Four Spots Left for Brentwood Bay Boat Trip!

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Created: Tuesday, 17 May 2011 11:39

When: Wednesday, May 25^th

Where: Senanus Island

Time: 9:00-3:00pm

Four spaces left for Brentwood Bay boat trip to legendary Senanus Island with Tsartlip 1st Nation elders and HAT habitat restoration crew. Call 250-995-2428 and ask for Todd to reserve your seat.

Photo by Todd Carnahan:

Holding a clam harvested by youth for their elders, 2009 was Ray Sam’s last visit to SENINES (Senanus) Island, a sacred place in Tsartlip Territory. His death in 2010 left only a handful of fluent SENCOTEN language speakers in the community, but the Lauwelnew School is expanding, and the Coast Saalish people are renewing cultural practices like the First Salmon Ceremony.

See it for yourself at the Tsawout First Nation’s Seafood Feast (by donation) on June 11^th, 10am - 4pm

http://www.tsawout.com/index.php/community-calendar/details/209-tsawout-annual-seafood-festival

Havenwood Park Blog

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Created: Thursday, 05 May 2011 12:56

Gary Neilson, friend of Havenwood Park and volunteer extraordinaire, has started a new blog to "help promote and share ideas on the conservation and recreational values" at Havenwood Park.  He has already posted some beatiful pictures of wildflowers in Havenwood, and a video showing broom encroachment on the wildlfower meadows.

Check it out and leave comments at http://havenwoodpark.wordpress.com/.

Here is one of Gary's pictures, shamelessly stolen from his blog of Chickweed Monkey Flower.

Major Gas Spill at Goldstream

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Created: Wednesday, 20 April 2011 15:31

I’ve spent some time at Goldstream over the years, as a naturalist with the Nature House, as an inexperienced birder with binoculars, and as a father with my children.  During my years as a naturalist, I spent a lot of time with the salmon run, and I thought I had dissected chum salmon for school children on every conceivable kind of day.  Most vividly I remember the mornings so cold I couldn’t feel my fingers as took out a salmon’s heart to show children how strong this hidden muscle had be for the salmon struggle its way through the river current after a hard life at sea.  I know there were warm days, and sunny days.  Still, it’s the cold late November and December days filled with the smell of dead salmon, the cry of gulls, and frozen fingers that I remember best, and that I looked forward most to sharing with my children.

40,000 litres of gas, spilled into the Goldstream River, and carried into the Estuary and Saanich Inlet, is a shocking reminder of how quickly these a special places can be damaged or destroyed.  Salmon have been spawning in Goldstream for thousands of years.  That I be would be able to share that experience with my children in 2 or 3 years seemed a given.  But, after a few hours one weekend, there are now doubts.  It seems likely at least one year class of Chum salmon is gone.  Maybe two years of Coho, who were already struggling at Goldstream (Coho spend a full year in the river, so those hatched in last spring may still have been near enough to be effected, in addition to this year’s young).  Time, ultimately, will tell us what the full impact will be.  That time will be anxious, worried, uncertain – and at least 4 years long.

A few years ago, I left my position at Goldstream to work for HAT.  While I no longer freeze my fingers inside dead salmon each fall, I still have ties to Goldstream, both personal and professional.  HAT raises money each year to send children to the fall salmon run.  Over 40,000 children have attended a free Salmon Run school programs because local businesses (Goldstream Chums – get it?) have donated money to fund these iconic programs.  It’s an experience Victorians have grown up with for generations.  Ask anyone who has grown up here, and chances are they visited the Goldstream Salmon as a kid, and remember a program with a naturalist.  What happens now, 1 weekend and 40,000 litres of gas later?

During this uncertain and anxious time, this is certain – HAT will continue to support school programs at Goldstream, and we hope you, with the Chums, will too.  Now, more than ever, children need to experience the majesty and beauty of that ancient forest and its meandering river, and rich cycle of life it supports.

-Adam Taylor

Upcoming family events this summer

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Created: Tuesday, 12 April 2011 15:28

April 16 - Visit the HAT booth at Westshore Mall to get your free airphoto map of the Bilston Watershed! Meet volunteers from the Bilston Watershed Habitat Protection Association.

April 16 & 17 - Swan Lake Native Plant Sale Saturday and Sunday -  visit the HAT table for a free Native Plant Guide

April 17 - Gardening with Nature (10am -12 | Guided Walk) featuring HAT biologist Todd Carnahan and CRD Parks interpreter Heather Chatwin at Witty's Lagoon - recieve a free copy of Gardening with Native Plants! to register: 250 995 2428

April 17 - Witty's Beach Clean Up (1:30 to 3pm) Meet at end of Witty's Beach Rd. Contact person: Todd (250) 893 6099.

April 21 - Earth Day at City Centre Park in Langford! Off the Grid Music and Art Festival

April 30 - Metchosin Bioblitz! Metchosin residents will conduct a 24 hour search for life in their neighbourhoods. Featuring local experts on birds, bugs, bats, and blackberries! Presentations starting at 7pm in the Municipal Hall summarizing their findings. Visit the HAT table at the Community House for hot tips on where to find turtles and other species in Metchosin parks.

May 01 - Blooms with a View (1:00 pm - 2:30 pm | 12 years+)  Tower Point is alive with blooms poking their heads up in seaside meadows. Follow a CRD Regional Parks’ interpreter along the shoreline trail that offers spectacular views both at your feet and on the horizon. This walk is for the wildflower novice. Meet in the Tower Point parking lot off Olympic View Dr. Take BC Transit #54 or #55

May 8 - Beach Snoop at Low Tide (1:00 pm - 2:30 pm | All ages) A CRD Regional Parks’ interpreter will help you discover fascinating beach creatures at low tide. Be prepared to wade up to your knees in the pools (bring sandals or beach shoes). Meet by the kiosk at the end of Witty Beach Rd. Take BC Transit #54 or #55

May 22 - Life's a Beach (Guided Walk 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm | 5 years+) The tide is way out! That means the sea can no longer conceal its strange and wonderful creatures. Join a CRD Regional Parks’ naturalist for a tidal exploration. Be prepared to get your feet wet (bring sandals or shoes). Meet by the kiosk at the end of Witty Beach Rd. Take BC Transit #54 or #55

June 4 - What Have You Seine Today? (10:00 am - 11:30 am | Guided Walk | All ages)  Join a CRD Regional Parks’ naturalist as we use a seine net to see what lives deeper in the ocean: fish with horns and much, much more. Be prepared to get your feet wet (bring sandals or beach shoes). Meet by the information kiosk at the end of Witty Beach Rd. Take BC Transit #54 or #55

July 17 - Low tide Birding Workshop at Witty's Lagoon, co-hosted with Deb Theissen of CRD Parks. Bring your binoculars or train our high-powered scopes on birds in several habitats. Info: 250 995 2428 volunteer opportunity for expert birders to host a spotting scope station - call Todd to register 250 995 2428 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Visit the CRD parks web page for more fun times at the Witty's Beach this summer.