Staff member Kersti Vaino flashes a Thrifty Foods smile (photo by Carolyn Masson)
GOERT’s Kersti Vaino is flashing the Thrifty smile because since October 1st, you have helped us raise $554 through using your Smile Cards. Thanks to you, we are buying these restoration tools for Kersti and crew: wire fencing, heavy duty pliers with wire cutters, zap straps and rebar, PVC piping, and metal spikes. These items will get lots of use in our restoration projects and will be shared with partner organizations.
Our goal is to make full use of the program and raise the maximum $2000 by May so that we can buy everything on our wish list (see below). If you haven’t got one already, please contact Betsy at 250-383-3447 or finance@goert.ca for your Smile Card, and every time you shop with it, a 5% donation will go to GOERT, at no cost to you.
Going skiing? Buying Valentine’s gifts?
Did you know you can pay for Mt. Washington ski passes with a Smile Card? In February use the card for Valentine’s chocolates and flowers, and a pre-loaded Smile Card makes a great gift any time. (read more…)
Participants at our 6th annual Research Colloquium (photo by Todd Carnahan)
Mark March 4th and 5th in your calendars, as GOERT is hosting two events at the Pacific Forestry Centre on those days. First up is the 7th annual Research Colloquium, a popular all-day event that showcases research on Garry oak ecosystems. The next day, Friday March 5th, GOERT’s Native Plant Propagation Steering Committee is hosting a workshop titled ‘Native Plants in the Urban Landscape.’ Read more for descriptions and registration information for both events: (read more…)
A new deltoid balsamroot subpopulation was discovered summer 2009 (photo by Chris Junck)
Recovery Team News
GOERT and partners were busy in summer 2009 working on many restoration and habitat protection projects and mapping rare species and habitat.
Projects included:
• monitoring the only remaining population of coastal vesper sparrow on Vancouver Island
• surveying more than 40 sites with rare species
• working with landowners from Metchosin to Denman Island to protect rare species on private lands
Dozens of restoration projects were active this summer and remain so into the fall, including:
• Scotch broom removal from bog bird’s-foot trefoil habitat near Nanaimo with assistance from the Friends of Harewood Plains
• restoration on five other private properties with rare plants
• a successful annual ‘broom bash’ on Mill Hill by CRD Parks
• ongoing restoration and monitoring in the Cowichan Valley by NCC
• many other community-led restoration projects throughout the range of Garry oak ecosystems in Canada (read more…)
Some of GOERT’s founders and early recovery team members, from left: Mike Meagher, Marilyn Fuchs, Joel Ussery and Raj Prasad (photo by Neil Boyle)
GOERT turned 10 this year! We held a celebration the evening of September 30th, 2009 at the Pacific Forestry Centre. Almost 100 people attended, including many who were present at GOERT’s founding meeting in June 1999 and many who were recovery team members during GOERT’s first year. Marilyn Fuchs spoke about the early years and succeeded in getting people up to the front of the room to be recognized. Joel Ussery said a few words, and then Richard Hebda gave a rousing impromptu talk from crib notes written on a grocery receipt! (read more…)
“Among the Oaks” tote
BC’s most eco-friendly tote bags made their debut on Sept 30 at our 10-year celebration/AGM and are now available to buy through our office. We have teamed up with local artist Jeffrey Boron to have two of his images printed on 100% Made in Canada totes. The bags are made of 100% post-consumer waste (re-milled cotton from clothing) and have a very low carbon footprint. All profits go to support GOERT.
The bags are large enough to carry groceries, art supplies, and even potted plants and are a stylish eco-friendly product that you can be proud to carry or give as a gift. The bag folds small for storage, and the handles are long enough to hang the bag from your car headrest.
Artist Jeffrey Boron
Jeffrey Boron, a well-known professional artist, works in acrylic and oil, attempting to capture the play of light and colour on the natural world. Many of his smaller plein air pieces are painted among the hills and meadows of southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands that still retain remnant stands of Garry oaks. “As an artist I want my paintings to bring to the viewer a sense of the joy I feel when painting them, as well as highlighting the wonder and beauty of those small spots of nature that we live amongst but so often overlook in our busy lives.” Please have a look at his gallery of artwork suitable for home or office or his blog for his newest and smaller pieces. Jeffrey believes in the work we do and donates 25% of his art sales to GOERT.
“Spring in the Oaks” tote
We are developing a line of products specially chosen to reflect the beauty of Garry oak ecosystems. If you are an artist and would like to see your images on GOERT totes, or would like to suggest an artist, please contact us.
Design: choose from ‘Among the Oaks’ or ‘Spring in the Oaks’ artist print on one side with GOERT logo on reverse side
Size: 18″ W x 16″ H with 4″ gusset
Cost: $20 + gst = $21
To purchase: Pay online at www.goert.ca/donate or contact us at info@goert.ca or 250-383-3427.
Garry oak acorns (photo by Marilyn Fuchs)
Every few years, Garry oak trees produce a bumper crop of acorns in what is called a ‘mast year’. Rob Hagel has been inundated with donated acorns at Pacific Forestry Centre and is growing hundreds of seedlings for projects and giveaways. As a matter of fact, he’s considering holding an Acorn Planting Party!
Because there is a chronic lack of seedlings available for re-planting projects, GOERT is encouraging local governments and nurseries to start growing their own oaks (if they haven’t already) to take advantage of this bumper crop.
July 29, 2009 – Success! The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has been successful in its fundraising campaign to save an important piece of Mt Tzuhalem in the Cowichan Valley. The 100-acre (40-hectare) Chase Woods contains globally-endangered Garry oak woodlands, dramatic cliffs from which peregrine falcons soar, and is crowned by the cross that perches above the bay. NCC was successful in raising the required funds by the July 24th deadline and will soon make an official announcement that the Chase Woods land has been protected.
Garry oak with stonecrop (photo courtesy of NCC)
The property supports seven globally-imperilled ecosystems and sustains centuries-old western yew, Douglas-fir, Garry oak, lodgepole pine and arbutus. Chase Woods connects to the Mt Tzuhalem Ecological Reserve via the forested slopes of Providence Farm and is home to the federally-threatened white-top aster.
“I have spent half my working life keeping it like a park,” says David Chase, who bought the property in 1955 and has decided to pass it on as he approaches his one-hundredth year. “I’m out of gas, so it’s time for someone else to take care of the land.”
Some Garry oak habitat is already protected on Mt. Tzuhalem in the Mt. Tzuhalem Ecological Reserve.
For more information
Read more and see downloadable map at the NCC website.
Phone 1-888-404-8428 or email bcoffice@natureconservancy.ca.
