| Updated date | ||
|---|---|---|
| GLORIA Project - Alpine Monitoring Day 3 | August 26, 2024 - 3:07pm |
On June 30th Nelson, Mike, Kayla and I met bright and early for our last day on the peaks of Mt. Arrowsmith. In the morning we met Kristina and Hans at the base of the logging road to launch the new temperature loggers . These new loggers would replace old temperature gauges and be buried within each main plot. We reached site one at Shari's summit and quickly got to work locating the old temperature loggers within each plot. These were then removed and replaced with the newly launched gauges. |
| GLORIA Project - Alpine Monitoring Days 1 & 2 | August 26, 2024 - 3:07pm |
On June 28th and 29th, the MABRRI team participated in the GLORIA project (Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine environments), a study being undertaken to establish baseline information on alpine plant biodiversity and temperature trends in high elevation environments. Along with Kristina Swerhun, the projects coordinator and Hans an expert botanist, myself, Kayla, Graham, Ashley, and Nelson visited the slopes of Mount Arrowsmith to assist in collecting data on the unique plants and ecosystems found there. |
| Cathedral Grove | August 26, 2024 - 3:07pm |
Today Nelson Lovestrom and myself ventured out to Cathedral Grove, which is located within MacMillan Provincial Park. Cathedral Grove is a well known old growth forest situated alongside Cameron Lake with majestic Douglas-fir and Western Red Cedar trees, some over 800 years old. Nelson and I explored both sections of Cathedral grove (both sides of the highway). I noticed on the upper section (furthest away from the lake) there were a larger amount of old growth Douglas-fir trees than there were Cedars, with an understory of Western Hemlock and Sword Fern. |
| Lake Monitoring Recce Day | August 26, 2024 - 3:07pm |
Over the course of the summer of 2016, the MABRRI team will be conducting a Lake Monitoring program of a couple lakes in the MABR and Regional District of Nanaimo. In order to become familiar with the monitoring equipment, the MABRRI team headed to Westwood Lake in Nanaimo. With the use of an inflatable boat and kayaks, each member of the summer student research team was able to use the SONDE monitor to measure lake health aspects including temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. Westwood Lake is a relatively shallow lake that is surrounded by a regional park. |
| Wetland Practice Field Day | March 5, 2019 - 9:55am |
Today the MABRRI research team loaded all of their gear in the VIU truck and headed north to Parksville B.C, in search of the Ermineskin wetland nature park. Ermineskin wetland is the first wetland that we have decided to recce in preparation for our wetland mapping project, which is a project initiated by MABRRI in collaboration with the Regional District of Nanaimo’s (RDN) Drinking Water and Watershed Protection Program (DWWP). |
| Eelgrass Mapping Practice Field Day | March 5, 2019 - 9:54am |
Today we, the MABRRI research assistants, headed out to Englishman and Little Qualicum River estuaries. These estuaries are the areas being surveyed this summer by MABRRI for the presence of eelgrass. To start the day we loaded up the VIU Truck and set off for the Englishman River Estuary. |
| BCLSS LakeKeepers Course | August 26, 2024 - 3:03pm |
The MABRRI team (Graham, Sarah, Ryan, Nelson, Mike, Kayla, and Amanda) recently participated in a BCLSS LakeKeepers Course, which was hosted by MABRRI here on campus. This 2-day course consisted of a variety of topics that covered lake ecology, limnology 101, how to organize a stewardship group, watershed assessment as well as lake monitoring techniques. The instructor, Rick Nordin, was a very knowledgeable LakeKeeper who was able to teach the class the ins and outs of how to take responsibility and get involved with research and restoration of our lakes. |
| Parksville WetlandKeepers Course | August 26, 2024 - 3:07pm |
The MABRRI team (Mike, Amanda, Kayla, Nelson and Graham) recently participated in a three-day wetland stewardship course hosted by the BC Wildlife Federation. Topics covered in the course included wetland classification, mapping, monitoring, and plant/wildlife survey techniques. |
| RDN Water Day (Nanaimo) | March 5, 2019 - 9:47am |
A group of dedicated MABRRI students set up and manned a MABR display as part of the RDN's first Water Day event in Nanaimo. This was a fun family-friendly event in which several organizations came together to share information and experiences about one of our most precious resources - water. Some of the highlights for our students were seeing the other displays, taking home Douglas Fir seedlings to plant (courtesy of our table neighbour Island Timberlands/Timberwest), and running the Glacier Station for the Amazing Journey of a Water Droplet kid's activity. |
| My Transit Journey to Qualicum Beach | March 4, 2019 - 4:41pm |
Thursday 17th March 2016 was a beautiful sunny 10 degrees day and I decided to work outdoors rather than staying indoors as an intern. I embarked on a trip to Qualicum beach and its environments. The interesting thing is that I used my semester bus pass without having to pay extra charges on the trip. On the way I had the pleasure of also dropping by Parksville as the bus passes through there and it sounded like double the fun! I didn’t plan going to Parksville but I was surprised and I seized the opportunity to have a little look around. |
| Meet Ola, our Marketing Intern | March 5, 2019 - 1:40pm |
My Name is Olayinka Fadayiro (call me “Ola”). I’m an MBA student at Vancouver Island University (VIU) and doing my internship with the MABR as the new Marketing and Development Assistant. I’ll be working full time with the MABR from January to April 2016, assisting the MABR’s Communications Coordinator with marketing, organizational development, and event planning. |
| Mapping Parksville's Wetlands | March 4, 2019 - 4:39pm |
MSc. Environment & Management, CLGA, Christopher M. Stephens Consulting, Master of Community Planning Student at VIU |
| Working at the Qualicum Beach Museum | March 4, 2019 - 4:38pm |
|
| Community Course: The Biosphere Region in Your Backyard | March 4, 2019 - 4:37pm |
On September 26th at Milner Gardens & Woodland, staff from MABRRI (Pam, Graham, Monica, Mike, and Ryan) hosted the Biosphere Region in Your Backyard community course. The course was designed to be an introductory lesson of the history, physical/human geography and environmental issues in the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR). Research projects including the State of the Environment Report (SOER) and the Mount Arrowsmith Snow Pillow were highlighted that have relevance and interest to communities contained within the MABR. |
| Meet Haley, One of MABRRI's Student Researchers | March 5, 2019 - 12:00pm |
Hi! My name is Haley Robinson and I'm doing an independent research project about the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region. |
| Intro to the 2015 MABRRI Summer Team | March 5, 2019 - 12:00pm |
The Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute (MABRRI) worked with four fantastic Vancouver Island University (VIU) student researchers over the summer. MABRRI's headquarters are located in Building 305 in Room 442 at the VIU Nanaimo Campus. |
| A Salish Sea Adventure | August 26, 2024 - 3:03pm |
At 6 AM on Wednesday morning the MABRRI team (myself, Graham and Ryan) met at Schooner Cove marina for a boat tour of the Salish Sea. The main goal for the day was to collect data for the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project and to explore the many interesting islands and passages of the region. After launching the Silver Bullet and meeting up with Tom, Ryan’s dad, we took off for our first sampling site for the day located in the middle of the Salish Sea. |
| North Island Wildlife Recovery Center | August 26, 2024 - 3:03pm |
Throughout our adventures in the MABR we’ve had few wildlife sightings; with that in mind, Sarah, Ryan, and I visited the North Island Wildlife Recovery Center in Errington. The center is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the well-being of wildlife on Vancouver Island and increasing public awareness of wildlife issues through education. A large part of the center's operations is focused on the rehabilitation of injured or displaced wildlife--mostly raptors and black bears. Self-guided and guided tours are available to the public. |
| Top Bridge Regional Trail | March 4, 2019 - 4:28pm |
On Tuesday, Mike, Graham, and I explored the Top Bridge Regional Trail. We started a the Grieg Road access and made our way down to the Englishman River to check out the area where VIU geography students usually complete the hydrology component of their Geog467 field course. Here we met a lady and her two dogs who were thoroughly enjoying the water. As we were leaving, she pointed out an impromptu art installation that we should check out just around the corner. This was a log on top of which someone (or multiple someones) had purposefully stacked rocks. |
| Walking the Wild Side in the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve | March 4, 2019 - 4:25pm |
On the weekend, Taylor (a recent graduate from VIU Geography) and I backpacked the Wild Side trail in the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve. We wanted to share some of the amazing places we got to see on the west coast and to encourage others to check out our friendly neighbouring biosphere! |
