LNS News

Canyon to Alpine - Second Edition

The Lillooet Hiking Guide Second Edition is now available for purchase. It covers 32 day hikes that take you from the arid interior drylands of the Fraser Canyon to the high alpine. The revised and expanded second edition includes:

• trail and access information with 12 new hikes
• route maps and topographical information
• over 100 new colour photos showcasing each hike
• expanded natural history section

Globe-trotting LNS Water Bottle

Local resident Trevor Chandler photographed a Lillooet Naturalist Society water bottle on the bank of the Tsiribihina River. He is working on an environmental study while in Madagascar.

In the background are the traditional wooden pirogues used during his three day paddle.

Salmon Sculpture

Patrick Hughes has created this sculpture in the shape of a salmon as part of a celebration of the salmon taking place in the Shuswap. Patrick made it out of driftwood and flotsome and jetsome from rivers that the salmon travel, and from along the shorelines of the ocean. The driftwood head and mouth were contributed by Chris Galliazzo from the Fraser River in Lillooet.

Bats Trapped in Invasive Burdock

This photo is of local Long-eared bats trapped in burdock. Four bats were recently found dead trapped in burdock. It is likely that one was caught and sent out distress signals, which brought in the other three. Sad to see. The bats died of dehydration and hunger as they could not extricate themselves from the burrs. Burdock is a weed that is spreading locally. It's a nasty invasive for many species. Let's keep all our neighborhoods free of burdock. Photo: Ian Routley.

The Bridge River Fisher Habitat and Inventory Project

The Bridge River Fisher Habitat and Inventory Project will be surveying for fisher tracks and potential den trees in the Yalakom, Tyaughton, and Gun Creek watersheds in the winter of 2010-11. Fishers are rare in most of British Columbia, but they do occur in the Bridge River
watershed. See the brochure for more information on the project.

An education session in January 2011 is being planned.

Salmon in the Canyon Festival on Vimeo.

The 4th annual Salmon in the Canyon Festival hosted by Cayoose Creek St'at'imc and Lillooet Naturalist Society was held Saturday, August 21st. There were games, art, great music and a feast. This short video features a few of the volunteers speaking about some of the various displays at the event.

Bat Education Evening

A well attended BAT education evening with a field trip was held in Lillooet, Sunday evening, June 27th.  Research on bats in the Bridge and Seton watersheds is being funded by BC Hydro's BCRP program this year, and experts Mike Sarrell RPBio and MOE biologists Jared Hobbs RPBio/MScand Francis Iredale RPBio are currently working on this project in our area.  Full Article.

This research session is the first of two that will be help over the summer.  Updates and a final report will be available on the website www.lillooetnaturalistsociety.org

For people wishing to learn more about the project, the next bat education session will be held in conjunction with the Salmon in the Canyon Festival August 21st, Lillooet BC

Photo by Jared Hobbs

Pre-Design Study for Nature Centre

The Lillooet Naturalist Society appointed Alfred Waugh Architect (AWA) to produce a Pre-Design Study for the new Lillooet Nature Centre...This new facility will fulfil the design objectives of the Society, which is comprised of community members for the town of Lillooet, and the Cayoose Creek Nation.

Please forward comments to Kim North (contact information on Page 5). View 15 MB File or Original 22 MB File

Powerhouse Foreshore Restoration Project 2009

FINAL REPORT Phase Two - 2009.

The Lillooet Naturalist Society has successfully implemented Phase Two of the Restoration Plan for the Powerhouse Foreshore Restoration site. The Society initiated a Feasibility Study in 2006, carried out research to develop a long-term restoration plan during 2007, and have now completed two years of on-the-ground work (2008 and 2009).

A copy of the Powerhouse Foreshore Restoration Plan is available at the Lillooet Library.

View/download a smaller image optimized PDF version (21 MB)

or a larger image optimized PDF Version (75 MB)

Bluebird Trail Update

On April 16th and 18th, Chris Galliazzo and a few helpers (Lucy Jones and Alfie, Jane Galliazzo, and Gayle from Logan Lake) completed the spring cleaning of all the boxes on all the trails. They fixed quite a few doors on the boxes, and loaded them with sawdust, and filled the new boxes mounted by the ladies from 100 Mile House.

There were many male and female bluebirds already scouting out nest sites on the OK Ranch, and only a few on the Diamond S Ranch. A trip is being planned to count the bluebird eggs and babies at the end of May - details to follow. Photo on the Diamond S. Ranch: Jane Galliazzo. Larger Image.

Other Images by Ian Routley: Photo1 Photo2 Photo3 Photo4

Bridge Coastal Bat Fauna Assessment and Management Project - 2010

The Ministry of Environment in partnership with the Lillooet Naturalist Society, the Lillooet Tribal Council and the Bridge River band have successfully obtained funding through the BC Hydro Bridge Coastal Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program (BCRP) to implement a bat fauna assessment and management project. British Columbia boasts the highest bat species diversity of all of the Canadian provinces and represents the northern range limit for many bat species, yet little is known with respect to the provincial distribution and habitat use. Pallid Bat Photo by Jared Hobbs, Ministry of the Environment. Full Report (prepared by prepared by Francis J. Iredale, RPBio Wildlife Biologist Environmental Stewardship Division).

Powerhouse Foreshore Restoration Project News

Are you building, renovating, making a road or expanding your gardens this spring? If you think you have some native plants, grasses or small shrubs that may be impacted, the Lillooet Naturalist Society will come and dig them up to use on local restoration projects. See Poster for contact details.

Hiking Guide

Our hiking guide, Canyon to Alpine, features 25 local walks and hikes plus information about natural history.

Only a few more are available for sale locally!

The Fate of the Fraser

Exploring BC's future by journeying the length of its mightiest river. First in a series. By Colleen Kimmett. Published in The Tyee.

Fin Donnelly and Sustainable Living Leadership Program (SLLP) participants arriving in Lillooet. Photo by Ian Routley. Larger photo.