Join us in the community!
Find out about all of the events happening in the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region on the MABR site.
Upcoming Events & Presentations
Keep checking back for more upcoming MABRRI events!
ETHOS - Live discovery lab
ETHOS live discovery lab opens at the McMillan Arts Centre on Thursday August 1st and runs until the end of the month. The display and associated workshops are FREE and open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Families and visitors will be treated to fun interactive activities including aquariums, microscope lab, touch tank and crafts presented by The Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region and Research Institute, The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, VIU Deep Bay Marine Station and Waters' Netted GArtbage Display.
The Coastal Stewards Youth Workshop explores the connection between humans and aquatic ecosystems and is presented by the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute. These 1.5 hour workshops are free and run Wed Aug 7, August 14 and August 21 from 1-2;30 pm at the MAC. This workshop is geared for students aged 8-12 but students younger can attend with a responsible adult.
The free two-hour Beach Walk and Seining Workhops are perfect for residents and visitors to Oceanside. Starting a the MAC, students will take a short walk down to Parksville Beach for a fascinating bioinventory connecting to the remarkable unique species of ocean wildlife. Seining instructors from the Mid Island Habitat Enhancement Society will help students identify everything from Pipefish, Staghorn, Buffalo Sculpin and salmon smolts. Beach Walk instructors from the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institue will explore the beautiful natural habitat of our oceanside beaches. This workshops is tide dependant and runs Tues Aug 6 from 1-3pm, Tues Aug 13 from 10am-noon and Tues Aug 20 from 1-3pm. All ages and families are welcome!
Pre-registration for the free workshops is requested online at https://mcmillanartscentre.com/, by phone to 250-248-8185 or in person at the MAC, 133 McMillan Street, Parksville.
Contact: Jennifer Bate, Executive Director, McMillan Arts Centre
250-248-8185 info@mcmillanartscentre.com
MABR Youth Program
Have you heard about the MABR Youth Program?
Coming soon, this program is designed to teach students the importance of environmental, social, cultural, and economic sustainability on a local scale.
2019 Regional Research Conference
From June 12 to 14, 2019 MABRRI hosted the Regional Research Conference entitled Understanding our Biosphere Region: Collaborating on Initiatives for Sustainability.
This event provided an opportunity for researchers to showcase their projects that aim to increase sustainability, in all its forms, within the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region and surrounding area.
To see more details about this event, visit the Conference page.
Brant Wildlife Festival 2019
Celebrate the return of Brant geese on eastern Vancouver Island with a festival of events this March and April.
See the Brant Wildlife Festival poster for more information or visit the Brant Wildlife Festival website.
2019 MABR BioBlitz
Thank you to all who attended the 2019 MABR BioBlitz, we had a great turnout! The fourth annual MABR BioBlitz was held on Saturday April 13, 2019 at Milner Gardens & Woodland in Qualicum Beach. This event allowed beginner BioBlitzers to learn how to identify plant and animal species alongside Vancouver Island University students and local knowledge holders with expertise in various fields of natural science.
See the BioBlitz Event poster
Past Events
2018 MABR BioBlitz April 21 2018
Come join us and get outdoors for the third annual Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR) BioBlitz! Conduct a rapid biological survey of plant and animal species on April 21, 2018 at either Milner Gardens & Woodland or Englishman River Regional Park/Top Bridge Park Trail Head. Whether you’re new to BioBlitzing and would like to gain some new skills or if you are already experienced and want to contribute your expertise to biodiversity research in the MABR, there is a BioBlitz event for you!
To register for the BioBlitz at Milner Gardens & Woodland (no previous experience necessary) please register here.
To register for the BioBlitz at Englishman River Regional Park/Top Bridge Park Trail Head (Previous experience necessary) please register here.
Tool Drive: Snaw-Naw-As First Nation Garden of Spiritual Healing
The 2017 MABR BioBlitz
The 2nd Annual MABR BioBlitz was a great success! Thank you to all of the community members, local experts, and VIU students that joined us to inventory plant and animal species in the biosphere.
This year we hosted 2 locations: Experts blitzed at Oak Leaf Drive Community Park in Nanoose from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm. Beginners blitzers gathered at Milner Gardens & Woodland from 9 am - 4 pm.
"Exploring the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region" VIU Elder College Course
The first ever Elder College course was a complete success with 24 students enrolled eager to learn about the local Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region, one of only two UNESCO-designated biosphere reserves on Vancouver Island. The four week course ran from September 16 to October 7 and explored amazing Places within the MABR, MABRRI, and the diverse relationships between people and nature. Students participated in hands-on activities, discussions, workshops and mini lectures. Elder College was taught/facilitated by faculty, staff, and student researchers from the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute, including Research Director Dr. Pam Shaw, Monica Shore, and Graham Sakaki.
MABRRI's 2nd Birthday BBQ at Rathtrevor Beach
Friday, July 27, 11am to 3pm
Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park, Picnic Shelter S-1
There was a plentiful turn-out of community members, staff, student researchers, and partners of the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region and its affiliated Vancouver Island University research institute--MABRRI--at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park for a casual celebration and community gathering.
We thoroughly enjoyed connecting with all who joined us for a delicious salmon and burger BBQ in a festive outdoor environment in the heart of one of the core areas of the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region. Thank you for celebrating MABRRI's 2nd Birthday with us and we look forward to many more exciting years of growth to come.
BCLSS LakeKeepers Workshop
MABRRI hosted a BC Lake Stewardship Society LakeKeepers workshop at VIU from 30 Apr - 1 May 2016. Participants learned about lake stewardship, monitoring, and basic limnology from BCLSS instructor Rick Nordin and then tested their field skills out on Long Lake.
MABR BioBlitz at Milner Gardens
MABRRI organized the first Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region BioBlitz at Milner Gardens on April 17, the final day of the 2016 Brant Wildlife Festival! This was a local citizen science event, in which teams of community members and Vancouver Island University students worked together to identify plant and bird species in the area. All of the information collected from the day was compiled into a species inventory, which will be compared to future years' BioBlitz data and provide a snapshot of biodiversity in the region. Our goal is to host an MABR BioBlitz each year that will eventually expand to include several locations within the region.
This event was part of the Brant Wildlife Festival and was supported by Vancouver Island University, The Nature Trust of BC, and Milner Gardens & Woodland.
MABR Newsletter
Sign up for our newsletter and stay posted about upcoming events, research and all other related news.
Check out our Facebook page on a regular basis for information about many of the region's incredible events. We share info about sustainability-related lectures and festivals, community events, and recreation opportunities that connect people and nature within the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region.
Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism
Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism Association also has an excellent events page and anything you find there is within the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region. View the calendar by week or by month and submit an event for free here as well!
Harbour Living Events
Harbour Living tells you about events across Vancouver Island. You can select a region and an interest area or search for events by date. You can also submit your event for free.
RDN Programs
The RDN offers recreation and culture programs throughout the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region. Check out their website for current opportunities.