Category Archives: Partners and Sponsors

TIDAL CURRENT :RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR RACE ROCKS

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Complete Video Coverage of the Announcement at Pearson College

 TV and Print Media Coverage of the event.

Press Release : CANA PARTNERS TO ENABLE PEARSON COLLEGE – ENCANA – CLEAN CURRENT TIDAL POWER DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AT RACE ROCKS, BC Victoria

– Thanks to an innovative partnership between Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, EnCana Corporation and Clean Current Power Systems Incorporated, Canada’s first free-stream tidal power project will be built at the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, offshore of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The project will enable the world famous marine park to tap into surrounding ocean currents and convert tidal energy to electric power for its needs beginning in early 2006. Making the announcement were:
Gwyn Morgan, President and CEO of EnCana,
Glen Darou, President and CEO of Clean Current,
Richard Neufeld, British Columbia Minister of Energy and Mines,
and Stuart Walker, Director of Pearson College.

 

Gwyn Morgan

Gwyn Morgan

Officially known as the “Pearson College – EnCana – Clean Current Tidal Power Demonstration Project at Race Rocks,” the project is enabled by a $3-million investment from the EnCana Environmental Innovation Fund. “EnCana is pleased to be a partner in this first-class, alternative energy project,” said Morgan. “Our investment in this B.C.-based unconventional environmental and power technology reflectsour desire to tangibly encourage innovative energy solutions.” EnCana’s Environmental Innovation Fund was established to advance new technologies and solutions that improve environmental performance associated with consuming and producing energy. Commercial proceeds from financed projects will be re-invested into the fund to ensure their sustainability.

 

Richard Neufeld

“The commitment by Premier Campbell in promoting alternative energy sources has helped British Columbia become a world leader in sustainable environmental management,” said Neufeld. “The province commends projects like this one, as they show our commitment to developing clean energy solutions that will benefit all British Columbians.” The multi-year demonstration project will involve the installation, operation and monitoring of a 65kW free-stream tidal turbine generator in the water near Race Rocks, a provincial ecological reserve located 10 nautical miles southwest of Victoria.

Glen Darou

Clean Current is a private British Columbia-based company that designs and licenses technology that efficiently converts the energy of tidal currents into electricity. Clean Current’s proprietary technology consists of a horizontal-axis ducted turbine with a direct-drive variable speed permanent magnet generator. The turbine generator is equally efficient in both directions as the tidal currents reverse twice each day. “This Canadian technology is simple, efficient and environmentally friendly,” said Darou. “We believe it is highly exportable technology, with strong potential to succeed in international settings. Our company is delighted to have the support of EnCana, Pearson College, and technical partners AMEC, Powertech Labs Inc. and Triton Consultants Ltd.”

Pearson College, one of ten United World Colleges worldwide, is the custodian of the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, located three nautical miles from campus. Diesel-powered generators currently provide electricity requirements at the reserve. Students and staff will work elements of the tidal power demonstration project into their studies. “This is a terrific project for Pearson College, in that it supports our goal of making the ecological reserve a showcase for alternative, low-impact technologies such as tidal power,” said Walker. “We would like to thank Clean Current for their commitment to developing the technology and EnCana for the financial support that is making this demonstration project possible.”

Second Year Pearson College student Alyssa Holland (year 30) concluded the presentation , by thanking the speakers. As a student involved in Environmental Systems and the diving program, she shared the enthusiasm she has for the resources of the area and emphasized the great importance she and other students attach to the effort of those involved in this project in the ongoing goal of producing energy sustainably.

Dave Skilling

Communications Coordinator
Lester B. Pearson College
250-391-2479
www.pearsoncollege.ca
www.racerocks.ca

 

Race Rocks Millenium Project 2002-2004

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A Bold Initiative: racerocks.com utilizes 21st century technology to maximum advantage to create a dynamic educational web experience utilizing the extraordinary marine eco-system at Race Rocks, Canada’s most southerly point in the Pacific.

Real time streaming video webcasts digital images of marine life from above the sea at Race Rocks and below the ocean when divers are on hand to do the live mobile webcasts. In addition, a complete environmental scan will be continually transmitted from the site using an array of data sensors in five ecosystems of the area.

The knowledge of the First Nations is being explored and explained as the Salish people share generations of experience in living in harmony with the abundance that once dominated this region and is now threatened.

Creative educators are developing internet-based curriculum to stimulate students and teachers to engage fully in the racerocks.com educational program. Researchers will share their studies and discoveries as we gain a new and deeper understanding of the ecosystem

The Place

For centuries, deep ocean currents and the great rivers of the Georgia Basin have converged in the Strait of Juan de Fuca between southern Vancouver Island and Washington State. Race Rocks reveals itself as nine rocky outcrops thrust from the ocean floor in the middle of the strait.

For generations the people of the Salish Nation prospered in this region at the entrance to the Salish Sea. The extraordinary richness of this diverse ecosystem represented by Race Rocks is valued today as it was then. Race Rocks has been an ecological reserve since 1980 and is becoming Canada’s first internationally recognized Marine Protected Area.

The small, rocky outcrops are home to seals, sea lions, elephant seals and birds, as well as the buildings and equipment of the Race Rocks Lighthouse. These outcrops are literally the tip of the ecosystem New leading-edge bathymetry reveals Race Rocks as a giant underwater mountain. The diversity of marine life is breathtaking and still not fully explored. The teachings of Salish elders merge with more recent science to explain the mysteries of nature at Race Rocks.

The Technology

Recent developments have made a complex real time streaming video site possible. Presently three and potentially up to seven digital cameras and an array of data sensors above and below the ocean at Race Rocks will collect information. The signal is compressed and transmitted by broad band radio from the top of the Race Rocks light tower direct to nearby Pearson College. From Pearson College, through high speed fiber links to the racerocks.com server, and then on to the AKAMAI network, the video and data will be available throughout the internet. Two-way interactive capability is being incorporated into the design to allow for specific educational programming.

The Partners

Lester B. Pearson College– is one of ten United World Colleges located around the world. Two hundred students from over 80 countries study the International Baccalaureate curriculum during their two years at Pearson College. Garry Fletcher, a faculty member teaching Environmental Systems and Biology at Pearson College, is the educational director of racerocks.com. Garry and his students will guide the educational content of the site. Pearson College operates the former Race Rocks light station facilities as a education centre under an agreement with BC Parks. Pearson College is the lead proponent and partner directing the racerocks.com project.


LGS Group Inc. – is one of Canada’s largest full service IT consulting firm with 2100 employees in 20 offices in Canada, Europe and the US. LGS is donating the time and resources to provide project management and web design services in the creation of racerocks.com. Along with their ability to capitalize on emerging Internet technologies to promote the project, LGS brings essential knowledge, skills, and expertise. 

Telus– a leading Canadian telecommunications company, is providing the bandwidth and server capability  to host racerocks.com. Skilled technical staff at Telus have assisted in the development and implementation of the project assuring high-speed delivery to the Internet and accessibility to a large audience. Telus is donating this component to racerocks.com.

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre-a leading organization in marine research and public education on the West Coast of Canada. The Marine Science Centre has committed a significant contribution of funds and expertise to the project. In return it will gain a new window for aquarium visitors into an ecologically sensitive marine world at the South tip of Vancouver Island. The most recent contribution is a hydrophone which will be installed subtidally at Race Rocks.

Apple Computers (Canada)– The Computers that we use for the live video webcasts from Race Rocks are all made by APPLE COMPUTERS. In July of 2000, Apple Canada became a partner in the Millennium Partnership program with the donation of a Macintosh PowerBook G3. 500 MHz. It followed up with further support in April of 2001 with the donation of a G4 500 MHz portable computer. These new high speed computers have been essential in broadcasting the manually operated live programs from the islands.They have been a most valuable addition for our live video webcasting programs.

Apple and the Apple Learning Interchange:

The quicklime live video streams were hosted by the Apple Learning interchange over the Akamai Internet distribution network. In April of 2001, a set of three airport cards was provided by ALI in order to make all the cameras webcasting wirelessly from the island. Race Rocks support pages, learning activities, discussion forums, and scheduled chats.

Seapoint Sensors Inc. of Kingston New Hampshire has joined as a partner providing a turbidity meter for measuring turbidity or suspended solids and a Chlorophyll fluorometer for measuring chlorophyll a . Both are representative of a fine line of high performance oceanographic sensors. They are installed sub-tidaly in 8 meters of water off the docks on the North Side of Race Rocks .

CompuSmart of Victoria , B.C. has joined as a partner in providing the majority of the funds for the purchase of a new computer for the Database which is being produced to handle the  Phase 2 Environmental Data Sensors for Race Rocks.

Sorenson Media provided  software to assist in the production of the live streaming video and the improvement of the archived video on the website.

FRIENDS of ECOLOGICAL RESERVES-The “Friends” have been long time supporters of Race Rocks. They have given financial help for the purchase in 2000 of a camera for the project and in 2001, a SONY wireless microphone.

 

SONY of Canada Ltd.

joined as a partner in April of 2001, with the donation of a SONY Digital Video camera. This camera joins the three other SONY cameras that are used to provide the live streaming video from Race Rocks.

Government Agencies-racerocks.com has received assistance from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in many aspects of the project development. BC Parks has provided the use of buildings and facilities at Race Rocks. Both levels of government are working cooperatively with local First Nations groups as well as other community groups to create the Race Rocks Marine Protected Area.

 

Millennium Partnership Fund– racerocks.com would not have been possible without major funding from the Canadian Millennium Partnership Fund of the Government of Canada. We are very grateful to the Federal Government and all those who assisted us in our application.

Graduate Students We are particularly fortunate to benefit from the services and support of a number of alumni of Lester B. Pearson College who have donated their time or have given direct financial assistance to racerocks.com

Ken Dunham ( PC year 9) has designed and implemented the advanced network at Pearson College, and recently
extended these facilities across the water to Race Rocks.

Giovanni Rosso (PC year 24) has provided the money for a digital camera which we use to document the project.

Jochen Kumm (PC year 10) has provided a computer for the Ecological Overview database and is assisting with the development of the Environmental Database for racerocks.com

Affiliated Organizations

  • Glentel

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Sponsorship: from the BC Ministry of Energy and Mines

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The Provincial Ministry of Energy and Mines. Assisted with funding for the installation of solar panels and instrumentation for the Tidal Energy project.

Minister Neufeld Speaks at the launch of the Lester Pearson College ENCANA Clean Current Tidal Energy Demonstration Project in February, 2005

“The commitment by Premier Campbell in promoting alternative energy sources has helped British Columbia become a world leader in sustainable environmental management,” said Neufeld. “The province commends projects like this one, as they show our commitment to developing clean energy solutions that will benefit all British Columbians.” The multi-year demonstration project will involve the installation, operation and monitoring of a 65kW free-stream tidal turbine generator in the water near Race Rocks, a provincial ecological reserve located 10 nautical miles southwest of Victoria..

Tidal Current : Renewable Energy for Race Rocks

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pressrelease

Full video coverage of the event

 

PRESS RELEASE below……February 25, 2005 (Link to PDF version)-
ENCANA PARTNERS TO ENABLE PEARSON COLLEGE – ENCANA – CLEAN CURRENT TIDAL POWER DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AT RACE ROCKS, BC Victoria
– Thanks to an innovative partnership between Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific,EnCana Corporation and Clean Current Power Systems Incorporated, Canada’s first free-stream tidal power project will be built at the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, offshore of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The project will enable the world famous marine park to tap into surrounding ocean currents and convert tidal energy to electric power for its needs beginning in early 2006. Making the announcement were:
Gwyn Morgan, President and CEO of EnCana,
Glen Darou, President and CEO of Clean Current,
Richard Neufeld, British Columbia Minister of Energy and Mines,
and Stuart Walker, Director of Pearson College.1gwynOfficially known as the “Pearson College – EnCana – Clean Current Tidal Power Demonstration Project at Race Rocks,” the project is enabled by a $3-million investment from the EnCana Environmental Innovation Fund.“EnCana is pleased to be a partner in this first-class, alternative energy project,” said Morgan. “Our investment in this B.C.-based unconventional environmental and power technology reflects our desire to tangibly encourage innovative energy solutions.” EnCana’s Environmental Innovation Fund was established to advance new technologies and solutions that improve environmental performance associated with consuming and producing energy. Commercial proceeds from financed projects will be re-invested into the fund to ensure their sustainability.1minister“The commitment by Premier Campbell in promoting alternative energy sources has helped British Columbia become a world leader in sustainable environmental management,” said Neufeld. “The province commends projects like this one, as they show our commitment to developing clean energy solutions that will benefit all British Columbians.” The multi-year demonstration project will involve the installation, operation and monitoring of a 65kW free-stream tidal turbine generator in the water near Race Rocks, a provincial ecological reserve located 10 nautical miles southwest of Victoria.1glencamClean Current is a private British Columbia-based company that designs and licenses technology that efficiently converts the energy of tidal currents into electricity. Clean Current’s proprietary technology consists of a horizontal-axis ducted turbine with a direct-drive variable speed permanent magnet generator. The turbine generator is equally efficient in both directions as the tidal currents reverse twice each day.“This Canadian technology is simple, efficient and environmentally friendly,” said Darou. “We believe it is highly exportable technology, with strong potential to succeed in international settings. Our company is delighted to have the support of EnCana, Pearson College, and technical partners AMEC, Powertech Labs Inc. and Triton Consultants Ltd.”Pears1stuarton College, one of ten United World Colleges worldwide, is the custodian of the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, located three nautical miles from campus. Diesel-powered generators currently provide electricity requirements at the reserve. Students and staff will work elements of the tidal power demonstration project into their studies.“This is a terrific project for Pearson College, in that it supports our goal of making the ecological reserve a showcase for alternative, low-impact technologies such as tidal power,” said Walker. “We would like to thank Clean Current for their commitment to developing the technology and EnCana for the financial support that is making this demonstration project possible.”1studentSecond Year Pearson College student Alyssa Holland (year 30) concluded the presentation , by thanking the speakers. As a student involved in Environmental Systems and the diving program, she shared the enthusiasm she has for the resources of the area and emphasized the great importance she and other students attach to the effort of those involved in this project in the ongoing goal of producing energy sustainably.Below is the complete version of her speach:

text of speech by Alyssa Holland (year 30)

As I am both an Environmental Systems student and a member of the diving activity, Race Rocks has played a central role in the education Pearson has given me. Race Rocks is truly the ultimate living classroom, teaching all those who interact with it about the beauty and wonder of the natural environment, and about the importance of responsible environmental stewardship. It is a very special place that gives so much to the college and its students, and it is very gratifying to think how much the ecosystem will benefit from the Clean Current project.

For Pearson students, Race Rocks is much more than a group of islands. On one level or another, we all interact with it and benefit from it, and consider it part of our home. Whether through poking around in the inter-tidal zone for class, or working with a researcher from the University of Victoria 10 metres underwater, or staying on the island for a weekend to give its 2 full-time residents a break, we have built a connection with this magical place. As such, ensuring its health and protection are very important to me, and to the student body as a whole.

Pearson is by its very nature an innovative place – even the concept of a United World College is radical and still experimental. I can think of no better or more appropriate environment for such an exciting new technology as this to be implemented, as it truly embodies the spirit of innovation and idealism that makes Pearson College unique. This new turbine will stand as much more than a symbol of scientific progress; it will also be a concrete demonstration that even an ideal as difficult to live by as environmentalism can be successfully put into practice when we are innovative. That will be a lesson to guide both students and visitors for years to come.

BACKGROUNDER: (Link to PDF version)Race Rocks is a unique ecosystem located at the eastern entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, three nautical miles from Pearson College and ten nautical miles southwest of Victoria, BC. The rocky outcroppings that form the Race Rocks group of islands are the visible summit of an underwater mountain and are washed daily by tidal currents that can run at up to seven knots. These swift waters are the lifeblood of breathtakingly diverse plant and animal life – recognized internationally as a treasured ecosystem. To First Nations people, Race Rocks was a banquet table in the swift flowing waters known to them as XwaYen. To early mariners it was a formidable hazard to be avoided. To fishers it was a haven for finding rockfish and halibut. To scuba divers it is an underwater paradise with thriving colonies of marine organisms. To generations of future researchers, college students and school children, it will be an awe-inspiring outdoor and virtual classroom. Additional information on Race Rocks is available at: www.racerocks.ca

Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific
Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific (Pearson College), an international school named in honour of the late Prime Minister and Nobel Prize Laureate Lester B. Pearson, provides full scholarships to all its students. The College was established in 1974 and promotes international understanding and co-operation among young people and is one of 10 United World Colleges located around the globe. The 200 students attending Pearson College each year represent every Canadian province and territory, and there are representatives from over 85 other countries. Along with the International Baccalaureate academic program, students participate in a full activities program that includes: diving, kayaking, sailing and artistic endeavours such as choir, photography and visual arts. Each student also commits to volunteer service both at the College and in nearby communities. Pearson College staff and students have acted as long-time volunteer wardens at Race Rocks and were influential in having the area protected as an Ecological Reserve in 1980. As the environmental steward of Race Rocks, the College is dedicated to protecting the marine ecosystems within the reserve and to increasing the awareness of students, visitors and the public about marine systems, ecological reserves and environmental issues. By transforming a decommissioned light station into a dynamic educational and research centre, Pearson College has been able to share the rich cultural and environmental history of Race Rocks with Canadians and the world. Race Rocks serves as an award-winning showcase of sustainable and innovative educational initiatives and emerging technologies. Further information on Pearson College can be found at www.pearsoncollege.ca

EnCana
With an enterprise value of approximately US$34 billion, EnCana is one of North America’s leading independent oil and gas companies. The company pursues predictable, reliable, profitable growth from its portfolio of long-life resource plays situated in Canada and the United States. EnCana defines resource plays as large, contiguous accumulations of hydrocarbons, located in thick or aready extensive deposits that typically have low geological and commercial development risk and low average decline rates. The application of technology to unlock the huge resource potential of these plays typically results in continuous increases in production and reserves and decreases in costs over multiple decades of resource play life. EnCana’s disciplined pursuit of these unconventional assets has enabled it to become North America’s largest natural gas producer and a leading developer of oilsands through in-situ recovery. EnCana common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ECA.
More information on EnCana can be found at: www.EnCana.com

EnCana Environmental Innovation Fund
EnCana is committed to safeguarding the environment. Throughout its operations, the company strives to lighten its environmental footprint through responsible practices, continuous improvement, and by seeking out innovative new approaches to doing business. As stated in the company’s Corporate Responsibility Policy, EnCana strives to make efficient use of resources, minimize its environmental footprint, conserve habitat diversity, reduce its emissions intensity and increase its energy efficiency.

The EnCana Environmental Innovation Fund (the Fund) supports these goals by lending financial support toward the development and commercialization of innovative new technologies and practices that create solutions to the environmental issues facing the energy sector. The fund is designed to invest in both external and internal projects that:

  • Improve environmental performance associated with producing or consuming energy;
  • Advance and demonstrate innovative technologies or practices; and
  • Implement EnCana’s Corporate Responsibility Policy.

Targeted areas include air emission reductions, water conservation, renewable energy, and energy-efficiency improvements. To date, four projects have been financed, including a hybrid electric vehicle demonstration, a water recycling project, a drill cutting recycling facility and a renewable energy project. The Fund became operational in January 2004 and is currently reviewing candidate projects.

Clean Current Power Systems Incorporated
Clean Current Power Systems Incorporated is a private British Columbia-based company that will generate electricity from ocean tidal currents. Clean Current designs and licenses technology which converts the kinetic energy of tidal currents into electricity with unprecedented efficiency. This electricity is renewable, predictable and creates no greenhouse gases. The tidal turbine generator units are deployed completely underwater and cause no visual impact on pristine marine environments.

Efficiency and operability in salt water are the key ingredients of a successful tidal technology. Clean Current’s tidal turbine generator is a bi-directional ducted horizontal axis turbine with a direct drive variable speed permanent magnet generator. This proprietary design delivers better than 50 per cent water-to-wire efficiency, a significant improvement over competing free stream tidal energy technologies. Operability is enhanced by a simple design that has one moving part – the rotor assembly that contains the permanent magnets. There is no drive shaft and no gearbox.

The turbine generator has a design life of 10 years (major overhaul every 10 years) and a service life of 25-30 years. During that time it will generate electricity with zero emissions, a minimal footprint on the bottom of the ocean and negligible impact on marine life.
The Pearson College – EnCana – Clean Current Tidal Power Demonstration Project at Race Rocks is an important step in the Company’s technology development plan aimed at early commercialization.

To ensure success Clean Current has enlisted the assistance of technical partners AMEC Americas Limited and AMEC Dynamic Structures Limited (both subsidiaries of AMEC PLC),Powertech, (a subsidiary of BC Hydro) and Triton Consultants Ltd.
Return to the Tidal Energy Page

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve: An Unusual Model of Reserve Management

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Race Rocks Ecological Reserve: An Unusual Model of Reserve Management….By Garry Fletcher

On October 3rd, this  group of the Friends of Ecological Reserves made a trip to Race Rocks in the Pearson College Boats with Garry Fletcher and Chris Blondeau, Chris is the Pearson College Sea-front Coordinator and Operations Manager of Race Rocks.  This fall has been remarkable in the consistently high population of Northern and California Sea Lions and high populations of seagulls and Cormorants on the islands, so it was a good time for the visit after the nesting season. 

As a result of questions from members on the trip, I thought it might be useful to update everyone who is interested in the events on the reserve with the present state of the management and financing of Race Rocks.  Lester Pearson College assumed the full management of the facilities and staff at Race Rocks in the fall of 1997. The light and foghorn had been automated, and the Canadian Coastguard was retiring the light keepers, Mike and Carol Slater.  All the facilities except the light tower and foghorn were returned to BC Lands.  An agreement was reached whereby the island was leased for long-term management and continued use for education and research by Lester Pearson College.  In  2001, BC Parks was able to expand the Ecological reserve, which had previously omitted the large island with the facilities, to include all the remaining land area of Great Race Island in addition to the original 256 hectares of Islands and water to the 36 meter depth.

The Slaters were hired by Lester Pearson College to stay on as Ecological Reserve Guardians, providing security and keeping the diesel generator running, thus ensuring that the college could have full use of the other buildings and facilities on the island. In addition, the daily collection of air and sea temperature and salinity data was continued, maintaining a valuable long-term database. An anonymous donor from Ontario met operating costs for the first year. Each year after a special effort has been made by the college to secure the operating funds to carry through to keep the island open.   By the year 2000, a proposal was made to the Millennium Partners Fund of Canada, to help fund the installation of Internet facilities and microwave to provide a link to the College for the transmission of Broadband Internet.  A number of partners and sponsors who continue to assist are referenced on the website. Each year since, the college has had to seek funding from a number of sources to keep the island going, since government funding for parks is very hard to come by.

One of the higher costs incurred in the operation is the diesel fuel to run the island’s generators. Last year over $20,000 went into this, so it has been an aim for some time to incorporate alternate energy technology in the operation. It is with great relief that I can now tell you that our efforts are paying off as we now have a company, Clean Current Power Inc. securing the complete funding and installing at Race Rocks in the next year, an underwater tidal current generator which will have negligible negative environmental impacts.  Although a research prototype, this should generate all the required electrical needs for the island. The diesel generators will become backup utilities.

BC Parks has made a good effort to help with some of the facility costs on the island. Keep in mind that most Ecological Reserves do not have dwellings and facilities such as docks and workshops, so they have provided the funds to mitigate the effects of human sewage from the two houses, with the installation of composting toilets in 2003.  The Coast guard, although having no direct financial commitment, has provided technical assistance when necessary.  In 2000 an Advisory Board was set up by DFO for the formation of an Official Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act. The Ecological Reserve is still a Marine Protected Area Designate, since final treaty negotiations have put a hold on complete Marine Protected Area Status. This has meant that no federal funds are available for maintaining the Protected Area.

It is a difficult job securing at least  $80,000 a year to keep the island operational. What is really needed is an endowment, and this we are determined to seek over the next few years.  Keeping observers and cameras on the island has in the last few years served to keep the many users of the area accountable, so that the ecological integrity of the resource may be sustained. On the home page of racerocks.com is written: “we humans are never content just to know that a special area exists on this earth. We strive to be there, to touch, to feel, to consume. But therein lies the paradox. In so doing we can destroy the very thing we love.” The aim of the racerocks.com program has always been to make this special ecosystem available to all through the Internet.  We have been fortunate to have this opportunity to establish a window into the daily lives of the creatures of a rugged marine island ecosystem. We just hope that we can continue to make the amazing life of these islands available to all.  This spring with the further assistance of Apple Computer, we upgraded our computers and added a new 340 degree robotic camera which provides a much more thorough survey of many parts of the islands from your own computer.

We are grateful for any assistance in the funding of the program at Race Rocks. One can pay by cheque or credit card to The Race Rocks Operating Fund c/o Lester B. Pearson College, 650 Pearson College Drive.  (250) 391-2411. A tax receipt will be provided for amounts over $25.00

This article appeared in the Winter 2004 edition of the Friends of Ecological Reserves Newsmagazine ; The LOG

Garry Fletcher (garryf(use the at sign).gmail.com) the volunteer warden for Race Rocks Ecological Reserve is the Educational Director of racerocks.com.In 2004 he retired after teaching for 36 years.  The last 28 of those years have been spent in Biology, Environmental Systems and the SCUBA diving program at Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific.  Garry now continues with his work on https://www.racerocks.ca and serves as a consultant from his home in Metchosin.

APPLE : Partnership with racerocks.com

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ARCHIVE: It is important to recognize that the early innovations in internet technology at Race Rocks  were made possible by the cooperation of a number of partners and sponsors . Apple was one of the important partners in collaboration for this educational application of the internet for the conservation of a sensitive ecosystem by promoting the availability of its unique ecological features to the world.
In June 2000, Apple first became a sponsor when APPLE CANADA recognized the significance of our project and loaned us a new Powerbook G3 500 for the two weeks of mobile webcasts in June 2000.

 

 

As a result of that initial support, Apple Canada sent us the same computer for our project in July 2000. At the New York MacWorld Conference in July, our presentation of a live underwater webcast from Race Rocks prompted an offer from The APPLE LEARNING INTERCHANGE for a partnership. The result was that the QuickTime live video streams were hosted by the Apple Learning Interchange over the Akamai Internet distribution network. We are extremely grateful to APPLE for this generous support. Live video streams have now been operating since the summer of 2000 thanks to tis initial support.

 

In October, 2000, APPLE hosted us for a presentation of the live Underwater QuickTime stream at the QuickTime Live Convention in California.

In March of 2001, APPLE Canada came to our assistance again with the generous
donation of a G4 Titanium PowerBook. We used this for our mobile webcasts and
for the creation of new archived video clips using the iMovie software. 

We must also acknowledge the commitment of the Apple representative Keith Mitchell who worked out of the offices in Texas and was also able to visit us to see the operation of our system at Race Rocks.

In June of 2002, The APPLE LEARNING INTERCHANGE opened its new gallery of featured exhibits and  racerocks.com was included on the ALI website as one of their exhibits.

 

 

In January of 2004, The Apple Learning Interchange upgraded the three computers and the Wireless Airports and they also assisted us with the purchase of a new Remote Control camera. We now have the equipment installed and providing improved Live Streaming Images as of the spring of 2004.

In 2004, three APPLE eMacs were supplied to webcast from cameras 1, 2 and 5. Webcasting from these cameras used QuickTime Broadcaster.

 

 

 

Shell Environment Fund presentation to racerocks.ca

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December 2003: We are very grateful for funding provided by the Shell Environmental Fund for assistance in the operation of the racerocks.com activity, and archived and live video of the website.

Jonathan (Newfoundland), Emmanuel (Ghana), Sonam (Bhutan), Stephanie (Shell), Tya (Indonesia), Jano (Slovakia), Garry (faculty).

 

The funds will be used for upgrading the software and hardware to allow greater participation of students in the production of the archived video and the Race Rocks Taxonomy
In particular, this fund will help in funding:
1. Support of the portion of the project which is dedicated to providing regular live webcasts to schools and museums.
2. Upgrading and enhancement of the Race Rocks taxonomy project. This class assignment allows students in environmental systems and biology to link in educational videos of species in their habitats at Race Rocks, thus providing an enriched educational resource. We have also linked to this exercise a template to encourage other schools to use a similar approach for recognition and conservation of biodiversity in their own local ecosystems. 
3. The purchase of additional equipment and software dedicated to more efficient compression of digital video and for an enhanced program of Live web casting to school rooms directly from the Ecological Reserve.

 

THE SHELL ENVIRONMENT FUND IN ACTION:

Emmanuel and Paul were two students who had participated in the Johan Ashuvud week in June and as well as providing daily hour long webcasts at the time. While on the island, they used the new camera and computer to produce a number of educational videos which are now on the website.

A highlight of the week was the production of webcasts for several school groups that came out to Race Rocks as part of the program.

Report on Pearson College and Race Rocks Activities Dec 2002

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December 16  Report
Race Rocks Marine Biology Project
By Garry Fletcher
Faculty Member, Lester B. Pearson College
Ecological reserve Warden for Race Rocks.
Education Director, racerocks.com

This report outlines the activities of the Race Rocks Marine Biology Program at Lester Pearson College from December 15, 2001 to December 15, 2002. During this second year of the Richard Ivey Foundation’s three-year commitment to this project, there has been  on-going advancement in our project objectives. Additional funding has been forthcoming this year from the World  Wildlife Fund,  the Georgia Strait Alliance, a private dive charter group and a member of our Race Rocks Advisory Board.  The provincial government has completed a long term lease agreement with us and is assisting us to upgrade the sewage system to a composting system and with repairs to buildings at the islands.
Project Objectives Report
Objective 1: To provide appropriate staffing and a pool of skilled volunteers who are dedicated to monitoring the local marine environment.
    I have continued to devote part of my teaching schedule to educational work involving Race Rocks. I am in constant communication with Mike and Carol Slater, the eco- guardians at Race Rocks as they provide assistance in monitoring the cameras and computers and alert us to any issues involving enforcement of the guidelines of the reserve.
    A further improvement to our Daily Log kept by Mike and Carol was developed this year. We were fortunate to have the volunteer services of Alec Matthews of the software design company WhiteAtom Design, work with us in the development of a database into which the daily observations of Race Rocks are entered. This now runs on a server on the island, with the added advantage being that in the database form, we are able to do reports on selected fields of the database. This makes our reporting to BC Parks and Fisheries more efficient, and allows us to link the content of the database to the resources on the web pages.

    Chris Blondeau, our seafront manager, has been active with the college divers, teaching them underwater camera skills and adding to the underwater video library for the college.  We have made a video of one of the incidents that Chris was involved with while assisting with the ongoing public education role which we conduct with the local community in the monitoring and enforcement of infractions in the reserve. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/archives/vidfishing.htm
    My two colleagues in the biology and environmental systems department Catrin Brown and Laura Verhegge have incorporated a number of the resources of the website and Race Rocks into their teaching program. We were able to webcast live two of their low-tide field labs last spring. A video was added to the education section of the archives that shows Laura’s first year environmental System classes doing their final exam at Race Rocks. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/archives/videxam2002a.htm
    The popularity among the students of the “new media” approach in education has led to an increase in demand for facilities to do video editing on campus. Examples of producing video on-line provided by the racerocks.com experience, led one of the students in the racerocks.com activity to produce video clips of our annual “One World Show .
I gave this same student a video camera when he went home to Kenya this summer. He was able to take his skills learned in the webcasting experience from racerocks.com activity and produce several excellent videos of the life of the children in rural Kenya. In the new year, the students of the activity  will be live webcasting a bi-weekly program presenting events of the week at Pearson College.
    The college has been able to set up a new computer media room for students to work on other video editing projects.  Adding this option for our students has been a valuable spin off of the racerocks.com program. Sylvia Roach, another science faculty member is supervising the students involved with this option.  We were also fortunate to be able to hire Scott Nichol this year. He is a software and web specialist who also helps us in sorting out some of the technical problems with the computers at Race Rocks.

Objective 2. To supplement environmental monitoring through 24 hr video monitoring through the racerocks.com website.  Our cameras and computers set up in the Millennium project have served us well in providing continual live access to the islands resources through live streaming video.
    In January of 2002, we were introduced by our contacts in Apple, to the computer software company Channelstorm and their software “LiveChannel” which  we now use in webcasting on several of the cameras. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/rrcom/livechannel/livechannel.htm
I worked extensively in collaboration with the software engineers of the company to adapt the webcasting software to our application. They have freely provided us with the software as they are able to use our site as a valuable example of the success of their software.  After going through several Beta versions of the software, we now have a very useful tool for involving creative input from the students for our webcasts.  On campus we have used it to broadcast the weekly International Affairs program and have webcast two evening performances for the International Day presentations on campus. At Race Rocks, we use it in the live webcasts from the portable camera and the students of the racerocks.com activity have developed expertise in this software and are now interested in expanding their use of it to provide a bi-weekly live web cast which will be a presentation of events of the week at the college.

Objective 3: To educate Pearson College students about the marine environment and to involve these students in a direct stewardship experience.  
    In October, our college hosted the CISTA  schools conference. Four of the students of the racerocks.com activity gave 6 workshop presentations to the delegates.  Their topic was the use of technology for Environmental Conservation as a method of Community Action. Since the delegates were made up of teachers and students from across Canada, the US and Latin America, they experienced a great interchange of questions and ideas. It was clear that the “ownership“ of the racerocks.com process, gave our students confidence in their role as environmental stewards, and this was clearly evident to the participants.
    During our November Project week, this year, three of our first year students stayed at Race Rocks producing daily programs about the wildlife and the ecosystems of the island. They also were trained at  that time to operate the MPA when our eco- guardians are on leave. As a result of their work several videos have been added to the archives. Two of the students had been in the racerocks.com activity , and the other student was already familiar with the editing video program so that they were able to do the video and editing work in the making of the following QuickTime movies.

Daily Duties For Assistants to the MPA Guardian
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/archives/viddailyduties.htm
Tidal Variation at Race Rocks at http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/archives/vidrrtides.htm
Race Rocks Tour: with an English Version,  an Arabic Version , and a German Version at http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/archives/vidrrvirtourara.htm
    For some time we have been concerned with the effects of the demolition blasting at the nearby Department of National Defence facilities on the marine mammal and bird populations at Race Rocks.  It has been our belief that mitigation of this impact could be done by controlled levels of blasting and proper timing. On November 7, 2002, the DND were still doing their demolition blasting exercises at Bentinck Island. These students were able to video the images of the impact of these blasts on the first day from the science centre window and on the second day from the top of the light tower. In the tower, they interviewed Mike Demarchi of LGL who is currently doing a contract for the Department of National Defense to monitor the impact of these blasts and to compare them with other disturbances at Race Rocks. This video will help in public education and is now included in our marine mammal archives at: http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/archives/vidlionblasts.htm  In doing the work, they had a keen sense of the role that they were providing in terms of our on-going stewardship of the island  and they felt they had contributed by this process.
    The spring 2002 field lab program was completed with involvement of the following students in direct contact at Race Rocks.
    Spring 2002- 40 Biology first year students in three classes were involved in field research at Race Rocks. They did a population study in tidepools and an invertebrate survey.
    Spring 2002- 30 students of Environmental Systems did  several field labs on intertidal transect methods.
    Fall 2002- In orientation week ten students  were involved in a program of interpreting Race Rocks Live by webcasts for an afternoon at Race Rocks.  These webcasts were viewed by other students as an introduction to Race Rocks
    These environmental systems students also did their final exam on the island in May of 2002 and
    Fall 2002 – 36 students in first year biology did an introductory field survey at Race Rocks.

    In May 27 of 2002, I was invited to participate as a finalist in the New Media Awards ceremony in Toronto, having been nominated in the category of Educator of the Year.
    While there, I was able to visit the offices of the World Wildlife Fund  in support of an application for funding from this organization. Visits were also made to the Ontario Science Centre  and the Royal Ontario Museum to investigate the possibility of getting our educational resources available through the internet to these institutions.

Objective 4: To lead environmental field trips for local school children to Race Rocks.  Our school trips have been reduced to lessen the impact on the island but we have continued with using a system of student “reporters” from a school :
    In June three groups of such  students went with us to Race Rocks  where our students provided an informative introduction to ecology of the organisms at Race Rocks. This 17 minute video shows the kinds of experiences they have while out in the field, http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/archives/vidwestmont2a.htm
The complete webcast went live to their schools and to other schools who could be on line. We also re-webcast the tapes of the sessions several times.
Objective 5: To facilitate marine education programs for schools across the country and internationally through racerocks.com
    In March a major project was undertaken at the request of the Apple Learning Interchange. Apple Computers were planning to set up a “Gallery of Best Practices” on their website.  We were invited to provide the resource materials detailing our innovations at Race Rocks for this special website.  Race Rocks  is currently the featured exhibit and can be found from the education links to the Apple Learning Interchange at http://ali.apple.com/
The gallery is set up to encourage others to try to incorporate this form of resource into their own instructional program.
An outline of the exhibit follows:
Introduction:  I provide an introduction by video of the way that Apple Learning Interchange is providing the distribution network making it possible for thousands of student connections per week.  I explain that this exhibit will provide you with a glimpse of our educational programs, the technology that makes it possible, as well as ideas to help use our resources in your classroom.
The Lesson : Here you will find an example learning activity that we use in our curriculum entitled: “A Project to Establish a Digital Taxonomic File.” We have also included a learning activity contributed from the Apple Learning Interchange which may give you ideas on how to use our live video streams and web resources in your classroom.  A weblink to an index of files that may be useful for statistics labs in biology or environmental systems and a link to the new section on resources for the Jason project are included.
Assessment : As well as showing the video on the environmental systems exam, a video with Garry and Laura discussing assessment is included: “ Every Field Lab in which the students are involved at Race Rocks becomes part of a portfolio of student work which is graded according to a number of criteria, as suggested by the International Baccalaureate Science Syllabi. We are particularly concerned with observational and interpretational skills, although manipulation, attitude, and planning skills may also be assessed. This first video presents a short discussion on assessment between Garry Fletcher and Laura Verhegge, faculty members in Biology and Environmental Systems at Lester B. Pearson College.
Student Work : In this file Example Student Research videos are highlighted. Rocks Island is a valuable component of the IB Environmental Systems and IB Biology curriculum at Pearson College of the Pacific. This island research center makes it possible to immerse students in real inquiry as they investigate ecosystems both on the surface of the island and below the surface of the surrounding water. Students work in small groups often with visiting scientists adding to the growing knowledge about life at Race Rocks. It is also possible for students at remote schools to participate in observational research and to join live reports by the students and staff at Pearson
Reflections : Video segments of students  and the faculty discussing their experiences  are provided.
Administrative Support: Angus Matthews provides an administrators perspective on the program, encouraging other educational administrators to take the leap and get involved in programs like this because of the spin-offs possible to other aspects of education.
Resources: This site summarizes the links to the racerocks.com website which relate to education in four areas
A)    Race Rocks Ecosystems
B)    B) History of Race Rocks
C)    Video
D)    Communications
http://www.uwc.ca/racerock/aliassets/resources.htm

Technology: I use an annotated slide show, to explain how one can use Apple streaming technology to share their local ecosystem with the world. By following through the process of how we use technology on the islands,  a model is presented for similar projects as part of educational programs elsewhere.
Background :Maps showing location and a profile of the history of the racerocks.com project are provided in this section.

    In the fall of 2002 we took on an added responsibility, that of being the Canadian content provider for the Jason Project . http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/jason/jasonproject.htm
With Assistance from the Jason Foundation, we hired Jane Johnston, to do the middle school level curriculum level work to bring together the resources of our site into Lesson Plans. These are now being made available on our website and are linked to the Jason website which is subscribed to by 70,000 teachers in the US.

Special curriculum guides are being developed for:
1.    Geology and Geography (Abiotic Characteristics at Race Rocks), http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/jason/abiotic/t_instr.html
2.    Preserving the Past and Present Culture of Race Rocks (The Thirteen Moons), http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/jason/firstnations/t_intro.html
3.    Maintaining our Coastal Ecosystems (An Ethology),
4.    The Northern Abalone, http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/jason/abal_seastar/t_info.html
5.    Pinnipeds, http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/jason/pinnipeds/seal_sealion_differ.htm
6.    Conservation.

    The production of the Race Rocks taxonomy is a curriculum development event that has consumed a great amount of my time this past year. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/taxalab/taxonomy.htm
This is a collaborative project with students and we have the goal of eventually achieving  a comprehensive linking of all the information and media resources for all the organisms of Race Rocks.   In the late fall and early spring terms 44 biology students contributed their records and 21 Environmental Systems students. This is currently being added to with another 48 biology students and a further 30 environmental systems students in the next term. By the end of next term, our taxonomy index will have grown to almost 150 species.  I emphasize to the students that this “digital legacy” which is a valuable addition to the management of this ecological treasure. These students are all exposed to a varying degree of research in doing these assignments, and it is anticipated that the end product  after several years will be a unique addition to the efforts for conservation of Biodiversity in the area.

Objective 6: To facilitate marine research projects by providing facilities and volunteers at Race Rocks.
    Three current first year students from Pearson College and Ryan Murphy, who graduated last year stayed at the Marine Science Centre for the first two weeks of June 2002. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/rrcom/june02/webcrew.htm
Ryan had returned  to Race Rocks assisted by a research grant from Mt.Allison University  to do research on the macroalgal community. He was able to amass over 400 digital images of the macroalgae of Race Rocks in his underwater and intertidal photography for a digital herbarium project he is doing for the unversioties biology department . He also produced two algal videos  for our archives: http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/archiveplants.htm
The students conducted daily live and prerecorded webcasts with me from the intertidal and from underwater using camera 4.
    For one of the webcasts we were joined by Sean LeRoy, Graduate Researcher, Georgia Basin Futures Project Sustainable Development Research Institute, University of British Columbia and Dr.James Tansey also of UBC. They came to participate in the webcast with Garry and Ryan on Marine Protected Areas in New Zealand and Canada with Tim Langlois, Leigh Marine Laboratory University of Auckland, and Anne Saloman, University of Washington, Zoology Department.
Two university students have completed their Master’s Thesis on Race Rocks with our assistance over the past year.
    Sean Leroy  of the UBC School of Community and Regional planning UBC, mentioned above, did research on Public Process and the Creation of a Marine Protected Area at Race Rocks British Columbia http://www.interchange.ubc.ca/aleroy/Portfolio/549C.html
As members of the Race Rocks Advisory Board, myself and Angus Matthews had provided our insights into the process in interviews he had conducted in the spring of 2002.

    In 2002, Taco Niet finished his Masters degree in the Engineering Department’s Institute for Integrated Energy Systems at the University of Victoria (IESVic)
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/archives/vidtaco2a.htm
As a result of his work, several visitations have been made with  Individuals and Companies who are interested in promoting the use of Alternate Energy at Race Rocks.  Currently the Friends of Renewable Energy, BC (forebc.com) has taken up with the considerable enthusiasm the idea of a renewable energy cooperative and representatives will be making a site visit with me next week.

    We have continued to provide assistance to Dr. Anita Brinckmann-Voss for her hydroid research. In July, I assisted another researcher who was working on hydrocoral to get samples from Race Rocks.  Alberto Lindner is a Brazilian student in a Masters program in Duke University. He is now involved in analyzing the samples to determine if through DNA evidence, the two color morphs of Allopora can be designated as separate species or whether as can be determined by standard methods, they are actually the same species. His report and his masters thesis on this will be linked to this website when he is finished. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/archives/vidlindner.htm

Objective 7:  Facilitate marine research projects by providing data from video cameras and data sensors that can be accessed through racerocks.com.
Some progress on this objective has been achieved, although accessing of all the environmental data through the internet is still being worked on. It is anticipated that this feature will take on added impetus in the next term.

Two other reports that also give an indication of our role in the operation and stewardship of the MPA  may be found on-line at:
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/admin/may02update.htm
and at
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/admin/aug02update.htm

 

Apple Representatives visit Race Rocks

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threeandtower

Keith Mitchell of the Apple Learning Interchange and Jeff , a rep from Apple visit Race Rocks

Keith Mitchell on the right in the picture above was instrumental in arranging for Akamai to carry our live streaming video for the first few years of the operation of racerocks.com. He had seen a presentation we did at an Apple Conference in New York where we had webcast live from underwater at Race Rocks.

We stayed overnight at Race Rocks  and did some 360 degree images the next day.

keithandjeff

Keith and Jeff viewing the wildlife  on the boat trip out.

gulls feeding

The guls were in a feeding frenzy near the island.

damionjandm

PC students Damien and Jean and Ecoguardian Mike Slater had met us on arrival.

 

islandeaglemed

On our way out, Keith took this picture of an eagle on North Rocks.