http://www.bmn.bc.ca Latest articles. en 40 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:46:35 +0000 Once again, BMN showed how to keep the _fun_ in fundraising. Our December silent auction -- together with the bake, book, and seasonal greenery sales -- raised $1,910.94. This will be donated to the "Critter Care Wildlife Society":http://www.crittercarewildlife.org/index.php in Langley, with a very small portion being held back to support the operating costs of our club. _Critter Care_ is one of only four bear rehabilitation centres in BC, and they have experienced a bumper year for orphaned black bear cubs. We are grateful to the many members who donated (and bought!) items, and to the following businesses for their generous gifts for the auction tables: * Backyard Bird Centre (Port Moody) * Bosley’s Pet Food Plus (Coquitlam) * Build-a-Bear Workshop (Coquitlam) * Gerry's Vintners (Burquitlam) * Hungry Hound Pet Store (Sapperton) * Lassthetic Salon and Spa (Coquitlam) * Rhodos Kouzina Mediterranean Grille (Port Moody) Please support these local businesses during the year ahead. Sun, 01 Jan 2012 11:00:00 -0800 http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/78/another-successful-silent-auction-in-2011 http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/78/another-successful-silent-auction-in-2011 The provincial government’s Special Committee on Cosmetic Pesticides is conducting province-wide consultations on the elimination of the unnecessary use of pesticides in British Columbia – so now is the time to have your say. Please take this opportunity to ask for a cosmetic pesticide ban in the province by sending in your comments today. These chemicals cause great harm to our local waters, and viable, non-toxic alternatives exist. To answer a short questionnaire on your views on cosmetic pesticide use and to submit your comments to the Committee, please click "here":http://www.leg.bc.ca/pesticidescommittee/. Send your comments in by Friday, December 16, 2011. The committee plans to release its report in February 2012. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:00:00 -0800 http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/115/have-your-say-on-cosmetic-pesticide-use-in-bc http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/115/have-your-say-on-cosmetic-pesticide-use-in-bc At the BMN monthly meeting in December, we will hold our annual Silent Auction with the proceeds going to the "Critter Care Wildlife Society":http://www.crittercarewildlife.org/index.php in Langley. Critter Care specializes the care and rehabilitation of injured or orphaned native mammals, and is one of only four bear rehabilitation facilities in the province. They are having a busy year caring for orphaned black bear cubs, including the triplets orphaned last month in Coquitlam and another young bear who was eating pumpkins around the townhouses at SFU in early November. In October, another bear was found roaming around Como Lake Park in Coquitlam. For a video of this bear, taken by French visitor Louis Saint-Raymond, please click "here":http://www.sfu.ca/~lsaintra/Louis/Photos_files/UBC-Burnaby-Jardin/UBC-Burnaby-Jardin.mov (you need to watch the video to the end to see the bear footage). Fortunately, it seems that this particular bear ended up at Critter Care. Bear rehabilitation is expensive - the bears must be isolated from people, so specialized housing is necessary. Critter Care is entirely volunteer-driven, and they are a registered charity. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 08:45:00 -0800 http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/113/dec-13th-silent-auction-proceeds-to-be-donated-to-critter-care http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/113/dec-13th-silent-auction-proceeds-to-be-donated-to-critter-care To see the first edition of the Coquitlam _Bad Seed_ newsletter, please click "here":/assets/bmn/doc/BadSeedNov2011.pdf. Many BMN volunteers have contributed to the City of Coquitlam's '_Bad Seed_' program, which aims to eliminate invasive plants in Coquitlam through public education and boots-on-the-ground weed-whacking parties. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/111/badseed-newsletter http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/111/badseed-newsletter _Red Fish Up the River_ is an exhibition of Kwikwetlem First Nation cultural objects, regalia and archival documentation at the Evergreen Cultural Centre, 1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam. The exhibit also explores the importance of restoring sockeye to Coquitlam Lake and their canoe building project. The Gallery is open Monday-Saturday, noon-5 pm. For more information, please click "here":http://www.evergreenculturalcentre.ca/ART+GALLERY/default.htm. Ongoing until November 5. Wed, 05 Oct 2011 08:00:00 -0700 http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/107/red-fish-up-the-river-an-exhibition-of-the-kwikwetlem http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/107/red-fish-up-the-river-an-exhibition-of-the-kwikwetlem To read the letter submitted by BMN in response to Metro Vancouver public consultation on their draft _Regional Parks Plan_, please click "here":/assets/bmn/doc/MVParksPlan2011.pdf. BMN's comments relating specifically to proposed farming at Colony Farm can be found under "Strategy 1.1.6 and 2.1.5" in this letter. Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:00:00 -0700 http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/105/bmns-comments-on-metro-vancouvers-parks-plan http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/105/bmns-comments-on-metro-vancouvers-parks-plan The April issue of the BMN newsletter contains an article on how a non-native wasp -- the European paper wasp, _Polistes dominula_ -- is taking over our bird boxes at Colony Farm. Colour versions of the photographs that accompanied that article and links to the references can be seen "here":/assets/bmn/doc/wasp.pdf. Tue, 12 Apr 2011 09:00:00 -0700 http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/93/how-to-identify-polistes-dominula http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/93/how-to-identify-polistes-dominula At our February BMN meeting, members and guests were enthralled with Ron Long’s fabulous photos of rare plants on the narrow plateau of Pink Mountain, located in northeast BC about 180 km northwest of Fort St. John. According to the Conservation Data Center, there is no other location in BC which supports such a unique plant community with such a high number of species at risk. In total, 173 plant species have been identified; of these 9 are blue-listed, 1 is red-listed and several others are uncommon. We feel the plants would be best protected as an Ecological Reserve which would, in part, be adjacent to the existing small Pink Mountain Provincial Park. Click "here":http://www.canmaps.com/topomaps/nts50/toporama/images/094g02.gif to see a a high-resolution topo map image of Pink Mountain. To read more about the plants and the rare Arctic Butterfly that depends on them, please click "HERE":/assets/bmn/doc/BMN_resolution_SI_minus_CG_Feb2011.pdf. To read the Resolution submitted it to the BC Nature Resolutions Committee, please click "HERE":/assets/bmn/doc/BMN_resolution_on_Pink_Mtn.pdf. To learn what you can do to ensure that this area is protected as an Ecological Reserve, please click "HERE":/assets/bmn/doc/BMN_Protect_Pink_Mountain2.pdf. Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:00:00 -0800 http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/89/campaign-to-protect-the-plants-of-pink-mountain http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/89/campaign-to-protect-the-plants-of-pink-mountain Metro Vancouver has posted the following self-guided podwalks for three tours of of the birds and plants at Burnaby Lake Park: 1. Common Shrubs @ Burnaby Lake Regional Park Self-guided podwalk about local foliage and plant species at Burnaby Lake Regional Park. 2. Self-guided podwalk including bird identification at Piper Spit With a placid lake and marshy shores, Burnaby Lake Regional Park is one of the most pleasant spots in the Metro Vancouver to observe birds, canoe, kayak or have a picnic. 3. Burnaby Lake Winter Waterfowl Winter is a great time to see birds. Burnaby Lake Regional Park is a winter destination to many species of migratory birds. Learn about and see beautiful birds on this guided walk. *Download or just view and listen to these on your computer by clicking "here":http://public.metrovancouver.org/podcasts/Pages/default.aspx* Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:00:00 -0800 http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/83/podwalks-for-burnaby-lake-regional-park http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/83/podwalks-for-burnaby-lake-regional-park One of BC's most notable birders, Dick Cannings, has written a blog covering his thoughts on the Christmas Bird Count. He gives the history of the Count and his involvement in them. To read Dick's blog, click "here":http://bit.ly/gg2U6h The Count in our area takes place on Jan 2, 2011. For more info, click "here":http://www.bmn.bc.ca/events/1047/coquitlam-and-pitt-meadows-christmas-bird-count. Thu, 09 Dec 2010 09:00:00 -0800 http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/77/dick-cannings-blog-on-christmas-bird-counts http://www.bmn.bc.ca/articles/77/dick-cannings-blog-on-christmas-bird-counts