David Trudel and friends among the Spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola). David is a member of the Friends of Knockan Hill, a nearby park

Over the last few years, GOERT has increased its capacity to do restoration work on the ground. We now have staff and contractors working directly to restore habitat at nine different priority sites with species at risk, as well as supporting restoration efforts at dozens of other sites.

In 2010, the Town of View Royal approached us to help assess the ecological significance of a piece of land at the corner of Watkiss Way and Burnside Road, recently set aside as a municipal park, unofficially named Burnside Corner Park.

We identified an immediate need to restore it to a more natural state to protect its ecological value. Since that time, GOERT staff and volunteers have worked with View Royal to create a restoration plan and management recommendations.

In November and December 2011, our summer student Amanda Evans helped organize the first volunteer work parties to remove invasive species on the site. Removal efforts targeted a dense patch of Spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola) growing in the Garry Oak woodland and near a sensitive rock outcrop.

A great number of participants came out, many of them GOERT members and volunteers, along with some students from the University of Victoria and View Royal parks staff. Thanks to all! Work is ongoing, so there will be more opportunities to participate.

Volunteers hard at work clearing a dense area of Spurge-laurel

Mackenzie Adamson, a UVic student, seems to be enjoying himself. A nice break from exams?

Dorrien Thompson, View Royal staff, working hard to remove all the plant material

The large pile of Spurge-laurel that was removed in only five hours!

It’s the end of the day, and they are still all smiles!

Before & After: Spurge-laurel infestation before work began (left), and at the end of the work day (right)

January 2012: It gives us great pleasure to present long-time volunteer Tom Gillespie with an Acorn Award. Tom is one of the founders of GOERT and of the Vertebrates at Risk Recovery Implementation Group (RIG). He is the founding Treasurer of the Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society (GOMPS), Treasurer for the Rocky Point Bird Observatory Society, and volunteer for the Victoria Natural History Society, Friends of Ecological Reserves, and the BC Purple Martin Stewardship and Recovery Program.

Tom Gillespie and Shyanne Smith inspect the contents of a Western Bluebird nestbox

Tom’s love of nature began when he was a child. In 1955 his parents bought Boho Island, next to Lasqueti Island, and built a house there. Nearby Jedediah Island was their playground, and they hiked through the bush to get to the main road on Lasqueti to catch the school bus. When it came time to find work, he got into commercial fishing and construction. In summer he would get out in the seine boats, and in winter he’d find work as a carpenter or in sawmills. He was also a boom man for logging companies for several years. Tom’s father died in 1963, so they sold the island, but Tom continued to live nearby on Vancouver Island, returning often to Lasqueti.

Trudy Chatwin, Chair of GOERT’s Vertebrates at Risk RIG says, “Tom has been a very faithful participant and volunteer on the RIG and has been involved in Garry Oak conservation from the beginning. I know that Tom has supported many conservation organizations, and he has monitored and searched for Coastal Vesper Sparrows and built and monitored many a Western Bluebird box.”

Tom Gillespie, along with some of GOERT’s other founders and early recovery team members, from left: Richard Hebda, Tom, Brenda Costanzo, Tracy Fleming and Ted Lea (photo by Neil Boyle)

Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society
About his role in GOMPS, Tom says, “I’ve been the Treasurer of GOMPS since the beginning, when we first passed the hat around at an informal gathering at Swan Lake. We sat around in a circle, 62 of us. The money gathered that night got us going for the first little while. At that time, Garry Oak ecosystems were well-known among the science community, but they hadn’t been promoted among the public; we wanted to get people involved in their conservation.”

Colleague Mike Meagher says, “My main impression of Tom is of someone who speaks seldom, but always on target and in a soft voice that belies the direct manner and facts behind his statements. As in other organizations, Tom has played a major role in GOMPS by maintaining membership lists, plus doing all the banking; he has been ‘up to his elbows’ from the moment the first collections of Garry Oak acorns were floated and sorted for Rob Hagel to sow at Pacific Forestry Centre.

I recall Tom describing the time when he was the person tasked with collecting money from participants of the Christmas bird count at 7:30 am in Beacon Hill Park. Suddenly, out of the December darkness, came the voice of a staunch defender of the park: ‘Is this a commercial transaction I see?’ Although nothing was being sold, the BC Court had decided that the terms of the Provincial lease to Victoria excluded such “transactions”, so Tom had to move camp to a neutral location to permit volunteers to generate useful data regarding annual variation in biodiversity, only slightly chagrined by the irony of being accused of conducting a ‘commercial enterprise’ when he was a member of the steering committee to draft a management plan for the park!

Our community has benefited for many years from Tom’s quiet and persistent volunteering. His legacy will not appear on any balance sheet, but in the strengthened groups he has supported and the environments he loves.”

Victoria Natural History Society
Of his role in the Victoria Natural History Society, Director Claudia Copley says, “Tom is absolutely indispensable. He has been doing things for us for so long that no one knows just how much. He has handled the mailing of our magazine for decades, which requires a significant effort, and means he is also very involved in maintaining the membership. He has been our president, and has taken on various other board roles. He picks up all our mail and gets it to the right people. He has represented us to our umbrella organization, BC Nature (The Federation of BC Naturalists) for many years, and he has become our informal archivist because of his long relationship with the organization and his long memory. He’s been a field trip leader, a team leader for the Christmas bird count, and he has been there whenever he was needed for anything else. He is a pillar of the Society.”

BC Purple Martin Stewardship and Recovery Program
Bruce Cousens and Charlene Lee write, “Tom has been involved with the conservation and recovery of Purple Martins in BC since the mid -1980s when the first nestboxes were built and installed in the Victoria area. He helped monitor Purple Martin activity at the nestbox sites and has built many boxes for the recovery program. When Cam Finlay started the Purple Martin banding study in 1996, Tom became his banding assistant. He also took on management of the banding database, which has since grown to include over 14,000 banded martins, the only long-term banding study in North America providing valuable information about the western subspecies.

Since 2002, Tom has been the South Island Regional Coordinator for the BC Purple Martin Stewardship and Recovery Program. He has been instrumental in continuing the monitoring of Purple Martin activity at the Victoria area colonies, organizing volunteers, banding nestlings, maintaining nestbox check and banding records, and submitting the annual data to the Canadian Wildlife Service Bird Banding Office.

We at Georgia Basin Ecological Assessment and Restoration Society (GBEARS) are extremely grateful for Tom’s dedication and commitment to Purple Martin conservation and recovery for over 25 years, and for his volunteer support for more than a decade, conducting the south Vancouver Island portion of the BC Purple Martin Stewardship and Recovery Program.”

Cam Finlay writes, “When I began a study of Purple Martins back in 1996, it was Tom who drove the boat and held it still against a piling to allow me to climb ladders to get nestlings, and then he banded them when I handed them down. So began his work on martin research which he has continued to the present. Each year he monitors the arrival of the parents in the spring and then watches the adults to determine when he should come and band the nestlings from the major site at Esquimalt—and later, from other sites, including the Royal Roads colony.

Tom also helped me when I first began studying and banding Anna’s Hummingbirds in 1996. He made the various traps and helped mount the devices. Without Tom’s help, much of the early studies of hummingbirds in Greater Victoria would not have been accomplished.”

Tom Gillespie and summer student Kyle Gillespie (no relation) band Purple Martin nestlings at Sidney Spit

Rocky Point Bird Observatory
Of Tom’s contributions to the Rocky Point Bird Observatory, member Alison Moran says, “Tom is an active board member and has volunteered untold hours and expertise. He has been the Treasurer for years, but he also looks after so much else, getting the trailers organized, the solar panels, and a host of other details that make the season run well. Tom is one of our bird banders for the hummingbird migration monitoring group that monitors sites regularly across BC and into Alberta. For many years, it was Tom that ensured all our data got uploaded to Canadian Wildlife Service, a time-consuming and often frustrating job, but absolutely fundamental to the dissemination of all our volunteers’ work. Tom’s activities and energies have benefited so many organizations and worthwhile endeavours. This award is richly deserved.”

A few years ago, Tom helped the GOERT Society prepare our application for charitable status, which is known to be a nightmare process among charities. Tom helped us get everything in order, and we’re happy to report that our application was approved the first time around without a hitch. Thanks again Tom, for your many years and countless contributions to the recovery of Garry Oak ecosystems!

Tom adds his Acorn Award to these previous awards:

• Federation of BC Naturalists: Club Service Award in 1997.
• Victoria Natural History Society: Distinguished Service Award, plus an Honorary Life Membership
• BC Purple Martin Stewardship and Recovery Program: award for his work banding birds and participating in studies and observations since 1997.

A Western Bluebird visits Victoria in winter 2009 (photo by John McDonald)

Trudy Chatwin, Chair of GOERT’s Vertebrates at Risk RIG, writes:

In May 1989, when my twins were four years old, we watched Western Bluebirds nesting in a beautiful Garry Oak meadow on Mt. Tzuhalem, near Duncan, BC. Since 1995, however, the local (Georgia Depression) population of Western Bluebirds has not been known to nest in BC.

I would like to help restore nesting populations of this important and beautiful bird so that my daughter Heather, a leader of the Victoria Young Naturalists’ Club, can inspire others with the thought that they can be a part of restoring nature, and that they too can watch Western Bluebirds at their nests.

Partners in this project, the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team, Victoria Natural History Society, Ecostudies Institute, and the Salt Spring Island Conservancy have been active in putting up nestboxes in suitable habitat. However, experts tell us that we need a re-introduction to jumpstart the population. Building on the success of a 5 year re-introduction program on neighbouring San Juan Island, we are ready to have Dr. Gary Slater bring pairs of Western Bluebirds from Fort Lewis, Washington, to Salt Spring Island, except for critical shortage of funds.

Victoria Natural History Society (VNHS) has generously offered to match contributions up to $5000. With those donations in hand, we will be closer to bringing Western Bluebirds to a meadow near you! Please donate to VNHS now (choose ‘bluebird project’) and help us with this exciting endeavour.

Bluebird Raffle
One way to help raise funds for the Bring Back the Bluebirds project is to buy raffle tickets! The prize is a beautiful silver brooch crafted by Stuart Duncan valued at $300. It features a bluebird sitting on an oak branch, with a blue lapis lazuli stone. A small number of tickets will be printed, so odds of winning are good! Tickets are $2 each or three for $5. Come by the GOERT office or contact Betsy Rose (250-383-3447) for tickets. If you can take a stack of tickets to sell at meetings or to friends, please do! Raffle ends April 27th, 2012.

For more about the bluebird project, please see our Bring Back the Bluebirds webpage.

GOERT is one of the environmental charities that will benefit from this new festival

We’re excited to announce that GOERT has been chosen to participate in a new Earth Week festival in Victoria: the Creatively United for the Planet Festival is a fun-filled, all-ages arts/cultural & healthy living fundraiser coming up April 20-22 to celebrate Earth Week.

The festival will raise funds for progressive environmental charities, including GOERT, while heightening awareness and initiating action for positive change in an entertaining and engaging way. It will feature a variety of on-going world-class entertainment such as Ann Mortifee and flutist Paul Horn, guest speakers, the Gettin’ Higher Choir, workshops, photography, displays, a fashion show featuring local designers: Hemp & Co., Linda Ferguson, Nikki Babie, Not Just Pretty Modern Clothing/Victoria Green Collective and Vic High Fashion students, children’s events, a silent auction, an Art School Victoria auction, live bands such as The Soul Shakers, a John Lennon tribute concert featuring a variety of musicians and a 70s disco meets Mardi Gras dance party to kick off the weekend.

Notable charities such as the Sierra Club of BC, The Western Wilderness Committee, The Dogwood Initiative, Ancient Forest Alliance, The Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team (GOERT), TLC The Land Conservancy, Wild Arc, RAVEN (Respecting Aboriginal Values & Environmental Needs), Oases Conservation Society and many others will be on-hand to answer questions and heighten awareness of the work they are doing for our communities. The CRD will also be educating the public about the many programs they offer.

SCHEDULE

Friday, April 20th
7-9:30 pm: All Ages Disco Meets Mardi Gras Dance Party. Alcohol-free event. Costumes and lanterns welcome. FREE

Saturday, April 21st
1-7 pm: Special Guest Artists + Speakers, Creative Children’s Events, Displays, Music, Food and Fun. FREE

3-5 pm: Keynote by Ann Mortifee with World Renowned Flutist Paul Horn, Photography/Multi-Media Presentation by Photographer Garth Lenz (International League of Conservation Photographers), Music by Holly Arntzen and Kevin Wright (Folk/Pop Rock Your World) and The Gettin’ Higher Choir. TICKETED EVENT: DISCOUNT TO GOERT MEMBERS (see below).

6-7 pm: Local Designers Funky Fashion Show featuring Hemp & Co., Linda Ferguson, Nikki Babie, Not Just Pretty Modern Clothing/Victoria Green Collective, Vic High fashion students and special guests. TICKETED EVENT: DISCOUNT TO GOERT MEMBERS.

7-9:30 pm: Funk/Soul/R&B dance with the Soul Shakers. Alcohol free event. TICKETED EVENT: DISCOUNT TO GOERT MEMBERS.

Sunday, April 22nd/Earth Day
1-5:30 pm: Special Guest Artists + Speakers, Creative Children’s Events, Displays, Music, Food and Fun. FREE

1-2:30 pm: Art School Victoria Annual Student Charity Art Auction. FREE

3-5 pm: John Lennon Tribute Concert with Special Guests. TICKETED EVENT: DISCOUNT TO GOERT MEMBERS.

GOERT members are offered discounts for the ticketed portions of the festival, so become a member and get yours now, while they last!

We need creative help in designing our booth, and volunteers to staff it, so please contact us (250-383-3427) if you’re interested in helping. Thank you.

Summit Park (photo by Emrys Miller)

Download PDF version (PDF 448KB).

The Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team (GOERT) is a registered Canadian charity dedicated to the conservation and restoration of one of Canada’s most imperilled ecosystems. Over the last ten years GOERT has successfully developed a well-respected, diverse, and highly integrated ecosystem and species at risk recovery program.

A tremendous opportunity awaits an energetic, motivated individual with proven skills in program administration, inclusive leadership, and habitat conservation in a consensus-based, team-oriented working environment. The Executive Director is based in the Victoria office and reports to the Chair of the Board of Directors.

GOERT has an operating budget of approximately $500,000 (dependent on funding), six full-time and one part-time staff, a national Recovery Team and several Recovery Implementation Groups that contribute more than 3000 hours annually, and a growing society membership (200+).

OVERVIEW OF POSITION
The Executive Director is responsible for GOERT operations, funding and budgets, personnel and leadership of the GOERT program. S/he will work closely with the recovery team to lead implementation of the national recovery strategy for Garry Oak ecosystems and species at risk and implement policies, programs, and a strategic action plan to advance the goals and objectives of this strategy. The Executive Director, working with the Recovery Team, Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and partners will continue to advance GOERT’s position as the primary source of expertise on Garry Oak ecosystems and associated species at risk in Canada.

The Executive Director will initially focus on the following priority areas, in addition to his/her regular responsibilities:
• Launch updated Garry Oak ecosystems (GOE) recovery strategy and engage partners
• Develop strategic action plan for the GOERT Society, based on the GOE recovery strategy
• Support development of Board-led fundraising and finance committees
• Assist staff in implementing the current programs: Landowner Contact, Local Government and First Nations Outreach, Outreach to Address Threats to GOEs, Bring Back the Bluebirds Reintroduction Project, and Species at Risk Recovery Planning
• Provide direction and oversight of outreach, social media and marketing activities
• Conduct fundraising, including grant-writing, to support immediate needs
• Launch GOE Endowment Fund
• Facilitate potential office move in June 2012

Please see full details on the position listed below.

QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants will be initially screened against the experience and education criteria and must clearly indicate how they meet these criteria in their application.

Experience
• Three years of recent (within last 10 years) experience working at a management level in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment, preferably in the non-profit and/or local government sector.
• Experience working with a large team and team-building, coordinating and delivering programs or projects in a multijurisdictional, multidisciplinary context, preferably in the resource management or conservation field.
• Significant leadership experience including effective staff and contract management skills.
• Experience serving on, or working for, a Board of Directors.
• Experience in strategic planning for an interdisciplinary program, preferably in the resource management or conservation field.
• Strong financial management expertise and experience in developing and managing complex budgets.
• Preference may be given to candidates who have experience in one or more of the following:

• leading an environmental non-profit organization
• conserving rare species or habitats
• fundraising
• communication, outreach and education

Education
• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Geography, Environmental Studies, Resource Management or a similar field related to the functions of this position is required. A communications, education or similar degree with strong background or experience in biology or similar field may be considered.
• Preference will be given to candidates with higher education in a related field or equivalent experience.

Knowledge
• Knowledge of office administration, financial and personnel management procedures is required. Knowledge of managing an incorporated society and/or registered charity is an asset.
• Knowledge in ecology, conservation biology or related discipline is required. Knowledge of Garry Oak and associated ecosystems and their conservation issues and management challenges is an asset. Knowledge of species at risk recovery in Canada is an asset.
• Knowledge of facilitation, conflict resolution and negotiation techniques and practices.
• Knowledge of principles of conservation biology, ecosystem management and the management of species at risk is required.
• Knowledge of Garry Oak ecosystems, their associated species at risk and the threats they face is an asset, as is knowledge of acts, policies and programs related to the management of ecosystems and species at risk in this region.

Abilities
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with others and build and maintain partnerships.
• Strong leadership, communication, consensus-building and staff management abilities.
• Excellent oral and written communication abilities.
• Ability to raise funds, manage finances, budgets, workplans and complete funding reports.
• Ability to multitask, oversee multiple projects, work within tight timelines, manage multiple deadlines and prioritize in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to follow and provide strategic direction and effectively represent GOERT and the GOE strategy to partners, members, volunteers, and funders, as well as the general public.
• Ability to use computers and modern office software and applications (abilities in database development and management and spatial information tools such as GIS is an asset.)

Personal Suitability
• Passion for Garry Oak ecosystems or species at risk. Enthusiastic and dedicated to protecting and restoring rare ecosystems and species.
• Excellent interpersonal relations skills. Able to establish and maintain positive, productive relations with other passionate stakeholders and partners. Works in a co-operative, consensus-based manner.
• Initiative and leadership. Takes action to influence events or develop new ideas and activities. Ability to inspire and motivate others. Able to lead others toward a goal or vision. Works well independently. Self-starter.
• Strong integrity, tact and sound judgment. Dependable and can be relied upon to protect confidential information and to perform duties in a responsible and ethical manner. Respectful, polite, diplomatic and able to deal calmly with people in difficult situations. Ability to facilitate agreement in a consensus-based manner. Makes appropriate logical and practical decisions based on objective analysis. Able to think strategically and critically evaluate information.

Employment Conditions
• Willingness to travel and work irregular hours; including working in Garry Oak ecosystems
• Maintain a valid driver’s license and use personal vehicle for GOERT business

This is a full-time position with a competitive salary. The position will start as soon as possible and is ongoing. Remuneration will be determined based on qualifications and experience within a salary range of $55,550-$60,600. There is a generous health, medical, and dental benefits plan, as well as paid vacation and sick leave.

Applications will be reviewed January 26th but the position will remain open until a suitable candidate is hired. Please submit a cover letter and resume, with ‘GOERT Executive Director’ in the subject line to: Shyanne Smith, Executive Director, at shyanne.smith@goert.ca.

For further information about this opportunity, please contact Shyanne Smith (250-383-3224), or Jennifer Psyllakis, Chair of Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team Society Board of Directors.

Please note: Email applications are strongly preferred. Receipt of all applications will be confirmed by email. While the interest of all applicants is appreciated, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly.

Download PDF version (PDF 448KB).

Counting Endangered yellow montane violets on Mt. Tuam, Salt Spring Island

Please join us on Friday, February 17th, 2012 for the 9th annual GOERT Research Colloquium!

As in the past, the purpose of the Research Colloquium is to bring together people who are planning or conducting research & restoration projects relevant to Garry oak ecosystems to have them present brief descriptions of their studies and results to prompt discussion and encourage coordination among agencies.

We hope that all who are interested in contributing, either in person or via an Abstract for inclusion in the Proceedings (distributed via email after the Colloquium), will respond. As always, we encourage students to present a talk on their current or planned work relevant to Garry oak ecosystems; the Colloquium is a great venue to elicit constructive comment. GOERT provides a free lunch (yes, free!) for all student presenters.

Lunch can be purchased at the Pacific Forestry Centre, and student presenters are provided with a free lunch. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

What: 9th Annual GOERT Research Colloquium

When: Friday February 17th, 2012, 9am–4pm

Where: Pacific Forestry Centre, 506 West Burnside Road, Victoria, BC

Deadline for presenters: January 20th, 2012

Deadline for participants: February 3rd, 2012

Please download the registration form and return it to GOERT: Word document 133KB

Presentations confirmed to date

• Updates on projects at Mt Tuam, Fort Rodd Hill, Crow’s Nest, and the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific
• Invasive species distributions and implications, including talks on legacies of Scotch Broom invasions, and emerging species to watch
• Garry Oak-associated wetlands in Victoria
• Special session on site prioritization, including climate change and exotic species impacts on conservation planning
• Linking Ecologically Sustainable Economic Activity and Restoration
• Ecology of native widow spiders in Garry Oak meadows

… and discussions of projects and lessons from Washington and Oregon

Students Susan MacIsaac, Camille McIntosh and David Cox removing Scotch broom at the Nanaimo airport (photo courtesy of Malaspina University College RMOT Program)

Join GOERT staff and members in removing invasive plants in View Royal’s new park!

Date: Saturday, November 26, 2011
Time: 10:00am-12:30pm and 1:00-3:30pm (come for one session, or stay all day).
Location: in View Royal (near Victoria) on the corner of Watkiss Way and West Burnside Road
What to bring: warm clothing (and rain gear just in case), proper shoes, a water bottle, comfortable work gloves (if you have them). Optional: Secateurs or loppers.

We will have equipment on site. Training and refreshments will be provided!

Come help remove invasive alien plants from the Garry Oak woodland in a newly-protected natural areas park in View Royal. GOERT has been working with the Town of View Royal to create a restoration plan for this park. Now you can be part of the inaugural volunteer work party to restore the park’s Garry Oak ecosystems. Meet fellow GOERT volunteers and members, enjoy refreshments, and be the first to remove invasive plants at ‘Burnside Corners Park’.

Parking is available along the street and off Watkiss Way on Talcott Road. Please leave pets and small children at home.

To register, please email info@goert.ca or call us at 250-383-3427.

Garry Oak Ecosystems: In all of Canada, Garry Oak and associated ecosystems occur only on southeastern Vancouver Island (Victoria area to the Comox Valley), on the Gulf Islands and in two isolated areas in the Fraser Valley. Today, only about one per cent of these ecosystems remain in near-natural condition in the Capital Regional District.

Killer Whale seen from Trial Island October 1, 2011 (photo by Thiago Gomes)

GOERT’s Trial Island restoration project, funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Department of the Environment, is now in its fifth year. Trial Island has one of the most significant concentrations of plant species at risk in Garry Oak and associated ecosystems. Invasive species (primarily Scotch Broom, Spurge-laurel, English Ivy and Gorse) have been identified as one of the leading threats to these species, and the purpose of the project is to remove the invasive plants from meadows on Trial Island that contain COSEWIC-listed species. The removal of exotic shrubs increases habitat quality and reduces competitive stress on the rare plants.

First Nations burial mound on Trial Island (photo by Louise Goulet)

Trial Islands Ecological Reserve—a bit of history and excitement!
by Louise Goulet

Finally, I made it to Trial Islands Ecological Reserve! It took long enough, although the reserve is just a short distance from my home in Oak Bay. It takes a boat and a knowledgeable operator to get there—the currents created by the tides can be vicious. Participating in GOERT’s invasive plant removal project led by rare plant biologist Matt Fairbarns earlier this month finally allowed me and 20 other volunteers to make it to a reserve that is very special to me as well as many others.

Trial Islands Ecological Reserve (ER #132) was the last ecological reserve I helped create, in July 1990, as Coordinator for the BC Ecological Reserves Program (ER). After the decentralization of the Program within the larger BC Parks organization in late 1990, new reserves were still created by BC Parks but were then recommended for designation via the provincial Land and Resource Management Planning process (LRMP), rather than being recommended by ER staff such as Dr. Hans Roemer or other knowledgeable plant ecologists such as Dr. Jim Pojar or Dr. Adolf Ceska.

At the time the reserve was created, it was being considered as a potential location for a sewage treatment plant (!) and the provincial islands were under a long-term federal lease. Publicity generated by a very determined Times Colonist reporter (apologies for forgetting your name) and several letters to the federal government finally resulted in most of the federal lease being cancelled so that the new ER could be designated. Small leases remain for the lighthouse and a CFAX radio transmitter tower.

Protecting these small, rocky wind-swept islands was a real coup for conservation. Close to 20 rare vascular plants are present in the reserve, 11 of which are in the categories of greatest rarity in B.C. These are mostly more southerly plants, at or near the northern limit of their range in the Victoria area. Shallow soils, summer drought, and strong winds combine to prevent tree growth, although small stands of stunted poplars and Garry Oaks can be found in rocky depressions. Plant communities consist mainly of herbaceous meadows, shrub thickets and sparse growth of lichens and other plants on bedrock.

During the spring, stunning plants such as the Golden Paintbrush brighten the meadows along with more common plants such as Common Camas, Death-camas, Chocolate Lily, Shooting Star, Seablush and Blue-eyed Mary. Mowing by the resident lighthouse keeper, Meredith, prevents taller plants such as snowberry from invading these open areas, also allowing rare plants such as the White-topped Aster and Dense-flowered Lupine to thrive. Other plants such as Victoria’s Owl-clover, Scouler’s Popcornflower and Bigelow’s Plantain depend on vernal pools for their survival. The islands are also dotted with several First Nation burial mounds, where light green lichens and medium-sized rocks create an interesting patchwork of colours.

Our day on the island was too short, but was exciting and productive. Lots of Scotch Broom, English Ivy and Gorse came to an early demise. New acquaintances were made (thanks for your hospitality, Meredith!), tall tales were told, and “plant growing recipes” and phone numbers were exchanged. It was also great to see so many young people volunteering for the restoration work—in particular, thanks to Benjamin and the young ladies from the UVic Restoration Program for their enthusiasm and hard work!

BUT, the most exciting part (besides climbing the lighthouse tower and Matt’s rare plant talk and tour!) was the small pod of Killer Whales darting back and forth just off the island shores (see the video!), spy-hopping to observe the strange visitors; and the two humpback whales, heard about but not seen by us, that were swimming off Ogden Point! And the boat ride was great. What a day, and no rain to speak of! One could not ask for better.

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In the photo at left, rare plant expert Matt Fairbarns shows volunteers the tiny leaves crowded at the base of a Golden Paintbrush plant. The leaves will remain small and congested until spring when the warm weather will cue the plants to expand the leaf surfaces and extend the internodes between leaves, to rapidly produce a vigorous shoot.

Trial Island covers about 18 ha, and COSEWIC-listed species at risk occur over almost all of the island, including Golden Paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta), Coastal Scouler’s Catchfly (Silene scouleri), Seaside Bird’s-foot Lotus (Lotus formosissimus), Snake-root Sanicle (Sanicula arctopoides), Purple Sanicle (Sanicula bipinnatifida), White-top Aster (Sericocarpus rigidus), and Dense-flowered Lupine (Lupinus densiflorus). As well, Trial Island has 99% of the global population of Victoria’s Owl-clover, a newly-described species which is globally critically-imperiled and has been recently assessed by COSEWIC and designated Endangered. There are also three provincially-listed species. All seven listed species are part of GOERT’s Recovery Strategy for Garry Oak and Associated Ecosystems.

The restoration project supported by GOERT only applies to the 13 ha of provincial crown lands on Trial Island, including the ecological reserve. The rest of the island is federal crown land (Canada Coast Guard) and a complementary project to control invasive species on the federal lands is also underway.

Looking northeast at 4pm after removing broom all day long (photo by Thiago Gomes)

One or two volunteer restoration days per year make all the difference to this project. If you are interested in joining a future volunteer restoration trip to Trial Island, please contact us.

Due to extremely rare and sensitive plants and ecosystems present on Trial Islands Ecological Reserve, permission to access is by Park Use Permit only.

Jan Kirkby is the Chair of our Conservation Planning and Site Protection working group

September 2011: We surprised long-time GOERT volunteer Jan Kirkby with her well-deserved Acorn Award at our AGM in September. Jan has been a part of the Conservation Planning and Site Protection Recovery Implementation Group (CPSP RIG) since its inception, and the Chair for the last couple of years. Additionally, she serves in a management capacity on the GOERT Board of Directors and is a member of the Recovery Team. Her work with the Sensitive Ecosystems Inventory (SEI) has been crucial for conservation planning.

Says Jan, “My personal interest in Garry Oak ecosystems began in the early 1980s when I lived on a property in Central Saanich with a 6-acre Garry Oak meadow, and was curious to find out more about both the trees and their associated ecosystems. I learned more about the plants associated with Garry Oak while working with my mentor Adolf Ceska at the Royal BC Museum herbarium (which my children fondly referred to as the ‘plant morgue’).”

Jan’s background is in plant ecology; she holds a M.Sc. in Environment and Management, and is a Registered Professional Biologist. She worked as an ecologist for the BC Conservation Data Centre for 9 years, and has been working for Environment Canada’s Canadian Wildlife Service as a landscape ecologist for the past 8 years.

While working at the CDC in the early 90s, she and her colleagues began mapping remaining intact Garry Oak ecosystems as part of the Sensitive Ecosystems Inventory (SEI) for east Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. In the late 90s, the federal/provincial Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative (followed by the Georgia Basin Action Plan in 2003) helped further this work through the formation of the Georgia Basin Ecosystem Conservation Partnership (GBECP), which facilitated the creation of comprehensive Site Records for priority conservation sites. The Site Records provided scientifically defensible, consistent site information and ranking that assisted the GBECP in securement efforts for priority Garry Oak ecosystems and other sensitive habitats.

Jan and her dog Lucie

Jan has been working with Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory projects in other parts of BC, most recently in the Okanagan Valley, where SEI mapping is now available for the entire Okanagan Valley from Vernon to Osoyoos. Her ongoing interest is in the practical application of this information in land use planning, so she works actively with local governments to support and encourage the use of all available scientific information through the development tools such as the Green Bylaws Toolkit for Conserving Sensitive Ecosystems and Green Infrastructure, Species at Risk and Local Government: A Primer for Local Government web tool, best management practices documents, and regional biodiversity conservation strategies.

Jan’s friend and colleague Kathy Dunster says, “Jan is a big-picture ecologist; it’s not just the oak ecosystems, it’s wetlands, it’s everything. It’s the broad spectrum. And she is truly a public servant, in the service of the public.”

In recent years, Jan has been working with the multi-agency Wetland Stewardship Partnership to do for wetlands what GOERT does for Garry Oak ecosystems. They have developed a Wetland Action Plan for BC, Wetland Ways: Interim Guidelines for Wetland Protection and Conservation in British Columbia, the above-mentioned Green Bylaws Toolkit, and are currently working to identify and map BC’s priority wetlands.

“I have been living in the Gulf Islands for over 20 years, and have cleverly replaced my 4 fully-fledged children (2 science grads!) with 4 hairy but charming hounds, whose wrestling and racing around makes short work of any efforts I make at native plant gardening. I spend my non-work time hiking, kayaking, and being involved in conservation-related community activities.”

Jan’s children

Jan does put in a lot of time volunteering for conservation. One example: she is a member of the Pender Islands Conservancy Association, which has raised over $120,000 to date to support the CRD in the purchase of a stunning coastal Garry Oak property on South Pender Island that connects Brooks Point and Gowlland Point to complete Brooks Point Regional Park.

GOERT Chair Brian Reader says, “The thing that strikes me most about Jan is her ability to do so much while living on a relatively remote island dependent on an intermittent ferry service. She shuttles from Pender Island to Delta and back, and then fits in meetings with GOERT in Victoria and wherever else her work takes her. Jan finds time to undertake science, data management, a full-time job with the Canadian Wildlife Service, commuting, conservation work with the Pender Island Conservancy Association, and all her work with the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team. Jan’s passion has been the scientific assessment of habitat quality and the prioritization of those sites for conservation action with a big focus on Garry oak and associated ecosystems. GOERT is so fortunate to have someone of her calibre leading the Conservation Planning Recovery Implementation Group. Thanks Jan for all your years of service to GOERT! The Acorn Award is but a small token of our appreciation. We think you deserve a vacation as well, so we have asked David Hahn to institute a Frequent Ferry points program. Before you know it you will have enough for a ride to Sointula or perhaps as far as Klemtu!”

Dawn holds the site info while Amanda lines up a photo-monitoring shot (photo by Chris Junck)

In summer 2011, we were happy to have two University of Victoria co-op students working with us. As they dive back into school this fall, we’d like to thank them for all the work they did to move GOERT projects ahead during their time with us. In addition to participating in ecological surveys and restoration, representing GOERT at outreach events, and working with volunteers to update our species at risk and invasive species field manuals, they each had individual projects they were working on.

Amanda Evans has almost finished her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies and Geography, with a Diploma in Restoration of Natural Systems. Over the summer, she helped prepare our recently published restoration guide, Restoring British Columbia’s Garry Oak Ecosystems: Principles and Practices; conducted site surveys and helped develop a restoration plan for a new park in View Royal; and did mapping, monitoring, and other field work for restoration sites.

Amanda is continuing to work with the Town of View Royal as a volunteer, and through the UVic Restoration of Natural Systems program, to implement restoration activities and create a community stewardship group for the new park in View Royal.

Says Amanda, “I thoroughly enjoyed my time at GOERT this summer. I loved the diversity of work: doing inventories of rare plant species that few people get a chance to see in their lifetimes, talking with and learning from some of the most knowledgeable and passionate people working in the field of ecological restoration, and gaining invaluable practical field work experience was, I think, much more than what a usual co-op position would offer! My interest in ecological restoration has been sparked and I hope to continue on this journey for a long time.”

Dawn Fizzard recently returned to school to complete her Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and Geography after six years as an environmental educator and interpreter. Over the summer, Dawn took the Bring Back the Bluebirds project to a whole new level. She created community outreach materials and updated monitoring information for our volunteer stewards, while working with landowners and conservation partners to build bluebird nestboxes and place them in suitable habitat in time for the Western Bluebird re-introduction next spring. She is continuing with us part-time through the fall.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity, which has provided me with a much finer understanding of conservation practice. It’s been a pleasure to work with GOERT staff on the bluebird project, and the wider GOERT community on various conservation issues. I’ve been places, seen and participated in things that I would never have otherwise. Coming in I thought I knew a lot about our Garry Oak ecosystems, but there is so much more to learn!”

These internships were made possible through the UVic Co-op Program; and funding from Parks Canada Agency, the Government of Canada through the Federal Department of the Environment, the Town of View Royal, and the Canada Summer Jobs program.