June Nature Extravaganza 2023 Program! Exploring Small Worlds of Life on Salt Spring
Nature Salt Spring is once again presenting our “June Nature Extravaganza” to explore and share the amazing biodiversity and natural history of Salt Spring Island and surrounding seas. This year’s theme is certainly unique – we will focus on the Small Worlds of Salt Spring Nature.
To view, study, and explore the incredible lives of small organisms in our forests, fields, ponds, shorelines, and microhabitats, we’ll need some special naturalist guides and some powerful observation tools, such as microscopes that project the subject on a screen for viewing by the entire group. We’re very excited to have naturalists/biologists who study small organisms joining our team of Nature Salt Spring naturalists. Guest scientist, Dr. Elaine Humphrey, Lab Manager of the Advanced Microscopy Facility, University of Victoria will kick things off on Friday, June 9 with a fascinating illustrated talk about Exploring Small Life.
On June 10 and 11 you’ll be able to join fun and non-technical micro-exploration collecting field trips and we’ll bring back what we find to be viewed in our incredible temporary microscope facility! We’ll even have a scanning electron microscope to help us see very tiny organisms in glorious three-dimensional detail!
This Nature Extravaganza is part of a Celebration of National Insect Appreciation Days (June 10, 11, 2023). Sessions noted below with ** are highlights of that celebration.
Registration and Cancellation:
Registration is required for all events except the Early Morning Birding. To register for one or more events click here or on any of the green registration links below to open the registration form, complete the registration form and email it to daviddenningssi@gmail.com.
Since some families/couples may choose to participate in different sessions, we ask that you please fill out one form for each person who will attend the event.
There are pairs of Sessions that are simultaneous: Sessions 1 and 2, sessions 3 and 4, and sessions 5 and 6, although we have staggered the start/end times so as to make best use of the ‘Lab’. Please be aware that you can only register for one of each pair (for example, you cannot attend BOTH Session 1 and Session 2, but you could attend Session 1, Session 4, and Session 6).
Please notify us of cancellations as early as possible, so that we can provide others with this amazing opportunity.
Schedule of Events:
Friday, June 9th, 2023
7:00 - 8:30 pm: Exploring Small Life**
Presented by Dr. Elaine Humphrey, Lab Manager of the Advanced Microscopy Facility, University of Victoria. Elaine will show the remarkable diversity of tiny living organisms around us everywhere. You will be astounded by their beauty and elaborate structure as photographed at high magnifications by Dr. Humphrey and her colleagues.
Limited to 45 attendees.
Location: Salt Spring Island Conservancy Building at Blackburn Lake
Members: Free
Non members: $10 donation (at the door)
Click to register
Saturday, June 10th, 2023
6:30-8:00 am: Early Morning Birding (all skill levels welcome):
Join Nature Salt Spring Naturalists, Peter McAlister, Kathleen Maser, Pat Miller and others to experience the beauty and diversity of birds at one of Salt Spring’s premiere birding locations.
Location: Xwaaqw’um, Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park (meet up by the barns on the left, halfway down the road leading into the park).
Registration not required.
Members and non members: Free
9:00-11:00 am: Session 1 - Small Life and Biodiversity on Floating Docks
With David Denning. We will collect small organisms from the docks below the Coast Guard building for about 45 minutes and then drive to Blackburn Lake to observe our specimens with microscopes and other tools.
Limited to 20 attendees.
Members: Free
Non members: $20 donation (at the door)
Click to register
10:00 am -12:00 pm: Session 2 - Exploring Meadows and Forests for Small Life**
With Darren and Claudia Copley. We will walk out from the Blackburn building to explore and collect a variety of insects, spiders, and other organisms. We’ll bring selected samples back to the ‘Lab’ to examine with microscopes.
Limited to 20 attendees.
Location: Salt Spring Island Conservancy Building at Blackburn Lake
Members: Free
Non members: $20 donation (at the door)
Click to register
1:00-3:00 pm: Session 3 - Pond Studies for Families w/Children**
With Kathleen Maser and Kim Woolcock. This is a NatureKids BC Session for families (Session #5 on Sunday is similar and is for general Nature Salt Spring Members). We will walk to, and explore, Blackburn Lake where we will collect pond organisms to take back to the Lab for observation with magnifying tools including microscopes.
Limited to 20 attendees.
Location: Salt Spring Island Conservancy Building at Blackburn Lake
Members: Free
Non members: $20 donation (at the door)
Click to register
2:00-4:00 pm: Session 4 - In search of the Water Bear, Exploring Moss and other Microhabitats
With David Denning, Darren and Claudia Copley. Samples from different micro-habitats will be collected and examined with our amazing microscope tools. Very few people have ever seen a Tardigrade, or Water Bear, so we will try hard to find one of these tiny microscope organisms. Can something this small be so cute?
Limited to 20 attendees.
Location: Salt Spring Island Conservancy Building at Blackburn Lake
Members: Free
Non members: $20 donation (at the door)
Click to register
7:00-8:30 pm: ** Evening Presentation - The Amazing Natural History of Spiders
Presented by Claudia Copley, Royal BC Museum and Victoria Natural History Society. This illustrated presentation is part of the Celebration of National Insect Appreciation Days (June 10, 11, 2023). Spiders are added here because they are ’relatives’, predators of insects, and pretty amazing arthropods. You’ll learn a ton about these incredible (and yes, adorable) predators.
Limited to 45 attendees.
Location: Salt Spring Island Conservancy Building at Blackburn Lake
Members: Free
Non members: $10 donation (at the door)
Click to register
Sunday, June 11th, 2023
6:30-8:00 am: Early Morning Birding (all skill levels welcome):
Join Nature Salt Spring Naturalists, Peter McAlister, Kathleen Maser, Pat Miller and others to experience the beauty and diversity of birds at one of Salt Spring’s premiere birding locations.
Location: Xwaaqw’um, Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park (meet up by the barns on the left, halfway down the road leading into the park).
Registration not required.
Member and Non members: Free
9:00–11:00 am: **Session 5: Water Fleas and Swimming Beasts. Exploring Ponds
With David Denning and Darren Copley. We will walk to, and explore, Blackburn Lake where we will collect pond organisms to take back to the Lab for observation with magnifying tools including microscopes.
Limited to 20 attendees.
Location: Salt Spring Island Conservancy Building at Blackburn Lake
Members: Free
Non members: $20 donation (at the door)
Click to register
10:00 am – 12:00 pm: **Session 6 - What Living Things Lurk Beneath Our Feet? Soils and Litter Life
With Sandra Ungerson and Claudia Copley. Using samples brought to the Lab, we will explore the variety of organisms that live in the soil and the forest floor. You’ll learn about different organisms that help us to understand whether soils are healthy.
Limited to 20 attendees
Location: Salt Spring Island Conservancy Building at Blackburn Lake
Members: Free
Non members: $20 donation (at the door)
Click to register