Environment

Moss covered branches are seen in the Avatar Old Growth Forest near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island, B.C. Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. blockades aimed at protecting old-growth forests reveal First Nation split

Two Pacheedaht chiefs say they’re ‘concerned about the increasing polarization over forestry activities’ in the territory

 

Bill C-283 would establish a National Food Waste Awareness Day. File photo

Anti-Food Waste bill introduced by North Island-Powell River MP

Bill would establish awareness day, ask Minister of Agriculture to work towards ending food waste

 

The City of Nanaimo has adopted doughnut economics as a guiding principle in civic decision-making. (News Bulletin/stock photo)

Stewart: Putting ourselves inside the doughnut is the only rational position

Needs of the planet and needs of the people have to be better balanced

  • Apr 13, 2021

 

Amalia Schelhorn choreographed and led the Dance for the Ancient Forest at the legislature on April 11, as a protest against old-growth logging at Fairy Creek. (Zoë Ducklow/News Staff)

VIDEO: Dancers, signholders show support for Fairy Creek in Victoria

A flash mob at the legislature and signs on an overpass

Amalia Schelhorn choreographed and led the Dance for the Ancient Forest at the legislature on April 11, as a protest against old-growth logging at Fairy Creek. (Zoë Ducklow/News Staff)
Heloise Nicholl, shown with her family in the film, is a HAT Good Neighbour Habitat Steward. (Alex Harris Photo, Submitted)

VIDEO: Landowners creating backyard wildlife habitats in Greater Victoria

Western screech-owls, frogs, bears – even cougars – rely on privately owned habitat

Heloise Nicholl, shown with her family in the film, is a HAT Good Neighbour Habitat Steward. (Alex Harris Photo, Submitted)
The new 3,500 hectare conservancy in Tahltan territory is located next to Mount Edziza Provincial Park. (BC Parks Photo)

New conservancy protects sacred Tahltan land in northwest B.C.

Project is a collaboration between Skeena Resources, conservation groups and the TCG

The new 3,500 hectare conservancy in Tahltan territory is located next to Mount Edziza Provincial Park. (BC Parks Photo)
B.C. beekeepers will face extra supply challenges this year thanks to COVID-19 supply chain disruptions. (Black Press Media file photo)

Bee supply threatened this year by wasps, COVID

No, bees aren’t getting COVID, it’s the supply chain that’s been disrupted

B.C. beekeepers will face extra supply challenges this year thanks to COVID-19 supply chain disruptions. (Black Press Media file photo)
(Bill McQuarrie photo)

80-foot barge that sank Christmas Eve in Port McNeill finally resurfaced

Divers worked with underwater torches for weeks to prep the ship for haul-out after previous failure

(Bill McQuarrie photo)
New electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are offered for test drives at the B.C. legislature, May 13, 2019. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

B.C. electric vehicle sales charge ahead in pandemic 2020

Latest sales show North America’s highest adoption rate

New electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are offered for test drives at the B.C. legislature, May 13, 2019. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)
Crofton Seawalk provides a great experience at any time of the year, like this March day. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Vancouver Island’s March turns out to be a lot drier than original forecasts

Rainfall total falls far below the normal amind frequent sunshine

Crofton Seawalk provides a great experience at any time of the year, like this March day. (Photo by Don Bodger)
Conservation officers use dogs trained to detect invasive zebra mussels on boats, and the skill comes in handy to check decorative aquarium moss balls that may be contaminated. (B.C. Conservation Officer Service)

B.C. collects thousands of contaminated aquarium moss balls

Boat checks next in battle to stop invasive zebra mussels

Conservation officers use dogs trained to detect invasive zebra mussels on boats, and the skill comes in handy to check decorative aquarium moss balls that may be contaminated. (B.C. Conservation Officer Service)
Biologist Connie Miller-Retzer will discuss the latest knowledge gained from studies of the western painted turtle – the last remaining turtle species native to Vancouver Island, which also makes its home in Nanaimos lakes and marshes – in an upcoming free webinar hosted by Nanaimo and Area Land Trust. (Photo courtesy Lynda Stevens)

Island researchers launch probe into endangered painted turtles

Rare sub-species threatened by development in central Vancouver Island region

Biologist Connie Miller-Retzer will discuss the latest knowledge gained from studies of the western painted turtle – the last remaining turtle species native to Vancouver Island, which also makes its home in Nanaimos lakes and marshes – in an upcoming free webinar hosted by Nanaimo and Area Land Trust. (Photo courtesy Lynda Stevens)
FILE – A pumpjack works at a well head on an oil and gas installation near Cremona, Alta., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

COVID-19 weakened environmental rules across Canada, mostly in Alberta: study

Researcher says most of the changes benefited the oil and gas industry

FILE – A pumpjack works at a well head on an oil and gas installation near Cremona, Alta., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Christine Spice with M.C. Wright and Associates Ltd. holds a spool of kelp seed ready for planting. Photo courtesy NIC

North Island College helping research kelp habitat improvements for forestry sector

Latest ocean-based research project aided by Centre for Applied Research, Technology and Innovation

Christine Spice with M.C. Wright and Associates Ltd. holds a spool of kelp seed ready for planting. Photo courtesy NIC
Lyric John-Cliffe and Cory Cliffe sing a traditional Laichkwiltach canoe song by the Campbell River Estuary. Photo by Binny Paul/Campbell River Mirror

Education program to empower Island’s Indigenous youth

Goal is to raise new generation of environmentalists with ancestral ties to the land

Lyric John-Cliffe and Cory Cliffe sing a traditional Laichkwiltach canoe song by the Campbell River Estuary. Photo by Binny Paul/Campbell River Mirror
An Asian giant hornet found in Nanaimo in 2019. (Photo courtesy Conrad Bérubé)

B.C. will set more traps to guard against Asian giant hornets

‘Comprehensive surveys’ to be done in Nanaimo, Cowichan Valley, Fraser Valley

An Asian giant hornet found in Nanaimo in 2019. (Photo courtesy Conrad Bérubé)
The current boat used by Rugged Coast Research Society for remote shoreline cleanup operations will be replaced by a landing craft that will allow society members to haul four times as much marine garbage per trip from Vancouver Island’s remote shorelines. (Agathe Bernard photo/Rugged Coast Research Society)

Nanaimo-based research group needs bigger boat for coastal cleanups

Rugged Coast Research Society raising cash for landing craft to pull trash from remote shorelines

The current boat used by Rugged Coast Research Society for remote shoreline cleanup operations will be replaced by a landing craft that will allow society members to haul four times as much marine garbage per trip from Vancouver Island’s remote shorelines. (Agathe Bernard photo/Rugged Coast Research Society)
Moss covered branches are seen in the Avatar Old Growth Forest near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island, B.C. Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. urged to protect at-risk old growth while it works to transform forestry policy

Forests Minister Katrine Conroy said in an interview the deferrals protect 196,000 hectares of old growth

Moss covered branches are seen in the Avatar Old Growth Forest near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island, B.C. Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Contents from a tailings pond is pictured going down the Hazeltine Creek into Quesnel Lake near the town of Likely, B.C. on Aug. 5, 2014. (Photo by Jonathan Hayward)

New map details potential environmental threats from B.C. mines

Map editors pressure province to move faster on regulation reforms

Contents from a tailings pond is pictured going down the Hazeltine Creek into Quesnel Lake near the town of Likely, B.C. on Aug. 5, 2014. (Photo by Jonathan Hayward)
Baikie Island in the Campbell River Estuary is one of the ‘bright spots of conservation’ identified in the study. Photo NCC

Eastern Vancouver Island one of nine ‘Ecocrisis regions’ in Canada

Island habitat to many species of global concern is threatened by human activity

Baikie Island in the Campbell River Estuary is one of the ‘bright spots of conservation’ identified in the study. Photo NCC