Making a Difference

Compared to many of the members of the Shuswap Naturalists or the Salmon Arm Bay Nature Enhancement Society, my birding skills are at a "less than novice" level. So it was rather a strange thing that I found myself signing Ken and me up for the Manning Park Bird Blitz in mid-June.

Birders took over both Lone Duck Group campsites, located on Lightning Lake in Manning Park

The Bird Blitz is one of BC's longest running bird counts. It was first started in 1983, and has yielded 35 years of continuous records of bird species. At the one we attended, seventeen geographic areas within this huge park had been identified, representing a diverse range of ecosystems. Teams of birders signed up for the different areas and reported back at the end of the day. Not all areas were done on the Saturday, so some were checked out on Sunday.

By the end of Saturday, 87 species of bird had been documented.

John Neville was the guest speaker on the Friday night. A former president of BC Nature, Neville is best known for his series of high quality recordings of bird song. Here he is (seated), being introduced by Kelly Pearce of Hope Mountain Outdoor Centre (Photo credit: Scott Denkers, Hope Mountain Centre).

The fact that we were novices was not a problem; as one of the people behind the Bird Blitz said, there is a need for new blood to keep things going, and they are happy to help train new birders.

All levels of activity were accepted. A number of families were along with young people. It was great to see youngsters keen on nature viewing.

And, I learned a new term. Someone came back to camp and said, "I saw a 'lifer'". When we asked what that was, she said, "a new bird for my life list, one I have never seen before".

The highest level that can be attained in birding is to identify birds by song, rather than visually. In forests, where some birds live high up in the tree canopy, song is the only way to determine what a bird is. John Neville's recordings are very helpful in learning bird song: http://www.nevillerecording.com/

Manning Park is at a much higher elevation than Salmon Arm, so some flowers that bloomed in the Shuswap valleys some time ago are only just now coming out, even at the lower elevations.

Heart leafed Arnica blooming in the campground

I learned from naturalist Al Grass, who was chief interpreter at the park for many years, that Manning Park is NOT named after the former Alberta Premier E.C. Manning, as I had assumed. In fact, it's named for a different E.C. Manning. Al was very quick to inform me that the Manning whose name graces the park was a chief forester for the province, one who was quite visionary.

This particular Manning died tragically in a plane crash at 50 years old, in 1941. He fought passionately for long-term protection of forests for their value to British Columbia - not just for their economic value, but for their recreation and conservation value. According to the history writer T.W. Paterson (http://twpaterson.com/ernest-c-manning-british-columbias-chief-forester/) Manning is considered BC's "father of conservation".

I was very moved by the fact that a forester -- an occupation which we typically assume is focussed on trees for their value as "timber" - had left such a legacy. Manning Park is huge, diverse in both its ecology and the range of spaces which are protected, and worthy of much more exploring. It is because of its size and diversity that the Bird Blitz identifies so many species.

Having protected spaces which are repositories of biodiversity will prove to be truly essential as our planet adapts to the impacts of climate change in the future.

Plaque honoring Ernest C. Manning at Manning Park Lodge.

Learning the story of the establishment of Manning Park stimulated my thinking about the role of individuals in creating parks. It seems that they are often unsung heroes. While the plaque above acknowledges Manning and his contribution, I suspect there are many other parks and natural areas which we would not be enjoying, were it not for the efforts of individuals.

Here in the Shuswap, I think of Anstey - Hunakwa Provincial Park, which was created only after years of intense efforts through the Shuswap Environmental Action Society, in particular, Jim Cooperman. Jim writes a little of the story in his blog post at http://shuswappassion.ca/environment/return-to-hunakwa-lake/

Approaching Hunakwa Lake

The creek which exits Hunakwa Lake, and the thick cedar forest

And, closer to home, in Salmon Arm, Pileated Woods Community Park - now a treasured natural area near the downtown - was also created directly as the result of the efforts of local residents. Two individuals who were a key part of this were Annette and Art Borkent, who still organize annual trail maintenance work days to help keep the park groomed.

The community flavour of Pileated Woods Park is reflected in the signage

One of the trails through Pileated Woods

I appreciate the efforts of these individuals whose foresight, passion and energy have left conservation legacies for us to enjoy, and which will benefit future generations.

Sign near Okanagan College, and the natural area along Turner Creek