West Kootenay Naturalists Osprey Newsletter

Other Links of Interest

Saturday, March 04, 2006:
Six Nats maneuvered their vehicles to get into tight parking spots on the road into the Rossland Golf Course. Once parked, we headed off on snowshoes down the old wagon road and then onto the golf course to the lower end. We got adventuresome and crossed the creek to where another nine hole course extension has been started. Looping back,, we searched for a way to recross the creek, and finally found a partially completed bridge that we climbed gingerly across. We had lunch on the clubhouse steps and returned to the cars.
Ed & Hazel Beynon

Saturday, April 8, 2006:
The hike to Fruitvale and Marsh Creek area was substituted for the Erie Lake circle tour; there was still too much evidence of winter at Erie. Rain held off until late. We saw quite a few birds, but the highlight was a close look at a bald eagle and its nest.
Audrey Mann

A.Under President Jeremy McCall, the BC Naturalist with its motto “To know Nature and to keep it worth knowing” has risen to new heights in becoming an educational tool in which we can all take great pride! Let us count the ways!
B.Mirroring Jeremy’s achievements over the last four years has always been his presidential message! Conservation Reports by Bev Ramey also reveal the miracles of her hard work across B.C. Small wonder each has been awarded in 2004 – 2005 the highest acclamation possible while still in office: The Elton Anderson Award! Read, digest, enjoy, and use to the full advantage of the WKNA. Club Chat, too!
C.Sarah Kipp (P15) Adapting to Climate Change: Living by Water is gathering global-warming information of the effects on Okanagan lakeshores, shrinking, stressed lakes, disappearing bird life etc! What West Kootenay documenting can we be doing?
D.Boundary Naturalists are proud of FBCN Resolution 4: Protect the Gilpin Grasslands put together with the North Okanagan Naturalists under the guidance of Bev Ramey! The Gilpin Grasslands, part of a proposal for two parks: Gilpin Grasslands (800 hec), Boothman Oxbow (100 hec), and a much larger Gilpin Grasslands WMA (5200 hec).
NOTE: The BC Grasslands Council AGM in Grand Forks, July 16-17 (www.grasslands.org). Open to public for a fee. (April 9 Teleconference info.)
E.The inspirations of Dick Cannings and Gary Davidson are propelling the Rocky Mountain Naturalists into extensive owling and to the Okanagan Big Day (Penticton area) where three members will take part in 24-hour birding.
F.For Kootenay Region, I e-mailed the Regional District of East Kootenay Re: Jumbo Resort Proposal, urging a vote against zoning change that would allow Jumbo Resort Development, informing them that long ago the WKNA chose esteemed Elizabeth Wallach (Nelson) as our representative to establish the adjacent Purcell Nature Reserve which would become obsolete with Jumbo approval in addition to wildlife corridors, ecological biodiversity, exploding Nature Tourism, and Kootenay Ski Resorts. Please keep Jumbo in its natural state!

FBCN Executive Teleconference April 3

1.2006 FBCN camp spaces (Saturna, Okanagan, Bamfield) were quickly snapped up!
2.The FBCN will establish a B.C. Conservation Network, involving FBCN Directors and others.
3.Bev Ramey has compiled Resolutions of the past 10 years.
4.Hopefully, you have mailed your FBCN 2006 Members’ Survey for the next 5-year period