Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Acorn
The Newsletter of the Salt Spring Island Conservancy Number 27, Autumn 2004
A New Approach
- Peter Lamb on staff and Trustees and allow more opportunity for full
Our Island is being promoted nationally and examination of each application.
internationally as a tourist destination and a desirable place 2. The Local Trust Committee, in cooperation with the
to live. Inevitably, we are being overwhelmed by pressures CRD Director, should adopt Precautionary Principle By-Laws
to grow and provide more amenities, prompted by a high that will place environmental and public health concerns
rate of return on investments for private developers. But first. Such By-Laws would reinforce our OCP by requiring
should our island community be held hostage to those who assessment of alternatives, place the burden of proof of safe
are primarily motivated by financial gain or should we be impacts on applicants and allow public participation in the
making every effort to “preserve and protect” our natural decision-making process. (See the article in this issue).
environment as originally 3. While we applaud
considered when the Islands the decision of the Trustees to
Trust was established 30 years establish an Environmental
ago? Advisory Committee, we
We have an Official believe that it must consist
Community Plan that reflects of qualified individuals
the Island we want but we and that the Committee
have placed an enormous be involved at the outset
burden on our elected officials so that ecological issues
to manage development and concerns be addressed
pressures. Three ideas are before development plans
worth considering to mediate are made.
these pressures on our natural All of these ideas would
environment and the health provide opportunities
of our community. to avoid or significantly
1. Let’s slow down the mitigate any possible
Trust process of considering damage to the Island’s
development applications for Fulford natural environment and
rezoning, sub-division, variances and development permits. public health. It would also put private developers on notice
Quotas were established on such applications about 10 that the burden of proof of harmlessness of a proposed
years ago when the Trust planning staff were revising the activity is their total responsibility.
Official Community Plan. This would relieve the pressure
Autumn 2004 3
Conservancy Interests Wild Rose head
Autumn 2004 5
Conservancy Interests
Stewards in Training ’To Love the Land is to Care for the Land’
-Kate Leslie
Volunteers of this spring’s successful school program these signs were kept on the reserve during the summer and
fully lived up to the Conservancy’s motto ‘To Love the Land became an important part of the Sunday guided field trips
is To Care for the Land’. In total, over 800 hours were that the Conservancy hosted. Students also contributed
volunteered to the Stewards in Training Program! positively to the Andreas Vogt site by removing large
The pilot project took eight grade 6/7 classes for full quantities of invasive Scotch broom.
day field trips to the Andreas Teacher, volunteer and student feedback from the
Vogt Nature Reserve--over 200 pilot Stewards in
students participated and were Training Program
introduced to stewardship was overwhelmingly
concepts and to a very special positive. Needless to
Salt Spring place. The program say, the Conservancy
was funded by TD Bank Friends is looking forward to
of the Environment. running a sequel to
The students participating the program in the
in the field trip benefited from near future.
small group work and lots of one- From its
on-one attention. Opportunities inception, Jean
for individual work and Gelwicks was a
reflection enabled each student dynamic light
to make a personal connection behind this project.
with the Andreas Vogt Nature Peter Lamb, Andrea
Reserve. This would not have LeBorgne and Yvette
been possible were it not for the Ruesen were also
tremendous volunteer response Jean Gelwicks leads a group of volunteers. invaluable pillars for
Photo Courtesy Charles Dorworth virtually all of the
that the Conservancy received from its members and
from the community. Thirty-nine volunteers acted as programs.
leaders and instructors of the program, with each volunteer A heart-felt thank you to all the volunteer leaders,
contributing a minimum of five hours including:
Before heading up to the reserve, students received Akiko, Ailsa Pearse, Andrea LeBorgne, Blake Richards,
an in-class orientation slide show preparing them for Brian Smallshaw, Bristol Foster, Charles Dorworth, Christine
their trip. Once there the students rotated in small groups Tate, Cordula Vogt, Daphne Taylor, David Denning, Debbie
through four activity stations: 1) plant identification with McGovern, Deborah Miller, Donald Gunn, Donna McWhirter,
a dichotomous key 2) wildlife tree assessment 3) survey Glenda Kaiser, Heidi Cowen, Ian Beare, Jean Burrard, Jean
plots 4) invasive species removal. They also learned about Gelwicks, Jean-Claude Catry, John Jefferson, Karen Hudson,
the nature reserve regulations, and about the importance of Kate McEwin, Lois Sprague, Marian Hargrove, Margaret
Garry oak ecosystems. In the classroom, students researched Spenser, Nancy Braithewaite, Owen Benwell, Paul Burke,
and prepared plant identification signs that they later placed Peter Lamb, Robin Annschild, Robin Ferry, Sarah Bateman,
next to ‘their’ plant while on the reserve site. A number of Stephane Pigeon, Terry McIntosh, Wendy Hilliard, Wendy
Webb, Yvette Ruesen.
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Natural History
Greenspring Farm
Autumn 2004 9
Environmental Policy
LIONS HALL
SEPTEMBER 3RD, FRIDAY
7:00 PM (DOORS OPEN AT 6:30) to 9:00 PM
ADMISSION BY DONATION
Autumn 2004 11
Environmental Policy
Unexpected Fruit
-Bob Weeden the descriptions of the 160-odd groups in our community
While I thinned fruit this summer (God made little telephone directory. Consider, as you read, that a lot of
green apples, orchardists make big red ones) my mind made nationally important groups have members here but no
like a dragonfly, darting and hovering erratically. It alighted local telephone. Remember, too, that generally the bigger
more than once on the topic of volunteering in community the town, the more diverse the array of societies. Citizen
groups. That was on my lumpy cerebral surface, I suspect, societies are the outlet for millions of Canadians who want
because of the Conservancy’s recent 10th anniversary party. to do something for others, a balance wheel in
I became a Sea Scout (a wet-decked version of a culture often too focussed on individual
the Boy Scouts) in 1945, and a 4H Clubber about the achievement and economic success, too
same time. Since then I’ve been in a lot of citizen’s skeptical to pay higher taxes to “let
groups. In many I just paid dues and government do it.”
got a newsletter, essentially saying “Me, In these settings people
too!” to the goals of the organization. young and old learn skills
A handful, though, became enduring basic to survival and active
centering-points for my mind, heart, community participation:
and energies. Those few were truly articulating goals, planning,
significant in my life, judging by budgeting, record-keeping,
how much time I gave and how much marketing, fundraising,
I enjoyed being part of them. Thinking negotiating, partnership
beyond myself, I realize that almost all building. Young folks also learn
the folks I chat with each day or the peculiarities of adult
week or month; and most of the interactions in situations
friends and relations I contact in that don’t occur in families
far corners of this continent, also or schools. They are, in
are active volunteers. Multiply short, training venues for
this by the hundreds of interests citizenship.
different from my own, tens of Another mental dart
thousands of groups I’ve never and hover under another
joined, and hundreds of apple cluster: I wondered
thousands of communities whether I was making the
I’ve never lived in - volunteering in citizen groups is Ruckle House different organizational forces
BIG! seem too separate, too much in
In fact, citizen groups are hugely important organizing opposition to each other. In truth, there is a lot of supportive
forces in our culture, not as central as families but right up interchange among them. Businesses donate daily to the
there with governments and businesses, as important in projects and causes of citizen societies, and the societies do a
secular life as churches are in religious life, more significant lot of business with business. Churches partner with societies
than professional and trade unions. At their core, citizen to carry good works into nearby and distant communities.
societies (a term I offer as an improvement over the Governments provide the umbrella of law and the discipline
common but negative descriptors “non-profit” and “non- of regulation that benefit societies, and also encourage
governmental”) give people a way to rally behind an idea philanthropy through tax breaks. Beyond all of that, Citizen
and carry it forward. The ideas may be enormous (take care Cubbins (Bartholemew, that is: he of the 5000 hats) is at
of Earth; foster human rights) or small (build a skateboard once entrepreneur or civil servant, churchgoer, professional
park; remember your Alma Mater). They may be ideas or tradesperson, and m e m b e r o f
governments can’t or won’t collect taxes for, and within citizen societies,
which there seems to be no business opportunity. They may carrying the skills
be ideas left behind by the fickle majority, or far ahead of and perspectives
conventional thinking. Many are ideas incorporated into from one to the
governmental agendas; the citizen societies support those other like a blue
programs, enrich and extend them, or act as gadflies to orchard bee in
assure that governments don’t abandon them. the
To get an inkling of the scope of citizen societies, read May sun shine.
The Acorn is the newsletter of the Salt Spring Island Conservancy, a local non-profit society supporting and enabling voluntary
preservation and restoration of the natural environment of Salt Spring Island and surrounding waters. We welcome your feedback and
contributions, by email to ssiconservancy@saltspring.com or by regular mail. Opinions expressed here are the author’s, not subject to
Conservancy approval.
Editor and Desktop Publishing:
Rachel Ogis
Membership Application Volunteer Opportunities
Board of Directors:
Samantha Beare (Treasurer) Youth (Under 16) 1 yr @ $10 _ We have a Volunteer Application Form
Maureen Bendick (Vice-President) Senior, or Low-Income: 1 yr @ $15 _ 3 yr @ $45 _ that best describes areas you wish to
Rachel Ogis (Secretary)
Nigel Denyer
Regular Single 1 yr @ $20 _ 3 yr @ $60 _ help in. For now, which areas interest
Charles Dorworth Regular Family 1 yr @ $30 _ 3 yr @ $90 _ you? Please check off:
Jean Gelwicks Group/School 1 yr @ $30 _ 3 yr @ $90 _ ❒ Office Work (typing, filing or
Peter Lamb (President) Business 1 yr @ $50 _ 3 yr @ $150 _ computer work)
Linda Quiring ❒ Information Table at Saturday
Brian Smallshaw
Ruth Tarasoff Name: ______________________________________ Market
Doug Wilkins Address: ____________________________________ ❒ Education Programs
Bob Weeden (Past-President) ____________________________________________ ❒ Annual Fundraising Events
❒ Information Table at SSI Community
Postal Code: _______________ Events
The Salt Spring Island
Conservancy Phone: ______________________________________ ❒ Joining a SSIC Committee
#203 Upper Ganges Centre, E-mail: ______________________________________ (Land Restoration & Management,
338 Lower Ganges Rd. (We NEVER give out member’s e-mail addresses to anyone!) Fundraising, Covenants, Acquisitions,
Mail: PO Box 722, SSI, BC ❒ Please send me the Acorn via e-mail. Education or Stewardship)
V8K 2W3
Office hours : Mon/Wed
❒ Other: _______________________
9 am - 12 am ❒ This is a renewal for an existing membership
Phone: (250) 538-0318 Donations
Fax: (250) 538-0319
In addition to my membership fee above, I have enclosed the Salt Spring Island
Email:
ssiconservancy@saltspring.com
Web site:
my donation in the amount of:
$50 _ $100 _ $250 _ $500 _ $1000_ $2500 _ $5000 _ Conservancy
http://saltspring.gulfislands.com/ Other ___________ Ganges P.O. Box 722
conservancy Tax reciepts will be provided for donations of $20 or more. Salt Spring Island, BC
V8K 2W3
Printed on 18% recycled paper
Autumn 2004 15