Category Archives: Education video

50th Anniversary of Ecological Reserves in British Columbia

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Often when we visit special ecological areas our observations are restricted to a limited view. In this video, we visited six diverse Ecological Reserves  with the goal of revealing some of their special features from  a distant viewpoint as well as a close up one. Under a special permit from BC Parks, Jamie Frith used his drone and a macrophotographic camera to enable us to present a unique perspective on the reserves.

This video was made for the Friends of Ecological Reserves with the support of BC Parks. We started the project in March 2021 and originally were only allowed by  BC Parks to film in  6 Ecological Reserves in the southern part of Vancouver Island due to restrictions of COVID 19. Plans to include ERs from the interior of the province also were not possible   As those restrictions were eased mid summer, we were able to extend our range and travel North to include the Nimpkish River ER,  in order to include a  representative area of mature Douglas Fir forest.

Ecological Reserves which we were able to include were: 

  • Nimpkish RIver  ER#118   start time- 1:20
  • San Juan RIdge  ER #83   start time- 5:58
  • Oak Bay Islands  ER #94    start time-11:02
  • Mount Tzuhalem  ER#112    start time- 16:38
  • San Juan River  ER#141   start time-  25:01
  • Race Rocks  ER#97    start time- 25.03

 

One of the goals of the Ecological reserves act is to provide protected places for research and education. Some reserves, especially those with seabird colonies  are closed to the public and only accessible  with a permit from BC Parks. Since it is illegal to fly a drone over any provincial (or federal) protected area without a permit, the use of the drone was possible only with permission and precautions for no disruption to animals.  As mentioned in several of the interviews, because of the sensitive ecological nature of the areas, the public is not encouraged to visit Ecological reserves.

THE 50th ANNIVERSARY: 
On April 2, 1971, the Government of British Columbia became the first jurisdiction in Canada to pass legislation to protect Ecological Reserves, places set aside primarily for ecological research and education, not recreation. The Ecological Reserve Act led to an Order in Council that established the first 29 ecological reserves on May 4, 1971. Fifty years later, British Columbia has 148 ecological reserves across the entire province. This video features just a few of the ones on Vancouver Island. In 2021, the BC government proclaimed April 2nd as Ecological Reserves Day in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the passing of the Ecological Reserve Act.”

Protecting rare species and ecosystems is just one of the reasons to have an ER established. Equally important was protecting representative examples of natural ecosystems. See the wording in the Purpose section of the ER Act:
Garry Fletcher

Humpback Whales Feeding off Race Rocks

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There has been 2 humpbacks hanging around the Becher Bay – Race Passage for the last couple of weeks. They have always been a little bit distant from the Lighthouse, but on December 30th 2020 they came right up to the SW corner of the lighthouse and did some feeding right at the current line. There’s lots of turbulence, so it could be some bubblenetting or lungefeeding. Really cool to see them use the crazy currents around Race Rocks to get a meal in.

Johan Ashuvud Project at Race Rocks -2004

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During the Johan Ashuvud project 2004, students explored the intertidal with Garry Fletcher. They examined various organisms as well as the artificial tidepool. In this video, we also get a chance to meet all the students taking part in the project.

A school visit by Journey middle school students

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The Johan Ashuvud Project June 2004
On 1st June 2004, during the Johan Ashuvud project, we had Dr Gitai Yahel and Russel Wyeth explain to the students and faculty from Journey Middle School in Sooke their research at Race Rocks . This was during a live webcast by Emmanuel (PC 30) from Ghana and Paul (PC 30) from Nigeria. Later we showed the students various living organisms in the tank room and gave the students a tour of the island.

Journey Middle School students visit Race Rocks

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On 1st June 2004, during the Johan Ashuvud project  we had Dr. Gitai Yahel and Russel Wyeth explain to the students and faculty from Journey Middle School in Sooke their research at Race Rocks . This was during a live webcast by Emmanuel (PC 30) from Ghana and Paul (PC 30) from Nigeria. Later we showed the students various living organisms in the tank room and gave the students a tour of the island. In those years, Pearson College students were part of the Schools Project whereby many schools in the Sooke School District would send their grade seven class on a field trip at the invitation of the Pearson College Diving Service.

Tide Pool Abiotic factors

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In the high intertidal areas of Race Rocks, there are tidepools with wide fluctuations of abiotic factors. The organisms inhabiting these pools are well adapted to these extremes. Garry talks to a biology class about some of the variables influencing these high tide pools, and the flagellated green algae living within them.

Underwater Transect at Race Rocks

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The most difficult transects to do at Race Rocks Ecological reserve are those underwater. Through the years we have done a number of these, mostly in training sessions with the Pearson College Divers.  We experimented with various types of spools for laying out a line, types of weighted line, measuring tape, quadrat sizes, types of underwater paper on clipboards, types of pencils or writing devices  etc.  The best arrangement was using a 30- 50 metre long tape which could be attached to the peg on shore  and then taken out by the diver in a predetermined compass direction. The biggest problem other than the narrow window to get the work done was always the kelp cover, making the process very difficult in the later part of the year when the Nereocystis, (bull kelp) cover would make it impossible to access some areas.   The divers working in pairs would then proceed along one side of the line producing a record of the belt transect.  

Laura Verhegge and students of Pearson College doing an underwater transect off peg #1 at Race Rocks.

 


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Return to the Contents page for Environmental modelling with Transects..

Interview with Taco Niet on Alternative Energy for Race Rocks

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In 2002, Taco Niet finished his Masters degree in the Engineering Department’s Institute for Integrated Energy Systems at the University of Victoria (IESVic). In this clip, Garry interviews Taco about his research on renewable energy systems for Race Rocks. Great resources are available out there such as wind, solar and tidal energy. In order to conserve the natural aspect of the island, while reducing the use of Diesel fuel, many challenges arise. Taco considers the project can be integrated nicely with the racerocks.com project in order to be widely accessible on the internet and serve as a model for monitoring and comparing energy generation.

Interview with Taco Niet on the Prospects of Alternative Energy for Race Rocks

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In 2002, Taco Niet finished his Masters degree in the Engineering Department’s Institute for Integrated Energy Systems at the University of Victoria (IESVic). In this clip, Garry interviews Taco about his research on renewable energy systems for Race Rocks. Great resources are available out there such as wind, solar and tidal energy. In order to conserve the natural aspect of the island, while reducing the use of Diesel fuel, many challenges arise. Taco considers the project can be integrated nicely with the racerocks.com project in order to be widely accessible on the internet and serve as a model for monitoring and comparing energy generation

.Link to other information on the energy supply
for Race Rocks
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