A number of exciting field trips have been planned for CZC 2008 for both before and after the conference, so keep that in mind as you think about travel plans. Information on these is posted below and you can register for the field trips by clicking here. Sign up early to avoid disappointment as there is a limited capacity for the field trips.

1. Clayoquot Sound 101 - Tofino and Pacific Rim

CANCELLED

Clayoquot Sound on the wet and wild west coast of Vancouver Island is one of the ecological and cultural jewels of Canada. The goal of this field trip is introduce delegates to the social-ecological fabric of Clayoquot, an area that falls within the traditional lands of several Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations and is home to the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Clayoquot Sound encompasses rivers, lakes, marine areas and beaches and the largest area of intact (unlogged) temperate rainforest on beautiful Vancouver Island. It is also home to a range of sometimes-competing resource activities: logging, fishing, aquaculture and tourism among them.

Transportation will be arranged from the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal (near Vancouver). After crossing the beautiful Georgia Strait, we will travel across the island, stopping for lunch (not included) before arriving at the Clayoquot Field Station in Tofino. After arriving on Thursday afternoon, guests will settle in before a wine and cheese reception at the Tofino Botanical Gardens (adjacent to the Field Station) where there will be a chance to chat with local managers, NGOs and First Nations members. Friday morning will include interpretive walking tours of Pacific Rim National Park and Reserve by local guides, with optional afternoon opportunities that include whale watching, surfing, kayaking, hiking, exploring the Botanical Gardens, shopping, fishing, bike rentals and so on. On Friday afternoon there will also be an optional no-charge boat tour of a local Chinook farm, Creative Salmon (those interested in this activity should notify Grant Murray, address below, to get an idea for numbers). Saturday morning will include a boat trip and guided tour of the Meares Island Big Tree Trail. The afternoon is free for exploration before gathering for an evening of tapas and music. Sunday morning will include a tour of local mudflats with a local naturalist before traveling back across the Island for a 3 pm ferry departure. A detailed itinerary and additional links are available here.

Leader(s): Dr. Grant Murray, Malaspina University College; Josie Osborne, Clayoquot Field Station

Date and Time: Thursday, May 22nd – Sunday, May 25th. Depart Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal at 8:30 am. Return to Horeshoe Bay ferry terminal at 5:00 pm

Fee: $450 per person including accommodation, guided tours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings, transportation to/from Horseshoe Bay, accommodation at the Clayoquot Field Station, breakfast on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, a wine and cheese reception on Thursday, dinner on Thursday, tapas on Saturday evening. Lunches and dinner on Friday and Saturday not included. Click here to see a list of area restaurants.

Other: Limited to 20 participants. Bring sturdy walking shoes and raingear. Clayoquot Sound is a rainforest! Deadline for registration is April 22nd.

For more information contact Grant Murray at murrayg@mala.ca.

2. Towards Sustainable Use of Water. A site visit to the Coquitlam Watershed and discussion of the Coquitlam Water Use Plan

The integrity of urban rivers is often impaired by increased demand for source water. The lower Coquitlam Watershed is a prime example of this: it is an urban and heavily altered watershed that has ever increasing demands placed on it to meet multiple and competing interests (environmental, social and financial). Participants will engage in discussions and site visits to learn about the initiatives that have been recently completed (and underway) that address and try to restore past development impacts, as well as plan for more sustainable use of water resources for the future in the Coquitlam Watershed. Themes will include a discussion of upstream issues such as source water protection, demand and allocation of limited and finite water resources, and restoration of sockeye salmon to the reservoir; and downstream issues including instream and floodplain related topics such as integration of traditional knowledge in resource planning, and effects of urbanization, and stormwater and flood management on the integrity of the Coquitlam water supply.

A tour of the river will be led by the agencies and consultants responsible for implementing the water use plan, fish passage studies, and consultative and monitoring programs. Participants will learn about water use planning objectives and monitoring programs, visit restoration projects, and meet those involved with this urban river. Participants will tour the existing treatment facilities and discuss the coming upgrades and rationale. Finally, participants will tour the dyking projects of Port Coquitlam, which are currently under increased scrutiny given the increased flooding risk caused by urban growth and degrading infrastructure.

Leader(s): TBA

Date and Time: Sunday, May 25th; Departs from UBC at 8:30 am. Returns to UBC at 4:30 pm.

Fee: TBA

Other: Limited to 25 people. Please bring walking shoes.

For more information contact Pat Gallaugher at pgallaug@sfu.ca.

3. Vancouver Harbour Cruise

Enjoy a beautiful and relaxing ‘in close’ boat tour of Vancouver Harbour guided by an experienced naturalist. You will get up close to the port and the commodities handled. You will also look at 'green' construction of gabions under wharves and piers and discuss wildlife habitat. Despite the busy port activity, the harbour is teeming with wildlife such as seabirds, seaducks, raptors, marine mammals including harbour seals which haul out on the debris containment boom. The boat will travel at a leisurely pace and stop for opportunities to take photos.

Leader: Rod McVicar

Date and Time: Sunday, May 25th, Depart dock at 10:30 am, return to dock around 3:00 pm. Check-in: 10:15 am. Please meet at Lonsdale Quay, north entrance (http://www.lonsdalequay.com/marketshowtogethere.cfm).

Fee: $25.00 per person (lunch not provided)

Other: Limited to 40 people, minimum 20 (the field trip will not run with less than 20 participants; you will be refunded the cost of the fieldtrip if it is cancelled). Please bring: closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, camera, hat, binoculars, warm jacket that you don’t mind getting wet. CZC will provide life jackets.

For more information contact Karen Topelko at Karen.Topelko@gov.bc.ca.

4. Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation in Delta, British Columbia

The Corporation of Delta and Tsawwassen First Nations Reserve are located on the coast of the Fraser River delta, south of Vancouver, adjacent to Roberts Bank tidal flats. These tidal flats are host to important social, economic and environmental infrastructure. This includes important fish and migratory bird habitat and major economic infrastructure such as the Deltaport container cargo terminal and coal port and B.C. Ferries Tsawwassen terminal. Also, Delta’s coastline is dyked in order to protect property and infrastructure from flooding by the sea and the Fraser River. Parts of Delta actually occur below sea-level. Within the next 100 years, the climate changes impacts most likely to have a significant effect on Roberts Bank and the adjacent communities are sea-level rise and intensified storminess.

The focus of this trip is to move beyond general scientific interest and look at practical impacts of climate change, in this case sea-level rise, on a municipality. The field trip starts with a 3D virtual simulation of sea level rise scenarios developed by Dr. Stephen Sheppard of the University of British Columbia. Participants will then be taken to the Roberts Bank tidal flats, adjacent to the Corporation of Delta and Tsawwassen First Nation. Stops will look at impacts on: 1) dykes, 2) fresh water irrigation, 3) storm water discharge and 4) tidal flat ecosystem degradation. Lunch is included.

Leader(s): Phil Hill, Natural Resources Canada; Marcy Sangret, Municipality of Delta; David Flanders, UBC

Date and Time: Friday, May 30th. Meet at UBC at 9:00 am. Returns to UBC at 3:30 pm.

Fee: $55 per person including lunch

Other: Limited to 25 people. Please bring walking shoes.

For more information contact Rosaline Canessa at Rosaline@uvic.ca.

5. Explore the Lower Fraser Delta – The conservation challenges of a coastal delta.

This will be a dynamic tour of the Lower Fraser delta and its internationally significant wetlands, their significance to both wildlife (particularly migratory birds) and to food growing in contrast with the phenomenal pressures for development of port facilities, transportation infrastructure and housing. Highlights of this fieldtrip will include conservation efforts at Boundary Bay and others, the work with the farming community to maintain habitats, and other aspects with stops at Reifel/Westham Island, Brunswick Point, Roberts Bank port, Tsawwassen Ferry terminal and then some appropriate stops along Boundary Bay.

Leader: Holly Middleton, Simon Fraser University, Wildlife Ecology

Date and Time: Friday May 30th. Depart UBC at 9:00 am. Return UBC by 4:00 pm.

Fee: $55 per person including lunch

Other: Limited to 20 people. Please bring walking shoes.

For more information contact Michael Dunn at Mdunn@gulfislands.com.