A restoration site in Garry Oak habitat in Gulf Islands National Park Reserve (photo © Parks Canada/Nick Irving)
May 19, 2011 is the 100th birthday of the establishment of Parks Canada – the world’s first national park service. Parks Canada now manages one of the most extensive networks of protected national heritage places in the world, a growing collection of 167 national historic sites, 42 national parks and 4 national marine conservation areas.
Some of the children’s art supplies we have purchased through the Thrifty Foods Smile Card Program with your help
It was 12 months ago that we asked you to help connect children with nature through hands-on learning activities. By shopping at Thrifty Foods with Smile Cards coded for GOERT you raised a whopping $1,518.80. Thank you!
Download 10 new entries and updates for our Species at Risk field manual
Update your species at risk field manual with 10 new or updated entries recently posted under publications/species at risk. Scroll to the green table under the yellow montane violet. The entries are marked ‘NEW 2011′ or ‘UPDATED 2011′ and include three butterflies and seven plants at risk. Remember to get the updated table of contents while you’re there. New pages for the invasive species manual are coming soon. If you’d like us to print and mail the updates to you, please contact us. Thanks to our Plants at Risk and Invertebrates at Risk RIGs, consultants, and staff member Kathryn Martell (pictured) for these updates.
First prize winner Megan Cronkite with her Stumpjumper mountain bike
On Earth Day, we drew the prizes for our Bicycles for Bluebirds raffle. The raffle raised much needed funds to help recover the Western Bluebird to its former range around southeastern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands. The first two prizes, vintage 80s bicycles, were donated to GOERT by SPOKES and came with helmets hand-painted by local artist Elyse Portal (nee Parchoma). The bikes are a Specialized Stumpjumper, one of the first mountain bikes to be produced, and an Apollo Road Cycle, complete with its original working cycling computer. Both bikes are bluebird blue and in mint condition.
GOERT staff and board at a recent meeting in our Courtney Street office
GOERT has been protecting the home of rare species for many years and now we need a place to call our own, as our lease expires July 1st. While we would like to move into a new space, we are not invasive. We are a friendly bunch, and are very good at restoring oak habitat!
As part of our search for a new location we are reaching out to all our partners and friends for help. Do you have or know of space for our staff (~8) and equipment? Perhaps your office has been downsizing and has surplus space; perhaps you have a parcel of land to share for a good cause (we have a house ready to move as an office); or you or someone you know may be ready to make the gift of a lifetime by donating or bequeathing a home or your estate for a Centre for Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery?
Garry Oak ecosystems are where we live and they need your help. If you have ideas and suggestions for the new Centre for Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery, please contact Shyanne Smith at 250-383-3224.