MOUNT ARROWSMITH BIOSPHERE REGION RESEARCH INSTITUTE

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 - 2020 Students, Faculty, and staff at MABRRI acknowledge that the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region is within the unceded territories of Snuneymuxw First Nation, Snaw-naw-as First Nation, Qualicum First Nation, K’ómoks First Nation, Tseshaht First Nation, Hupacsath First Nation, and , and are grateful to have an opportunity to live and learn in this beautiful place.

Contact Pamela Shaw PhD MCIP RPP FRCGS, Research Director Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute University 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo BC V9R 5S5

Websites mabrri.viu.ca; mabr.ca

Email [email protected]; [email protected]

Social Media Facebook.com/MountArrowsmithBR @mtarrowsmithbr

Title page image courtesy of Arrowsmith Media.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 i Executive Summary

The Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute’s (MABRRI) Annual Report was compiled in accordance to VIU’s policies and procedures with regards to Research Institutes. This report provides an overview of MABRRI, including its history and existing research plan, as well as the administrative structure and advisory committee. Ultimately, the purpose of the Annual Report is to highlight the work that was undertaken in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. This report includes a full list of the VIU staff and Faculty that were involved to some degree in one or more of MABRRI’s projects this past year. Additionally, there is a fully comprehensive list of all of the community partners that collaborated with MABRRI between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 ii MABRRI Highlights MABRRI conducts, supports, and facilitates research that meets the environmental, social, cultural, and economic sustainability goals of the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR).

Brought in over

$750,000 in research funding

14 Full-time VIU students and recent graduates employed

20 Part-time students employed

8 Full-time staff and Coordinators

39 Projects resulting in 67 completed reports and deliverables 25 Presentations

1 Visiting Scholar from Brazil

29 VIU Faculty and staff engaged

Collaborated with over 175 community partners from a variety of organizations

Participated in over 70 outreach and education events

Attended15 conferences

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 iv Context

The Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR) is located within the unceded territories of the Snaw-naw-as First Nation, Qualicum First Nation, , Ditidaht First Nation, Tseshaht First Nation, Snuneymuxw First Nation, and K’ómoks First Nation (Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region [MABR], n.d. a). Approximately 45,000 residents live within the 118,000- hectare area (49°07' to 49°23'N; 124°06' to 124°40'W) (MABR, n.d. a). The biogeographic zones range from high alpine (1817 metres at the peak of Mt. Arrowsmith) to 300 metres below sea level, and human activities within the Biosphere Region include forestry, aquaculture, and agriculture, as well as a range of rural to urban land uses (MABR, n.d. a).

The United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) granted the Biosphere Reserve designation in 2000 as part of its Man and the Biosphere Programme (MABR, n.d. b). The MABR was designated in recognition of the unique mix of ecosystems, the transect of elevations from the peak of Mount Arrowsmith to the depths of the Salish Sea, and the ongoing development pressures on the lands and waters within the Biosphere Region. Once designated, UNESCO requires that Biosphere Reserves serve their region and the world as sites of excellence that demonstrate improved ways to resolve human/environment conflicts through local community efforts and sound science (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], n.d.). The MABR is one of 18 Biosphere Reserves in Canada, with 701 designated worldwide as of December 2019 (UNESCO, 2019). The boundaries of the MABR are based on the provincial watersheds, encompassing the headwaters of Mount Arrowsmith (1817 m), Mount Moriarty (1603 m), Mount Cokely (1619 m), and the Nanoose peninsula (MABR, n.d. a). It includes the complete watersheds of the Englishman and Little Qualicum Rivers, French Creek, and many smaller tributaries (MABR, n.d. a). The MABR also includes the Ballenas/ Winchelsea Islands Archipelago and the surrounding marine area, six provincial parks, and the Parksville-Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management Area.

Figure 1: Map of Canadian Biosphere Reserves

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 v Table of Contents

History of MABRRI…………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….. 1 Current Administrative Structure…………………………………………….………………………………………. 7 Advisory Committee…………...…………………………………………………………………………………………… 9 MABRRI Research Plan…………….………………………………………………………………………………………. 10 MABRRI and the Sustainable Development Goals….………………………………………………………… 12 VIU Faculty and Staff Involvement……….………………………………………………………………………….. 13 Community Partners………….……………………………………………………………………………………………. 15 Objectives, Activities, and Achievements……….………………………………………………………………… 22 Contributions made to the Research Experience of Students and the Community..………… 32 Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 38 References………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 39

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 vi List of Figures

Figure 1: Map of Canadian Biosphere Reserves ………………………………… .. v

Figure 2: Location of the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region……………. 1

Figure 3: Administrative Structure of MABRRI ……………………………………… 8

Figure 4: MABRRI Strategic Research Plan 2019 –2022 ……………………….. 11

Figure 5: United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals ………………. 12

List of Tables

Table 1: List of Staff and Faculty involved…………………………….. 13

Table 2: List of Community Partners ……………………………………. 15 - 21

Table 3: List of Student Research Assistants ………………………… 24

Table 4: List of Outreach & Education Events……………………… 25 - 27

Table 5: List of Presentations……………………………………………… 27 - 28

Table 6: List of Conferences…………………………………………………. 29

Table 7: List of Reports and Deliverables……………………………… 29 - 31

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 vii History of MABRRI

MABRRI was recommended as a University Research Institute by VIU’s Provost and Vice-President, Academic and Senate, and approved by the Board of Governors in 2014. The Institute was established subsequent to the MABR1 transitioning from a charitable not-for-profit model to a regional roundtable, spearheaded by VIU and the City of Parksville.

Figure 2: Location of the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region

1It is noted that the term “region” is used instead of “reserve” for the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region, although it is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve. This change was made in 2015 following a discussion at the Roundtable. The term “reserve” has legal meaning in Canada, is a federal government construct that was not developed by the at the Roundtable, and has a geographic definition that is simply not accurate: the biosphere area is not a reserve, preserve, or otherwise protected by the UNESCO designation. The MABR was renamed as “region” to recognize the jurisdictional authority of First Nations, and to provide a more accurate geographic descriptor of the area. It is noted that the Clayoquot Biosphere Region has also amended their name, and other Biosphere Reserves across Canada are considering the amendment.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 1 MABRRI conducts, supports, and facilitates research that meets the environmental, social, cultural, and economic sustainability goals of the MABR and upholds the mandate of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme. The purpose of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme is to improve the relationships between people and their environments through a global network of locally managed and internationally recognized Biosphere Reserves (UNESCO, 2017). Biosphere Reserves support and facilitate collaboration between Indigenous Peoples, stewardship organizations, all levels of government, corporations, academic institutions, and residents. Partners work together to address the four complementary functions of all Biosphere Reserves: (1) conservation of biodiversity; (2) sustainable development; (3) support for research, monitoring, and education; and (4) support mitigation and adaptation to climate change (MABR, n.d. c). Biosphere Reserves seek to inspire a positive future by connecting people and nature today. The Research Institute also works to uphold VIU's research and academic plans by creating projects and initiatives that have regional impact and are relevant to First Nations, governments, and local communities. MABRRI is committed to student success through engagement in community based applied research. MABRRI offers VIU students paid and volunteer research experiences to help them build their personal capacity and academic curriculum vitae while contributing to VIU’s goals relating to experiential learning, local relevance, and scholarly activity.

MABRRI’s Mission is… to advance a program of inquiry that involves all regional stakeholders in meaningful explorations of issues of local relevance. By harnessing the knowledge of the MABR community and the interdisciplinary strengths of students at VIU, MABRRI seeks to be a centre for collaborative research, innovation, and knowledge sharing that will elevate the relationship between people and nature in the biosphere region.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 2 The history of the first six years of the Research Institute, 2014 to 2019, is outlined below: 2014 MABRRI was officially approved as a VIU Research Institute in 2014. As outlined in the proposal to create the Research Institute, it was stated that the Institute will: • Encourage research relating to the Biosphere Reserve; $20,000 • Acquire and manage funding for student-focused research; Secured for the research budget • Engage the community in participatory research;

• Meet the reporting and outreach requirements of UNESCO; and

• Achieve the goals of VIU’s Academic Plan.

Dr. Pam Shaw was named MABRRI’s Research Director by former Vice President, Academic and Provost, Dr. Dave Witty. The Provost’s Office funded two employees to assist with VIU’s new partnership in a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve: Linda Brooyman was hired full-time to advance MABRRI, while Monica Shore was hired part-time to advance the MABR of which the Provost was the Director. Graham Sakaki was hired during his undergraduate degree as a Work-Op Research Assistant (Bachelor of Arts in Geography, specializing in Natural Resource Management). Three internal grants (VIU Research Awards Committee funding) provided a research budget of just over $20,000.00 during the first year of operation. 2015 In 2015, Graham Sakaki moved into the position of Research Coordinator following the completion of his undergraduate degree at VIU. This position was full-time during the summer research season, reducing to part-time when Graham began his graduate degree in the Master of Community Planning Program. MABRRI was able to hire multiple research assistants and work-op students with the majority of funding coming from internal VIU grants. This year marked the beginning of other Faculty across VIU leading independent MABRRI research projects. The Provost’s Office continued to fund portions of the two staff salaries to build community relationships with MABR and MABRRI, and to encourage engagement with Faculty and students across VIU on collaborative, community based applied research projects. Near the end of 2015, MABRRI was provided office space in Building 305, Room 442, which enabled greater collaboration among Faculty, staff, students, and volunteers. MABRRI also completed its 2015-2018 Strategic Research Plan.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 3 2016 By 2016, MABRRI was making significant advancements with regards to improving public knowledge of the MABR and MABRRI, and expanded their number of projects to 6. This was a breakthrough year for external project funding, and the start of larger long-term projects including Wetland Mapping in the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) and Amazing Places in the MABR. Funding was acquired from Canada Summer Jobs and the 7 Summer students Saint John’s School of Alberta Legacy Foundation that permitted the hiring of seven full-time VIU students 18 Students throughout the through the summer months, in addition to 18 students academic year throughout the academic year.

2017 In 2017, MABRRI more than doubled both the number of students employed and project funding. Monica Shore left her position at VIU to pursue a career with the Canadian Biosphere Reserve Association (CBRA). Graham Sakaki stepped into the role of MABRRI’s Research and Community Engagement Coordinator, while Ashley Van Acken was hired to replace Monica Shore. This year also marked the start of MABRRI working outside of the boundaries of the MABR through new working relationships and partnerships across Vancouver Island. At the end of 2017, MABRRI also hired two full-time Doubled Project Coordinators, Larissa Thelin and Haley Tomlin, to assist with the supervision of the many student the number of students employed employees and the coordination of the many research projects conducted throughout the year. +2 New full-time Coordinators

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 4 2018 In the summer of 2018, MABRRI employed 23 full-time VIU students/recent graduates on 30 separate projects. Five of these students were recent graduates, and the remainder were graduate and undergraduate students returning to study in the Fall. During the Fall term, MABRRI employed 11 students as research assistants to work part-time on many different projects. Many new milestones for MABRRI were again set in 2018, doubling the amount of funding received from the previous year. Larissa Thelin moved into the full-time 23 Summer students Assistant Research and Community Engagement Coordinator position, Haley Tomlin continued her role as a full-time Project Coordinator, and Sarah Holden was 30 Projects hired as the newest Project Coordinator. Four additional full-time team members were hired through matching funding from both Mitacs Career Connect and the Environmental Careers Organization of Canada (ECO Canada). Ariel Verhoeks joined us as our Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing Specialist, while Courtney Vaugeois, Jessica Pyett, and Kidston Short, all VIU graduates, joined us as Senior Research Assistants. MABRRI’s greatest achievement in 2018 was measured in our new and ongoing relationships. Regionally, many new partnerships were formed, and the breadth of research and community engagement projects expanded, as well. MABRRI has become a recognized name among municipalities, First Nations, researchers, funders, and community members alike. In 2018, the Research Institute was approached on numerous occasions (this statistic was not tracked, but felt like dozens of instances) with student work opportunities, requests for proposals, and partnerships. While not every contact resulted in a new collaborative student/ community/Faculty partnership this was a year of growth and implementation of the Strategic Research Plan. MABRRI has worked diligently to raise the profile of VIU and expand the range of opportunities available to students.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 5 2019 MABRRI continued to increase our revenue, bringing in more than $750,000.00 to the Research Institute in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. With this funding MABRRI was able to employ 14 full-time VIU students/recent graduates on 39 projects throughout the year. Of the 14 full-time employees, 4 were recent graduates, while the rest of the employees were current undergraduate and graduate students. Further, MABRRI employed 20 students throughout the Fall and Spring semesters on a part-time basis. in research $750,000 funding In addition to the students that were employed throughout the year, MABRRI gained more full-time employees, all of which were recent VIU graduates. 39 Projects Haley Tomlin moved into the full-time Assistant Research and Community Engagement Coordinator position, while Jessica Pyett and Courtney Vaugeois became Project Coordinators. With funding from Eco-Canada’s Internship Program, Alanna Vivani was hired as a MABRRI Senior Research Assistant, and Mandy Hobkirk was hired as the Interim MABR Coordinator. Finally, with funding from Eco-Canada’s Co-op Program, Jenica Ng- Cornish was hired as a MABRRI Senior Research Assistant. MABRRI maintained current partnerships and was able to develop many new ones. The Research Institute was regularly invited to be involved in many local and regional meetings; often being approached to be involved in and provide insight into a number of local initiatives. The team at MABRRI was able to expand VIU’s geographic reach by undertaking projects across Vancouver Island. Projects occurred in Gold River, Campbell River, Cowichan Lake region, Port Renfrew, and the Courtenay/Comox region, in addition to continuing to work on projects in the typical geographic range from Nanaimo north to Qualicum Beach.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 6 Current Administrative Structure

The image on the next page illustrates the current internal administrative structure of MABRRI (Figure 3). Overtime, this structure has evolved from an ad hoc three-person team formed in August 2014 to an administrative structure that is intended to: • Create research experiences for students;

• Help students build capacity in project management;

• Ensure rigor in research design;

• Assist students in building field skills and experiences in community engagement;

• Assist students in building qualitative and quantitative research skills;

• Assist students in advancing presentation and report writing skills;

• Ensure full project oversight by Faculty on every research project;

• Provide a point of contact for community members, First Nations, local governments, and agencies interested in engaging students in community-based, applied research;

• Ensure compliance with VIU policies and regulations for staff; and

• Ensure full compliance with VIU’s guiding documents and principals.

The Research Director and Research & Community Engagement Coordinator guide MABRRI’s day-to-day operations. Faculty Researchers are involved in specific projects and are responsible for developing their research program and managing their student researchers. Visiting Researchers are part of the Administrative Structure on occasion, and must be: self-funded; have research that engages VIU students; engage in research of that matches MABRRI’s vision and focus areas: and engage in research that meets all VIU ethical, policy, and regulatory requirements. Project Coordinators are current VIU students or graduates from a VIU undergraduate or graduate program. The GIS Specialist is either an Intern from VIU’s Advanced Diploma in GIS or a graduate of that program. Senior Research Assistants are VIU undergraduate or graduate students or graduates who have more than one year of experience at MABRRI and are given higher levels of responsibility on individual projects and/or are working on more than one project. Research Assistants are undergraduate or graduate students with less than one year of experience at MABRRI and are generally working on one project. Research Work Ops are funded through the Centre for Experiential Learning and provide up to 70 hours of employment each term, generally on one project. Research Volunteers are students, Faculty and community members who engage with MABRRI for specific volunteer opportunities, such as the annual BioBlitzes or community engagement events.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020

7

Figure 3: Administrative Structure of MABRRI

MABRRI is located in Building 305, Room 442. In the summer research season, MABRRI has expanded to other locations across campus to accommodate the number of students working on projects, research projects that have specific space requirements, and to store equipment needed for current projects.

No changes have been made to the administrative structure of MABRRI in the past year.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 8 Advisory Committee

MABRRI’s research program is developed at an annual meeting with the MABR Roundtable. The members of the Roundtable serve as the Advisory Committee, and shape the research program by providing direction and information on issues important to the local community. Members on the Roundtable include First Nations, private entities, agencies, and levels of government with jurisdictional interests in the MABR. Current members are as shown below. MABRRI is also an active member of the Roundtable. In the 2019-2020 year, the Roundtable welcomed back the Regional District of Nanaimo, as well as welcomed the Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism Association to the family. Membership at the Roundtable is entirely voluntary. The Roundtable is not a legal entity, and the MABR is not a not-for-profit agency. Instead, the partners at the Roundtable have agreed to work together to forward the mandate of UNESCO for Biosphere Reserves, support the activities of MABRRI, and to move toward greater levels of cooperation and sustainability for the mid-Island area. There are also two Community Representatives at the Roundtable, each holding a staggered two-year position (that is, one is appointed each year for a two-year term). These representatives are selected by the members of the Roundtable following a call to the MABR community for volunteers. Current to the end of the 2019-2020 fiscal year, there is only one Community Representative sitting at the Roundtable. The MABR Coordinator is currently working with the rest of the Roundtable to find a youth representative to fill the other Community Representative seat.

Community Representatives

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 9 MABRRI Research Plan

MABRRI completed its current research plan in 2018: the MABRRI’s Research Objectives are: Plan covers a three-year time frame, ending in 2022. The 2019-2022 Plan was developed through 2018 and 1. Continue to establish meaningful involved extensive engagement with the MABR partnerships with a diverse range of people, Roundtable. This Plan is attached as Appendix A. organizations, and communities in the Highlights from this Plan include MABRRI’s Research MABR; Themes and Priority Areas, which are defined as 2. Continue to foster relationships with local environmental sustainability; cultural and social First Nations based on trust and mutual sustainability; and economic sustainability. Within each of respect by adhering to the Guiding these research themes are several priority areas of focus: Principles established in 2015 for collaboration with First Nations (see Appendix A); Environmental Sustainability 3. Facilitate respectful dialogue between MABR stakeholders to determine the Climate Change current research needs within the MABR; Watersheds 4. Advance the research goals of the MABR community by providing logistical support, Biodiversity equipment, training, and expertise and encouraging community-based participatory research; Cultural and Social Sustainability 5. Provide a venue for regional partners to Traditional Knowledge and History share knowledge, review current research, and collaborate on solutions to increase the Reconciliation environmental, social, cultural, and economic sustainability of the region; Relationships of People and Nature 6. Provide practical hands-on learning experiences to students at VIU and Economic Sustainability opportunities for conducting relevant applied research in the MABR; Natural Resource Management 7. Integrate education about sustainable development, science, and culture in the Food Security and Sovereignty MABR into VIU course curricula and other educational venues in the region, and; Sustainable Development 8. Promote a diverse range of perspectives through interdisciplinary research and In the next strategic plan, MABRRI will align its research collaboration. themes and priorities with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to align its efforts more closely with the Man and the Biosphere Programme.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 10 Also contained in this Research Plan is MABRRI’s Vision for Collaboration with our stakeholders. Building long-term relationships is key to this objective; ideally, research projects will fit the needs of our partners, provide meaningful research experiences for our students, and be of benefit to VIU and the surrounding area. The term “mutual benefit” is the key foundational component of these partnerships. One of MABRRI’s research objectives is to advance the research goals of the MABR community by providing logistical support, equipment, training, expertise and encouraging community- based participatory research. MABRRI invites community members and stakeholders to propose project ideas, then the team will seek out interested Faculty, students, and funding to create new knowledge that benefits the local community. Not every project can be fully addressed, but MABRRI keeps an “Idea Hive” so suggestions for research are not lost. Community members or agencies interested in partnering with MABRRI can submit a proposal in writing via the website. Figure 4: MABRRI Strategic Research Plan 2019 –2022 The Research Plan also establishes the metrics by which MABRRI measures success. The first is MABRRI’s overall research output, which can be gauged by the number of reports and publications MABRRI produced between 2019 and 2022. The second is the number of students and Faculty/staff directly or indirectly involved in research MABRRI undertakes. Another important indicator is the number of partnerships that MABRRI has formed with community organizations and stakeholders in the region. From a more qualitative perspective, MABRRI also evaluates its impact on the surrounding community through community feedback and increased levels of awareness. This will include the number of public events that MABRRI leads or takes part in and the level of participation at these events. MABRRI has seen all of these indicators increase each year, and it is anticipated the numbers will be maintained or increase in the coming years. There have been no changes to the research plan in the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 11 MABRRI and the Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, the United Nations developed the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs are part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and are applicable to all countries (United Nations, 2020). The 17 Goals call all nations, regardless of economic status, to take action towards fostering the social, economic, and cultural prosperity of their citizens while simultaneously caring for and protecting the earth (United Nations, 2020). The achievement of these goals requires efforts from all levels and sectors. As such, the importance of these goals has been recognized worldwide by many groups and organizations as an opportunity to help achieve the global agenda. As MABRRI focusses on the three pillars of sustainability, all of MABRRI’s projects touch on the SDGs in some way. Throughout the document the SDG icons will be placed next to MABRRI projects or initiatives that relate to the SDGs. The icons indicate which SDG(s) that project specifically relates to.

Figure 6: United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 12 VIU Faculty and StaffInvolvement

MABRRI is different from other research institutes in that it is not attached to one researcher or Faculty at VIU, nor is it limited to a single research focus: instead, MABRRI is open to the participation of all students and staff, across all faculties and campuses, and across an unlimited range of creative investigations. The 118,000-hectare biosphere region contains a wealth of research opportunities – from endangered species to aging human populations, from ancient fish weirs to high-tech industries, from languages spoken to ways of governance – the potential research questions are as varied as the topography of the MABR. MABRRI is different, as well, in that UNESCO holds the designation for the Biosphere Reserve and there are actions and reporting requirements that must be met to maintain this designation. A positive element of this are the national and international connections made possible through the Canadian Biosphere Reserve Association, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, EuroMaB, and other programme sectors of the United Nations. VIU and the local community benefit from the founding of MABRRI through new scholarly activity that involves the wider community and advances knowledge on the history, culture, lands, waters, species, and people in the Biosphere Region. Many VIU Faculty and staff have been part of the research initiatives completed in the last year as Project Leads, technical experts, student mentors, and occasional volunteers at activities such as the annual BioBlitzes. The depth of knowledge and commitment of staff at VIU is astounding: involvement in research generally does not include financial benefits or a reduced course load, but this has certainly not been a barrier to involvement. The following staff and faulty from VIU were involved in projects with MABRRI this year: Alan Gilchrist Alison Taplay Carl Butterworth Caroline Josefsson Chelsea Caul Craig Evans Darrell Harvey Deanna Fergusen Don Alexander Eric Demers Geoff Ball Geraldine Manson Greg Cran Hitomi Kimura Jerome Lesemann John Morgan Les Malbon Lindsay McCunn Lynda Albury Margot Croft Marla Morden Mark Holland Michael Lait Pamela Murray Patrick Brennan Rachel Stern Robin McLay Roisin Mulligan Sylvie Lafreniere Table 1: List of Staff and Faculty involved

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 13 In addition to the VIU Faculty that worked with MABRRI, the Research Institute also hosted a visiting researcher: Dr. Maria Ines Paes Ferreira from the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Fluminense in Brazil. This is the third time that Dr. Ines has visited MABRRI, previously having visited for collaboration purposes in 2016 and 2017. Dr. Ines is one of the collaborators in MABRRI’s Canadian Mountain Network Project – The View from 2117: Human Actions, Consequences, and Perspectives on Mountain Regions. This most recent visit was focused on working on a third and fourth collaborative paper with Pam and Graham where they are re-assessing the work they had done in their previous paper which examined means of ranking a social environmental system’s capacity for thriving and equality. For this study, the ranking system that was developed and re-assessed was tested on two research areas: the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region in Canada and the Eighth Hydrographic Region of the State of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The goal is to have the papers published in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

Visit from Maria Ines (2019)

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 14 Community Partners

Included below are the agencies, First Nations, local governments, community members, and student volunteers that MABRRI has engaged with over the last year on short-term initiatives and ongoing projects.

Project Community Member Organization Amazing Places Blaine Sepos PQB Tourism Association Daniel Sailland Town of Qualicum Beach Michelle Harnett Community Member Bull Kelp Monitoring & Enhancement Amanda Zielinski Hornby Island Diving Plots Bill Heath Project Watershed Ed Singer Sundown Diving Mark Bright Sundown Diving Nathan Blasco Green Sea Kelp Co. Rob Zielinski Hornby Island Diving Environment and Climate Stephanie Brick Change Canada Tom Frederickson Community Member City of Campbell River: Environmental Chris Osborne City of Campbell River Bench Marking City of Campbell River: Tree Heather Kauer City of Campbell River Protection Bylaw City of : Cannabis Katelyn McDougall City of Port Alberni Production Zoning Coastal Forest Plant Phenology Craig Clarke Community Member Research & Monitoring Pilot Dorothee Kieser Community Member Gary Murdock Community Member Heather Klassen MoFLNRORD Holly Blackburn Community Member Joanne Clarke Community Member Ronda Murdock Community Member Community Watershed Monitoring Lauren Fegan Regional District of Nanaimo Network Sarah Gourlay Regional District of Nanaimo Cowichan Valley Regional District Cowichan Valley Regional Coralie Breen Indicator Project District District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw Kyle Young District of Lantzville Illustrations

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 15 Diana Krall Plaza Redevelopment Bill Corsan City of Nanaimo Plan David Witty Community Member Ecological Accounting Process: Partnership for Water David Huer Kilmer and Shelley Creek Sustainability in BC Partnership for Water Tim Pringle Sustainability in BC Ecological Research as Education Network (EREN) Permanent Forest Meghan Coupar MoFLNRORD Plots ETHOS Ocean Ecosystem Exhibit Carl Rathburn MVIHES Janet Richards Soft Shore Jennifer Bate MacMillan Arts Centre Jodi Waters School District 68 Laura Terry DFO Peter Law MVIHES Ross Peterson MVIHES Shelley Goertzen MVIHES Forage Fish Spawning Habitat Thetis Island Nature Ann Eriksson Monitoring Conservancy Barb Riordan MVIHES Bea Proudfoot Project Watershed Becki LaForage Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Ben McManus MVIHES Betty Kehlu Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Brenda Little MVIHES Brian Kovel Peninsula Stream Society Brian Lax Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre Cowichan Valley Naturalists’ Bruce Coates Society Carl Buchanan MVIHES Carl Rathburn MVIHES Chris Depka School District 69 Christy Wilson Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers/

Cliff Robinson DFO Connor Reid Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Daryl Erickson Qualicum Beach

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 16 Forage Fish Spawning Habitat Dave Hendry Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Monitoring Friends of Sunshine Coast Dianne Sanford Forage Fish Don Lyster Qualicum Beach Thetis Island Nature Doug Fenton Conservancy Elizabeth Hardy Qualicum Beach Thetis Island Nature Frank English Conservancy Graham Nicholas Tsleil-Waututh Nation Helen Jones Heron Strauss Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Ian Bruce Peninsula Stream Society Isobel Pearsall Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers/ Jac Huard University of British Columbia Jacklyn Barrs WWF Canada Janet McManus MVIHES Thetis Island Nature Jean Ensminger Conservancy Jenn Blancard Ruby Lake Lagoon Society Jenn Yakimishyn BC Parks Jennifer Sutherst Project Watershed Joanna Mackenzie Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers John Phillips MVIHES/ Qualicum Beach Joy Hofer MVIHES Keith McCrae Qualicum Beach Thetis Island Nature Keya White Conservancy Krista Bohlen BC Parks Kyla Clifford Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Leah Walberg MVIHES Marilyn Heraty Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Thetis Island Nature Maureen Loiselle Conservancy

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 17 Forage Fish Spawning Habitat Nancy Hancock MVIHES Monitoring Nancy Laird Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Nikki Wright SeaChange Cowichan Estuary Nature Pamela Williams Centre Thetis Island Nature Pat English Conservancy Patricia Hunter Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Paul Smith Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Rebecca Martone Marine Plan Partnership Thetis Island Nature Rob Welsh Conservancy Ross Chapman Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Ruby Chapman Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Ryan Christie Qualicum Beach Shelley Goertzen MVIHES Shirley Nicolson Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Sylvie Riessner Qualicum Beach Terry Curran Pacific Salmon Foundation Walter Berry Gabriola Island ShoreKeepers Young Nguyen Project Watershed Global Observational Research Hans Romer Community Member Initiative in Alpine Environments Kristina Swerhun Community Member (GLORIA) Libby Avis Community Member Gold River Parks and Trails Master Brad McRae Village of Gold River Plan Indigenous Services Canada: Council for the Advancement Indigenous Homes Innovation Danielle Staley of Native Development Initiative (IHII) Officers (CANDO) Iryna Pryhara Indigenous Services Canada Janice Edgar Free Agent International Journal for UNESCO Dr. Laura Loucks Clayoquot Biosphere Trust Biosphere Reserves Conservatorium Research Dr. Leah Barclay Centre, Australia Stockholm Resilience Centre, Dr. Lisen Schultz Sweden

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 18 International Journal for UNESCO Perth College, University of Biosphere Reserves Professor Martin Price the Highlands and Islands, Scotland Dr. Maureen Reed University of Saskatchewan K’ómoks First Nation: Community Ashley Wright K’ómoks First Nation Pulse 2020 Jenny Millar K’ómoks First Nation Michelle Byers K’ómoks First Nation MABR BioBlitz Christopher Stephens Community Member Heather Klassen MoFLNRORD Jesse Miller VIU Student Volunteer Kate Thomas Community Member Larry Williams Community Member Laura Gilbert ProFor Consulting Luke Vennard Community Member Mark Mudryck VIU Student Volunteer Mike Anderson Community Member Natalie Khtikian VIU Student Volunteer Olivia Murphy VIU Student Volunteer Rachel McGuinness VIU Student Volunteer Local Expert Volunteer Scott Gilmore (Entomologist) Tanya Seebacher Golder Associates Tyrel Samson VIU Student Volunteer Map of MABR Angus Weller Community Member Blaine Sepos PQB Tourism Association Parksville & District Chamber Kim Burden of Commerce Parksville Parks, Trails, and Open Deb Tardiff City of Parksville Spaces Master Plan Randy Hall City of Parksville Warren Payne City of Parksville Preserving Language and Qualicum First Nation Kim Recalma Knowledge Pertaining to Native Member Plants Traditionally used by Dr. Nancy Turner Community Member Qualicum Beach Visioning/ Luke Sales Town of Qualicum Beach Redesign Rebecca Augustyn Town of Qualicum Beach

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 19 Snaw-naw-as First Nation Garden Debbie Heath Community Nurse Café Gordon Walls Community Member Sean Weins Community Member Snaw-naw-as First Nation Garden Alison Drennan Island Health Authorities of Spiritual Healing Snaw-naw-as First Nation Ann Bob Member Snaw-naw-as First Nation Bonnie Jones Member Snaw-naw-as First Nation Debbie Bob Member Debbie Heath Community Nurse Donna Edwards Snaw-naw-as Health Centre Gail Bradley Snaw-naw-as Health Centre Snaw-naw-as First Nation Jake Bob Member Snaw-naw-as First Nation Jim Bob Member Snaw-naw-as First Nation Jocelyn Edwards Member Snaw-naw-as First Nation Lawrence Mitchel Member Mark Stephens Community Member Vanessa Bob Snaw-naw-as Health Centre Sustainable Development Goals & Anastasia Lukyanova City of Powell River VIU Creative Economy and Claudia Medina Innovation Initiative Emma Levez Larocque Plantbased RHN Jake Anderson Climate Action Powell River Mary Kate Costello Hunger Project BC Council for International Mike Simpson Cooperation Rebecca Mellet University of Victoria Foundation for Steve Lee Environmental Stewardship Stuart Clark LIFT Community Services Creative Economy and Vivien Goss Innovation Initiative Wendy Drummond Fibrespace

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 20 The View from 2117: Canadian Lindsay Chase University of Victoria Mountain Network Instituto Federal de Maria Ines Paez Ferriera Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Fluminense, Brazil Perth College, University of Dr. Martin Price the Highlands and Islands, Scotland (UK) Dr. Maureen Reed UNESCO Monica Shore Community Member Vancouver Island Economic Coast Capitol Savings Credit Bret Torok-Both Alliance (VIEA): Wood Recovery Union and Fuel Reduction Cindy Stern Stern Sustainable Solutions George Hanson VIEA Westwood Farm Dr. John Cline Community Member Wetland Mapping & Monitoring in Barb Riordan MVIHES the Regional District of Nanaimo Bernd Keller MVIHES Christopher Stephens Community Member Dave Vey Mosaic Forest Management Faye Smith MVIHES Julie Pisani Regional District of Nanaimo Ken Epps Mosaic Forest Management Peter Law MVIHES Steve Adams Mosaic Forest Management

Table 2: List of Community Partners

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 21 Objectives, Activities, and Achievements

The following provides highlights under the three noted categories but should not be considered a full reporting on all activities that were completed between April 2019 and March 2020. As MABRRI typically has more than 20 projects running at one time, including every project would have resulted in a very lengthy report. If interested, up-to-date information on each project is available on MABRRI’s website: https://mabrri.viu.ca/ Objectives: • Find external funding to support ongoing research activities;

• Continue to foster relationships with local First Nations based on adhering to the Guiding Principles established in 2015;

• Continue to expand partnerships with a diverse range of people, organizations, and communities in order to continue raising the profile of VIU; and,

• Increase the MABR and MABRRI’s presence in the region, increasing awareness of the Biosphere Reserve and the work that the MABR Roundtable is contributing to the region.

Activities (Highlighted Research Projects) Snaw-naw-as First Nation Garden Cafés In collaboration, Snaw-naw-as First Nation, VIU, MABRRI, and Vancouver Island Health Authority hosted Garden Cafés for the Snaw-naw-as First Nation community. For this program, a chef was hired to offer several simple ways to prepare vegetables and demonstrate how to cook them. For example, the first week the chef focused on zucchini and provided recipes and cooking instructions on how to prepare zucchini Provençal, zucchini sage and brown butter, and zucchini and herbs. The program was hosted six times from August to October 2019 during the Loaves & Fishes Food Bank at the Snaw-naw-as Health Centre. The Garden Café was well-received by the community, and successfully taught the Snaw-naw-as First Nation community simple, yet delicious ways to eat healthy.

The View from 2117: Human Actions, Consequences, and Perspectives on Mountain Regions In 2019, VIU joined the University of Alberta and a handful of other universities across Canada as part of the Canadian Mountain Network (CMN). As part of the CMN, VIU’s and MABRRI’s research project is examining the ways in which individuals and collective behaviour, population growth, regulatory regimes, and societal change have affected and will affect First Nations, mountain communities, and mountain environments over the next century. The project will focus on the MABR, examining the human-nature connection associated with the region. The methodology for this project is multi-modal and will include demographic analyses, indicator development, field research, surveys, focus groups, and psychological assessments. The project is expected to run until 2022.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 22 MABR Youth Program This program is designed to teach students the importance of environmental, social, cultural, and economic sustainability on a local scale. The MABR Youth Program provides four different hands-on workshops at no cost to schools within the MABR. Currently, the program offers three elementary school workshops that instructors can choose from which investigate coastal ecosystems, terrestrial ecosystems, or sustainable development. Additionally, one course for high school students focused on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals was developed. Pending funding, this project will be long-term.

K’ómoks First Nation: Community Pulse 2020 MABRRI is working with K’ómoks First Nation to develop a Community Pulse document, which provides a snapshot of the community, outlining demographic, economic, social, and environmental indicators. The document will showcase the current strengths and challenges that the community is facing. By outlining these aspects of the community, it is anticipated that K’ómoks First Nation will have a greater understanding of where resources should be allocated to most benefit their member’s needs effectively and efficiently. This project is anticipated to finish in the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

Westwood Farm Project MABRRI partnered with VIU's Workplace Essential Skills and Training (WEST) Program and Nanaimo Foodshare Society to complete an environmental inventory and assessment of a 48-acre farm and Cather's Lake, located in the East Wellington area of Nanaimo. There are minimal disturbances on the farm, proving to be a haven for many species of flora and fauna during critical period(s) of their lives such as breeding, mating, and migration seasons. Initially used as an irrigation system for the farm decades ago, Cather’s Lake is now surrounded by a neighbourhood whom all enjoy what the lake has to offer. Here, you can find the threatened and native Western Painted Turtle. This project has since wrapped up, with the final report to be finalized later in 2020.

Ecological Accounting Process In partnership with the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia (PWSBC), the Ecological Accounting Process (EAP) project took place in the Kilmer Creek Watershed in North Vancouver and the Shelly Creek Watershed in Parksville. Completed at the end of 2019, this project used EAP methodology to examine how the natural commons, such as riparian areas surrounding streams, impact property values through the proximity to streams and the ecosystem services they provide. Additionally, the EAP analyzes the value of the land underlying the natural commons, areas where the riparian setback area and stream channel fall, as well as the investment of maintenance and management that is put into the stream by property owners, the local government, and stewardship groups. Resulting from this project are two reports detailing the EAP results providing research to inform decisions regarding ecological assets, as well as evidence to support management of the natural commons from a financial perspective.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 23 Highlighted Achievements

Student Research Assistants

Name Enrolled Program Undergraduate/Graduate Alan Cavin Community Planning Graduate Alex Harte Geography Undergraduate Alisha Feser Sociology Undergraduate Becky Thiessen Community Planning Graduate Brandon Riddoch Visual Arts Undergraduate Brian McLoughlin Community Planning Graduate Brittney Milner Fisheries and Aquaculture Undergraduate Carson Anderson Recreation and Tourism Undergraduate Cassidy Funk Geoscience Undergraduate Cassy Twiname Biology Undergraduate Chelsey Andrews Community Planning Graduate Chrissy Schellenberg Biology Undergraduate Liang (Cliff) Feng Community Planning Graduate Colby Mahood Geography Undergraduate Dylan Thiessen Community Planning Graduate Emma Ferris Psychology Undergraduate Jason Bradley Geographic Information Systems Post-Degree Diploma Jayme Gretzinger Fisheries and Aquaculture Undergraduate Jeffrey Fontaine Geography Undergraduate Jenica Ng-Cornish Geoscience Undergraduate Mandy Hobkirk Biology Undergraduate Megan White Geography Undergraduate Melanie Poerner Loureriro Biology Undergraduate Molly Blower Community Planning Graduate Rachel McGuinness Fisheries and Aquaculture Undergraduate Steffi Sunny Community Planning Graduate Teneal Gagnon Psychology Undergraduate Table 3: List of Student Research Assistants

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 24 Outreach & Education Events Event Type of Engagement Date MABR Youth Program: Terrestrial Workshop Facilitation/host April 11, 2019 Forage Fish Training Session: Pacheedaht First Nations & Facilitation/host April 12, 2019 San Juan Enhancement Society MABR BioBlitz: 4th Annual Facilitation/host April 13, 2019 Parksville Parks, Trails, and Open Spaces Open House Facilitation April 23, 2019 Forage Fish Training Session: School District 68 Teachers Facilitation/host April 24, 2019 MABR Youth Program: Terrestrial Workshop Facilitation/host April 30, 2019 Geography Articulation Group: MABR Tour Facilitation/host May 2, 2019 MABR Youth Program: Coastal Workshop Facilitation/host May 7, 2019 Nanaimo Stewardship Group Meeting Partnership Building May 8, 2019 MABR Youth Program: Coastal Workshop Facilitation/host May 9, 2019 VIU’s Social Innovation Workshop Facilitation May 15, 2019 MABR Youth Program: Terrestrial Workshop Facilitation/host May 21, 2019 Plant Phenology Training Session Facilitation/host May 24, 2019 Forage Fish Training Session: MVIHES & QB Facilitation/host May 29, 2019 StreamKeepers Beach seine with MVIHES for ETHOS Attendee May 30, 2019 Forage Fish Demonstration: DFO Workshop Facilitation June 2, 2019 Adaptations Changemakers Meeting Attendee June 5, 2019 Gabriola Island’s Oceans Day Information booth June 9, 2019 Summer by the Sea Market Information booth June 18, 2019 Snuneymuxw and Metis Flag Raising Ceremony, VIU Attendee June 21, 2019

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 25 SeaChange Marine Conservation Society Eelgrass Participant June 26, 2019 Planting, Cowichan Estuary VIEA Wood Recovery and Fuel Reduction Workshop Facilitation/host July 4, 2019 Grandkid’s University, VIU Facilitation July 4-5, 2019 Forage Fish Training Session: Thetis Island Nature Facilitation/host July 11, 2019 Conservancy Five Acre Farm Documentary Premier Information booth July 16, 2019 VIEA Wood Recovery and Fuel Reduction Workshop Facilitation/host July 18, 2019 Elder’s Society Monthly Meeting Partnership Building July 19, 2019 Snaw-naw-as Economic Development Committee Partnership Building July 19, 2019 Meeting Qualicum Beach Uptown Market Information booth July 25, 2019 ETHOS at MacMillan Arts Centre, Parksville Information booth August 1 – 30, 2019 VIEA Wood Recovery and Fuel Reduction Workshop Facilitation/host August 27, 2019 Elder’s Society AGM Partnership Building August 28, 2019 Snaw-naw-as Garden of Spiritual Healing Potluck Attendee/Partnership August 30, 2019 building Forage Fish Collaboration Meeting, Pacific Biological Partnership Building/ September 5, 2019 Station Attendee Snaw-naw-as Appreciation Lunch Attendee September 8, 2019 Forage Fish Training Session: Qualicum Beach Facilitation/host September 13, 2019 StreamKeepers MABR Roundtable Meeting: Volume 13 Facilitation September 13, 2019 Forage fish Training Session: Gabriola Island Facilitation/host September 14, 2019 Shorekeepers MABR Youth Program: Terrestrial Workshop Facilitation/host September 17, 2019 Town of Qualicum Beach Appreciation Event Attendee September 19, 2019 Forage Fish Training Session: Dover Bay Secondary Facilitation/host September 19, 2019 School Eco-Club VIEA Wood Recovery and Fuel Reduction Workshop Facilitation/host September 25, 2019 VIU Sustainability Fair Information booth September 25, 2019 Nanaimo River Estuary Tour Attendee/Partnership September 26, 2019 Building On the Table Event (MCP, VIU) Facilitation September 27, 2019 Forage Fish Initiative Meeting Attendee October 2, 2019 Qualicum Beach Revisioning Project: Open House Facilitation October 3, 2019 MABR Youth Program: Sustainable Development Facilitation/host October 10, 2019 Forage Fish Training Session: Project Watershed Facilitation/host October 11, 2019 Forage Fish Training Session: MVIHES Facilitation/host October 16, 2019 Forage Fish Lab Training Session: Dover Bay Secondary Facilitation/host October 22, 2019 School Eco-Club MABR Youth Program: Sustainable Development Facilitation/host October 22, 2019 RMOT Class at Milner Gardens: Plant Phenology data Facilitation/host October 24, 2019 collection demo Forage Fish Training Session: Project Watershed Facilitation/host October 29, 2019 Gold River Parks & Trails Master Plan: Open House Facilitation/host November 5, 2019 MABR Youth Program: SDG Workshop Facilitation/host November 14, 2019 MABR Roundtable Meeting Facilitation November 22, 2019 Forage Fish Training Session: Qualicum Beach Facilitation/host November 25, 2019 StreamKeepers Forage Fish Training Session: Cowichan Bay group Facilitation/host November 26, 2019 MABR Youth Program: Sustainable Development Facilitation/host November 28, 2019 Sustainable Development Goals Training Session Host November 30, 2019 MABR Youth Program: Sustainable Development Facilitation/host December 3, 2019 SDG & VIU Project: Powell River Rural Café Facilitation/host January 21, 2020 Forage Fish Training Session: Tsawalk Learning Centre Facilitation/host January 27, 2020 Forage Fish Training Session: Gabriola Island Facilitation/host February 1, 2020 Shorekeepers Accelerating the SDGs: Building VIU’s Roadmap to 2030 Facilitation February 6, 2020 Event Forage Fish Training Session: Tsleil-Waututh First Nation Facilitation February 10, 2020 Forage Fish Training Session: Thetis Island Nature Facilitation/host February 13, 2020 Conservancy Coombs Family Day Fair Information booth February 17, 2020 MABR Roundtable Meeting: Volume 15 Facilitation February 21, 2020 Forage Fish Training Session: Tsawalk Learning Centre Facilitation/host February 26, 2020 Qualicum Beach Revisioning Project: Open House Facilitation March 3, 2020 Table 4: List of Outreach & Education Events Presentations Event Content Date Geography 100 Class BEC Zone presentation and game April 2, 2019 Nanaimo Rhododendron Society Plant Phenology project May 9, 2019 Elder’s College MABR, the Roundtable, and MABRRI May 21, 2019 Parksville Council Final version of the Parksville Parks, June 3, 2019 Trails, & Open Spaces Master Plan Project Watershed Meeting Forage Fish project August 9, 2019 Dover Bay Secondary School MABR/RI and Forage fish project September 24, 2019 Forage Fish Initiatives Meeting Forage fish project October 2, 2019 Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) SDG MABRRI/VIU’s work on the SDG October 7, 2019 Roundtable Meeting project Project Watershed Training Forage Fish project October 11, 2019 ROAMS Classroom (QB Secondary School) MABR/RI October 17, 2019

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 27 RMOT Class Plant phenology October 24, 2019 Project Watershed Training Forage Fish project October 29, 2019 Gold River Council Meeting Final Parks and Trails Master Plan November 18, 2019 presentation Sociology 322 SDG project November 26, 2019 MoFLNRORD and MoE MABR/RI and showcased the January 14, 2020 collaborative work CBRA Webinar How to conduct a BioBlitz January 15, 2020 Lunch and Learn, VIU SDG Project January 28, 2020 Island Health Community Wellness Meeting Snaw-naw-as Garden of Spiritual January 30, 2020 Healing & the Garden Café GIS Workshop for MCP Class How to use GIS: Part 1 February 4, 2020 GIS Workshop for MCP Class How to use GIS: Part 2 February 11, 2020 REFBC Board Visit Project work that REFBC RIF funded February 12, 2020 RDN’s Drinking Water and Watershed Wetland project update and next steps February 12, 2020 Protection Technical Advisory Committee for year 5 Meeting GIS Workshop for MCP Class How to use GIS: Part 3 February 18, 2020 BC Teacher’s Federation MABR/RI March 6, 2020 Master Gardener’s Group MABRRI and the plant phenology March 14, 2020 project Table 5: List of Presentations

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 28 Conferences Conference Role Date(s)

Parksville 2019: 2nd Annual Vancouver Island Symposium on Water Attendee April 3-4, 2019 Stewardship WetlandKeepers Course, Cumberland Attendee May 3 – 5, 2019 The French Ameri-Can Climate Talks – Biodiversity Conference, Attendee May 30 – June 1, Vancouver, BC 2019 Regional Research Conference Host/Presenters June 12-13, 2019 CBRA Summer Gathering and Climate Change Adaptation Forum, Attendee June 18 – 21, 2019 Cape Breton, NS CIHR Indigenous, Gender, and Wellness Conference, Montreal, QB Presenter June 17 – 21, 2019 Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) SDG Roundtable Meeting, Presenter October 7, 2019 Vancouver, BC PICES Conference, Victoria Presenter October 24, 2019 Canadian Institute of Forestry Workshop, Campbell River Attendee November 14 – 15, 2019 Indigenous Services Canada Innovative Housing Workshop, Facilitated January 20 – 23, Parksville 2020 First Nation’s Forestry Workshop Attendee February 19, 2020 Outer Shores Symposium, Victoria Attendee February 22 – 23, 2020 Understanding First Nation’s Protocols Workshop, Cowichan Bay Attendee February 26, 2020 VIU NALMA Gathering, Whitehorse, YT Attended/ March 9 – 10, 2020 Facilitated workshop Research Audio Conference, Virtual Presenter March 24, 2020 Table 6: List of Conferences

Reports and Deliverables Project Deliverable Type of Deliverable Amazing Places Geotour Field Guide Interactive activity Bull Kelp Monitoring & Financial Forecast Progress report Enhancement Plots Project Summary Report Final report Bull Kelp Project Summary Video Promotional Video Campbellton Neighbourhood Final Concept Report Final report Beautification Plan Final Cost Estimate Report Final report Presentation to Council Presentation CBRA Projects (social media, Compilation of social media posts Final report webinar) How-to-Guide: Citizen Science program Final report

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 29 CBRA Projects (social media, Webinar Virtual presentation webinar) City of Campbell River: Inventory of climate adaptation actions Final report Climate Adaptation City of Campbell River: Timing Windows graphic Poster Environmental Bench 4 Stream report cards Report Marking Project Summary Report Final report Educational Handouts Promotional materials City of Campbell River: Tree Technical Review Report Final report Protection Bylaw Draft bylaw Bylaw Guidance manual: how to interpret bylaws Report City of Port Alberni: Summary report of findings Report Cannabis Production Zoning Community engagement materials Promotional materials

Summary presentation Presentation Coastal Forest Plant Project Summary Report (FLNRORD) Final report Phenology Research & Volunteer Training Session Promotional materials Monitoring Pilot Cowichan Valley Regional Indicator research Interim Report District Indicator Project District of Lantzville Zoning Illustrations/designs Illustrations Bylaw Illustrations Final Zoning Bylaw Final Bylaw Ecological Accounting Mapping Mapping Process: Kilmer and Shelley Survey of property owners Survey Creek Literature review on constructed wetlands Final report Ecological Research as BC Parks Permit Annual Report Final report Education Network (EREN) Permanent Forest Plots Forage Fish Spawning 6 Newsletters Promotional material Habitat Monitoring Project summary report (Pacific Salmon Final report Foundation) Project summary report (Sitka Foundation) Progress report Project summary report (WWF Canada) Progress report Finalized methodology documents Report Updated Sites Document Report Article in Pacific Salmon Foundation Salmon Promotional material Stewards DFO Permit annual report Final report Gold River Parks and Trails Gold River Parks and Trails Master Plan Master Plan Master Plan

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 30 Indigenous Services Canada: Indigenous Innovative Housing Compendium Promotional material Indigenous Homes Innovation Initiative (IHII)

K'omoks First Nation IR#1 Concept Plans Illustrations Design Charrette Final Report Report MABR BioBlitz MABR BioBlitz Summary Report Final Report Gather Grant Report Back Final Report MABR Youth Program New Elementary School Workshop Interactive Activity High school workshop Interactive Activity Project summary report Final report Brochure Promotional material Parksville Parks, Trails, and Parksville Parks, Trails, and Open Spaces Master Plan Open Spaces Master Plan Master Plan Parksville Wetlands Final Report Final Report Wetland Bioblitz Data Sheets Qualicum Beach Visioning/ Concept Designs Illustrations Redesign Project summary report Final Report Regional Research Conference Program Report Conference Project summary report Final report Snaw-naw-as First Nation Project summary report Final Report Garden Café Recipe posters Promotional materials

Sustainable Development Project summary report Final Report Goals & VIU Recommendations to VIU Final Report The View from 2117: Literature review: MABR Ecology Literature Review Canadian Mountain Network Literature review: CMN Research Literature Review Traditional Place Names Final Report Final Report Westwood Farm Project summary report Final report Wetland Mapping & Prioritizing wetland systems to install Final report Monitoring in the Regional instrumentation in the RDN District of Nanaimo Gabriola Island water region report Final report Englishman River water region report Final report Wetlands ecosystem services, policy, & best Literature review practices: literature review

Table 7: List of Reports and Deliverables

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 31 Contributions made to the Research Experiences of Students and the Community

Section 9 provided a snapshot of activities and achievements. This section will discuss in more detail further information on MABRRI’s contributions to the research experiences of students and the community.

VIU & the United Nation’s SDGs The SDG project ran for two years and involved many components, including *This project touches on all providing valuable experiences to students and surrounding communities. The main of the SDGs. purpose of the project was to review how VIU is contributing to the SDGs and how VIU can continue to do so in the future. However, an important aspect of the SDGs is to increase education and awareness on the global agenda and its 17 goals. Therefore, MABRRI found it important to engage in initiatives that would provide education and awareness to students and community members. The project provided research experience to a handful of students. Student Research Assistants were involved in many different aspects of the project. Two students had the opportunity to dive deep into the project and assist with all aspects, including the background review, facilitating meetings, knowledge transfer, data analysis, and reporting. Additional students were involved with event preparation and facilitation. A number of events were held to engage the VIU community. The MABRRI team hosted a booth at the VIU Sustainability Fair, which was used to introduce the SDGs to VIU students. The booth incorporated an interactive game where students were challenged to relate VIU initiatives to specific SDGs. A number of students stopped by the booth and showed interest in learning more about the SDGs and how VIU is helping to do its part with the global agenda. Another event, On the Table, was developed by the Vancouver Foundation as a method to bring people together over food to talk about relevant topics. MABRRI hosted a potluck lunch with the Master of Community Planning Program (MCPP) which allowed MCPP students and MABRRI staff to have open conversations about the SDGs. Some of the discussions addressed how the SDGs could be integrated into students’ thesis/major project, the general population’s ability to interpret the SDGs, and the true meaning of sustainability. The event engaged 25 VIU students and staff. Additionally, the project team was able to present to a number of VIU classes. These presentations introduced VIU students to the SDGs and MABRRI’s project, as well as got them thinking about how they could apply the SDGs to their daily lives. Some larger events were held to further educate and increase awareness on the topic of the SDGs. A few of these events not only engaged the VIU community, but also surrounding communities. The first event was the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals & VIU Symposium hosted in October 2018. The symposium consisted of presentations by experts on the topic of sustainability; they introduced the UN SDGs and described how they can be implemented at an educational institution and by the MABRRI team, who presented on the status of the SDG project. Together, these three presentations provided the audience with context before engaging in a World Café style event where they could discuss how VIU could better meet the SDGs. Approximately 60 participants attended the first half of the symposium, then approximately 30 individuals participated in the World Café.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 32 The second event was the SDGs Training Session, which was hosted at VIU’s Nanaimo campus in November 2019. The event was hosted in collaboration between MABRRI, VIU’s Sustainability Advisory Committee, and the Foundation for Environmental Stewardship (FES). The event aimed to educate individuals on the 17 SDGs and then challenge them to develop an action plan to implement the SDGs locally. There were approximately 60 participants in attendance, including students, Faculty, professionals, and community members. The event was divided into four “Working with the sessions, which included a presentation from Steve S.J. Lee, MABRRI team dedicated to Executive Director of FES, climate change activist, and policy the 17 Sustainable advocate, and a presentation by Mary Kate Costello, a Development Goals was an Senior Policy Analyst for The Hunger Project. Both speakers educational and provided a unique opportunity for the audience to learn the meaningful experience. importance of the SDGs and how they have been implemented into the work organizations do. Lee also Through numerous public hosted a session which focused on sharing skills that are engagement events, needed to implement the SDGs. This session led into the informational interviews, final portion of the event, which focused on having the VIU and data analysis, I was students work with community members and VIU staff to able to explore the impacts determine an action plan to implement the SDGs locally. that an international call The third event that engaged VIU students and surrounding for action can have in a community members was the Powell River Rural Café on university and community the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals hosted context. All the wonderful in January 2020 on the VIU Powell River campus. The Rural people working for Café aimed to increase awareness of the SDGs at VIU’s MABRRI, and specifically Powell River campus and within the surrounding my working group, always community, mobilize knowledge of sustainability initiatives made me feel appreciated that are working towards the SDGs, and foster collaboration and valued as a research to achieve the SDGs. Approximately 30 guests attended the assistant. I have finished event, including interested VIU students and staff, my work term with a community members, and local organizations. The event deeper understanding of involved a presentation to introduce the SDGs and MABRRI’s work, presentations from local organizations and the 17 Sustainable how they are working towards the SDGs, as well as a couple Development Goals, and of breakouts sessions. The breakout sessions allowed the research in general. I am participants to discuss how VIU and Powell River could take very grateful for the further action to advance the SDGs. opportunities that this role The initiatives and events listed above are only a handful of has provided, and look the initiatives that the MABRRI team led to increase forward to the wonderful education and awareness of the SDGs within VIU and work that MABRRI will surrounding communities, many other initiatives also took conduct in the future.” place. The SDGs provided MABRRI an opportunity to reach - Molly Blower, Student out to the VIU community and surrounding communities in many ways. Research Assistant

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 33 Forage Fish Spawning Habitat Monitoring ‘Forage fish’ are a group of small, schooling fishes that play a crucial role in the marine ecosystem. There are seven species along the British Columbian coastline, however this study focuses on Pacific sand lance and surf smelt. Forage fish are an integral part of the marine food web as they influence both predator and prey populations – they transfer energy throughout the food web. Although they are such an important part of the local marine environment, there are many existing data gaps with regards to where and when they are spawning along our coast. All current estimations with regards to the preferable beach characteristics and timing windows for spawning for these species is based off of data that has been collected over the past few decades in Washington State. That being said, it is not yet clear if the timing windows and behaviours of these species in the BC Salish Sea mimic those in the Washington State region. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify where and when these species are spawning along the coast. Long term, the goal is to have this monitoring network run indefinitely so trends can be identified and changes in behaviour can be recognized. Ultimately, we are hopeful that the data can be used to develop evidence-based changes to policy pertaining to these forage fish and their spawning habitat. MABRRI’s Forage Fish Spawning Habitat Monitoring project was initiated in 2017, when Phillip Dionne, a Nearshore and Forage Fish Scientist from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife travelled to Nanaimo to train the MABRRI team how to sample for Pacific sand lance and surf smelt embryos. Phillip taught the MABRRI team the newest sampling methods, referred to as the “vortex method”; this is the most efficient and effective method of reducing the sample down and separating the embryos from the bulk sample that is collected. Additionally, this method is much more community-friendly, meaning that it does not require any skill and anyone can take part in this study no matter what their background is. As a result, this method was an ideal fit to establish a citizen science monitoring network with. Beginning in January 2018, two VIU students from the Advance Diploma in GIS Applications were hired to assist with the development of predictive mapping for forage fish spawning habitat. Over 30 maps were generated, depicting the areas of the coastline that were identified as suitable forage fish habitat using the model developed by Coastal and Ocean Resources Incorporated. The maps covered the area that spanned from approximately Bowser south to Sooke, the Canadian Gulf Islands, and a small portion of the mainland, including Burrard Inlet. Undergraduate students were hired to travel up and down the Vancouver Island coastline to identify sections that have the preferable spawning habitat characteristics; they used the predictive maps to aid in identifying regions of interest. By mid-2018, MABRRI began training local community stewardship groups to take part in this initiative. Each group is provided with the equipment and training needed to conduct sampling for forage fish embryos in their region. Sampling first began in the MABR, however efforts to identify suitable spawning habitat have expanded to include sites from Cowichan Bay to Deep Bay, including sampling on Gabriola Island and Thetis Island. It is anticipated that with continued funding and project expansion to include more citizen science groups, the boundaries will continue to expand, particularly to include more Gulf Islands. By involving community stewards, we are able to sample a much greater extent of the coastline in any given sampling window than would be possible with just the MABRRI team. This project has allowed MABRRI to provide VIU undergraduate students from the biology, fisheries, natural resource management, and geography departments with hands-on experience in field work, laboratory work, and community engagement. Additionally, this project has provided students in the Advanced Diploma in GIS Applications with first-hand experience in their fields, applying what they’ve learned in their classes into real world situations. Finally, this initiative has provided MABRRI with an

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 34 “Working at the Forage Fish Habitat Monitoring project was wonderful, I've learned a lot about the intertidal zone and the importance and complexity of the food web in the marine ecosystem. I've learned and practiced research methods I've never had contact with before and it greatly increased my interest in becoming a researcher. My fascination for marine biology has only increased since working with MABRRI ” - Melanie Loureiro, Student Research Assistant

avenue to further engage with the community, publicizing the MABR and the work that MABRRI is undertaking, as well as promoting VIU in the community. Currently, MABRRI has seven citizen science groups, which include stewardship groups from the Qualicum Beach, Parksville, Cowichan Bay, Gabriola Island, and Thetis Island regions, as well as secondary school students from the Nanaimo region (Dover Bay Secondary School Eco-Club and Tsawalk Aboriginal Centre, a community-based program that has infused Indigenous cultures into the curriculum). All data that has been collected as of March 31, 2020 can be located on the Pacific Salmon Foundation Strait of Georgia Data Centre, an open-access database hosted by the University of British Columbia: http://soggy.zoology.ubc.ca:8080/geonetwork/srv/eng/ catalog.search;jsessionid=node02x4kq2jlw5jo1qydgucnuijtd67.node0#/metadata/c198358b-6a06-4496- 8eb2-8e94474a3592

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 35 Village of Gold River’s Parks and Trails Master Plan

The Village of Gold River has a long history of local outdoor recreation opportunities, being one of the hubs that many people venture to when they are exploring Strathcona Provincial Park. Although many of the recreational activities occur outside of the municipal boundaries, there is a substantial parks and trails network located within the confines of the Village. This network is an important land asset and a valuable resource to the community’s residents. In June 2019, the Village of Gold River partnered with MABRRI to develop a comprehensive Parks and Trails Master Plan, ensuring that the parks and trails will remain an asset for all residents as the Village grows and develops. The Parks and Trails Master Plan had four key components, for which undergraduate and graduate students were involved in all parts: background policy review; community engagement process; evaluation of trends; and an inventory of existing infrastructure. Students were tasked with generating a full review on Gold River, including its history, community profile, demographics, environmental context, and related internal governing documents. Additionally, during the summer of 2019, the project team traveled to each park in Gold River to conduct a full parks inventory assessment, for which they recorded the assets by taking photos and GPS coordinates for each so they could be mapped. Further, the students were required to help design and implement a community engagement plan for this project. Ultimately, the students installed ‘bird house’ comment boxes in each of the parks throughout the Village; residents were able to anonymously leave their comments about each of the parks in these boxes. Also, some comment boxes were left at some of the local businesses in order to get the tourist perspective on the parks and trails in the municipal boundaries. Finally, two more face- to-face engagement sessions were planned and hosted by the student team: a community barbeque and an open house. The team hosted a barbeque for the community in the main community park, having placed signage explaining the planning process, as well as what the team

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 36 was seeking feedback on. Further, an open house was hosted at the community recreation centre; the team held two sessions in order maximize the number of residents they were able to speak with. Well over 100 comments were collected from the community barbeque and comment boxes; the open house provided the team with more in-depth discussions and a chance to disseminate and collect feedback on the drafted Master Plan. Following all community engagement and inventory activities, students were required to analyze the qualitative data, identify trends, and develop recommended actions, including estimated costs and timeframes for each. The team compiled their background review, inventory of assets, and the action plan, which included all of the recommendations, to form the Parks and Trails Master Plan. The final drafted Master Plan was presented to the Village of Gold River’s Council on November 18, 2019 and was adopted following the meeting. Overall, students gained a variety of skills by working on this project, including data collection and coding, data management, trend analysis, community engagement experience, management of public spaces, and facilitation and presentation skills. This is the second project that MABRRI has partnered with the Village of Gold River on, and it has only strengthened the relationship. The Village’s Council recognizes the value of engaging with and involving ambitious students in planning projects; therefore, we are hopeful that we will have the chance to work closely with the Village of Gold River in the future.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 37 Acknowledgements

We would like to extend a huge thank you to our sponsors, without their continued support MABRRI would have limited capacity to hire and provide students with real, hands-on research experience. Below are the logos of funding agencies that provided financial contributions to MABRRI in the 2019- 2020 fiscal year.

MABRRI Annual Report 2019 —2020 38 References

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Vancouver Island University. About MABRRI. Retrieved February 5, 2019 from Vancouver Island University’s Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute website: http://mabrri.viu.ca/about

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