Denman Conservancy Association
P.O. Box 60 Denman Island BC CANADA V0R 1T0
Newsletter - 2002
31 January 20027 March 2002
31 October 2002
Grapevine - January 31, 2002
Conservancy Notes
(submitted by John Millen)
Discussions have been continuing with Mr Jenks, owner of 4064 Investments, towards the purchase of the 80 acre Chickadee Lake parcel. We have exchanged our (different!) appraisals of the value of the property. On the adjacent Lake Road property, which the Association bought in 2000, we have begun a survey of its natural features with the intention of preparing a map of the property and its surrounding ecosystem.
The Baseline Report and Map for our project on the protection of the Morrison Marsh South property have been completed. These, with the draft Management Agreement and Covenant have been given to the land owner. This has been a major effort, partly supported by an EcoAction Grant, requiring a large amount of volunteer time from our members. We hope that the exemplary work will assist others to more easily prepare covenants for the protection of natural values.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGFebruary 25, 2001 at the Old School 7.30 pmAll Welcome |
At the AGM, Reports from the Directors will bring members up to date on all our activities. A feature presentation will be a review of our 10 years of progress in securing the conservation of environmentally sensitive lands on Denman. We will be holding an election for members of the Board of Directors. Any member who wishes to stand for election to the Board should contact Patti Willis or Juan Barker, our co-chairs. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor.
There will be a special resolution put forward to amend Part 5 Directors and Officers, of the Bylaws.
Islands Trust Fund has awarded the Association a small contract to prepare a Management Plan for the Lindsay Dickson Nature Reserve. The biological survey and mapping will be done by Denman Island professionals. A Public Consultation Meeting is planned for March when we expect to have draft map and Plan for discussion.
Elsewhere you will see notices for our spring Natural History Lectures. The next in the series will be by Jenny Balke on February 23.
Grapevine - March 7, 2002
Conservancy Notes
(Submitted by John Millen)The Annual General Meeting was held 25 February, and twenty seven dedicated folk attended.
There has been so much done by the Conservancy in the past year that it took till 9.20 pm to get through all the Committee reports. Most of these activities have been covered in this space before, so I will spare the reader.
Highlight of the year was securing the Lindsay Dickson property for conservation, culmination of the project that has been at the centre of our efforts for more than ten years.
The extensive support of the Association by the community is appreciated when reports of the year's activities are brought together and so much volunteer effort is recognised. Our paid membership this year reached 180.
The ten directors for this year are:
Juan Barker, Anne de Cosson, Concha Dennis, Patrick Fawkes, Marilyn
Jensen, Des Kennedy, Bentley LeBaron, Denise MacKean, John Millen and
Patti Willis.
AGM Minutes and our Annual Report will be available in our folder in the Dora Drinkwater Library.
This year's Home and Garden Tour will be held on June 22 and 23. Co-ordinators are Veronica Timmons and deNeen Baldwin.
Surveys and mapping for the Lindsay Dickson Nature Reserve management plan have been done and ideas will be presented for public discussion on Wednesday March 13, 7.30 pm in the Back Hall.
Grapevine - March 7, 2002
Conservancy Notes
(Submitted by John Millen)
The Annual General Meeting was held 25 February, and twenty seven dedicated folk attended.
There has been so much done by the Conservancy in the past year that it took till 9.20 pm to get through all the Committee reports. Most of these activities have been covered in this space before, so I will spare the reader.
Highlight of the year was securing the Lindsay Dickson property for conservation, culmination of the project that has been at the centre of our efforts for more than ten years.
The extensive support of the Association by the community is appreciated when reports of the year's activities are brought together and so much volunteer effort is recognised. Our paid membership this year reached 180.
The ten directors for this year are:
Juan Barker, Anne de Cosson, Concha Dennis, Patrick Fawkes, Marilyn
Jensen, Des Kennedy, Bentley LeBaron, Denise MacKean, John Millen and
Patti Willis.
AGM Minutes and our Annual Report will be available in our folder in the Dora Drinkwater Library.
This year's Home and Garden Tour will be held on June 22 and 23. Co-ordinators are Veronica Timmons and deNeen Baldwin.
Surveys and mapping for the Lindsay Dickson Nature Reserve management plan have been done and ideas will be presented for public discussion on Wednesday March 13, 7.30 pm in the Back Hall.
NEWSLETTER - FALL 2002
Lindsay-Dickson Nature Reserve
Fall seems to be late this year with the leaves of the Big Leaf Maples hanging in their golden splendour among the dark firs and cedars. By the 26th October there was still no surface water in the wetlands and creeks.John Isbister has had his machine in at the log landing at the top of Mallard Way to fill in the heavy ruts in the old skid trails. He also placed the large rocks across the entrance.The planning committee for the walking trails is set for an interesting winter session of exploration and choosing the appropriate routes to consolidate as public walking trails.A copy of the Management Plan with maps and colour photos of the Reserve is in the Dora Drinkwater Library – ask at the desk.
Conservation Calendar
The Land Trust Alliance of BC has produced a Calendar for 2003 featuring lands recently conserved by Land Trusts and Conservancies in British Columbia. The colour picture for June is of old cedars in Lindsay-Dickson Nature Reserve taken by John Millen.We will be selling the calendars as well as Oregon Grape Jelly at our table at the Christmas Craft Faire.Winter Wren Wood
It has been another lovely summer up by Chickadee Lake. This Conservancy property on Lake Road hosted many visitors from early spring until now. The Home and Garden Tour came by and throughout the summer we saw swimmers, picnickers, walkers and people fishing.The car-park area has stood up well and those who are launching boats seem happy with their access. Several boats found a summer home by the lake. Plant regeneration looks good.
Presently we are placing a covenant on the property to be held by Islands Trust Fund. In preparation for this we drew up a management plan and did some tentative future trail planning. The present Nature Trail, with Peter Karsten's signs that were up all summer, is popular - especially with visiting grandchildren. Stop by any time and enjoy the tranquillity of the woods and the view of the lake.
Membership
Our membership renewal drive was continued on Saturday 26th October at Recycling and at the Store. We now have 110 paid-up members. The next chance to renew will be at the Christmas Craft Faire.
The Legacy Fund -- Chickadee Lake
The glassy still that descended on Chickadee Lake in those glorious, golden days of October belied the activity of only two months before in that very same place. All summer long, with children swimming in the sunny afternoons, canoes and beavers cutting the water at sundown, and Barred owls calling in the dark, the Lake indeed proved to be the "hotspot of biodiversity" that Dr. Chris Pielou has described.While creatures of various kinds enjoyed the Lake, behind the scenes in dim offices, at computer screens, on telephones and in meetings, the Acquisition Committee continued its work to raise the funds to save this cherished spot from logging and development. Among activities were site visits to Chickadee by various agencies, including both the Islands Trust Fund and the BC Nature Trust, who have confirmed the critical regional and provincial importance of Chickadee's ecology.
The intense efforts this summer "paid off " with substantial institutional and individual pledges. In particular, the generosity and foresight of Denman Islanders continues to have no bounds -- our gratitude!
2003 has been designated by the United Nations as the "Year of Freshwater." It is the Denman Conservancy's intention to ensure that in 2003 Denman's largest body of fresh water -- the 14 hectares of Chickadee Lake and its shores -- will finally be protected in perpetuity in concert with next year's world-wide aspirations. Stay tuned for more updates.
Valens Brook Salmon Project
We haven't yet seen enough water flowing in Valens Brook to demonstrate how effective the new culvert is in allowing salmon to migrate past McFarlane Road into the upper reaches of the watershed. This state-of-the-art concrete culvert has a series of baffles cast in the bottom to slow the water flowing through. The baffles create greater water depth and back eddies which aid the migrating salmon in their passage through the culvert.Now we just need those heavy Fall rains.
This project was made possible by the support of the Ministry of Highways and the Ministry of Water Land and Air Protection.
Looking into the Valens Brook culvert on McFarlane Road from the downstream end
Morrison Marsh South
The term of our Eco-Action grant has been extended to allow time for the survey, necessary for the completion of the covenant on this land.Thanks to Newsletter Contributors: Jenny Balke, Leslie Dunsmore, Denise MacKean, John Millen, Patti Willis, Susan-Marie Yoshihara.
Grapevine - November 29, 2001Denman Conservancy Association Update
submitted by Des Kennedy
In the long-gone days of 1979 this community produced the first"Scrooge: A Denman Island Christmas Comedy." Scripted by Des Kennedy,the play took place on the small stage located at the far end of thecommunity hall. The production, which raised funds to renovate theAnglican Church, featured thespian stalwarts such as Gordon Wright,Diane Rains and Marcus Isbister as bewildered shepherds, three generations of Kellys, and Hamish Tait,Glen Snook and Dr. GeorgeStafford-Meyer as three dim-witted Wise Men.
Ten years later Des updated the script and a new, expanded production was mounted as the first-ever event on the new stage in the renovated community hall and raised money to help complete the renovation job. And another first: it was the first-ever public appearance of the fabulous Carmen Mirandas whowent on to blaze a glittering trail of glory across the social and political landscape of the island.
>The 1989 version featured a stellar cast of 49 performers, including an Oscar-worthy turn by Norm Kelly in the role of old Ebenezer Scrooge; Theresa Comeau as the alluring Belle; a reprise of their Wise Men roles by HamishTait and Glen Snook; a best-supporting-actor nomination for Stirling Fraser playing Richard Nixon playing little Tiny Tim; smouldering performances by JohnKirk and Michael Lindsay as dysfunctional fire fighters; an all-too-familiar scene with Mike Comeau cracking corny jokes across thecounter; a sacrilegious stint by Louise Fraser and David Graham asthe expectant Mary and Joe searching for suitable accommodation;Jude Kirk as the Ghost of Christmas Present proclaiming her signatureline: "Touch my Tutu!" And much, much more.
>The 1989 version was captured on video by Eddie Johnston wielding the island's first known video camera. Now, twelve years later, Denman Conservancy invites you to a feature screening of this local Christmas classic. The 75-minute video will be shown on the big screen at the Senior's hall on Saturday, December 8th at 8 pm. Come early if you want to stock up on popcorn. Admission is $5 with proceeds being split between Conservancy's Chickadee Lake campaign and the Community Hall's grand piano fund.
Please note that the show would not be of interest to children andwe're unable to provide childcare. Bringing a cushion to soften yourseat is a good idea. Also, be aware that this is an archival tape, shot on a hand-held camera in a darkened hall - it's a long way from technicolour panavision with Dolby surround sound. But it's pure Denman Island, laced with topical references of the day, and a "must see" for those who were here at the time, as well as for more recent arrivals with a healthy curiosity about how things were.
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