Paradise Meadows swathed in fresh spring snow, March 14, courtesy G. Gustafson In this Issue: CONDITIONS IN THE PARK UPCOMING EVENTS VIMFF Friday March 22 View from my Backyard Saturday April 20 AGM & Denali Read...
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CLOSED - Paradise Meadows and Buttle Lake Information Centres
The SWI Information Centres are open from Late June (dependent on snow melt) to Thanksgiving Weekend each Summer. Thanks to everyone who stopped by this summer and all our amazing volunteers. We can't wait to see you again in 2024.
Student Summer Job Postings
SWI has as usual submitted an application to the Canada Summer Jobs Program for funding for FIVE positions working with us from late June to the end of August. For More Info please visit our "Work With Us" page: strathconapark.org/about-us1/work-with-us/
Upcoming Events
The View From My Backyard
Date: April 20th, 2024
Time: 7pm – 9pm (Doors Open at 6:30pm)
Location: Stan Hagen Theatre, North Island College, Courtenay
Tickets: Adults $15, Youth (Under 16) $5
To Purchase Tickets: Click Here (Eventbrite Link)
Event Details:
Strathcona Wilderness Institute is pleased to present astrophotographer Les Disher who will give a talk and a slideshow entitled The View From My Backyard. Every clear night the sky puts on a show for the unaided eye. Whether it is the grandeur of the Milky Way band against a black velvet sky, stars twinkling as diamonds, a dazzling meteor shower, spectacular comets, or a big golden moon against the eastern horizon, there is always something to see. In addition, if one puts camera to telescope, objects normally invisible to the unaided eye and rarely seen can be discovered that add to the splendors of the night.
Les has been capturing deep sky celestial images since 1994 from his home near Courtenay and from various locations in B.C. and western North America. As an avid astrophotographer, he has been a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, and his photos have received a number of awards. He has been a witness to the transition from the unique requirements of film astro-imaging to those of digital imaging.
Les will put on a slide display of his celestial images that illustrate the majesty of the deep sky splendors to be found in the night skies right over our heads, and talk about his experiences taking them. He will also talk about the processes involved in taking and producing these images. The talk will be flavoured with interesting and humorous anecdotes and new and little-known facts. He will also do a few interesting and fun demonstrations to review of some relevant basic concepts.
Tickets will be sold online through Eventbrite and any remaining tickets will be sold at the door based on availability (Cash or Card). Printed tickets are not required, simply an e-ticket or your name will work.
Annual General Meeting and Presentation
Date: April 24th, 2024
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: Evergreen Lounge, Filberg Centre, Courtenay
Guest Speaker: Mike Taylor
SWI will hold its Annual General Meeting on April 24th in the Evergreen Lounge of the Filberg Centre in conjunction with a presentation by Mike Taylor on his expedition to Denali (Mt. McKinley), Alaska. The presentation will begin at 7:00 pm, followed by refreshments and then the AGM will start around 8:20/8:30 pm. More details on the presentation and the documents for our 2024 AGM will appear in our next E-newsletter in April and be posted here (coming soon).
We invite former and potential volunteers to attend the AGM and learn more about SWI’s work, accomplishments and plans for the upcoming year. We always need volunteers to staff our visitor centres and participate in our educational programs, thus ensuring the continuation of what we have achieved in the past. Please put your names forward!
Our guest speaker will be Island Mountain Rambler, Mike Taylor, presenting a slide show on his 1991 expedition with three friends to Denali in Alaska, the highest peak in North America (6190m). For the team this 23-day adventure was also an opportunity to raise money in support of cancer research. Mike, now living in Duncan, is a retired BC and Canada Lands Surveyor, whose work has taken him through BC, Alberta, the Yukon and Nunavut, and who was also involved in consultations when the Strathcona Park Master Plan (1993) was put together.
More information please visit our events page and more details on the event will be announced in the coming weeks on our Website and on our Facebook page. For more information please contact us at strathconawilderness@gmail.com
Recent iNaturalist Observations
Listed below are some of the most recent observations of species in Strathcona Provincial Park using iNaturalist. Species are recorded by SWI Directors and Summer Students. The data from our own SWI Data Collection project has been incorporated into the statistics of the BC Parks iNaturalist Project.
JOB POSTINGS
SWI has as usual submitted an application to the Canada Summer Jobs Program for funding for FIVE positions working with us from late June to the end of August.
- Visitor Information Counsellor at Paradise Meadows
- Visitor Information Counsellor at Buttle Lake
- Naturalist Interpreter/Research Assistant (2)
- Environmental Program Coordinator
To learn more please visit our “Work With Us” page!
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