When you picture a healthy ecosystem, what does it look like? I picture robins and Steller’s jays singing in old-growth maple trees. Below, in a rushing creek, salmon make their way upstream to spawn. Nearby, a black bear eats its way through a thicket of salmon berry and thimble berry Read more
To some people, they are a curiosity, to others – a delicacy. But for plants and ecosystems, fungi are a necessity. In many ways, fungi are the unseen heroes of gardens, forests, and our environment as a whole. Without fungi, the world would be a much more barren and boring Read more
Calling batty artists of all ages! To celebrate Bat Week (October 25-31, 2023), the Mayne Island Conservancy Society invites you to creatively respond to the topic “I love bats in my community because…” Works will be displayed as part of a pop-up Bat Week art exhibit (location to be announced). Read more
As a kid, I remember riding my bicycle along the Galloping Goose trail in Victoria and seeing Scotch broom plants densely packed along the sides of the trail. Their brilliant yellow flowers caught my eye as their aromatic scent filled the hot summer air. To me their blooming marked the Read more
About Linda Gilkeson: Linda earned a Ph.D. in Entomology from McGill University in 1986, and then moved to British Columbia to work for Applied Bio-Nomics Ltd., a company that produces biological controls. From 1991 to 2002 she worked for the provincial government, promoting programs to reduce and eliminate pesticide use. She Read more
This month let’s take a closer look at Oregon gumweed, also known by its scientific name, Grindelia stricta. It is native to North America and can be found along the west coast from Alaska to Oregon. It has sticky glandular hairs on its stems and leaves, which give the plant Read more
With Oceans Day taking place this month, it’s a great time to take a closer look at one of coastal B.C.’s more elusive creatures – the humble clam! These molluscs call the sandy shorelines of Mayne Island home. The native clam species found in the Salish Sea include littleneck clams, Read more