THE UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA
MARCH 19, 1999
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THE UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA |
by Patty Pitts
One of southern Vancouver Island's most distinctive indigenous trees, the Garry oak, will be studied, celebrated and venerated at UVic during the first international Garry Oak Meadow Symposium and Community Festival May 5 to 9.
Speakers at the symposium will discuss various aspects of the Garry oak meadow ecosystem, the effects on it from colonization and the prehistoric inter-relationships between the ecosystems and the lives of aboriginal people. The community festival on May 8 will combine entertainment, education and activities for all ages.
"The existing Garry oak meadows represent less than one per cent of the original habitat that once existed on southern Vancouver Island," says UVic biology graduate student Brenda Beckwith, who is completing her PhD dissertation on the Garry oak and camas meadows and will speak at the symposium. "The trees represent a rare and endangered ecosystem. It's a heritage ecosystem that we must protect."
The symposium is sponsored by UVic's school of environmental studies and restoration of natural systems program, in partnership with the Pacific Wildlife Research Centre of the Canadian Wildlife Service, the Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society, the Native Plant Study Group of the Victoria Horticultural Society and the Society for Ecological Restoration, Northwest and B.C. chapters.
Garry oak and camas ecosystems are primarily restricted to southern Vancouver Island because of its unique climate in the protective rain shadow of the Olympic and Vancouver Island mountains. The delicate, blue camas flowers and the distinctive, gnarled oaks share similar ecological requirements. Both thrive in wet spring and hot, dry summer weather. Camas, which can't compete with dense vegetation found in other ecosystems, flourish among the oaks. Both used to exist in continuous stands that stretched from Sooke to Sidney and up the east coast of Vancouver Island. Development and urbanization has since reduced most of the open meadow species to hilltop rocky outcrops.
The symposium begins May 5 with an opening address by speakers Dr. Richard Hebda (restoration of natural systems) and Bill Turner (The Land Conservancy). On May 6-7 speakers will discuss: the plants, wildlife, birds and insects that live in Garry oak meadows; the biology and genetics of the distinctive trees; the need to protect the ecosystems; and aboriginal perspectives on the meadows.
The community festival will feature hands-on exhibits and activities to introduce children and adults to the creatures and characteristics of Garry oak ecosystems. Entertainment, walks and tours of nearby Garry oak meadows will also be offered. Symposium delegates can chose from a variety of field trips on May 9.
The deadline for registration for the symposium is April 12, 1999. For registration and symposium information contact UVic conference management at 250-721-8703 or check the conference Web site at <http://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/conf/garryoak>.