Brooksdale Bioblitz!

"We care for only what we love. We love only what we know. We truly know only what we experience."1

To properly care for a habitat or ecosystem you must know what lives there. For how can you protect creatures under threat unless you know that they are present in your realm of responsibility?

Later this year, A Rocha Canada will be taking over management of a new property in the Little Campbell River watershed called Brooksdale Farm. To assist in the development of a well-informed management plan, I, Lynton, am coordinating the creation of an inventory of all the living creatures that call Brooksdale home. On Saturday the 19th of June, I organized a 6-hour bioblitz at Brooksdale Farm. A bioblitz is an intensive (usually 24- or 48-hour) biological inventory conducted by a group of scientists and volunteers, attempting to identify and record all species of living organisms in a given area.

Kenton and Barb scouring the meadow for signs of life. The predominant grass in the meadow is Reed Canary Grass, an invasive hybrid grass that grows over 1.5 m tall and smoothers all other plants.

The day began with a small band of keen birders bright and early in the morning and officially kicked off with four groups of naturalists, volunteers and interns exploring the various habitats on the farm. The list of species found steadily grew over the course of the morning as the groups came back with their full data sheets. By lunch over 100 species of plants, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates had been recorded. After a bite of lunch and time scouring field guides trying to identify some elusive creatures, Stan Olson took a group dragonfly and damselfly netting; Colin Conroy took a group birding; whilst a few brave souls returned to the forest. At the end of 6 hours, the bioblitz wrapped up with more than 190 species identified. Highlights of the day included finding a common garter snake, a Western Toad, a Bullock’s Oriole, and a Pumpkinseed (fish). This successful event barely scrapped the surface of what lives on the farm, leaving the possibility for more explorations in the future.

As we build up the inventory of all the living creatures and habitats, A Rocha Canda will be better able to manage and nurture life at Brooksdale.

1 Steven Bouma-Prediger, 'For the Beauty of the Earth'

A fresh-water crayfish living in the pond, probably Pacifastacus leniusculus.

A pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) caught in the pond.

A Western Toad (Bufo boreas) on the banks of the Little Campbell river. This amphibian is a "blue-listed" species in BC, meaning that is of special concern.