ISSN 0228-8842

B.C. NaturalistSUMMER, 1983

Pink Fawn Lilies

VOL. 21, No. 2

Photo Credit — Dr. Hans Roemer

Ecological Reserve Unit

B.C. Ministry of Lands,

Parks and Housing

The Federation of British Columbia Naturalists1200 Hornby Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 2E2

B.C. Naturalist is published quarterly bythe Federation of British -ColumbiaNaturalist 100 - 1200 Hornby Street,Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 2E2.

DIRECTORYB.C. NATURALIST

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Editor Jude GrassLayout Jim AddieAdvertising Hugh AikensAdvisory Board Bert Brink,

Dick Stace-SmithAl Grass

HONOURARY PRESIDENTDr. Ian Mctaggart CowanEXECUTIVEPresident: Dick Stace-Smith224-7027 4274 West 13th Ave.,Vancouver, V6R 2B6Vice-President: Mrs. Jude Grass,437-7194, 202-6444 Silver Ave.,Burnaby V5H 2Y4Treasurer: Natalie Minunzie,534-211623293 34A Ave.,Langley V3A 7B9Membership Secretary: Janet Street,728-0526, 3415 W. 19 Ave.,Vancouver V6S 1C1Recording Secretary: Miss MarjorieSmith,327-1938, 1146 East 60th Ave.,Vancouver V5X 2A7

.Office Secretary: Mrs. Shannon Hall,224-7584, 3847 West 23rd Ave.*Vancouver, V6A 1K8Past President: Dr. V.C. Brink,224-7078, 4135 West 16th Ave.,Vancouver V6R 3E4COMMITTEESConservation Chairman: Ken Hall,224-7584, 3849 W. 23 Ave.,Vancouver, V6A 1K8Education Chairman: Al Grass437-7194, 202-6444 Silver Ave.,Burnaby V5H 2Y4AFFILIATED CLUBSAND DIRECTORSVANCOUVER ISLANDRegional Coordinator:

Doug TurnbullArrowsmith Natural Historical

f-Society: Pauline TranfieldComox-Strathcona Naturalists:

Jim LunanCowichan Valley Natural History

Society: Edna SlaterMitlenatch Field Naturalists:

Howard TeloskyNanaimo Field Naturalists:

Allan HawryzkiSalt Spring Trail and Nature Club

Thetis Park NatureSanctuary Association

T.B.A.Victoria Natural History Society:

Winston Mair, Douglas Turnbull,William Barkley

Pender Island Field Naturalists:T.B.A.

LOWER MAINLANDRegional Coordinator: Norm PurssellAlouette Field Naturalists:

Duanne van den BergChilliwack Field Naturalists:

Bircham Van HomeLangley Field Naturalists:

Adeline NicolRoyal City Field Naturalists:

Margaret RennieSechelt Marsh Protective Society

Katie AngermeyerVancouver Natural History Society

V.C. Brink', Jude Grass, Ken Hall,Gwen De Camp, Norman Purssell

White Rock and Surrey Naturalists:Daphne Smith

THOMPSON-OKANAGANRegional Coordinator: Peter LeggCentral Okanagan Naturalists:

Hugh WestheuserKamloops Naturalists:

Keith MacBellNorth Okanagan Naturalists:

Kay Biller, Peter LeggNorth Shuswap Lake Naturalists:

Audrey SugdenOliver-Osoyoos Naturalists:

T.B.A.Shuswap Naturalists:

Deane MunroSouth Okanagan Naturalists:

Walter CharlesKOOTENAYBoundary Naturalists Assoc.

Rosemary SantopintoLake Windermere Naturalists:

T.B.A.West Kootenay NaturalistsAssociation:

Hazel StreetCARIBOOWilliams Lake Field Naturalists

Frances VyseNORTH CENTRAL B.C.Prince George Naturalists:

Don WilsonSKEENATerrace Outdoor Club:

T.B.A.Prince Rupert Naturalists:

T.B.A.PEACETimberline Trail and Nature Club:

Don Johnson

'DIRECTOR REPRESENTINGINDIVIDUAL MEMBERS

Chris SiddleD. J. Ready

This list is of April 1, 1983 and DOES NOT include all changes or new Directors for1983-1984. An updated list will appear in the Fall 1983 edition.Page 2 — B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983

Over theeditor's deskDear .Mr. Stace-Smith:

I am writing just in response to your'President's Message1 in the Spring,1983 'B.C. Naturalist', to pass on toyou, my compliments for your singularlywell-balanced article in which you ap-pear to go out of your way to air all sidesin the question discussed. To any un-committed people reading it, they will,I'm sure, be impressed by your presenta-tion and the fairness of it. Such can onlyhelp the causes for which you speak.

With kind regards, I am,Yours sincerely,

Michael C. Manningc/1558 Beach Drive

Victoria, B.C.VSR 6H8

Front CoverThese rare Pink Fawn Lilies

(Erythronium revolutum), found onVancouver Island, were "captured" atthe Honeymoon Bay WildflowerReserve near Lake Cowichan. Thereserve is noted for having the largestknown concentration of the pinkErythroniums and they are a spectacularsight in early spring when they bloom inthe thousands with the yellow SmoothWood Violet (Viola glabella). They andthe Wild Bleeding Heart (Dicentra for-mosa), Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum)and White Trillium (Trillium ovatum}are among the two dozen species ofwildflowers represented in the reserve.

Known to many naturalists as SuttonCreek Wildflower Reserve, this 15 acre(6.07 ha) area has recently been donatedto the National Second Century Fund ofB.C. by Western Forest Industries Ltd.,a subsidiary of Western Forest ProductsLimited, to ensure the long-term protec-tion of the site.

The Second Century Fund will be leas-ing the property to the Ministry ofLands, Parks and Housing for 99 yearsand it will be managed by the EcologicalReserves Unit and given EcologicalReserve status. .

Located immediately west of Honey-moon Bay on the road to Caycuse, theWildflower Reserve is easily accessibleand is identified with signs.

Pamela M. CowtanThe National Second Century Fund of

B.C. held a Dedication Ceremony at theHoneymoon Bay Wildflower Reserve onSaturday, April 9th, 1983. Dr. IanMcTaggert Cowan, a Director of thiFund officiated and a walk was con-ducted by representatives of theEcological Reserves Unit.

President's Message-O.

photo Jude Grass

Practically all environmentalissues in British Columbia involveconflicting views on resourceutilization. These inevitably in-volve management objectives thatare unresolvable at the technicallevel and, whether we -like it ornot, the ultimate decision must bepolitical. Since the decision ispolitical it is essential thatmechanisms be devised to assurethat the politicians are aware ofthe options available and that theymake their choice consciouslyafter weighing the costs and benefits of each alternative. Acurrent example of this process involves Tree Farm Licenses 37and 39 on northern Vancouver Island. Naturalists would bewell advised to follow the progress of this assessment, becauseit will indicate whether the mechanism of public involvement ismeaningful.

Briefly, in the area under study, there is a conflict betweenthe goals of the Ministry of Forests for timber production andthe Ministry of Environment for deer and elk production.Both deer and elk are vulnerable to heavy and prolonged snowaccumulation unless some unlogged old growth forest isavailable. Also, mature timber serves as a critical winter range.In the short-term, areas can be designated as winter ranges andtemporarily reserved from timber harvesting. In the long-term,most of the timber in the reserve areas is scheduled for loggingso a trade-off must be made between timber yield and animalnumbers. The Ministries have agreed that their conflictingmanagement objectives are unresolvable at the technical leveland have prepared a report outlining the benefits and costs ofeach of five options relating to the number of animals that canbe maintained under correpsonding rates of timber harvest.The report was to be circulated until March 15 to solicit com-

ments on errors of fact or omissions that may bias the results.On March 1 it was announced that the public is being given ad-ditional time to comment on the draft report; the deadline isbeing extended until May 1. When all submissions are in, thefinal report will be completed for presentation to the Environ-ment and Land Use Committee of Cabinet.

I studied the draft report and, in consultation with others,prepared a response on behalf of the Federation. My generalimpression was that the options were clearly presented, thatthere was an objective analysis of available alternatives, andthat there were no serious errors of fact or omissions thatwould bias the results. In fact, I feel the professional staff inthe two Ministries should be commended for their objectivity.I was surprised to hear that the deadline for comment was be-ing extended because others I had talked to were also impress-ed with the quality of the draft report. I heard rumors to theeffect that the forest industry was unhappy with the report andit is now evident the deadline was extended at their request. Ina recent press report (The Vancouver Sun, March 17), W.B.Gayle, Vice-president of Canadian Forest Products, com-plains bitterly that the report fails to explain the industry pointof view. In comparison, he states that the fish and wildlife sec-tion of the report was written in a biased, journalistic style fullof emotional phrases which appeal to the media. In theforestry section of the report, he complains that nothing is saidabout the gratification of knowing that, by removing oldgrowth wood, we have created a new forest to provide jobs forour children.and grandchildren.

I am disappointed but not surprised at the criticism that thereport is receiving from industry. The forest industry has tradi-tionally assumed a dominant role in resource allocation in thisprovince and the possibility of giving up logging rights to anaccessible stand of mature timber is hard to take. I would onlyhope that the final report is not drastically altered as a result ofindustry pressure.

R. Stace-Smith

Up and coming May 28

May 2

May 13-15

May 28-29

Directors Meeting, 6:15p.m. ORC, 1200Hornby, Vancouver.F.B.C.N. Annual General Meeting atSechelt (see Spring edition for details).Mountainfest sponsored by the Federa-tion of Mountain Clubs of B.C. andheld at Robson Square Media Centre,Vancouver, This two day event willfeature displays, films, talks as well asseveral local hikes. For more informa-tion write to F.M.C.B.C., 1200 HornbySt., Vancouver V6Z 2E2 or phone KenWoodsworth, 229-9841.

Advertising RatesFull Page $200.00l/2 page 100.00V4 page 50.00For information contact:

H. E. Aikens—433-61604521 Neville StreetBurnaby, B.C. V5J 2G9

per issueper issueper issue

June 5-11June 6

June 28 - July 1

July 4 .July 15August 8September 3-10

Sept. 12

PHOTOS WANTEDWe are looking for cover shots and

other captioned photo's for the B.C.Naturalist.

Cover shots should have a seasonaltheme and be black and white prints nosmaller than 8X10. Other submissionsshould also be black and white prints

Wilderness Management - The Need isNow. A conference sponsored by theOutdoor Recreation Council of B.C. tobe held at Robson Square Media Centre,Vancouver. Write ORC, 1200 HornbySt., Vancouver, V6Z 2E2 for details.Canadian Environment Week.Directors Meeting, 6:15 p.m. ORC, 1200Hornby, Vancouver.47th Federal-Provincial Wildlife Con-ference, Edmonton, Alta.Directors Meeting. Details T.B.A.Deadline for Fall B.C. Naturalist.Directors Meeting. Details T.B.A.F.B.C.N. CAMP. See page 16 fordetails.Directors Meeting. Details T.B.A.

and no smaller than 5X7 with good con-trast. Portfolios also accepted.

Please label with subject matter or ti-tle, name, address, phone number. UsePENCIL only and DO NOT write onpicture, press or use labels. All photoswill be returned.

B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983 — Page 3

Wildlife atlasesProgress report

WINTER1982-83

PROGRESS REPORT

Naturalists continued to transfer their1982 records to museum cards. Signifi-cant numbers of cards were receivedfrom Michael Rodway (2,000 - QueenCharlotte Islands), Bernice Smith (2,000- Fort Nelson area), Christopher Siddle(800 - Peace River), Ross Macdonald(500 - Cape St. James), John Woods(150 - Kootenay National Park) andLaurie Rockwell (125 -100 Mile House).

We also received a tremendousamount of support recently from B.C.Fish and Wildlife Branch in Kamloops(Ralph Ritcey and David Low) andDucks Unlimited (Canada) in Kamloops(Tom Slater, Tom Sterling and Ed Hen-non). I searched their files in earlyMarch for significant reports andrecords and returned to the museumwith some very important data. This in-cluded copies of field notes of Ralph W.Ritcey, Patrick W. Martin and David A.Munro, unpublished Fish and WildlifeBranch reports for the Kamloops region,and waterfowl (and other wildlife) infor-mation for little known areas of the pro-vince. Hopefully, this material will betransferred to museum files by the endof the summer.

When filling in observation cards andnest record cards please include exactlocation, and if possible, details(generally) on habitat and brief notes forunusual species.PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST

The following publications, with anasterik (*), referred to one of our fivedata collections for information. Otherslisted should be of interest to naturalists.

* Cannings, R.J. and S.R. Cannings.1982. A FLAMMULATED OWLNEST IN A NEST BOX. Murrelet 63(2): 66-68.

* Boyd, W. Sean. 19S2.P R E L I M I N A R Y PRIORITYMIGRATORY BIRD SPECIES LISTFOR THE PACIFIC AND YUKONREGION. Environment Canada, Cana-dian Wildlife Service, Delta. 68 pages.

* Daly, Mark K. 1982. THE BIRDSOF THE MAPLEWOODMUDFLATS, NORTH VANCOUVER- A RESPONSE TO THE DISTRICT'SMAPLEWOOD COMMUNITYPLAN. Issue by the author, North Van-couver, 29 pages.

Page 4 — B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983

Leedy, Daniel L. 1979. AN AN-NOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ONPLANNING AND MANAGEMENTFOR URBAN SUBURBANWILDLIFE, United States Departmentof the Interior Fish and Wildlife ServiceWashington, D.C. 256 pages.

Niederleither, Joe F. 1982, USE OFEARLY, MID-SUCCESSIONAL ANDOLD GROWTH HABITATS BYBREEDING BLUE GROUSE (Den-dragapus obscurus fuliginosos) ONHARDWICKE ISLAND, B.C. HonorsResearch Project, University of Alberta,Department of Zoology, Edmonton. 61pages.

* Ovanin, Thomas. 1982. B.C.'sDOUBLE^CRESTED CORMORANTRESERVES. The Islands 1(3): 4-5.

Poll, David M., Marian M. Porterand Maria J. Hamilton. 1982.WILDLIFE INVENTORY OFKOOTENAY NATIONAL PARK. Un-published Report, Canadian WildlifeService, Edmonton, Alberta. 83 pages.

Savard, Jean-Pierre L. 1982. BAR-ROW'S GOLDENEYE NEST-BOXUTILIZATION IN THE CARIBOOPARKLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA:YEAR 1. Canadian Wildlife ServiceProgress Note No. 131, Ottawa. 5 pages.

Savard, Jean-Pierre L. and Gary W.Kaiser. 1982. RECONNAISSANCE OFMARINE BIRDS ON THE NOR-THWEST COAST OF BRITISH COL-UMBIA DURING MARCH ANDMAY. Canadian Wildlife ServiceReport, Delta, British Columbia 37pages.

* Vermeer, Kees, Ian Robertson, R.Wayne Campbell, Gary Kaiser andMoira Lemon. 1982. DISTRIBUTIONAND DENSITIES OF MARINEBIRDS ON THE CANADIAN WESTCOAST. Canadian WildHfe Service,Delta (Draft copy released by ChevronCanada, Calgary). 37 pages.Webster, J. Dan. 1980. THEDISTRIBUTION OF INDIANA'SBIRDS AND BIRDWATCHERS. Pro-ceedings of the Indiana Academy ofScience for 1979 (89): 68-81.

NOTEWORTHY RECORDSIn the records which follow all dates

are 1983 unless otherwise noted.

An old, but significant record of theSTRIPED SKUNK was forwarded to meby Dr. Alex Peden. An animal was ap-parently shot near the outlet to LakelseLake and was seen (and smelled) in thearea from May to June, 1956, by BobHumphries. This is our earliest record todate for this species on the north coast.WOLVERINES are always exciting tosee, and Bill Reese mentioned he sawone walking along the edge of the forestat Rush Lake in the Douglas Lake areaon 1 March. Doug Wilson reported thata very large male GRIZZLY BEAR wasshot about 10 miles north of HarrisonHot Springs on 25 September, 1982. Healso mentioned that an ELK, very rare inthe Lower Mainland, was shot on 11November, 1982, on Vedder Mountain.There have been irregular sightings ofELK in the Chilliwack since 1968. RalphRitcey spotted the tail flash of a maleWHITE-TAILED DEER near DouglasLake on 9 March. These animals arequite rare in this area so the sighting wasexciting.

BIRDSIt isn't often we receive details for

pelagic species in winter so the followingcounts of birds seen by Rev. PeterHamel on a boat trip from Masset toPrince Rupert are noteworthy. Theseven species included SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER (2), NOR-THERN FULMAR (41), COMMONMURRE (394), ANCIENT MUR-RELET (111), CASSIN'S AUKLET (3),RHINOCEROS AUKLET (2) andBLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES (3).

Up' to three YELLOW-BILLEDLOONS have wintered off Masset. PeterHamel recorded them from 20 October1982 through 3 February 1983. There areother winter records of single birds forthe Victoria and Vancouver areas aswell. Vic Goodwill counted 3500WESTERN GREBES in Saanich Inlet-off Mill Bay Road on 6 January. Thisspecies rafts in large numbers along thesouthern coast but is local in its distribu-tion. Nine SNOW GEESE, reported atthe mouth of the Columbia Lake on theriver, on 24 February, by Helen Bavin isa noteworthy interior record. BRANTwintered on the Queen CharlotteIslands. Peter Hamel counted 129 atSandspit on 23 December and 62 at theYakoun Estuary on 22 January. AtDelkatla Slough, also on the Charlottes,Mary Morris saw a male REDHEAD in A \8 December and a CATTLE EGRET 7

on the same date!A spring movement of eagles was

underway in the southern interior in ear-

ly March. Nine GOLDEN EAGLES and16 BALD EAGLES were counted on 6March, by Wayne Campbell, while driv-ing from Spence's Bridge throughDouglas Lake to Westwold.

The DUNLIN that wintered on theThompson River at Tranquille was lastseen by Rick Howie on 4 March. PeterHamel and others recorded 140AMERICAN BLACK OYSTERCAT-CHERS in the Masset area on 18December, 1982, and 2 RUDDY TURN-STONES on 18 January.

The GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS(An adult and immature) werephotographed (BCPM Photo Nos. 839and 840) by Jack Bowling at Kelowna on20 December, 1982 and 7 January. AnAdult winter FRANKLIN'S GULL, thefirst winter record for Vancouver Island,was seen by David Eraser at CloverPoint on 12 February.

A HAWK OWL, very rare on thecoast, was seen by Steve Short on 1January, perched in a tree on a ridge atthe head of Halfmoon Bay. This is thefirst confirmed record for the SunshineCoast. First spring migrant TREESWALLOWS AND VIOLET-GREENSWALLOWS were recorded by AlanMacleod and Bruce Whittington on 26February at Quick's Bottom, in Saanich.

At least one, perhaps two NOR-THERN MOCKINGBIRDS have beenseen in the vicinity of Kamloops by BillBailey and Rick Howie from 16December, 1982, to 9 March, 1983. Firstspring , ROBINS were seen in thesouthern Kootenays on 24 February(Helen Bavin) and Prince George threedays later (Marilyn Rack). The firstreturning WESTERN BLUEBIRD wasspotted by Leila G. Roberts on 11February at Metchosin on VancouverIsland.

In some areas of the province peopleknow spring is coming when STARL-INGS arrive. According to Helen Bavin,4 birds seen at Kootenay National Parkon 15 February were two weeks early!Finally, a HARRIS' SPARROW seenon 4 January by Rick Howie at a feederon MacArthur Park, Kamloops, isnoteworthy.

REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANSNo reptile activity was noted duing the

rather mild winter but amphibians wereseen and heard. Larry Halverson reportstwo interesting records. On 28 Januaryhe observed a larvae LONG-TOEDSALAMANDER swimming in openwater at Nixon Lake and noted the firstemergence of the SPOTTED FROG, atKootenay National Park on 11February. PACIFIC TREEFROGS werefirst heard singing at Queen CharlotteCity on 10 February and surprisingly,nearly a month 'later (on 11 March) theywere heard by Rick Howie at Kamloops.

R. Wayne CampbellVertebrate Zoology Division

B.C. Provincial MuseumVictoria, B.C.

V8V 1X4

^Postage Problems?Mr. Larry Sperling,Vice-president,Corporate Planning and BusinessDevelopment,Canada Post Corporation,Ottawa, Canada,K1A 1ZO

Thank you for your letter of Feb.14th, together with the copy of the letterdefinition. I find it most interesting.

A problem has arisen here which youmay be able to clarify for me. I belong toa club known as The South OkanaganNaturalists' Club, one of several inBritish Columbia, as well as the affiliateclub B.C. Federation of Naturalists. We

have been publishing a news letter formembership, and have been mailing itout to members with the open end stapl-ed, and address affixed to the outersheet. This is the practice of all theseclubs.

Recently, one of our members discuss-ed this practice with a staff member ofthe post office in Penticton. She was ad-vised that the news letter could no longerbe mailed in that fashion, and thathenceforward, they must be mailed in anenvelope!

We find that the cheapest envelopeavailable will cost five cents. In addition,the mail cost will be increased. Thisover-all cost will mean that we will notbe able to continue mailing our news let-ters. In reviewing the sections defining a

'letter', I noted that section 2 (g) wouldappear to exclude such regulation defin-ing it as a letter.

Would you give this matter your con-sideration please, and let us have a replyas early as convenient please?

Your early reply would be most ap-preciated.Yours truly,

Waller D. CharlesDirector,

South Okanagan Naturalists'Club

EDITOR'S NOTE: I would be in-terested in knowing if any clubs are hav-ing problems mailing newsletters — nowthere is no "third class". How is it affec-ting your mailing rates and what haveyou been told by Canada Post?

B.C. Park NewsValhallas named as new provincial park

VICTORIA: British Columbia's fam-ed Valhalla Mountain Range, on thewestern edge of the Kootenays, is to bethe province's newest 60,000 hectare(140,000 acre) shoreline-to-mountainpeak wildnerness provincial park, wasannounced by Lands, Parks and Hous-ing Minister Tony Brummet.

"The new park will be established as aClass "A" park. The decision was madeafter a detailed study of the entire

Slocan Valley area showed the greatestuse of the Valhallas, in both social andeconomic terms to be multiple recrea-tional use and tourist-oriented," Brum-met said.

"The Class 'A' designation providesthe highest level of protection myministry can provide for a naturalwilderness area, ensuring that it will con-tinue to be available for the use, inspira-tion and enjoyment of all people,"Brummet said.

The new park, bordered on the east bySlocan Lake, is located 100 kilometresnorth of Nelson on the western edge ofthe Kootenays.

The park will encompass the areawhich has, from various studies, becomeknown as Option l.B. This includes theMulvey Creek watershed on the south,the Wee Sandy-Creek watershed at thenorth end and all the area between. Thesmall excluded area north of Wee SandyCreek has mineral and forestry poten-tial, and with controlled developmentwill not detract from the park values.

B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983 — Page 5

Endangered Wild Flowers of B.C.Camas

Thanks to Mr. G. H. Pope of Vic-toria, who kindly answered my plea forslides of Camassia leichlinii, I am nowable to complete the endangered lilies ofB.C. with this species.

The genus Camassia is confined toNorth America. It includes five speciesall of which are western except C.scilloides in the Mississippi Valley.Camassias are typical lilies with showyflowers arranged in a raceme, that is, thestalked flowers arise from an unbranch-ed axis continuous with the plant stem orscape. In Camassias the flower stalksarise in the axils of thin, papery bracts.Petals and ,sepals (3 & 3) are alike(tepals), separate and narrow, arisingbelow the ovary which is therefore saidto be 'superior'. The style is long andslender with a three-lobed stigma andthe anthers (6) swing at the ends of longfilaments. The narrow, grass-like leavesare alt basal, arising, with the stem, froma deep-seated bulb enclosed in darkmembranous scales.

Only two species of Camassia are tobe found in B.C., and few of us arefamiliar with them since both have avery limited distribution.

In B.C. C. leichlinii, the Great orLeichlin's Camas, is found only insouth-eastern Vancouver Island southfrom Nanaimo but its range extendswest of the Cascades south along theU.S. coast into the Californian Sierras.(H. and C.) the Great Camas is wellnamed because, where it finds condi-tions to its liking, it can reach a height of12 cm. (4 feet) and Lewis Clark men-tions a record of 205 buds and bloms ona single raceme. Since the individualflowers, usually a deep blue-violet withgolden anthers, measure 5-8 cm. across,plants this size must be a wonderfulsight. No wonder the bulbs and seedswere collected for European gardens!The Great Camas takes its specific namefrom Max Leichlin (1831 - 1910) ofBaden, Germany, who, like DavidDouglas before him, introduced manyNorth American plants to Europeanhorticulture.

Under less favourable conditions theGreat Camas can have relatively few andsmaller flowers and be no taller than theCommon Camas, C, quamash, which itthen closely resembles,'and, since theyfrequently grow together, they could beconfused. The Great Camas, however,has the kindness to flower two or threeweeks latef than the Common or EarlyCamas, in May to June, not April toPage 6 — B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983

versatile,anther

A.

May, and can also be recognized byseveral distinguishing features both dur-ing and after flowering. The flowers ofC. leichlinii are regular, the tepalstypically a deep blue-violet (paler shadesalso occur), and usually seven-nerved. Avery distinctive feature is the twisting ofthe faded tepals around the ovary.Another is the length of the bracts. In C.leichlinii they are shorter than the stalksof the ripening fruits.

In contrast, the flowers of C.quamash are somewhat irregular, thelowermost tepal often 'standing alone'and curving outward from the stem. Thetepals vary in colour from light to deepblue and appear to be five-nerved (myspecimens). They wither separately,seldom hiding the ovary. The bracts arelonger than the stalks of the developingfruits. In both species the fruit is a three-chambered capsule with many fairly big,shiny black seeds.

C. leichlinii has two colour varieties,creamy white and blue. Lewis Clark

once saw a plant with clear pink flowersbut this would be a 'sport' like the oddwhite-flowered plants amongst the blue.But in the southern part of its rangewhite-flowered plants are the more com-mon, and these are given the rank ofvar. leichlinii by some Botanists whileour blue-flowered plants are referred tovar. suksdorfia (H. and C).

The Camassias take their name fromthe Indian word "camas" or"quamash" for the edble bulbs of ourtwo species. Not all species have ediblebulbs, - those of C. cusickii, for in-stance, (from Oregon) are described as"ill-smelling, very mucilaginous, andfoul-tasting"! (H. and C). But those ofour two species were so prized that theyformed an item of trade between theCoast Salish and the Nootkas andKwakiutls (N.J.T.). Although the twospecies do grow together, C, leichliniitends to favour rocky slopes where thebulbs are not easily dug, consequently itwas the Common Camus which was the

more important even if its bulbs weresmaller. In B.C. this plant also occurs inthe Columbia Valley south of Castlegar, 'and -its range extends into southern

,.*,''Alberta and south into Washington,Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Utah.On the prairies it can occur in suchabundance that the Lewis and Clark Ex-pedition "swore" they were seeing alake of bluest water (L.C.) Such "camasprairies" were greatly valued by the In-dians, tribes fought over them, and theencroachment of white settlers who ,allowed their pigs to root in them wasbitterly resented. When the Nez Perceleft their reservation to harvest camusbulbs from further south this infractionfinally sparked the war in which the NezPerce were led by Chief Joseph. Had theLewis and Clark Expedition not beenshown "camas" by the Indians it wouldprobably have failed since it came to de-pend on ' 'camas" as a staple andsometimes had little or nothing else toeat. So, as Nancy Turner points out, C.quamash "probably played a moresignificant role in early Western historythan any other plant".

Although C. quamsh does occur southof Castlegar, it seems no local use wasmade of it by the Kootenai. It was wellknown, however, at least in the driedform, to both the Kootenai and the In-terior Salish all of whom obtained bytrade with tribes south of the border.The Okanogans of Washington were themajor suppliers to the Interior Salishand it is interesting that they recognizedseveral different types of "camas" ofwhich Cammassia, or "black camas" or"sweet camas", was only one. Theothers, collectively known as "whitecamas'', were the roots of several speciesof Lomatium (Biscuit Root), a memberof the family Umbelliferae. ( N. J.T.)

Death Camas, Zygodenus venosus,which is almost always found growingwith leichlinii and quamash, has a highlypoisonous bulb which can be confusedwith that of Comassia. So that ediblebulbs could be dug with confidence theIndians were careful to remove all plantsof the "poison onion" from their"camas prairies". On Vancouver Islandthe camas beds were divided into plotswith individual owners and passed onfrom generation to generation. Eachseason the plots were cleared of weedsand brush and at harvest time - afterflowering - the sod was lifted in smallsections, the larger bulbs picked out,and then, with the smaller bulbs in situ,careflly replaced. The bulbs were cookedfor thirty-six hours in steaming-pits,sometimes as much as a hundred poundsat a time. When cooked in this way theyare soft, brownish and sweet and wereof:en used to sweeten other foods suchas soap berries. The bulbs, though often

described as "starchy", do not containordinary starch but a different polysac-charide called inulin. This substance "isalso found in the roots of the SpringSunflower, Balsamorhiza sagitata, andin certain other Composites includingthe Jerusalem Artichoke (N.J.T.).

Bears dig the bulbs and deer and elkgraze the leaves in early spring.

Henry (1915) gives the distribution ofC. lechttnii "V.I.; Chilliwack". Ifthis was correct it appears to be the lastrecord of its existence on the B.C.mainland. Lewis Clark remarks that itgrows so well in gardens it has practical-ly become a weed! Yet owing to humanencroachment on its habitat the plant isnow endangered in the wild, or what isleft of the wild in south eastern Van-couver. I am sure the Clubs in this areahave the problem very much in mind.

Joan E. Heriot13422 Westside Road,

Vernon, B.C.V1B 1Y5

IllustrationsAl, A2 - Camassia leichliniiA 1~ RacemeA2-Detail of flowers.B. - Slightly irregular flowers of C.quamash

References.H. and C. - Hitchcock and Conquist,Flora of the Pacific Northwest.L.C. - Lewis Clark, Wildflowers ofBritish Columbia.N.J.T. - Nancy J. Turner, Food Plantsof British Columbia Indians, Parts 1 and2, B.C. Provincial Museum HandbooksNos. 34 and 36.J.K. Henry, Flora of Southern BritishColumbia (1915).

City BeaverI was walking on the beach at Spanish

Banks Vancouver around 9:30 a.m. Sun-day, February 27, 1983 when I sightedan unusual 'thing' in the water near thetide line. On approaching closer, Iobserved an animal swimming Westerlyagainst the waves that curled on theshore.

The object of my curiosity then ap-proached the shore and commenced towalk partly in and out of the water. Itwas then that I noticed the heavily fur-red body and the large flat tail. Yes, itwas a beaver and judging from the size,a mature adult.

Upon my approach, the beaverreturned to the water and continuedswimming into the short curling waves.He appeared to be tired from the buf-feting he was subjected to by the chopand attempted to return to shore severaltimes but was frightened away bystrollers and their dogs.

From these actions it can be assumedthat he was endeavoring to reach thewooded area at the top of the beach.

The locale of my observation was thatpart of Spanish Banks west of the city ofVancouver boundary and below thelarge parking lot off the road gradientbefore the intersection of Acadia andMarine Drive.

It would be interesting to hear frommembers who may have recently en-countered, or seen evidence of, beaver inthe Endowment Lands. Could thebeaver have swam over from StanleyPark?

Unfortunately, I did not have mycamera with me but several photos weretaken by a passer-by to whom I pointedout the beaver. I have not received acopy of any of the pictures taken.

F. H. Stevens4585 West 9th Ave.

Vancouver, B.C.V6R 2E2

Long DriveA 3,000 yard drive? At least that is

what it looked like when I picked up agolf ball nearly half a mile from theRadium Golf Course.

Upon investigation I discovered it wasdropped there by a Raven. ApparentlyRavens swipe golf balls quite regularly.Art O'Dwyer, from the Radium HotSprings Golf Resort, says it has happen-ed to him personally on two different oc-casions. Bruce Mclntosh, also from theRadium Golf Resort, relates the story ofone golfer who drove three times fromthe first tee and had all three balls snat-ched by marauding Ravens. Accordingto Bruce the Ravens usually take theballs to their nests or fly into a tree, topeck away at them. Bruce says "Thatafter a storm you find lots of chewedgolf balls blown down." Bruce claimsthat Ravens just select the white ballsand that they seem to leave the neworange coloured ones alone. They alsoswipe more balls in the spring, whichmakes you believe that the ravens figurethe golf balls are bird eggs. But youwould think they would learn after fin-ding no yolks. Maybe they have learned(

and that this is their way of playing golf.In any case it is rather unique hazardand golfers from around the country areraven about it.

Larry HalversonPark Naturalist

Kootenay National Park

B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983 — Page 7

Trial IslandWild Flower Paradise

Trial Island is a group of small islandslying south of Oak Bay and Victoria. Itis one of the very few places in BritishColumbia which host many rare and en-dangered plant species. Most of theserare plants are species which occur innorthern California and central Oregonand have spread to the Columbia RiverGorge area. They are rare, or do not oc-cur, in Washington State. Their reap-pearance in the southern part of Van-couver Island is determined byfavourable climatic conditions (the rain-shadow of the Olympic Mountains,Sooke Hills and Vancouver IslandRanges) and favourable substrate (thelack of deep till or glacial outwash andthe presence of basaltic rock in shallowsoil).

We find these so-called "southernelements" in various vegetation types.

1 For instance, the great chain-fern(Woodvtardia fimbriata), acharacteristic species of the Californianredwood forest, occurs in one spot in acedar forest close to Victoria. However,the majority of our "southernelements" are associated with Garry oak(Quercus garryana).

One can, therefore, expect a largenumber of "southern elements" to growin and around Oak Bay. And indeed,Uplands Park and Cattle Point competewith Trial Island in the number of rareand endangered plant species. manyspecies typical of open grassland wereoften collected in Oak Bay by Dr. C. F.Newcombe and his contemporaries (ca.1900-1920). These species.have disap-peared from this area, however, becauseof urban development and other humanactivities. They now occur only on TriaLIsland. Golden Indian-paintbrush(Castilleja levisecta), rosy owlclover (Or-thocarpus bracteosus) and Henderson'schecker-mallow (Sidalcea hendersonii)can be cited as examples. Trial Island,being a relatively undisturbed area, hostsan assemblage of plant species which is agood example of the original flora of theOak Bay area.

In addition to the plants which arequite common in our area, such ascamas (Camassia quamash and C.leichtlinii), death camas (Zygadenusvenenosus), sea blush (Plectritis con-gesta), Henderson's shooting star(Dodecatheon hendersonii) and few-flowered shooting star (D.pauciflorum), Trial Island hosts thefollowing species which occur in only afew localities in British Columbia (and inCanada).

Page 8 — B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983

Macoun's meadow-foam (Limnanthesmacounii): This is the most interestingplant ' found in the Victoria area.Discovered by John Macoun, whosecommemorative stamp was issued in Ju-ly, 1981, it is known only in the Victoriaand Ladysmith areas, and at one timewas even considered extinct. At this mo-ment we know of approximately thirtypopulations of this plant. Most of themconsist of fewer than fifty plants. Ma-coun's meadow-foam is an annualspecies and as such it is extremelysusceptible to all environmentalchanges. The largest populations of Ma-coun's meadow-foam are found at TrialIsland, Cattle Point, Montreal Hill, andRice's Farm at Yellow Point. TrialIsland is the only place where Macoun'smeadow-foam occurs on crown land,and thus the only place where it can beprotected in an ecological reserve. Con-sidering the fact that this species has notbeen found elsewhere in the world, andthat there are unresolved questionsabout its origin, protection of thisspecies is very desirable. For more onMacoun's meadow-foam see Har-rowsmith #31, November 1980.)

Chick lupine (Lupinus microcarpusvar. scopulorum): The only other B.C.locality of this species is Holland Point,Victoria. This variety of chick lupine hasbeen reported only in the Puget Soundarea. The closest relatives of this varietygrow from California to Yakima andEllensburg, and in Chile.

Golden Indian-paintbrush (Castillejalevisecta): This species occurs in BritishColumbia on Trial Island and nearbyAlpha Islet. There are several collectionsfrom Oak Bay, Sidney and Wellington,all from about the turn of the century, afact which may indicate that this speciesis sensitive to disturbance. The total areaof the distribution of this species is from

Trial Islands

Macoun's Meadow-foam

Vancouver Island to the WillametteValley in Oregon. It is becoming rarewithin the whole area of its distribution.

Rosy owl-clover (Orthocarpusbracteosus): The fate of this species issimilar to that of golden Indian-paintbrush. It was collected in severalother places in the victoria area in thepast. One collection was made by JohnMacoun "in ditches, 3rd Street inSidney, 1913". the species has becomerare and at present Trial Island is its onlyknown locality in British Columbia.Rosy-owl clover is distributed from Van- ̂couver Island to California. In 1)Washington it occurs in the ColumbiaRiver Gorge and less often in the PugetSound area.

Maritime Alaska Rein Orchid

communities of interior British Colum-bia. It also grows on Trial Island and itslocality here is one of its very few occur-rences west of the Cascades.

Several other species which occur onTrial Island, such as small-leaved ben-tgrass (Agrostis microphylla), Carolinafoxtail (Alopecurus carolinianus), chaff-weed (Centunculus minimus), Hender-son's checkermallow (Sidalcea hender-sonii), bear's foot sanicle (Sanicula arc-topoides), white-top aster (Aster curtus),seaside lotus (Lotus formosissimus),Nuttall's quillwort (Isoetes nuttallii),and Greene's bog-orchid (Platantheragreenei), are species with distributionssimilar to the species described above.At least two species of the Traif Islandflora require further taxonomic study to

. determine their identity. They are ahairgrass related to Deschampsiahokiformis and a buttercup similar toRanunculus californicus.

Very few of the species mentionedabove are protected in existingecological reserves. The establishment ofan ecological reserve on Trial Island(Ecological Reserve Proposal 346/1981)would thus mean effective protection ofa large number of the so-called"southern elements" of VancouverIsland flora.

Besides many single plant species, theecological reserve would also protect

Paint-brush owl-clover (Orthocarpuscastillejoides): This species occurs inBritish Columbia on Trial Island, CattlePoint, Ten Mile Point and in the SomassRiver estuary. Distributed from Van-couver Island to Monterey County in

alifornia, this species is rare in theuget Sound area of Washington.Field crazyweed (Oxytropis mon-

ticolaj: This species normally occurs inthe Rocky Mountains and the sage brush

Snake-root Sanicle

two vernal pools, which in addition tobeing important ecological phenomenaare rare on southern Vancouver Island.Although the Trial Island vernal poolsare not as larage and species-rich asthose in Uplands Park, they would bethe only example of this kind protectedby ecological reserve status.

It is impossible to select parts of TrialIsland and restrict protected areas onlyto the "most important" places. In its

originally proposed size (23 ha), theTrial Island reserve would be among thesmallest of ecological reserves (approx-imately 88% of all ecological reservesestablished as of September 1978 arelarger than the proposed one).

Trial Island has- been viewed as apossible location for a sewage treatmentplant for Victoria or Oak Bay. If asewage treatment plant was built onTrial Island it would conflict greatlywith the proposed ecological reserve.Considering the size of operations andall the activities involved with thebuilding and running of such a plant,one could expect serious destruction inthis locality. Although I believe thatsome of the species would survive eventhis ordeal, the characteristics of TrialIsland would change considerably andthe establishment of an ecologicalreserve to protect survivors would bemeaningless. Considering the uniquecharacter of Trial Island, I prefer anyother possible solution to Oak Bay'ssewage problems that the option callingfor construction of a sewage treatmentplant on Trial Island.

Another hurdle which may restrict theestablishment of an ecological reserve onTrial Island is CFAX radio station'slease of crown land there for itstransmission towers. Although the ex-isting radio towers, anchors and groun-ding cables do not significantly interferewith the ecology of the area, there arelegal implications which could preventthe establishment of the ecologicalreserve on the leased area. The exclusionof the leased area from the eventualecological reserve would jeopardize theintegrity of the reserve.

I sincerely hope that all the interests inthe land usage of Trial island can beresolved and I would like to stress againand again that this area is very uniqueand deserves strict protection.

Adolf CeskaBotany Division

British Columbia Provincial Museum

Pen drawing of Crow-Golfer Battleon page 7 by George Spanks, ParkNaturalist at Kootenay NationalPark.

Advertise in theB.C. Naturalist

B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983 — Page 9

The Park That Isn'tTo a geologist, the sea floor west of

Pacific Rim National Park is an intrigu-ing area, constantly subjected to the vaststresses and strains Of the earth's tec-tonic forces. Plate collisions, hydro-thermal vents, and undersea turbiditycurrents are just a few methods by whichthe earth's crust rids itself of the strain.At the surface, the untrained observerhas an impression of serenity, for it isonly the person with the proper trainingand instruments who can discern the tur-bulence beneath the glistening waters.

Pacific Rim National Park, like thePacific sea floor, is subjected to stressesand strains, but of a political andeconomic nature. To the park visitor,Pacific Rim appears serene, a sanctuaryfrom the nine-to-five world. Occasional-ly, the sub-surface activity erupts,garnering scant media attention fromthe regional news networks. With time,however, the political magma cools,leaving the Pacific Rim Park issue tocrystallize slowly until new strains causethe issue to erupt again.

The issue is straightforward: PacificRim National Park is not a nationalpark. It has been years since the WestCoast Park Enabling Legislation wassigned, and still the park has not receiv-ed status. It will remain a reserve'until allprivate land and timber rights within theproposed boundaries have been purchas-ed and are transferred to the federalgovernment. At the time of writing 30per cent of the Long Beach unit belongsto the federal government, 100 per centof the Broken Islands Group, and 0 percent of the Nitinat Triangle/West CoastTrail section. To purchase all the land

and timber rights, the federal govern-ment would have to pay 47.4 milliondollars — a high price in an era ofgovernment restraint.

The political and economic process isa tedious one. By next year, the valuewill undoubtedly have risen with infla-tion. But one must question the value ofthe 94.7 million dollars (to be split 50-50by the federal and provincial govern-ments). Are the federal politiciansresponsible, the provincial politicians,or is it the timber companies who are atfault for establishing such an unrealisticprice? One must question how timbercompanies can place such inflated dollarvalues on an area of land without takinginto account and mentioning to thepublic the tremendous costs involved inroad construction, bridges, camps, andmaintenance before this value can berealized.

Astronomical land values are not theonly strains facing Pacific Rim. Loggingroads adjacent to the West Coast Trailhave created easy access to the area, andsome hikers have seen day picnickers atvarious locations along the trail. Theforest companies have responded insome instances by closing tributaryroads and camouflaging worn downtrails.

Another threat to Pacific Rim, andone that will no doubt be settled bypoliticians is the fate of Meares Island.Meares Island is an 8000-hectare off-shore island which provides a stunningbackdrop for the tiny village of Tofinoand for Pacific Rim. Plans by Mac-Millan Bloedel and B.C. Forest Pro-ducts Ltd. to log the island have been

met by storms of protest from localresidents and from concerned citizensacross Canada and the United States.

A fourth issue affecting Pacific Rim,and one that has so far failed to gain themedia's attention, is the proposed logg-ing of the Broughton Peak area.Broughton Peak is adjacent to theBroken Islands Group (Unit Two ofPacific Rim). British Columbia ForestProducts has applied for a permit tobegin logging operations in the form ofclear cutting and log storage and theconstruction of a dryland sort area,scow grid, log barge loading dock, boatdocks, work camps and haul roads. Theproposed operation is scheduled to run11 months per year for 20 years.

This proposed industrial area is ascant two kilometres from the parkboundaries. Besides destroying thevisual setting to the islands, the majordisturbance will come from the effectsof the industrial activity on the parkvisitor. Noise, navigational hazards,pollution, and increased risk to personalsafety are just a few of the unpleasantside effects the park visitor will face. En-vironmental damage will be less ap-parent but nonetheless measurable in *terms of loss of habitat and noise effectson wildlife.

The problems facing this minusculecorner of Canada are compounding dai-^ly. If a park is created for the benefiT^rand enjoyment of all Canadians, whymust we constantly be watching over thefragile land? Do we protect one area ofthe park and not the other? Should we ibe concerned with our economic in- jterests at the expense of habitat protec- |tion? And which mandate is more im- ;port ant?

David Bairdfrom Park News Vol 19, No. 2

Pacific Rim UpdateSince the publication of this article on

Pacific Rim a number of items affectingthe Park have occured.

Regarding the negotiations to makethe area an official National Park 2reports have been completed by. thefederal government. These reports wererequired to assist in determining the prosand cons of including the NitinatTriangle in the Park. The first by F.Rennie concludes that the Nitinat is veryrepresentative of the Pacific Coastregion and that it definitely should be in-cluded when the park boundaries arefinalized. 'The Second report, a forestryassessment, determined that themonetary values put on the timber in theNitinat by the province were greatly ex-Page 10 — B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983

aggerated.'The 2 reports are being keptconfidential at the request of the pro-vince so we won't learn the exact valuesof the timber until the negotiations arecompleted. This closed approach istypical of the attitude the province hashad throughout the Pacific Rim con-troversy. Federal and Provincialrepresentatives met on January 17 todiscuss the reports but no progress wasreported. Each government hasretreated to their respective corners togather their thoughts until negotiationsresume in March. Both governmentsseem eager to complete and formalizethe park. It is just a question of howlarge an area the park will finally be andwhat significant portions of the Nitinatwill be included.

Regarding Meares Island a proposedFebruary 24, 1983 public meeting wascancelled to allow a draft of the reportto be completed. No completion datewas put forth.

Please write The Hon. A. J. Brum-met, B.C.'s minister of Parks regardingMeares Island and supporting theNitinat and its inclusion within theboundaries of Pacific Rim. Similar let-ters or carbons should also be sent toSentor Ray Perrault, in Ottawa.

-Bob Pew

National aiuProvincial Parks

Association ofCanada

AUSTRALIA $4,950.0021 DAY ORNITHOLOGY TOURDeparts Thursday, November 3, 1 983BRISBANE - CAIRNS - ALICE SPRINGS - ADELAIDE - MELBOURNE - SYDNEY

MADELON SCHOUTEN. founder of theWhite Rock and Surrey Naturalists, will beyour host and tour guide.THE TOUR PROVIDES:

- Transportation to and from Australia- All transportation within Australia- Accommodation- All meals- A professional Australian naturalist

A SAMPLE OF PARKS TO BE VISITED .AND THEIR WILDLIFE

- LAMMINGTON NATIONAL PARK - Subtropical rain forest

- GREAT BARRIER REEF - Green Island -CoralCay

- MICHAELMAS CAY - Sooty and Noddy Terns-CRATER NATIONAL PARK - Brush Turkey,

Pitta, Scrubfowl, White, tailed Kingfisher,Purple crowned Fruit Pigeon

- AYERS ROCK - Climb the rock,birdwatching

-MacDONNEL RANGE - STANDLY CHASMAND SIMPSON GAP NATIONAL PARK -White Faced Heron. Grey Teal, Fork TailedKite, Pink Cockatoo and a variety of parrots

-LITTLE DESERT NATIONAL PARK - Emu.Mallee Ring-necked Parrot and Heathwre'n,Purple Gaped, Yellow Plumed and otherHoneyeaters

-YELLINGBO STATE FAUNA FOREST -Helmeted Honeyeater and the Kookaburra

- PHILLIP ISLAND - Hundreds of FairyPenguins

FOR MORE INFORMATIONAND A BROCHURE, CONTACT:

THE KWANTLEN COLLEGE TRAVEL DESK588-441 1ORP.O. Box 9030SURREY, B.C.VST 5H8

Appointed Travel Agent: ANZA TRAVEL

KvtanttenCollege

1

Canadian Nature Federation Report:The Editor of B.C. Naturalist has

kindly invited me to write a short col-umn about the Canadian Nature Federa-tion, to help naturalists in B.C. unders-tand what the CNF is all about and howit relates to their interests; and to pro-vide a channel of communication withCNF members of the Federation of B.C.Naturalists.

For those who know little or nothingabout the CNF, let me start with somebasic background information.

The CNF is a nationwide organizationof over 17,000 individual members andaffiliated naturalist and conservationgroups across Canada. It originated asthe Canadian Audubon Society, an off-shoot of the Audubon Society in theUnited States, but in 1971 it wasreconstituted and its name was changedto the Canadian Nature Federation.

The basic philosophy of the CNF is,firstly, that wildlife species (both plantand animal) have a right to exist withoutthe need to justify that existence throughdemonstrated utility to mankind, and,t^condly, that man is part of, and not

eternal to, natural ecosystems —human existence must, threfore, beguided by ecological principles.

Proceeding from these philosophical

principles, the goals of the CNF are:(1) - Promotion of the awareness,

understanding and enjoyment of nature;(2) Conservation of the natural en-

vironment so that the integrity ofnatural ecosystems may be maintained.Within the limits of its resources, theCNF endeavours to achieve its goals in anumber of ways:

*** jhrough educating people withrespect to a better understanding ofnature and the importance of conservingnatural resources, and encouragingothers to do the same;

*** Through environmental actionprogrammes, by which the CNF pro-motes sound policies for the conserva-tion of the natural environment;

*** Through research, which it mayundertake itself, or encourage others todo.

Although the CNF also undertakesfund-raising activities to help it carry outthese programmes, it is very dependanton membership dues and donations forits survival.

An important feature of the CNF'seducational activity is its excellentquarterly magazine, Nature Canada,sent free to members. Although theviews expressed in Nature Canada are

not necessarily those of the CNF, themagazine is guided by the samephilosophy. Through feature articles, il-lustrated by some of Canada's finestnature artists and photographers NatureCanada strives to enhance publicawareness of Canadian nature and ofcurrent issues relating to the conervationof the natural environment.

Another educational service whichCNF performs is its Nature Canadabookshop, which stocks Canada'slargest mail order selection of books onnature and the natural environment —over 1,500 titles which are offered toCNF members at discount prices.

Annual membership in the CNF is $15(individual) and $20 for a family. Fur-ther information and/or membership.forms are available from the CNF's headoffice, 75 Albert Street, Ottawa, Ont.KIP 6G1. Or, if you wish to write to mewith any questions you may have, I willbe glad to try and answer them. I wouldalso welcome hearing from those of youwho are CNF members as to what youfeel the CNF should be doing to meetyour own particular interests and con-cerns, or any other comments or sugges-tions you may have.

Rosemary J- fo\,CNF Vice-President,

B.C. & Yukon

B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983 — Page 11

Book ReviewWaterfowl on a Pacific Flyway: a

natural history of man and waterfowl onthe Lower Fraser River, by Barry Leach.

Published as Special PublicationNumber 5 by the Provincial Museum,Victoria, B.C. 1982.

Price $7.00; paperback; 211 pages;obtainable at most bookstores or fromthe Provincial Museum; I.S.B.N.0-7718-8335-8.

The author is well known to B.C.naturalists as a conservationist, artist,professor of history at Kwantlen Col-lege, former director of the Institute forEnvironmental Studies at Douglas Col-lege and as an eloquent member of theWhite Rock-Surrey Naturalists Club andthe F.B.C.N. ,

Finely written, well researchedhistorically, and supported by an abun-dance of accurate observations onwaterfowl and their habitats, the bookwill surely be placed with the best naturewriting of Canada. The illustrations con-stitute notable nature art and display thegreat affection the author has for water-fowl and the Fraser delta. .

The scholar from the humanities is, inthis book, recording the gradual redirec-

tion of man from hunter and sportsmanto the more constructive role ofpreserver. The book signals a change inour respect for the natural systems of theLower Fraser Valley and gives courageto those who over recent decades, watch-ed, in sadness or anger, their degrada-tion.

Biotic Regions of British Columbia: anecological land classification for faunna.by D. A. Demarchi and B.A.Pendergast, (1983), Terrestial StudiesSection, B.C. Ministry of Environment,Victoria, B.C.

The very great diversity of our B.C.lands, climate, waters, flora and fauna isexpressed in an almost bewidlering arrayof maps and classifications to servepolitical and technical ends. Many areuseful for the naturalist and teacher.This new map and classification offaunistic regions designed to assist in thebetter management of our wildlife,should be in the library of everynaturalist in B.C.

Bert Brink

FORESTALK NUMBERONE IN CANADA

VICTORIA, B.C. — ForesTalk, aquarterly published by the Ministry ofForests, has been named the top

magazine produced by any government,business or industry in Canada.

The Canadian wing of the Interna-tiona] Association of Business Communicators (I ABC) has selecteForesTalk as the winner of its 1982Silver Leaf Award. The competition in-volved Canada's most highly-ratedorganizational publications.

"ForestTalk makes a vital contribu-tion to the public's understanding of theissues involved'in managing the forestresource," says Forest Minister TomWaterland.

Edited by Cameron Young of theministry's Information Services Branch,ForesTalk is distributed free on requestand has a circulation of about 90,000.

The Silver Leaf is the third honor ofthe year for ForesTalk. Earlier themagazine received an honorable men-tion in the Canadian Public RelationsSociety's Awards of Excellence programand was given a special letter of com-mendation by IABC in its world wideGold Quill Awards.

Deadline For The Fall 1983Edition Is July 15, 1983

EXPLORE the unspotted wilderness ofnorthwestern B.C.

SPECTACULAR WILDERNESSABUNDANT WILDLIFE

ALPINE FLORA

Jom us!* horsepacking in the unique Mt. Edziza

volcanic park* trailriding in the Spatsizi wilderness park* rafting the upper and lower Stikine* rafting the Alsek/Tatshenshini RiversSend for itineraries and^a 1983 brochure.

ISKUT TRAIL & RIVER ADVENTURES1103-207 W. Hastings StreetVancouver, B.C. V6B 1H7

phone: (604) 669-5175

AWildFeeling

Park Naturalists present a variety of slideprogrammes and films in all three camp-grounds during July and August.

A programme of conducted hikes and otherevents of interest is also yours to enjoyduring your visit to Kootenay.Visit a beaver pond or hike backcountrytrails into secluded alpine meadows andsubalpine forests.

Further information is available at ParkHeadquarters or by writing-.

P.O. Box 220Radium Hot Springs, B.C. VGA 1MO(604)347-9615

Kootenay national Parh f

Page 12 — B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983

Grouse Mountain Roostof North-Western Crow

t. On Saturday afternoon 22nd January,1983, I spent an hour and a half sittingon the top rung of an eight foot step-ladder in the middle of our back garden .To our non-blrding neighbours unused

11 to the strange habits of birders thispeculiar activity brought them out of thehouse to see if I needed help, possibly bya local psychiatrist. On explaining I wascounting crows I suspect they went in-doors to telephone the psychiatristanyway.

Actually the step-ladder gave me a 360degree view over the flight path of thecrows flying from the City to their rooston the South side of Grouse Mountain,an activity that I had observed casuallyfor several years, never having carriedout an actual count .

Dependent on the weather the birdsfly early or late just above the tree topsor at a higher elevation, in a long seriesof small flocks or in one or two largeflocks.

Conditions were ideal on the 22nd,not too cold, no wind and a high thincloud layer. The birds performed as Ianticipated and passed over in countableflocks over a period of one hour and for-

minutes.~ The first single bird flew up noisily at

455 hours and during the first fifteenminutes only thirteen birds flew by intwos and threes, all at a low elevation.By 1600 hours only 63 crows had passedafter which time the larger flocks wereheading in, all flying at approximately1000 meters, not in short flights betweenthe taller coniferous trees as the earlierbirds had, but in a direct flight fromVancouver to the roost .

With still relatively good light a finalflock of 168 birds passed at 1633 hourswith five stragglers at 1635 hours to br-ing an abrupt end to this evening flight.

A grand total of 1,634 birds, only two ofwhich came in from West Vancouver.

During the last hour of the count itwas interesting to note very subtlemovements of other species that ap-peared to be in roosting flights of theirown. About 75 American Robins passedin small groups all flying from ,East toWest. House Finches that totalled ap-proximately 45 flew down the Mountainto lower elevations also in small flocksof threes and fours. Starlings in smallflocks could also be seen moving downthe mountain.

Missing this Winter are the EveningGrosbeak that fly in the hundreds fromthe lower elevations to the side ofGrouse Mountain each evening whentheir erratic movements include our areain their wintering range.

Where do crows roost? I must leavethat for another night. Where are theyflying from? Their early morning flightsback down from the heights indicate ageneral dispersal over the North Shoreand Vancouver, where they no doubthave their feeding territories wellestablished.

Flying over at least six of ourChristmas count areas twice each dayduring the count period, I wonder howaccurate our crow counts are.

G. Allen Poynter

Hybrid DeerOn a recent canoe trip on the

Kootenay River a group, of KootenayPark's Naturalists spotted an unusualcreature — a mule deer/whitetail deercross. It apparently displayed the lessflightly behavior of the rnule deer, aswell as the mule deer's large ears, but

• when it turned to walk away its tail wasthe distinctive V shape of a white-taileddeer but with a mile deer's black tip.

Sounds confusing? Well, it stumpedus naturalists for a while till they cameacross an article citing several cases ofsuch a hybrid.

MembershipD Regular $10.00 D Active 25.00 D PatronD Sustaining 15.00 D Contributing $50.00 D Life

D Affiliate (non-profit organization) — $10.00 and up.-D Associate (profit organization) — $10.00 and up.

Send to:Membership Chairman F.B.C.N.100-1200 Hornby Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 2E2

Postal CodeMembership Class: Amount Enclosed $

100.00200.00

Because of differences in breedingbehavior (ie. white tailed doe's generallymust be chased by rutting bucks whereasmule deer doe's are much less elusive)mating is more likely to occur betweenmule deer does and white tailed bucks.

Generally, then, the off-spring willherd and mate with the mule deer andafter a few generations the white-taileddeer characteristics will be eliminated.

Lori HorrockPark Naturalist Kootenay National Park

WINDY BAY: still awaiting adecisionThe Honourable Wm. Bennett,Re: Proposal to log the Windy Baywater-shed, South Moresby Island

Last night, we saw the re-run of thefilm by Dr. David Suzuki of the WindyBay water-shed of South MoresbyIsland, and the proposal to log the wholeof this beautiful area. I have learnedsince that the proposal has been alteredto log only the upper portion of the area.Since the water-shed contains anunspoiled salmon spawning stream, andlogging is known to ruin streams forspawning, it is felt that no logging at allshould occur on this water-shed.

At present this water-shed representsonly a very small percentage of theoriginal tree farm licence. The financialbenefit resulting from the logging of thearea is far outmatched by the estheticvalue of the area, and the preservationof this beautiful area for future genera-tions. I have seen clear cut logging in theBella Coola valley; where once thesalmon ran in untold millions, nowstreams once teeming with fish are bar-ren, ruined by gravel and debris washeddown from the denuded slopes.

By contrast, we are told that the Stateof Alaska has set aside for posterityareas equal to the whole of the QueenCharlottes! Surely your government canbe as farsighted as the Alaskans, and notblinded by the monetary return fromthis relatively small forested area! It-represents an heritage far more valuablethan the logs in the trees. There is adesperate need to preserve this pristinewildnerness for our future generations.Far too few remain,!

I would therefore plead with you tostop the proposal to log the upper water-shed of Windy Bay. Surely your govern-ment is not so blind that you cannot seethe value of this beautiful area as anatural preserve as an example of ouronce proud heritage of naturalresources. Please spare the area from thedisaster of the loggers' saw. Please savethe water-shed.

Waller D. Charles,Site 22, RR #1,

Summerland, B.C.VOH 1ZO

B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983 — Page 13

About Our Club

Originally formed in 1970 to promotethe development of the Sechelt Marshinto a wildlife refuge and park, theSechelt Marsh Protective society hasfulfilled its original intent by attractingresident and visiting-wildlife as well ashuman visitors (see "Sechelt marsh" byVince Bracewell, B.C. Naturalist, Spr-ing, 1983). The main activities of theSociety now centre on (1) maintenanceof the Marsh and improvemtents to itsphysical layout; (2) keeping an eagle eyeon the Sechelt Village Council,developers and other activities whichmay affect the quality of the Marsh en-vironment; (3) education of membersand the general public about naturalhistory; (4) participating in bird countresearch; and (5) expanding our in-fluence into other environmental con-cerns besides our own Marsh.

Because of seasonal flooding andmischievous local children, maintenanceof the marsh trails and bridges is anongoing concern. We have regularly hadto remove our bridges from the water asthey become converted into rafts.Recently we improved the trails, addedramps and made the Marsh more ac-cessible to disabled visitors.

Protecting the quality of the Marsh isariother ongoing battle as various threatsarise. Our Village Council watcher,Helen Dawe, is forever insuring thatwell-intentioned projects do not affectthe quality of the Marsh. For example,some engineers hired by the Village tostudy the problem of storm watesdrainage in Sechelt recommended that

the drainage on the hillside above theMarsh be diverted to Trail Bay (GeorgiaStrait) instead of its present coursethrough the Marsh and into PorpoiseBay. Since spring water from this hillsideis the main fresh water source to theMarsh, we had to jump to resolve thatissue, which we did successfully.Upstream development with itsundesirable residues from pets, cars, etc.is a problem still not resolved.

The head of Porpoise Bay, being anatural part of the Marsh's ecosystem,although not included in the park boun-daries, is of utmost importance to us.We have had to deal with landownersand a condominium developer along theforeshore to prevent floats, docks,dredging, filling, etc. The Porpoise Bayforeshore, being the head of an inlet, is a"smelly" mudflat, in some of the lan-downers viewpoint, and is less desirablethan a sand beach. Through the effortsof the Marsh Society, the head of Por-poise Bay is now protected by B.C. Fishand Wildlife Branch with a "notation ofinterest" until the new Wildlife Actallows a more permanent wildlife reservestatus. We now are seeking clarificationas to what can be done to improve theprotection of the bayhead under thenow-in-affect Wildlife Act.

Education of members and the publicis one of our main activities. We have anactive birding section sponsoring mon-thly meetings with speakers on suchtopics as species extinction, theGalapagos, the Falkland Islands, andthe Song Sparrows of Mandarte Island.A newsletter, the Marsh Wrenderings, ispublished 7-8 times per year with infor-mative articles, poetry, and bird

sightings. Field trips to ThormanbyIsland, the Strait of Juan de Fuca forpelagic birds, Princess Louisa Inlet,Reifel Refuge, and local bird hahave been well attended. Some familynature awareness programs were begun.Several members have contributed ar-ticles to the local newspsper. Onemember has offered beginning birdingcourses through the Sunshine Coast .Continuing Education.

Our Society, through the Birding Sec-tion participates in bird count research,with the annual Christmas Bird Count asa highlight of the year. In addition weare endeavoring to collect data on thebird population of the Porpoise Bayhead.

A Society bylaw change in 1980 per-mitted us to expand our sphere of in-terest beyond the Sechelt Marsh and itsimmediate environment to broader con-cerns. We have joined forces with theSargeant Bay Society to support their ef-forts in protecting another local wetlandhabitat and have been followingdevelopments at the Wilson Creekestuary where the local Indian Band hasplans for a marina. We have written let-ters in support of the Strum Lake whitepelicans and the Skagit Valley.

The Sechelt Marsh Protective Society,claiming over 100 members, is as busy asever with maintaining and improvingwildlife area and park, protecting ttKhealth of the Sechelt Marsh, education,bird research, and broader environmen-tal concerns. We continue to enjoy ouraffiliation with the FBCN as we learnfrom its members and as we contributeto provincial environmental solutions.

Katie Angermeyer

Friends of Ecological ReservesEcological Reserves in British Colum-

bia are natural areas set aside for conser-vation of unique and representativeecosystems throughout the province.They function as outdoor museums foreducation, scientific research, and con-servation of rare and endangeredspecies.

There are now 111 EcologicalReserves administered by the ProvincialGovernment Agency — The EcologicalReserves Unit, Ministry of Lands,Parks, and Housing. Although thereserves staff of 4 members work veryhard in their capacity they are experienc-ing difficulties obtaining funding for:

— management and adequate protec-tion of existing reserves.

— publishing a quarterly newsletter(cost: $20 per issue).

— supporting research in reserves.Page 14 — B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983

In response to these needs a societycalled Friends Of Ecological Reserves isbeing formed.

The Friends Of Ecological Reservesare committed to promoting the interestsof the Ecological Reserves Program. It isnot a government organization. It is anon-profit organization supported bydonations for individuals and groups.

What art the objectives? Where will themembership fees and donations go?

The main purpose of the Friends OfEcological Reserves is to provide fun-ding for;

— management of establishedEcological Reserves eg. fences, signs,equipment, and volunteer warden ex-penses.

— support of research and the ad-vancement of knowledge in Ecological

Reserves.— acquisition of special private land

and compensation for loss of timber.

What are the benefits to a subscriber?A membership in the FRIENDS OF

ECOLOGICAL RESERVES identifiesyou as a supporter of the EcologicalReserves Program. It provides you withan opportunity to help in the conserva-tion of B.C.'s natural heritage.Other benefits include:

— quarterly newsletter.— invitation to the annual meeting of

the Ecological Reserves Unit.— special group tours to EcologicaL

Reserves and potential EcologicJfWReserve sites. Tours will be advertised h,the quarterly newsletter.

• H B^^ ^^MiMi

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Activities of Friends1) Fund raising through auctions, lot-

teries, sales and other events.2) Setting up Memorial Trust Funds for

support of research and land aquisi-tion. Individual bequests can be usedto establish permament trust fundsfor specific purposes. For instanceacquisition of land of particularecological significance {tall trees,Garry-oak communities).

3) Field trips to Ecological Reserves andpotential reserves.

4) Education through guest lectures andseminars.

What can a subscriber do to helpEcological Reserves?Volunteers are needed to:

— write and distribute the newsletter.— organize the annual meeting and

special tours.— sit on advisory committees.— help recruit new members.As of January 29th, 1983 the five

Directors of the Friends of Ecological'Reserves are: David Avren - President,Marylou Florian - Vice President, LoriMilmine - Treasurer and Membership,Alison Watt - Newsletter, and PeterLegg - Warden Representative.

Individual $5.00Affiliate (for clubs 10.00

groups etc.)Sustaining 20.00Life 250,00Honorary (includes all volunteer -

wardens) freeInformation andobtained from:

memberships can be

F.E.R.: FRIENDS OFECOLOGICAL RESERVES

P.O. BOX 1721.POSTAL STATION "E"

VICTORIA, B.C.V8W 2V1

PARK SYMPOSIUMBEING PLANNED

The Federation of British ColumbiaNaturalists in conjunction with theUniversity of British Columbia and TheNational and Provincial Parks Associa-tion of Canada have begun plans for asymposium on the role of parks in B.C.Tentative topics include the problems oflegislation and management of thevarious levels of parks — Parks C lada,Provincial and well as the recentdevelopment of Regional parks ,., ctems.

Further details are not available atpress time but it is hoped that the sym-posium can be scheduled for February1984. At present the committee includesfor F.B.C.N. Dick Stace-Smith, BertBrink and Jude Grass, for U.B.C. PeterDooling, Park and RecreationResources, Faculty of Forests, and forN.P.P.A, Bob Peart.

New ProvincialForest Proclaimed

Victoria, B.C. - Forests Minister TomWateriand has announced the establish-ment of a new provincial forest insoutheastern British Columbia.

The Upper Kootenay ProvincialForest covers 519,393 hectares ofKootenay River drainage lying betweenMount Assiniboine Provincial Park onthe north and Top of the World Provin-cial Park on the south.

This brings the total number of pro-vincial forests designated so far to 121,with another 18 under consideration.

Provincial Forests are established bycabinet order to maintain a variety ofuses, including timber harvesting, graz-ing, recreation and wildlife.

B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983 — Page 15

Fall — Summer Camp, 1983Saturday, Sept. 3 to Saturday, Sept. 10, 1983

East Kootenays (Elko to Windermere)Since the first report of a Fall-

Summer Camp in the Spring editionmany people have expressed interest inthe East Kootenays camp.

Because of the opening of the huntingseason in the East Kootenays it has beendecided to change the dates of the camp

NAMEADDRESS

from the second week in September tothe first week viz SATURDAYSEPTEMBER 3 to SATURDAYSEPTEMBER 10, 1983.

The camp will be at Elko with manyactivities planned out from that area. Toreceive further information (if you have

POSTAL CODE:PHONENUMBER IN PARTY (ALL NAMES PLEASE)WILL YOU NEED TRANSPORTATION: !WILL YOU BRING YOUR OWN CAR:WILL YOUR CAR BE AVAILABLE FOR FIELD TRIPS:IF SO, HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD YOU ACCOMMODATE?

not replied already) please send in the at-tached form. Ideal camp accomodationis 60.

The Camp Committee includes JoeLotzkar, Bert and Ruth Brink, Normand Win Purssell, Philip and HelenAkrigg with others to be added.

Accommodation will be limited to 75.Registration will be on a first comebasis. Cost between $150 - 200 for the 8days.

Send it to:F.B.C.N.-Camp#100-1200 Hornby St.Vancouver, B.C., V6Z 2E2

Goldeneye's StudiedThe Canadian Wildlife Service is stu-

dying the breeding ecology of Barrow'sGoldeneye in the Aspen Parkland ofBritish Columbia near Williams'Lake. Afew drakes and several females havebeen banded and fitted with nasal sad-dles. Nasal saddles are made of smallstrips of plastic and fixed over the bill ofthe bird. The colors used were white andred. Also nasal discs were used on somebirds. They are made of stronger plasticand are of various colors and shapes(disc, X, triangle, Y, or oval). If you a(marked bird this summer pleasetelephone or write to: Jean-PierreSavard, Population Biologist, CanadianWildlife Service, P.O. Box 340, Delta,B.C. V4K 3Y3. Phone 666-1143 or946-8546.

Plan Ahead . . .During the summer of 1984 two major

Annual General Meetings will be held inthe Vancouver area. The CANADIANNATURE FEDERATION will be com-ing west and the Federation of B.C.Naturalists with the aid of the Van-couver Natural History Society and theother clubs in the Lower MainlandRegion will be acting as hosts. We arenow looking for people to help with theorganization as well as tours, day tripsand various events. Please contact JudeGrass if you can help.

Also coming to Vancouver will be theAMERICAN BIRDING ASSOCIA-TION (A.B.A.) Co-ordinator DavidStirling of Victoria will have more infor-Page 16 — B.C. Naturalist Summer 1983

mation later this year. Any birders(anywhere in the province) that are will-ing to help should write to David at330-1870 McKenzie, Victoria, B.C. V8N4X3.

Where Do Ducks Molt?Every year in mid-June, male

Barrow's Goldeneye and Buffleheadleave their incubating females and fly tomolting areas. They are not seen againuntil September or October when flocksof males appear on the breeding groundsprior to migrating to the wintering areasalong the coast. Some Barrow'sGoldeneye molt in the Yukon but thosebreeding in British Columbia are -notknown to go that far. Observations ofgroups of males in June or July wouldhelp in localizing the molting grounds.When they molt, the males becomeflightless for several weeks and have aplumage similar to that of the females. Ifyou see any groups of Barrow'sGoldeneye and Bufflehead in June orJuly, please send the information toJean-Pierre Savard, PopulationBiologist, Canadian Wildlife Service,P.O. Box 340, Delta, B.C. V6K 3Y3 orphone 666-1143 or 946-8546.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION"THREATENED SPECIESAND HABITATS OFBRITISH COLUMBIA ANDTHE YUKON'*was prepared for, and first publiclyviewed at, the symposium of threatenedspecies and habitats held in Vancouver,

B.C., in March 1980 under the auspicesof The Federation of British ColumbiaNaturalists, Douglas College and theB.C. Fish and Wildlife Branch.This display was made possible bygenerosity of many photographers inproviding fine photo slides, by ColorificPhoto Labs Ltd., Vancouver, in prepar-ing the color enlargements, and byfinancial assistance from Pacific MetalsLtd., Vancouver.The collection is available for displaypurposes and arrangements can be madeby writing to:

Chilliwack Field Naturalists:P.O. Box 23,

Chilliwack V2P 6H7Contributions in aid of transportationcosts for the photo display may be madeto The Federation of B.C. Naturalists.

CorrectionsIn the Report of the B.C. Nest Record

Scheme (B.C. Naturalist Spring, 1983),it was erroneously stated that no nestwith eggs or young of the Green-backedHeron had been recorded in B.C. Infact, a nest with eggs was found inLangley, June 17th, 1972 by DerylJohnson, and photographed by AllenPoynter. The photos are in thePhotoduplicate File and a nest recordcard was completed for this record. Weapologize to Deryl and Allen for thisoversight. However, this is still the oactual nest record for B.C., and addi-tional nest records of Green-backedHeron will be welcomed.

W. Weber