

Agriculture in the southern interior of BC has always involved some diversity in terms of the variety of crops grown, the combination of livestock raised, agri-tourism activities, and non-farm employment. However, the impact of the Mad Cow disease crisis of 2003 and climate change has reaffirmed the importance of agricultural diversity. The purpose of this presentation is to give an overview of agriculture in the Thompson - Cariboo region and highlight some of the diversified farm operations and future trends. Our methods focused on exploratory interviews of farm and ranch operators, regional planners, and an agrologist. The preliminary results are that agritourism is growing, particularly in the Kamloops area, direct marketing is important, and family farms are being consolidated and corporatized. The principal conclusion is that while diversification – particularly, agri-tourism -- is one way that operations are surviving or prospering, other farms are being bought up and consolidated.

D) Environmental Processes

Understanding the Impacts of Rapidly Changing Sea Ice in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Why Do Melt Ponds Matter?

Sasha Nasonova; Randy Scharien, Geography Dept., University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2. E-mail: [email protected].

Arctic sea ice is one of the most rapidly changing components of the Earth’s system. Sea ice extent and thickness is decreasing, and multiyear ice loss means the Arctic is transitioning to a first-year ice dominated system. Summer sea ice is characterized by large expanses of surface melt ponds, with first-year ice exhibiting larger melt pond extents than older ice types. Melt ponds exhibit low surface albedo; consequently, increase in first-year ice has numerous impacts on the sea ice and the upper ocean layers including earlier ice-break-up, later ice freeze-up and enhanced delivery of heat and organic contaminants to the upper ocean layers. Numerical models consistently overestimate the declining sea ice extent; however, parameterization of early summer melt pond fraction has shown promise for improving extent forecasts. Using a spatial, object-based approach we determined that sea ice thickness and roughness can be used to predict summer melt pond fraction.

The influence of grassland proximity on insect and fire activity in interior British Columbia

Jill E. Harvey1*; Dan J. Smith1; Jodi N. Axelson2

1 University of Victoria Tree-Ring Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, PO Box 3060, STN CSC, British Columbia V8W 3R4, Canada 2Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, 130 Mulford Hall # 3114, Berkeley, California, 94702, USA *Presenting author email: [email protected]

Wildfires and western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman), a native conifer defoliator, lead to natural disturbances that affect the structure and function of montane forests in British Columbia. Site-level and regionalized chronologies of historical fire activity and western spruce budworm outbreaks were compiled to determine the relation between fire activity, outbreaks of western spruce budworm, and proxy climate records using superposed epoch and bivariate event analyses. We evaluated the influence of grassland proximity on these relationships and the disturbance history characteristics. The findings show that grassland proximity influences fire frequency and the relationships between fire, western spruce budworm outbreaks and climate. Considering the risk of dangerous fire activity in the future and potential timber losses associated with western spruce budworm defoliation, the findings provide important information to forest managers charged with promoting forest health and resilience in the dry conifer forests of interior British Columbia.

Historic snowpack reconstruction to 1710 AD from using tree-rings, southern Pacific Ranges, British Columbia, Canada

Bryan J. Mood; Dan J. Smith, University of Victoria Tree-Ring Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia. E-mail: [email protected]

Mountain snowpack provides a crucial component of the summer water supply in many regions of southwestern British Columba. Nival basins in the region are now characterized, however, by reduced snowfall totals that lie outside those recorded during the instrumental period. We provide a longer-term perspective on accumulated winter snowpack totals by reconstructing a snow water equivalent record extending to 1710 AD from tree-rings. We use the relationship between the annual ring width increment of high-elevation trees and regional 1 April snow water equivalent records in the southern Pacific Ranges to present a prehistorical snow water equivalent model that explains 56.5% of the variability over the instrumental period. Annual variability in the SWE record was shown to be significantly related to positive and negative El Niño-Southern Oscillation years. This enhanced record of snow water equivalent provides a longer-term perspective of snowpack than was previously available and identifies El Niño- Southern Oscillation as an important driver of variability.

Leveraging Hobbyist Electronics in the Study of Stemflow: Insights, Challenges and Opportunities

Brandon Turner; Dr. David Hill; Dr. Darryl Carlyle-Moses Geography and Environmental Studies, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8. Emails: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Understanding the way precipitation is partitioned by tree canopies including the generation of stemflow – understory precipitation that is directed down the bole of a tree, is an important consideration in urban and forest hydrology. Methods currently used to monitor stemflow suffer from poor resolutions, mechanical limitations and/or high costs. This project aims to create a platform based around readily available, inexpensive hobbyist electronics. The sensor platform consists of an Arduino microcontroller equipped with ultrasonic, wetness, and temperature / relative humidity sensors and a GPS receiver. The sensor platform was tested over 10 storm events between May and June 2016 to monitor the timing of stemflow initiation and volumetric flow rates from an isolated Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.) located on the Thompson Rivers University campus. The platform shows significant promise in increasing the temporal resolution of data as well as creating a low-cost, adaptable alternative to current solutions.

Morning II – 10.30am - 12.00noon

A) Special Session Roundtable - What to do with a geography degree: Jobs and other possibilities

Organizers:Tom Waldichuk, Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, Thompson Rivers University, [email protected]; Garry Fehr, Department of Geography, University of the Fraser Valley, [email protected]

Similar to the successful panels that were held at the 2014 WDCAG at the U. of Victoria and at the 2016 conference at UNBC, this panel will examine life after graduation for undergraduate students. How do I get that real job? What are the steps to get there? How do I go about conducting an information interview? What about volunteering? Should I continue going to school? If so, what courses should I take? Is it too late for me to enter a co-op program? Should I take an online course? Should I go to grad school?

Share your experiences and ideas in this informal panel. Although this session is primarily geared to undergraduates, graduate students are welcome to attend and share their experiences during the transition from undergraduate to graduate studies. Do you think graduate school is helping to prepare you for the work world outside of academia? Faculty and professionals with a geography background are also encouraged to attend and share their employment experiences after graduation and their insights into where the jobs are now and the skills that are needed to take on those positions.

Panelists:

Blake Collins, MCIP, Senior Planner, City of Abbotsford

As generalists, geographers play a vital role in many areas of Local Government. Myself and many of colleagues have educational roots in geographic disciplines from behavioral and social geography, to environmental policy, physical geomorphology and GIS analytics. With emerging trends, I believe geography students will continue to fill key interdisciplinary problem solving positions. In this session, I will offer my educational and career path choices that have led to my current position and role with the City of Abbotsford and share some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

Jillian Hansen-Carlson, B.Sc., LEED AP BD+C, CISEC

LEED Coordinator

ICON West Construction

There has been an increase in the number of cities requiring green buildings. This has resulted in an industry that ballooned from what it was a decade ago. Having a geography education will enable people in the industry to look at the ‘big picture’: does it matter if rebar is purchased from China verses Seattle? Is it really important to install erosion measures around your site?, and is it worth fussing over a waste bin the hauler brought to landfill when it could have been diverted? A geography degree has enabled me to say “Yes” to the above and provide multiple reasons from multiple approaches.

Garry Fehr, Ph.D.,

Associate Professor and Director of the Agriculture Centre of Excellence

In my current position, I spend considerable time with business owners, researchers, government managers and technicians, producers, entrepreneurs and activists that all operate in the agriculture sector. Perhaps unsurprisingly a significant proportion of them have Geography education in their background.

Aneesha Dhillon, BA Geography UFV

Aneesha uses her geography education to train air traffic controllers.

B) Geographical Education

A classroom contemplation: who is empowered to lead discourse and define paradigms? – Casting a glance at knowledge production and decision-making

Melanie Stammler, Geography Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, V2N 4Z9. Email: [email protected]

Zoë A. Meletis, Geography Program, University of Northern British Columbia. Prince George, BC, V2N 4Z9. Email: [email protected]

This paper considers two political ecology texts (Escobar 1996, and Robins 2012), and contemplates questions of power, influence, and environment. Consider an answers to the question “Whose research influences your understanding of the world?” In doing so, it becomes apparent that discourses impact how we understand, explain, and interact with our environment. Reflecting upon their origins, tracing their evolution and searching for associated agendas is key to understanding them and their implications. Political ecology compels us to critically analyze actors’ abilities to create discourse by investigating underlying power relations and observing contextual considerations. Their influences can be exposed by tracking discourse lineages and exploring discourse shifts. Political ecology emphasizes integrated elements of existence, and calls us to recognize and connect our own behaviour with greater systems of influence. While comparing and contrasting the previously mentioned texts, this exploratory literature- based paper considers contemporary environmental and media messaging, and other examples.

Teaching a Geography of the Americas with Carmen Aguirre’s Something Fierce.

Kimberley Naqvi, Geography and Environmental Studies, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8; e-mail: [email protected]

This presentation explores how a personal and political memoir can introduce the complex geopolitical, cultural, and physical landscapes of the global north and global south. Regional geography is taught for its practical application, and to demonstrate geography’s interdisciplinary foundation. However, the latter make it notoriously broad and difficult to structure. This is exacerbated for world regions, often defined more by external geopolitics than internal coherence. A course on the Americas encountered precisely this problem, in addition to a lack of material. Carmen Aguirre’s memoirs as a young resistance fighter against Chile’s Pinochet regime, and a child of a Vancouver-based Chilean refugee family, proved to be a rich pedagogical resource. It provides a personal connection for students, who relate to the young activist, and can be correlated to academic literature on colonial history and geography, conflicts over models of economy and society, and complex ethnic identities within and between both Americas.

C) Environmental Management

Nurdles and turtles? Nurdles and plastic debris on Victoria beaches

Daniel Brendle-Moczuk, David Boudinot – University of Victoria

Pollution from plastics is a growing problem in marine environments worldwide. Plastics, and specifically pre- production polymer nurdles, do not readily break down, they are known to soak up contaminants, and marine animals sometimes mistake them as food, causing plastics to move up the food chain. Nurdles (kernels or pellets used to make plastics) were collected and quantified from several Victoria beaches and waterfronts. Nurdles were found at 28 locations and collected at 5 sites. Qualitative chemical analysis were utilised to ascertain the type of plastic polymer the nurdles were made from, determine where the nurdles come from and whether they had any pollutants. Although tests for toxicity of the Victoria nurdles were inconclusive, the presence of nurdles on Victoria shorelines are still a concern as plastics impact our environment and society.

The 2013 Alberta Floods: An Update on and Assessment of the Response by the Government of Alberta

Thomas R.R. Johnston, Department of Geography, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4. E-mail: [email protected]

Between June 19 and 22, 2013 the region west of Calgary experienced a heavy rainfall event, the product of blocked low-pressure system. Some recording stations in the upper reaches of the Bow River Basin received more than 50% of average annual precipitation in just 36 hours. The ensuing flood event resulted in five deaths, displaced more than 125,000 people, and has been identified as the costliest flood in Canadian history. In this presentation I will provide an update on and assessment of the province’s efforts vis-à-vis flood risk mitigation going forward. It will be argued that considerably more attention has been paid to engineering or structural measures as opposed to non- structural measures, and that the non-structural measures announced to date are non-regulatory in nature. The Alberta Government’s ongoing review of the Municipal Government Act, and several of the regulations pursuant to the Act, will also be discussed in the context of flood-risk mitigation.

What a Catch! The effects of commercial gillnet fisheries in major Manitoban bodies of water.

Kara Letain, Environmental Studies Department, The King’s University: 9125 50th Street Edmonton, Alberta. Email: [email protected]

Freshwater commercial fisheries are a long-standing industry throughout Manitoba waters. Gillnet fisheries, in particular, are a popular means of obtaining large quantities of fish, including Walleye and Northern Pike, but fish population may be compromised due to commercial fishing practices. This study evaluates the current status of fish stocks and investigates Conservation Manitoba’s efforts to mitigate stock depletion. Literature review and interviews with Conservation Manitoba staff are employed to determine the current status of Walleye and Northern Pike affected by commercial gillnet fisheries in Lake Manitoba, Lake Winnipeg, and Lake Winnipegosis. The study determines the discrepancies and the likelihood of repaired stock status in areas where there is known population decrease. Research findings suggest there are many areas that are not being conserved in a sustainable manner and revisions to current policy are needed.

Fire Management in American and Canadian National Parks: Fire in Protected Places

Kathryn Binnema, Environmental Studies, The King’s University, Edmonton, Alberta, T6B 2H3; [email protected]

National parks were originally meant to protect the untouched “wilderness” of North America, but as the purpose of these protected areas has evolved, the role of human intervention, specifically relating to fire management, has also changed. Through literature review of historical and current government documents, this paper investigates the changes in fire management policies for the National Parks Services of the United States and Parks Canada, focusing on Yellowstone and Banff, the first two national parks. Fire, which used to be viewed as a dangerous and destructive force, is now considered a natural and necessary process. Though the National Parks Service and Parks Canada’s views on fire suppression are slightly different, modern fire policies have moved to restore fire back into the natural ecosystems.

Afternoon I – 1.00pm – 2.30pm

A) Special Session – Sustainable Livelihoods and the Spatial Politics of Inequality and Uneven Development

Chair: Tyler Blackman, University of Victoria

Sustainable Livelihoods & Community Based Development in Rural Peru

Madison Stewart, University of the Fraser Valley, Canada. Email: [email protected]

Peru has recently emerged as Latin America’s fastest growing economy, due in part to their expanding tourism industry. A large majority of tourist activities relate to, and celebrate the country’s vast cultural past, including indigenous knowledge and spirituality. Unfortunately, the prosperity of the tourism industry has not reached the rural highlands, where the population comprises primarily indigenous communities and poverty rates remain high. According to extensive literature on the subject, and my own experience working in the country, it is clear that there is a recurrent struggle for these people to abandon their traditional livelihoods and integrate into the modern economy. Using the Sustainable Livelihoods model and a Community Based Development approach, this research aims to offer an alternative to traditional economic-driven development proposals, which have proven detrimental in the past. This paper argues that utilizing these bottom-up methods in developing indigenous community’s already established capital, such as traditional craftsmanship and natural resources, will provide them the financial capital to sustain their rural livelihoods and the social empowerment to enhance their well being.

Environmental Impact, Racism, and the Clothing Industry

Abeni Steegstra, Global Development Studies, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 7M7. E-mail: [email protected]

Consumption of fashion in the developed world has been revolutionized in the last half-century. Not only do transnational clothing corporations now outsource production to developing countries with cheaper labour and deficient regulations, but the sheer volume of clothing we purchase has increased exponentially. The driving mentality of clothing as a disposable commodity to be replaced with the latest fashions has immense consequences, especially in production countries. While human rights infractions in ‘sweatshops’ have gained international attention, the environmental impacts of the fashion industry remain less known to the public. A review of environmental impact studies, academic literature and resources from human rights organizations to comprehensively analyze the supply chain unveils the fashion industry as the second most polluting industry worldwide, from raw materials to the disposal of clothing. This presentation concludes that the negative global environmental impacts of the fashion industry are distributed in a way that is environmentally racist.

Conflict and Food Security: A Circular Link

Naomi Gasparac, Global Development Studies, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8. E- mail: [email protected].

In an ever changing diverse geographical and political landscape it is important to recognize the strong relationship between conflict and food security, to bring further progress in our fight against hunger globally. This paper draws from development literature and case studies on Somalia, Syria, Yemen and Nigeria. These case studies show the interconnectedness between food security and conflict. Conflict leads to displaced people, destruction of land and a decrease in food production. Consequently, lack of food security leads to conflict and protests. The harsh realities of global and internal conflicts, as well as rising food prices will shape food security and peace, or lack thereof for the current and future generations. Therefore the conversation around food security and conflict must focus on creating sustainable systems to provide improved access to food and reworking economies to function in a way that brings food security and peace to all people.

Coconut Crisis in Kerala? Mainstream Narrative and Alternative Perspectives

Terah Sportel, Department of Geography and the Environment, University of the Fraser Valley, Canada. E-mail: [email protected]. René Véron, Faculty of Geosciences and the Environment, University of Lausanne, Switzerland. E-mail: [email protected].

India’s oilseeds sector, of which the coconut economy is part, experienced drastic changes post agricultural liberalization in the mid–1990s. A persistent coconut crisis ‘narrative’ emerged after sharp price declines (2000–02) in which small farmers in the state of Kerala, India’s main coconut producer, were identified as victims from the liberalized importation of cheap palm oil. This paper describes this crisis narrative based on a literature review of academic and official reports, and challenges its problem analysis juxtaposing it with information from ethnographic research with local farmers and traders. Reasons for the emergence and persistence of the coconut crisis narrative are presented that point to complex processes of restructuring social space in the global countryside. The research

indicates local labour shortages and increased regional competition had a strong impact on coconut development, which varied from region to region. Furthermore, small farmers with their diversified livelihoods did not recognize a ‘crisis’ as such.

B) Glacial Environments

An inventory of rock glaciers in the Stikine Ranges of British Columbia’s Cassiar Mountains.

Colleen Fish, School of Earth and Ocean Science and Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8P 5C2, [email protected]

British Columbia’s Cassiar Mountains are characterized by a cold and dry climate conducive to rock glacier development. The aim of this study was to characterize and inventory rock glaciers in the Stikine Ranges, a region where rock glaciers had not been previously documented. Utilizing high-resolution satellite imagery, 188 rock glaciers were identified within an elevational range of 1400 to 2000 m asl at sites located between Lat 57 37’ to Lat 59 38’. Intact rock glaciers accounted for almost 90% of the rock glaciers, with only 21 relict rock glaciers identified during the inventory. The majority of rock glaciers had north facing aspects (31%), were glacier-derived (58%), and originated from bedrock headwalls of intrusive origin (74%). Research is underway to link the distribution and activity of these rock glaciers to regional climate and environmental parameters. Upon completion, the findings of the research will aid in understanding the spatial extent of discontinuous permafrost in northern British Columbia.

Mid- to Late Holocene Behavior of Klinaklini Glacier, British Columbia Coast Mountains

Lauren Farmer, University of Victoria Geography Department

Flowing southward 35 km from the Ha-Iltzuk Icefield, Klinaklini Glacier is the largest glacier (470 km2) in Canada located south of the Alaska panhandle. From 1949 to 2009, the glacier lost approximately 10% of its area and experienced significant downwasting. Based on discoveries at nearby glaciers and insightful descriptions by Munday (1936) of glacier-killed tree debris in till at Klinaklini Glacier, a dendroglaciological survey of lateral moraines flanking the glacier was completed in July, 2016. Radiocarbon dating of wood remains show that Klinaklini Glacier expanded into standing forests at ca. 3600, 1400, 1000 and 600 cal AD. These advances coincide closely in time with previously recognized glacier activity in the Mt Waddington area.Anna H. Galbraith; Dan J. Smith: Holocene Glacial Advances at Queen Bess Glacier, Pacific Ranges, British Columbia Coast Mountains.

Holocene Glacial Advances at Queen Bess Glacier, Pacific Ranges, British Columbia Coast Mountains

Anna H. Galbraith; Dan J. Smith, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2. E-mail: [email protected]

The rapid recession and downwasting of glaciers in the British Columbia Coast Mountains within the last century appears unprecedented in the Holocene. This mass balance response to increased temperatures and decreased snowfall requires focused research to facilitate robust projections of the glaciological consequences of the attendant climate changes. Dendroglaciological investigations at Queen Bess Glacier in 2013 and 2015 in the Homathko Icefield

region led to the discovery of well-preserved wood remains buried by mid- and late Holocene advances. Radiocarbon dating of these remains show that Queen Bess expanded into standing forests in ca. 4100, 1500, and 800 cal. yr BP. This Holocene record indicates that the downvalley expansion of Queen Bess Glacier occurred concurrently with glacier advances in the nearby Mount Waddington area. These dendroglaciological findings reinforce our developing understanding of the nature and regional characteristics of Holocene glacier mass balance fluctuations in the British Columbia Coast Mountains.

C) Energy and Environment

Controversies over the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project: Assessing the Prominance of Stakeholder Perspectives through Newspaper Analyses

Janessa Daggett, Human Geography Dept., University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC 98225. E-mail: [email protected]

The use of fossil fuels, particularly of petroleum, is highly demanded within the global energy sector. Pipelines are crucial for mobilizing petroleum resources; however both petroluem extraction and transportation is riddled with controversy and contestation. While pipeline implementation increases jobs, and strengthens domestic and international trade relations, construction often occurs on Indigenous lands, and can threaten terrestrial and marine environments. Newspaper articles often vary in their political perspectives of pipeline development. This presentation uses the Trans Mountain Pipeline as a case study to explore potential newspaper publication biases that may be attributed to invested parties perspectives. A literature review on pipeline policies will be followed by data collection from public newspaper articles. Results and data interpretation assess the prominence of pipeline perspectives that exist in the public realm, and investigate whether stakeholder perspectives overshadow public perception of pipeline planning.

Sticky Situation: Studying the Environmental Impact of Tar Sand Oil

Claire Surber, Kevin Moradi Takhtgahi, et al. Western Washington University

No abstract found.

Shoreline retention of diluted bitumen in Juan de Fuca and Harro strait

Lee A. S. Britton, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C. mail: [email protected]

The increased export of diluted bitumen by tankers through waterways in southern British Columbia has heightened awareness of the potential of a spill. When marine spills do occur, great lengths of shoreline risk being contaminated. Once ashore, oil can then persist for decades if shoreline hydraulic conditions are correct and remediation does not occur. To predict the retention of diluted bitumen on shorelines, shoreline hydraulics and sediment properties were measured at ten sites in the Juan de Fuca and Harro strait region. Using obtained and generated metrics, sediments were grouped as having low, medium, and high diluted bitumen retention. When sediments were analyzed as a homogenous sample, the results suggested all of the sites examined would experience low retention. Upon the

isolation of coarse surface strata, three sites indicated the potential to experience high retention in the event of a spill.

Afternoon II – 3.00pm – 4.30pm

A) Critical Human Geographies

Recent Studies of Accumulation by Dispossession, a Foliated Concept

Simon Chilvers, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z2 Email [email protected]

Geographers have debated 'accumulation by dispossession' (ABD), David Harvey's reworking of Marx's 'primitive accumulation' concept, since 2003. Until five-to-six years ago, though, ABD discussions were mainly abstract exchanges or referenced privatisation in the First World. Matters are different today, following the publication since 2010 of several hundred studies on ABD in Third World contexts, many empirically considering a 'scramble' by investors to acquire land in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Associated with this geographic shift in concept application are some important theoretical and methodological issues, which a number of writers relate to political struggles by labouring communities. This reviewer identifies five areas of new research activity: ABD data quantification; discourses legitimating ABD; the rationale for ABD; ABD conceptualisation; and studies of 'accumulation without dispossession'.

Mixed in the Colonial Margins: Towards Métis and Mixed Race Indigenous Geographies

Kaymi Yoon-Maxwell, double major in Human Geography and Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice (GRSJ), University of British Columbia (UBC), Unceded Musqueam Territories, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4. E-mail: [email protected]

Indigenous geographies have been gaining increased attention by Canadian geographers. Recent literature has primarily focused on ‘registered Indians’ – Indigenous people who are registered under the Indian Act and therefore have legal claims to Aboriginal rights and title. Currently, Indigenous geographies have largely ignored many groups of Indigenous peoples such as Indigenous women, ‘non-status Indians,’ and Métis peoples. I argue that mixed race Indigenous people who do not identify under the contentious label of ‘Métis,’ and in particular mixed race Indigenous people without any white ancestry, have also been largely ignored. I explore the racialized category of ‘Métis’, its origins and its geographical, historical, and contemporary applications, as well as colonial anxieties surrounding mixedness. In this paper, I investigate the possibilities of Métis geographies and mixed race Indigenous geographies. I advocate for the two to coexist as separate but connected entities through understanding Indigenous self-identification as locative.

SONIC GEOGRAPHIES: A Study on the Effects of Sound on Human and Urban Animal Activity: Soundscape of the CIRS Building at UBC

Kenzie Parry; Hay Go; Adrian Cheng; Jason Lin; Sebastian Alexander; Jonathan Chudley - UBC

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Our research will focus on exploring the distinct ways in which sonic environments affects how both humans and nonhumans relate to and inhabit a space. Applying expanded listing to our research at CIRS (Center for Interactive Research on Sustainability) at the University of British Columbia, we hope to expose various ways in which sound affects space in and around the CIRS building. We will be using the Zoom H5 series recording device and Reaper (audio editing software) to record and produce quality data for further analysis. The finished product will aspire to be submitted to the BC Studies: The British Columbian Quarterly call for sound studies that have both an audio and a written component. By the time of this presentation the research is yet to be completed.

“Risky behaviours” or basic needs? Raising questions about food deserts, vulnerability, and safety along northern BC’s Highway of Tears

Arctica Cunningham, Political Science and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, V2N 4Z9. [email protected];

Zoë A. Meletis, Geography Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, V2N 4Z9. [email protected]

In this literature-based paper, we explore food insecurity, intersectionality, and risk of violence along BC’s Highway of Tears (Hwy 16). We identify barriers to accessing quality food, and propose an alternative narrative to prevailing discourses about “risky behaviours” and Hwy 16. We use environmental justice to link transportation-challenged food procurement with risk of violence/death. Colonialism and systemic racism have reduced access to traditional foods (NCCAH 2010), increasing Indigenous reliance on non-traditional foods (Cidro et al 2015), with detrimental impacts (Alkon and Norgaard 2009). Transportation and food justice are rarely considered together (exception: Vallianatos, Shaffer and Gottlieb 2002). A pilot program is in development (Government of BC 2016), but travel remains risky along Hwy 16, particularly for marginalized individuals. We argue that Hwy 16’s landscape of poorly connected food deserts contributes to travel-related risks, and we raise questions about “invisible” relationships between food access inequities, intersectionality, and geographies of safety/risk.

B) Planning and Development

Is waterfront planning endangering diversity?

Annika Airas, Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, [email protected]

Using a comparative approach, this paper looks at intertextuality in planning policies for urban waterfront areas in smaller cities in Finland and Canada. City planning documents contain powerful, carefully selected narratives that shape broader planning discourses. As recent literature on waterfront redevelopments has shown, waterfronts

worldwide are becoming increasingly homogeneous, and this paper attempts to unpack the motivations behind such development paths. The paper finds that even though waterfront districts in different cities and countries have very dissimilar histories, planning contexts, and cultures, recent planning policies share remarkable similarities. Notably, new residential construction, as a development strategy, is rarely challenged or questioned in contemporary planning even as it reduces the diversity of such cities. At the same time, unique industrial pasts get overlooked and even destroyed as planning policies encourage the expansion of even more uniform waterfront cities.

Is This Sustainability? Making the case for planners and municipal planning departments

Leith Deacon, PhD, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E3, [email protected]; Kristof Van Assche PhD, Monica Gruezmacher PhD

Sustainability and sustainability-related research receives a considerable amount of attention from academic and non-academic audiences alike. Within these discussions, varying conceptualizations of what sustainability means exist. This presentation adds to this discussion by making a case for the specific inclusion of municipal planners and municipal planning departments. Citing data collected over the previous 18 months during a large multi-city project, we will present results from an ongoing research project that examines the concept of resiliency and the important role that planners should play in ensuring the long-term sustainability of Canada's communities. Specifically, we highlight the impact of speculative behaviour and the importance of developing context-appropriate infrastructure in Canadian resource-based communities. Results show that (i) speculation and behaviour based on speculation is greatly impacting the development of Canada's resource-based communities, (ii) there is a need to employ planning- as-design principles to ensure proper infrastructure in Canadian communities and, (iii) an inclusive conceptualization of sustainability remains elusive.

Kate E. Hewitt: Exploring Indigenous-led collaborative planning in a watershed context: Perspectives from the Nechako headwaters

The Little Port that Could: Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and its Pacific Rim Gateway Aspirations

Nicholas Byrne (Geography, UBC) and David W. Edgington (Geography, UBC; [email protected])

The Port of Prince Rupert lies north of Vancouver by approximately 700 kilometers. From a relatively lowly position in the post-1945 era it has experienced continuous development of its port terminal facilities and road and rail infrastructure. In the past 15 years or so more rapid growth has occurred due to demand for cargo shipping capacity across the Pacific to the Canadian Pacific coast and a strong willingness by the federal government and BC provincial government to support port and transportation infrastructure development. This study examines the Port of Prince Rupert’s history from the perspective of changes in port governance. Empirical research for this study examined the history of the Port of Prince Rupert’s development from 1945 until 2015, correlating governance structures noted in practice to theoretical models of port governance in the existing literature. The paper argues that recent policies promoting Prince Rupert as an Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiatives require new theoretical models of port governance.

C) Mapping and Spatial Inventories

GIS Implementation at the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Sarah Cooke, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure – Southern Interior Region, Kamloops, British Columbia, V2C2T3. E-mail: [email protected]

The British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (BC MoTI) is the provincial authority for implementing transportation services and infrastructure in BC. The Southern Interior Region of BC MoTI is presently in the process of improving its capacity of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) support in response to identified operational needs across its offices. An implementation study has been funded by this ministry to assess currently available geospatial infrastructure and resources, and to identify areas for further improvement. These findings will be used to develop a theoretical framework to guide the implementation of a comprehensive GIS department at the regional level. A gap analysis approach has been taken to identify opportunities in the existing regional model through a rigid evaluation of current GIS processes, guided by focus groups with regional staff. Key elements of this framework include recommendations for improving geospatial infrastructure, data management and analytical protocols, and improving internal GIS human resources.

Wetland Mapping in the Regional District of Nanaimo

Kayla Harris, Geography Dept., Natural Resource Management. Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 5S5. [email protected]

Currently, there is insufficient baseline data on the location and classification of wetlands on the east coast of Vancouver Island, BC. These sensitive and important ecosystems are vital habitats for many species and have shown through research and literature to have a connection to groundwater recharge. The wetland mapping and monitoring research is currently in the first phases of a 5-year research initiative to map wetlands with a variety of surrounding land uses to understand the connection between wetlands and groundwater recharge on Vancouver Island. The data collected provides local government with the ability to make informed decisions surrounding land use planning and policy related the protection and conservation of groundwater resources in the region. The project is led by undergraduate researchers and will continue to contribute to knowledge-based decision making with the cooperation of multi-stakeholder involvement and will positively influence the management of natural resources for Vancouver Island.

Comparing Risk and Prevalence for Ischemic Heart Disease in South Asian Populations

Nalin S. Dhillon. University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2

The correlation between ethnicity and health is one which often goes unnoticed, despite that they hold an important relationship. Ethnicity acts as a social, biological, cultural, and environmental determinant of health, and must be taken into consideration when assessing different individuals’ risk factors for certain health conditions. Through a scoping review, this paper investigated if South Asians (immigrants and individuals living in the South Asian region) are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and if they displayed increased prevalence when compared to other ethnic groups. This increased risk and prevalence proved true, and was found to be the result of a multitude of factors. A genetic predisposition, trends in urbanization, diet and individual lifestyle choices,

and stresses of immigration all contribute to this ethnically skewed trend. Type 2 Diabetes was identified as the most prominent conventional IHD risk factor in South Asian populations, via a case study examination and comparison between Brampton, Ontario, and Surrey, BC. It was concluded that the significance in this ethnic variation is reason for further research regarding South Asian’s increased risk and prevalence for IHD. It is essential that ethnic specific health risk assessments be completed as part of future health prevention strategies.

Poster Session

Open for Discussion: Foucauldian Analysis of Life as a UVic Geography Student

Marina Aitcheson - BA Major in Sociology/Minor in Sociology, DTB B327, University of Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay British Columbia, Canada, V8R 1Y4, [email protected]

How does Geography inspire you? My experiential learning in Geography challenges and shapes me, and has encouraged me to embrace academia through my fellow geographers and myself. In this paper/poster, I apply ‘a fractured mosaic’ to my conception of identity, comprehensively analyzing how the Foucauldian concept resonates with how we view both ourselves and the wider world around us. By understanding our identity as a construction of our mundane and extraordinary experiences, we can begin to unpack how these intersecting experiences create fundamental differences in the identification of people in global migration; individuals that transcend the arbitrary manifestation of political borders, and situate themselves within the ever significant transnational realm. Specifically, I would like to apply this to my own university experience at UVic. I offer this question to you, Geographers, How do you respond to the arbitrariness of borders without losing your sense of self in the world?

Student and faculty perspectives on QGIS vs ArcGIS in an introductory undergraduate geomatics course

Danika Anderson, Erin Bedard, Dustin Betucci, Shannon Clive, Terence Day, Arthur Green, Lara Harder, Erin Johnson, Brittany Lange, Tyler Lemke, Janice Pauls, Department of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science, Okanagan College, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 4X8

Although most introductory geomatics courses in Canada use ArcGIS, there is also interest in QGIS. Since most universities and colleges have an ArcGIS license, and instructors know that ArcGIS is the world’s most widely used GIS software, the choice of software for undergraduate courses is straightforward for many instructors. But what is the student perspective? This study is based on student experience of using both ArcGIS and QGIS versions of similar exercises in the text, “Introduction to Geospatial Technologies” by Brad Shelito. In most cases the student experience was that the exercise went quicker the second time, regardless of whether the ArcGIS or QGIS version was attempted first. Students appreciated the fact that QGIS was easy to use and could be more easily loaded onto their laptops, but also recognized the value of ArcGIS experience on their resume.

Fusing Computer Vision and Machine Learning for Invasive Species Classification in Remote Sensing Imagery

Jackson Baron, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8. E-mail: [email protected].

The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in land management practices is becoming an increasingly common application of remote sensing. The utilization of fast and efficient image processing techniques can allow for near real-time on-site classification of invasive plant species, with the purpose of identification and treatment. This study identifies the invasive species Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus) in UAV images utilizing computer vision and machine learning techniques. This fast and efficient classification of UAV images using lightweight, open-source software can provide field technicians with additional support in immediately identifying the locations of Yellow Flag Iris for the purposes of mapping and treatment.

Seasonal Variability of Geochemistry in the Fraser River, British Columbia

Madelaine Bourdages1: [email protected]; Steven Marsh1; Bernhard Peucker-Ehrenbrink2; Sharon Gillies1; Alanna Strangway1; Alexandra Groeneweg1; Paige Boegarts1; Julia Paine2

1. University of the Fraser Valley 2. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

The Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada, is a major river system draining an area of over 220,000km2 and is known for its cultural and economic significance. The Fraser River watershed is under threat from many anthropogenic factors such as land-use changes, deforestation, and urbanization. The collection of geochemistry data allows for an analysis of seasonal and long-term changes in the water quality of the Fraser River. The collection of time series data on the Fraser River began in 2010 and has been maintained at the sampling site in Fort Langley, providing a glimpse into the seasonal variability of the Fraser’s geochemistry at this location. While maintaining previously established sampling, new data is now being collected to identify the presence of microplastics that are transported in the Fraser River, which is becoming an increasingly discussed concern for watercourses and water bodies around the world.

Nous Venons D'Afrique – Race, Biopolitics, and African Immigration to France

Duncan Chalmers – Department of Anthropology/Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria British Columbia, V8P 1H4, [email protected]

For decades, scores of African individuals and their families have made the conscious decision –motivated either by cultural ties, economics, war, the environment, or political unrest – to undertake the transnational journey of relocation to France. Such a monumental, intercontinental journey carries with it significant socio-political implications for immigrants, especially with regards to families. Present day, two polarizing discourses exist surrounding the phenomenon of African immigration to France: that of the state, which iterates that France is holistically welcoming to Africans, and that of the lived realities of migrants themselves, which illustrates an entirely different scenario. Through a comparison of the dominant, state-driven discourse that surrounds undocumented African immigrants in France, with that of the actual lived realities of these individuals, this research strives to highlight how African migrants find themselves acutely scapegoated by both the French state and by the overarching, highly racialized social atmosphere present across France.

Environmental Equity in the Borderlands: Comparing the Distribution of Environmental and Economic Burdens in the Salish Sea Basin

Gabrielle Hasenyager, Western Washington University, 513 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225-9805, [email protected]

Environmental equity has long been a controversial issue regarding the location of various environmental burdens relative to the socio-economic status and racial profile of surrounding neighborhoods. This study compares the distribution of environmental burdens across the Borderlands region in an attempt to understand the different approaches to environmental governance taken by each country. The geographic range under analysis is based on

the common cross-border watershed shared by the two countries: the Salish Sea Basin, for water is often a distributor of contamination and pollution. The research for this study was conducted through literature reviews of previous work done on environmental equity and an analysis of current environmental burdens (large freeways (air pollution source) or large industrial/generation site (air and water pollution source)) and their proximity to lower class, ethnic neighborhoods. This poster demonstrates the difference in distribution between the two countries and reveals the nature of US policy that allows for greater inequity, based on socio-economic status, than Canada. The studies under review, and the visual analysis of environmental burden distribution, help to emphasize the importance of not only better environmental governance within each country, but the benefit of a cross-border policy for the region as a whole.

Analysis of Decomposition Rates of Green and Yellow Knotweed Leaves

Shyna Kanda; Sharon Gillies - Biology Department, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, British Columbia, V2S 7M8, [email protected]

As an aggressive riparian invader in the Fraser Valley, Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica) thrives in riparian areas as it prefers moist soils with medium shading. To analyze the nature of this invasive plant, this study was conducted to measure decomposition rates of Knotweed leaf litter. Decomposition of leaf litter is a major source of nutrients; therefore, leaf litter is an effective parameter to study the quality of stream ecosystems. The quality of the leaves is also an important factor and is defined by its lignin content and overall leaf toughness. Leaf litter bags were placed in Upper and Lower Clayburn Creek, Abbotsford, BC to analyze the differences between the fresh (green) and senesced (yellow) knotweed leaves. Lower sampling site is more impacted by human interference and there, yellow leaves decomposed faster compared with the green leaves. This might be due to the different macroinvertebrate populations and water quality.

Factors relating to the Decomposition Rates of Japanese Knotweed and Thimbleberry

Shyna Kanda; Alayna Miller; Albel Deol; Ekanki Chawla; Risa Venuto; Sahil Chawla; Sean Goldbach

Biology Department, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, British Columbia, V2S 7M8.

Email Address: [email protected]

Japanese Knotweed is an invasive plant species affecting the health and biodiversity of the native ecosystems throughout North America. Thimbleberry is one of the many native species being outcompeted by Knotweed. Various factors such as leaf toughness, macroinvertebrate populations, and water quality were analyzed for both species over a period of three years. Leaf litter bags were placed in various sites around Clayburn Creek in Abbotsford, BC. The larger population of invertebrates and a lower physical durability of the Thimbleberry leaves contributed to the significantly higher decomposition rate seen in Thimbleberry. One of the sampling sites was more rural and in a less human impacted habitat, which was used to determine if human interference could affect decomposition rate. This study can further aid investigation of the potential mechanisms to remove invasive plant species in future studies.

Red Rock Coulee Natural Area Sandstone Concretions: Mapping, Measuring, and Analysis

Brooke Kapeller; Hester Jiskoot, Department of Geography, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge AB, T1K3M4, email: [email protected]

The purpose of this study was to map, measure, and analyze the sandstone concretions at Red Rock Coulee Natural Area, Southern Alberta. Designated a Natural Area by the Province in 1970, this unique surface exposure of some of the largest and most abundant rock concretions in the world has no publication yet in geological literature. The field portion of this study involved taking GPS coordinates of all of the concretions and measuring their height, diameter, orientation, completeness (7 categories) and shape (4 categories). We mapped 1177 concretions with diameters ranging from 0.65 m to 7.3 m. Completeness ranged from shattered (26%) to complete (12%), and the majority were spherically-shaped. Maps were created comparing the concretion locations to their size and completeness. Further analysis will focus on the location of shattered concretions in relation to the parking area; analyzing the elevation distribution and orientation of the concretions; and describing their geological setting and fossil content.

Using Surface Analysis to Characterize Slope and Aspect of Quercus garryana Research Exclosures on Salt Spring Island, BC.

Joy Marconato, Geraldine Jordan (PhD) and David Clements (PhD),Geography and Environmental Studies Department, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, V2Y 1Y1. Email: [email protected]

Slope and aspect are strong controls on vegetation establishment and growth. Slope plays a role in soil depth and, thus, seeding establishment, while aspect controls temperature and moisture regimes. We used GIS surface analysis to evaluate which Garry oak exclosures on Crow’s Nest Ecological Research Area (CNERA; Salt Spring Island, BC) were on low-angled, south-facing slopes. Using a digital elevation model (DEM), we first computed the slope and aspect surfaces of CNERA. We reclassified these images to low-slope and south-facing binary images (respectively), and multiplied the resulting images to determine the low-slope and south-facing areas of the property. We found that there are fewer exclosures on the low-slope, south-facing areas (n=36) than on the higher-slope and/or non-south- facing areas (n=67). In conclusion, this method of DEM analysis can help to automate slope and aspect analysis of Garry oak exclosures, and other geographic features, of CNERA to help optimize restoration goals.

The Effects of Fair Trade Certification on Costa Rican Coffee Farmers

Lily F. Murock & Sam C. Schultz, Environmental Studies Dept., Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected].

The Fair Trade certification is an alternative trade model that uses a market based approach based on a partnership between producer and consumer. Fair Trade aims to facilitate economic, social and environmental development. We looked at coffee farmers in Costa Rica and hypothesized that the Fair Trade certification will positively affect the famers and will create economic, social and environmental developments. We reviewed literature on the impacts of the Fair Trade certification on coffee farms in Costa Rica and complied and analyzed the growth of the Costa Rican coffee market and difference in price between Fair Trade and conventional coffee over time. The review and data analysis concluded the certification has many negative impacts on farmers and the Fair Trade market is unsustainable and farmers risk if coffee prices crash. The literature reviews and data analysis also revealed a lack of studies and basic data on the impacts of Fair Trade on Costa Rica coffee farmers.

A thematic representation of at risk bird and plant species of Island View Beach, Victoria B.C.

Rachel Jampole, Molly Blower, Julia Commerfield. Students of the University of Victoria B.C. 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, (250) 721-7211, E-Mail: [email protected]

Our poster thematically represents a range of at-risk bird and plant species that reside at Island View Beach, Victoria B.C. By visually presenting these species we hope to educate and draw further interest and understanding to the importance of conservation to this specific landscape. We gathered and compiled scientific and local ecological knowledge on the various species that reside and makeup this rare community and came to the conclusion that this ecosystem is vital to the survival of many resident plant and bird species. We also concluded that human actions play a large role in the threats to this landscape, and without further protection, degradation will impact the natural state/processes of Island View Beach.

Comparing and Contrasting Indigenous-Government Treaties in Canada and the United States

Casey Kilroy; Kevin Moradi, et al, Western Washington University.

No abstract found

The effects of oil spills on the critical habitat for both Chinook salmon and Southern Resident Killer Whales

Severin Rolland-Berge, Geography and Environment Department, Trinity Western University, Langley BC, V2Y1Y1. Email: [email protected]

(SRKW) in the Salish Sea are ecologically detrimental. With the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), I analyzed the spatial relationship of the critical habitats and density of oil spills (2011-2015) using kernel point density and intersect functions. Kernel point density showed that the highest density of oil spills were located near Seattle, Tacoma and Bellingham. Intersecting the density layer with critical habitats shows high spill density within these habitats. Performing spatial analyses on marine oil spills in the Salish Sea and the critical habitats of Chinook salmon and SRKW generated information on the spatial co-occurrence of oil contamination and critical ecological habitats.

Coral Reef and Mangrove Ecosystem Co-occurrence, Protected Areas, and Sea Turtle Breeding Sites along the Coast of Kenya, Africa

Katharine Sell, Department of Geography and Environment, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, V2Y 1Y1, [email protected]

Boundaries between coral reef and mangrove ecosystems are constantly under dynamic change. Moreover, these ecosystems exhibit substantial spatial co-occurrence where habitats are unique, and critical transition zones exist for many species. Using Geographic Information Systems, I determined the spatial co-occurrence of 5 km buffers of coral reef and mangrove ecosystems along the Kenyan coast, from Watamu to Kiunga. Additionally, as an illustration of Kenya’s coastal biodiversity, I analyzed sea turtle breeding sites in relation to the two selected protected areas. My results depict the spatial extent of these intersecting ecosystems in Watamu and Kiunga’s protected areas.

Overlapping ecosystems are valuable for maintaining biotic diversity, and awareness of their significance and location are critical for conservation management when establishing protected areas worldwide.

Geochemistry Report for Clayburn Creek Watershed in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada.

Alanna Strangway1: [email protected]; Steven Marsh1; Sharon Gillies1; Bernhard Peucker- Ehrenbrink2; Paige Bogaerts1; Madelaine Bourdages1; Ellen Clemence1; Audrey Fabre1; Alexandra Growneweg1; Marlena McCabe1.

1. University of the Fraser Valley, Geography and the Environment Dept., Abbotsford, BC, V2S 7M7

2. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

The Fraser River is currently the world’s most productive salmon fishery. Thousands of tributary systems flow into the Fraser drainage basin, which covers approximately 240,000 square kilometres (FBC, 2016). Clayburn Creek Watershed is a salmon bearing tributary system located in Abbotsford British Columbia, Canada. Clayburn Creek Watershed covers approximately 2,250 hectares and faces a variety of impacts from both humans and the environment. This poster aims to identify possible concerns along the stream as it travels through areas of different land use. The geochemical data collected provides preliminary analysis of the current state of the creek.

The 96 B-Line in Metro Vancouver: A Study on Transit-Efficiency and Ridership Improvement

Jiajun Zhang, Geography and the Environment Dept., Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey, BC, V3W 2M8. E-mail: [email protected].

The 96 B-Line is a young but major express transit route in Metro Vancouver, connecting Guildford Centre, Surrey Central, and Newton Centre. As a product of four regional and provincial transportation plans, its mission is to improve the efficiency and ridership of the transit services in Metro Vancouver. The purpose of the study is to assess whether the 96 B-Line is fulfilling its mission. To make the assessment, seven transportation reports concerning the B-Line were reviewed. In addition, first-hand statistics and observed changes were collected, processed, and analyzed. The study concludes that the 96 B-line has positively contributed to the improvement of the transit- efficiency and ridership in Metro Vancouver; however, it has not yet reached its full potential as a major express transit route in the metropolitan area.

Reflecting on Protein: Assessing Forage Nutrition through Spectral Signatures

Jamie Shippit, Masters of Environmental Science, Dr. David Hill, Geography and Environmental Studies, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops B.C., V2C 0C8. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is the most commonly used remote sensing index to monitor crop quality. This index reveals stress in plants and can help a farmer apply irrigation and/or fertilizer; however, it does not reveal the nutritional content of a crop. In the case of forage crops, crude protein is a key indicator of crop quality. This project seeks to develop a statistical model that relates crude protein to the temporal pattern of spectral reflectance signature of alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.) as measured by a broad band radiometer. The prospective

models can be used for optimizing yield and assessing forage nutrition. This will support farmers in harvesting and marketing their feed crops. To limit variability, the first phase of this work explored the temporal-spectral signature of alfalfa under greenhouse conditions. Preliminary results from this greenhouse study will be presented.

Transnational Native Whaling Laws of the Northeastern Pacific

Ike Bancroft ([email protected]), Ava Buss ([email protected]), Shane Crawford ([email protected]). 513 High Street, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA. 98225-9085

The topic of our study is on the history of first nation and national whaling laws of the United States and Canada, as well as the native tribes of those countries along the northeast Pacific ocean (specifically, Makah, Inuit, and Nuu- chah-nulth). Our research involved reviewing literature around the similarities and differences between tribal whaling laws in the United States and Canada. Our findings show that since the colonization of the North American west coast commercial and tribal whaling has undergone a boom-and-bust trajectory contributing to an international moratorium due to population decline. While commercial whaling is still under a strict moratorium following the guidelines of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), Canada and the United States have taken distinct approaches to accommodating first nation tribe’s traditions involving whaling. Our research involves analyzing the history of whaling culture of affected first nation tribes as well as legal criteria for permit granting under international moratorium framework. The synthesis of our research will inform an understanding of modern whaling rights involving tribal groups in the cross-border region of the Pacific Northwest.

Solar Development in China

Shane Carter, Environmental Studies Dept., Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225. E-mail: [email protected]

Darren Levrault, Environmental Studies Dept., Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225. E-mail: [email protected]

Lindsey Rieck, Environmental Studies Dept., Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225. E-mail: [email protected]

This literature review is intended to investigate where China is, where China plans to go, and what are the positive and negative consequences in regards to solar energy development. The study discusses what the problems associated with the current system of energy production are, how the development of a significant solar array can help alleviate the effects of the current energy system, an analysis of what China currently possesses in regards to its solar energy production, the specific plans China has to expand solar energy production, an analysis of the barriers to solar development, and the potential negative consequences associated with the development of solar energy. The study found that while China is the leader in solar panel production, their expansion of power gathered from solar energy is not. Also noted is the potential for serious environmental pollutant reduction, and an increase in the standard of living in rural areas.

Seasonal Variations of Water Quality in Stoney Creek, Abbotsford BC

Groeneweg, Alexandra1, Marsh, Steven1, Peucker-Ehrenbrink, Bernhard2, Gillies, Sharon1, Bourdages, Madelaine1, Bogaerts, Paige1, Paulson, Dianne1 and Strangway, Alanna1

1Universitiy of the Fraser Valley

2Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Stoney Creek, located in Abbotsford BC, is a tributary of the Fraser River and provides crucial habitat for spawning salmon. The headwaters of Stoney Creek are located on Sumas Mountain and the creek flows over a span of 6.5 km onto Matsqui Prairie. Along its length, Stoney Creek flows primarily through single family residential areas and public parks. Much of the creek is already easily accessible by constructed trails or roadways. Water quality data was collected with a YSI ProODO, YSI Professional Plus and a LaMotte 2020we nephelometer in order to provide a preliminary analysis of the current state of Stoney Creek and to identify seasonal variations. Continuous monitoring is required to ensure preservation of this watercourse as its surrounding environment continues to develop.

Management and Preservation of a Bioregion that Spans an International Border: The Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park, Western Washington University.

Amanda Harley, Mekena Harvey, Meena Mortazavi

The management of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park shows that a bioregion can be effectively conserved beyond political borders. The park is the result of the integration of Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park and the United States’ Glacier National Park in 1932. The park encompasses 1,720 square miles spanning across the international border. It represents the peace and goodwill between two nations and their combined efforts to protect this wild area and its resources. In this paper we examined three aspects of the park to determine its effectiveness as an internationally managed park: wildlife conservation, resource management, and the management mechanisms themselves. Threats to wildlife have been effectively reduced, and their migratory and roaming abilities have been maintained via open access to their habitats in the bioregion. Mutually formed goals to protect resources in the Peace Park has led to parallel regulation enacted by the governments in British Columbia and Montana. This legislation prevented any leasing for oil and gas mining in the park, protecting clean water in the park and allowing a focus on wildlife preservation and recreation. A look at the management techniques in the park has shown joint goal formation, mutual enforcement, and continued cooperation between staff and administration. In conclusion, we found that the joint-management by the US and Canada of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park has successfully protected a bioregion that spans an international boundary.

A Creative Cities Analysis of Artists in Vancouver

Bruce Pagnucco, University of British Columbia Geography, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z2, [email protected]

Post-industrial Vancouver has experienced large-scale expansive economic development. This process of expansion reflects many of Richard Florida’s “Creative City Initiative” economic development strategies. One of Florida’s principal strategies is to provide an open and accessible city that caters to the creative class. A proto-typical creative city would be one with a thriving arts and culture scene. Through their municipal policy initiatives, funding, and goals, Vancouver has strategically taken this approach. I argue that this approach has benefited the city economically as a

whole but has predominantly disadvantaged artists themselves who are integral in the development of arts and culture in any given city.

Water Chemistry and Indicator Bacteria in Clayburn Creek Watershed - Fall 2016

Dianne Paulson. Steven Marsh, Sharon Gillies, Alexandra Groeneweg, Alanna Strangway, Madelaine Bourdages, Paige Bogaerts, Department of Biology, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 7M7, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected].

Anthropogenic land use can negatively impact surrounding fresh water systems. It is important to monitor threatened water systems to evaluate their overall health. Since 2012 water chemistry has been measured within the Clayburn/Stoney/Willband watershed of Abbotsford, British Columbia to view trends and determine if changes are occurring. In the fall of 2016, water parameters along various locations within the watershed were measured during months of regular high precipitation. Water samples were also collected from four locations in the watershed which were then analysed for indicator bacteria Escherichia coli and total coliforms. A period of extremely heavy rainfall was experienced during the sampling period which led to a significant increase in bacterial levels. This study provides valuable data which contributes to a growing database of water chemistry for the Clayburn/Stoney/Willband watershed. By looking at water chemistry and bacterial data over time the information can support decision making regarding future anthropogenic land use.

Assessing the influence of local climate on regional variation in the fruit fly Rhagoletis zephyria

Nathan Roueche1,2; Christa Kohnert1; Anna Marie Yanny1; Aquila Flower2; Dietmar Schwarz1.

1 Biology Department, Western Washington University, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225. Email: [email protected]

2 Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225.

Email: [email protected]

Populations of the fruit fly Rhagoletis zephyria express variation in response to desiccation during the pupal stage. This study aimed to determine which climate parameters account for the variation in conditions experienced by these separate populations. Regional climate trends have been proposed as the cause for the closely related and economically significant Rhagoletis pomonella to be limited to more coastal regions in the Pacific northwest, while R. zephyria is nearly ubiquitous. Population samples of R. zephyria were collected from locations throughout Washington state and desiccation resistance was assessed in laboratory conditions. A suite of 30-year climate variable norms of the study area were analyzed at a range of spatial extents. The climate factors accounting for most of the regional variation between sample sites was compared against desiccation response data. A combination of cold winters and dry summers was shown to correlate with desiccation resistance, suggesting adaptation in response to continentality.

The Commodification of Rural Landscapes for Resort Communities: A study of capital interests versus socio- environmental interests

Narain Spolia, Thompson Rivers University, Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies

The commodification of rural areas to create resort communities occurs as we capitalize on people seeking an escape from their daily lives. Through literary reviews, and case studies, I explore the commodification, and development, of the Japanese owned Tod Mountain and the locally owned Harper Mountain within the Thompson-Nicola Regional District in British Columbia. From a Marxist perspective, I compare the ski hills to the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort and Melvin Creek Ski Resort, by outlining the impacts of the power struggle between high level capital interests and low level socio-environmental interests. The preliminary results show that there are sociologically different senses of place, often leading to political conflict and social unrest; however, harmony is possible to achieve. The main conclusion from this research is that although there are differing outlooks towards the natural environment, successful rural development can be attained through a stronger voice from the local level.

NAFTA: The Real Winners and Losers

Miranda Taylor, Environmental Studies Dept., Geography Major, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, 98225. Email: [email protected]

Audrey McHugh, Environmental Studies Dept., Environmental Economics Major, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, 98225. Email: [email protected]

International trade relies heavily on economic integration and predominant influential partners, with the goal of greater economic development among the participating nations. NAFTA was integrated to encourage capital flow and to design market liberalization between member countries. To be able to evaluate who has benefited the most from NAFTA and who has not, the analysis of recent trade data and ‘post NAFTA reviews’ were done, compiling over twenty years of data. Created to compete with the European Union, NAFTA took three presidents to implement and is now the largest Free Trade Agreement in the world, though it is far from being the perfect solution to the development the three countries need. Mexico has come across as the largest beneficiary from the agreement, while Canada and The United States have both benefited but not to the extent as originally projected.

Land-use transitions and biodiversity shifts: the case of birds in the Sumas Prairie of British Columbia

Shae Turner; Mariano Mapili, Department of Geography and the Environment, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

Sumas Prairie, part of the Fraser Lowland to the south of the Fraser River, extends from the Vedder Canal in British Columbia into northern Washington. Prior to 1924 the prairie was inundated by Sumas Lake, which annually flooded the surrounding region during the Fraser River’s freshet. Government sanctioned drainage of Sumas Lake in 1924 resulted in the loss of 14 ha of wetland habitat utilized by numerous species of migratory and resident birds. This poster presents the preliminary findings of a case study on Sumas Prairie, conducted as part of a class project. Bird survey data was collected in Sumas Prairie using a point transect method. Data was then compared to a historical bird survey to identify changes in species richness and diversity that occurred after lake drainage. Survey data was

also collected in a wetland habitat bordering Sumas Prairie to compare community compositions in differing wetland and prairie habitats.

Between a Snake and a Crocodile: A Spatial Analysis of the Stateless Rohingya People

Jason A. Kowal, School of Humanitarian Studies, Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC V9B 5Y2. E-mail: [email protected].

This paper examines the stateless Rohingya people, and the peace prospects of a situation that has been likened to “being caught between a snake and a crocodile”. Inhabiting the Arakan (or Rakhine) state of Myanmar since the sixteenth century, the Rohingya people of today exist as refugees or internally displaced persons in extremely hostile societies. The Myanmar government is adamant that the Rohingya are foreigners and the illegitimate descendants of Bengali peoples; the government of Bangladesh has resisted the flow of refugees into its territory; yet, the geographic facet of this situation is insufficiently addressed. Massive internal displacement in Myanmar, refugee settlement patterns in one of the world’s most densely-populated countries, and the proposed terraforming of the uninhabitable island Thengar Char are analysed from a perspective of human geography with a normative emphasis to show that the landscape clearly reflects political and cultural values.

Landslide-generated wave geomorphology at Chehalis Lake, B.C.

Nicholas J. Roberts, Department of Earth Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., V6H 1R5. E-mail: [email protected]; Robin McKillop, Palmer Environmental Consulting Group Inc., Vancouver, B.C., V6C 1V5; John J. Clague, Department of Earth Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., V6H 1R5; Martin S. Lawrence, BC Hydro, Engineering, Burnaby, B.C., V3N 4X8.

Using systematic field surveys and diverse remotely sensed datasets, we characterize the geomorphic signature of the Chehalis Lake landslide-generated wave and propose a suite of geomorphic features characteristic of displacement waves from subaerial landslides. The 2007 wave at Chehalis Lake drastically altered many kilometres of shoreline, with local run-up exceeding 35 m. Its geomorphic record includes a wide range of erosional, impact, and depositional features. These features form a continuum reflecting shoreline wave energy controlled primarily by distance from the landslide and elevation above the lake surface, and secondarily by shoreline gradient, orientation, and substrate. They are broadly similar to, but more spatially variable than, features of seismogenic tsunamis. Detailed geomorphic mapping of this type can aid site-specific hazard analysis by identifying previously unrecognized displacement-waves and improving understanding of their nearshore hydrodynamics. Furthermore, it provides detailed data for calibrating and validating landslide-generated wave models.

A Polycentric Policy Analysis and Assessment of Solutions for the Skagit River Water Wars

Alanna Ewert, Environmental Studies, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, 98225, [email protected]

Low water levels in the Skagit River threaten three salmonoid species in the Puget Sound: 1) Chinook, 2) Bull Trout, and 3) Steelhead. Consequently, the Washington State Department of Ecology (ECY) developed and now enforce an

Instream Low Flow rule that effectively bans new well development in the Skagit watershed. Subsequently, four lawsuits between 2002 and 2014 have pitted Skagit County versus ECY, the Swinomish and Sauk-Suiattle Tribes against Skagit County, the Swinomish Tribe versus ECY, and two landowners against Skagit County. Yet, in 2016, key stakeholders invested in new Skagit Watershed management and outreach solutions that potentially promise a resolution to what the media has describes as the Skagit Water War. With a combination of interviews, surveys, and document analysis, I explore the following questions: What new institutional arrangements are emerging in the Skagit Water War? Are these arrangements more or less polycentric? Are these arrangements improving or worsening governance outcomes? I utilized an exploratory case study and the theoretical framework of polycentricity. It is an increasingly popular scholarly perspective that examines the promise and pitfalls of collaborative watershed planning.

A Dendroglaciological Investigation of Late Holocene Behaviour at Forrest Kerr Glacier, British Columbia Coast Mountains

Madison K. Guthrie, Geography Department., University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C. V8P 2Z5. E-mail: [email protected]

The retreat and downwasting of glaciers flowing from the Andrei Icefield in the Boundary Ranges in northwestern British Columbia is revealing the remnants of trees buried during Holocene glacier advances. These exposed forest remains provide an opportunity to use dendroglaciological research techniques to better understand Holocene glacier activity. In 2004 and 2006 glacially overridden stumps and detrital wood were collected from eastward flowing Forrest Kerr Glacier. Using these samples, a radiocarbon dated floating chronology was constructed detailing 208 years of ice-free conditions from ca. 1788-1580 cal YBP. Radiocarbon evidence suggests there were four advances that were well under way by ca. 2600 cal YBP, ca. 1700-1600 cal YBP, ca. 1380 cal YBP, and ca. 860 cal YBP. These recorded advances appear to be synchronous with other regions within the Coast Mountains. Research such as this strengthens the knowledge of late-Holocene glacier behaviour in the Coast Mountains.

Implementing sustainability in rural tourism as a way to minimize the negative impacts of commodifying landscapes

Claire Irvine, Geography and Environmental Studies, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8. Email: [email protected]

Rural development can sometimes take the form of tourism. The commodification of landscapes in rural tourism can result in negative social and environmental impacts. This poster focuses on the implementation of sustainability in rural tourism as a way to counter these negative impacts. Based on a literature review, I highlight the negative impacts of commodifying landscapes in mainstream rural tourism. I then demonstrate how implementing aspects of sustainability into rural tourism can reduce these negative impacts. Case study examples are from Spain, Malaysia, and Wells Gray Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. The Spanish study highlights the importance of tourism loyalty in economically sustainable tourism. The Malaysian research demonstrates that community involvement in tourism planning results in increased social sustainability. Finally, the Wells Gray Park study highlights how environmental sustainability can be increased by improving waste disposal to reduce the possibility of soil and water pollution. The main conclusion from this review is that sustainable rural development and rural tourism are complementary, and that commodifying landscapes does not have to result in creative destruction if sustainability is embraced.

From Cows to Cabins: The Commodification of Ranches

Lindsey Jepsen, Geography and Environmental Studies Dept., Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, V2C 0C8. E-mail: [email protected].

Commodification is being used in ranches as an alternate income method. The objective of this poster was to show how the ranch industry is important in British Columbia and how there are stages of commodification. The scope involved examining broad examples and applying them to the specific topic of ranches in the Thompson Nicola Regional District. The methods of this poster were mainly literature review and analysis of ranch websites. The poster displayed statistics on the ranch industry in British Columbia and outlined scales of commodification. The main goal was to apply these scales to specific ranches, by reviewing their webpages and histories. The poster also touched on the topic of technology in tourism and speculated that there could be issues in the future of ranches. The principle conclusion was that the ranch industry is important, changing, and varied in degrees of commodification.

Uncertainty in the Athabasca

Joel Knoop; Kailyn Wiebe, Environmental Studies Dept., The King’s University, Edmonton, Alberta, T6B 2H3, E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

The Athabasca region exemplifies the controversy of oil sands operations, pitting their considerable role in Alberta’s economy and identity against their disproportionate impacts on some of Alberta’s citizens. Many of these impacts, particularly those affecting Indigenous communities, are unknown and understudied. The purpose of this poster is to study the conflicting research around pollutant levels, illustrating the uncertainty that surrounds one of Canada’s most important resources and highlighting the social injustices faced by communities along the Athabasca River. Considerations such as these should be included when making decisions regarding both current and future extraction projects. Literature review of academic, government, and media sources is used to explore this issue from a variety of perspectives. We found conflicting information regarding the research done, showing the necessity for an unbiased third party to get accurate results. The conflicting research makes the extent of disproportionate impacts felt by indigenous communities unclear.

Using Surface Analysis to Characterize Slope and Aspect of Quercus garryana Research Enclosures on Salt Spring Island, BC.

Joy Marconato, Geraldine Jordan (PhD) and David Clements (PhD) Geography and Environmental Studies Department, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, V2Y 1Y1. Email: [email protected]

Slope and aspect are strong controls on vegetation establishment and growth. Slope plays a role in soil depth and, thus, seeding establishment, while aspect controls temperature and moisture regimes. We used GIS surface analysis to evaluate which Garry oak enclosures on Crow’s Nest Ecological Research Area (CNERA; Salt Spring Island, BC) were on low-angled, south-facing slopes. Using a digital elevation model (DEM), we first computed the slope and aspect surfaces of CNERA. We reclassified these images to low-slope and south-facing binary images (respectively), and multiplied the resulting images to determine the low-slope and south-facing areas of the property. We found that there are fewer enclosures on the low-slope, south-facing areas (n=36) than on the higher-slope and/or non-south-

facing areas (n=67). In conclusion, this method of DEM analysis can help to automate slope and aspect analysis of Garry oak enclosures, and other geographic features, of CNERA to help optimize restoration goals.

Mapping Invasive Marshpepper Knotweed in McMillan Lake in Langley, British Columbia

Evie Morin, Geography Dept.; Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, V2Y 1Y1. E-mail: [email protected]

This study creates baseline spatial data of Marshpepper Knotweed, Polygonum hydropiper L., an invasive aquatic plant, to monitor distribution in relation to sun exposure in McMillan Lake, Langley, British Columbia and determine the extent to which shade affects Marshpepper Knotweed’s sprawl and density. After collecting density and weedline data using a GARMIN 76 Global Positioning System, I used ArcGIS 10.3.1 (ESRI, 2015) to model growth distribution and extract growth in shaded areas to compare growth in relation to sun exposure. Marshpepper Knotweed covered 13% less of shaded areas than unshaded areas with a 16% high-density growth reduction in shade, confirming the hypothesis that Marshpepper Knotweed prefers full sun exposure. Results also indicate low and medium density growth is essentially unaffected by sun exposure. As this study shows sun exposure’s effect on growth is minimal, further research on other propagation-influencing factors would enrich the weed’s plant profile and management techniques.

Evaluating Food Donation Quality in the Fraser Valley

Sarah Speight Geography and the Environment, University of the Fraser Valley

Recent proposals to create tax incentives for Canadian retailers who provide in-kind donations to local food banks have spurred a dialogue over the quality and appropriateness of foodstuffs donated by retailers to food banks. This study evaluates the quality and consistency of in-kind donations made by large supermarket chains in the Fraser Valley to local food banks. Five food banks within the municipalities of Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Mission and Langley were contacted for participation. Interviews with each of the food bank directors were conducted in order to gain insight into the quality and consistency of donations received by food banks, and the impact of unusable donations on the food banks. The food banks in this study did not experience high costs in transportation or labour in disposing of unusable donations, as these made up only a small portion of donations received in most cases.

Spatial Relationship between Anthropogenic Trails and Daphne Laurel on Salt Spring Island, BC

Matthew G. Strelau, Geraldine Jordan (PhD) and David Clements (PhD)

Geography and Environmental Studies Department, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, V2Y 1Y1. Email: [email protected]

Daphne laurel has the potential to invade shaded woodlands and fragile, unique Garry oak meadow ecosystems. Our research examines the spatial relationship between daphne laurel and anthropogenic trails, potentially supporting invasion. In June 2016, we surveyed Crow’s Nest Ecological Research Area (Salt Spring Island) for plant individuals and mapped them using Geographic Information Systems. We then computed the distance from each plant individual to the nearest trail. We generated a layer of randomized plant locations, and the distance from each randomly generated individual to the nearest trail was calculated. Results showed a significant difference between

the average distance of actual daphne laurel plants to trails (d=7.88 meters), compared to that of random plants (d=54.54 meters; t=6.325; p<0.0005). Therefore, our study confirms that daphne laurel occurrences are associated with anthropogenic trails indicating a spatial relationship between environmental disturbance and daphne laurel establishment.

The Accessibility of Elementary Schools to Community Gardens in the City of Vancouver, BC, Canada

Huayun Wang, Department of Geography and Environment, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, V2Y 1V1, [email protected]

Studies on ecopsychology have found that providing children with nature experiences enhances children’s understanding of local ecosystems and builds positive attitudes towards environmental protection. I used network analysis in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to investigate the accessibility of public elementary schools to community gardens in the City of Vancouver, British Columbia. My results showed that the average distance between schools and their closest gardens is 876m. Results also showed that only 45% of the schools in the City of Vancouver had access to community gardens within 10-minute walking distance and this percentage dropped to 16% regarding 5-minute walking distance. I recommend more school-to-garden trails in order to increase accessibility. Overall, for future urban planning in the City of Vancouver, more community gardens are needed to provide school children with convenient access to natural activities within a reasonable walking distance.

Kuizema, Christine: Determining spatial distribution and clustering of Japanese Knotweed (fallopia japonica)

Determining spatial distribution and clustering of Japanese Knotweed (fallopia japonica)

Kuizema, Christine. Geomatics Program at University of Victoria, British Columbia. Email: [email protected]

Invasive species are abundant across Canada and thrive on the southwest coast of British Columbia due to the mild annual temperature and consistent precipitation trends.1 Japanese knotweed (fallopia japonica), a perennial plant reaching 3-4m each growing season, has gained notoriety as one of the Top 100 ‘World’s Worst Invasive Species’.2 This research compares two different point pattern analyses 1) a first order nearest neighbour statistical method and 2) a second order density measurement that examines Getis-Ord’s G-statistic with Ripley’s K-function. Through the Invasive Alien Plant Program, 74 sites were selected in the Campbell River region of central Vancouver Island to examine the clustering and density of the noxious weed. With this data it is possible to test for ‘hot-spots’ and spatial randomness to determine if the patterns observed are due to independent random process. These ‘hot-spots’ help determine areas that need to increase eradication methods and help focus government spending on high risk areas.

Fraser Valley Lowland dairy farming natural waste impacts

Ross Neiman, Austin Aumell, Floyd Maddox

Western Washington University - Huxley College of the Environment

In the recent years, dairy farming in the Fraser Lowlands has grown considerably both in the USA and Canada. These various scales of operations mean a substantial increase in point source pollutions of excess nutrients. In our study, we hypothesize that there will be a rise in both nitrate and phosphate pollution. On top of the common excess

nutrients, we also specifically want to examine naturally occurring steroid pollution from lactating cows in the aquifers that have previously been understudied. The induction of natural occurring steroids from milk producing cows is a studied and documented occurrence in the Northeastern San Joaquin valley of California. This is a studied effect that hasn’t been examined here in the Fraser Lowland and we wanted to examine the new effects of these introduced steroids. We aim to compare the success of the Dairy Nutrient Management Act and the Manure Management of British Columbia across the USA/Canada border in containing the pollutants that have been created through Dairy farming. We will look at cross border geographic planning and resource mangement of two differently governed bodies. Lastly we establish if these excess nutrients problems are being addressed by current legislation and what future actions we believe need to be taken.

Crisis in the Eurozone: Why Periphery Economies Failed

Jason Newell, Casey Kilroy, Nick Giroux, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

The uneven economic development of Periphery Eurozone nations, compared to the core of the Eurozone has created conditions that have disproportionately hurt the Eurozone’s periphery. The introduction of the Euro has seen the nominal unit labour cost increase more in peripheral nations than in the core zones. This means that core zone labour is now more competitive compared to when the Euro was implemented in 1999. This has proved to be a hardship among enterprises in the Eurozone’s periphery (Hadjimichalis, 2011). Along with uneven economic development within the Eurozone the periphery’s lack of control over monetary policy meant they could no longer guarantee bonds would be repaid (De Grauwe, 2015). The inability to compete with the Eurozone core coupled with the failure of the Eurozone’s institutions to limit possible crises were contributing factors to both the sovereign debt crisis as well as the slow recovery of a few peripheral nations.

Mapping the Spatial Impact of the British Petroleum Oil Spill (2010) on Public Oyster Reefs and Marsh Vegetation Ecosystems in the Mississippi Delta, USA.

Sarah Leslie, Department of Geography and Environment, Trinity Western University(TWU), Langley, B.C. V2Y 1Y1 [email protected]

In the Mississippi Delta, oyster populations have severely declined. One of the biggest contributors to the decline is the BP oil spill in 2010. The purpose of my research is to calculate the proportion of Louisiana’s coastline vegetation ecosystems and oyster populations that were impacted by oil. I created four maps using marsh vegetation data and public oyster data from the Louisiana Site Selection Center and the BP spill area Gulf of Mexico data from Environmental Systems Research Institute. I used Geographic Information Systems to intersect and clip these data layers to find where the oil layer overlapped with the oyster and marsh vegetation layers. The resulting maps show 32% of oyster areas and 62% of marshlands in Louisiana were impacted by the spill. It is vital we assist in the marshland restoration in the Mississippi Delta to increase oyster populations and improve the health of the coastal ecosystem.