by Jacqui Birchall

ADDITIONAL PARK RANGERS APPROVED

At the Vancouver Park Board meeting on Monday, October 18, the Park Board commissioners voted to double the number of full time park rangers.

Research shows a huge increase in reported park-related cases from 1,909 in 2015 to more than 22,000 in 2020.

As reported in previous columns, the park rangers don’t only deal with conservation issues but with the problems associated with the homeless and the addicted.

Park rangers work hard to remove the homeless camps, particularly the permanent ones in Stanley Park, while showing empathy towards the homeless and connecting them with the necessary resources. Working with the camps takes time away from other important ranger activities.

Statistics regarding response time from the park rangers are not encouraging. In 2020 some 24 percent of cases were responded to within the Park Board’s 72-hour response time. In 51 percent of the cases, response time took longer than 72 hours and in 25 percent of cases there was no response. (Rest assured that reports of fires are responded to with great speed.)

General Manager of Parks, Donnie Rosa, points out that there are times when the rangers are “Protecting mother turtles and their eggs and then bringing water to people in distress who are experiencing homelessness.”

The new budget proposal is seeking to increase the park ranger budget from $1.3 million to $3.1 million to fund 31 full time park rangers. This is not confirmed, of course, as the Park Board has to find the money.

Rosa said there are also plans to bring in specialized task teams of rangers to focus on the homeless camps within the parks.

Once again the Park Board is considering allowing the park rangers to ticket wildlife feeders, those who litter and so on. They voted not to give the rangers peace officer designation, which would allow them to ask for identification when ticketing. The Park Board is now examining new positions with enhanced bylaw enforcement authority for the park rangers. Hopefully sooner than later

The poor condition of Lost Lagoon is overtaking the carp population. *(Isabelle Groc Photo / www.isabellegroc.com)*

CARP DYING IN THE LAGOON

In late September some 500 dead carp were found floating in Lost Lagoon. A disturbing and odorous sight.

The Vancouver Park Board, The Stanley Park Ecology Society and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans all responded. Park employees were dispatched to remove the dead carp.

Experts believe that the unusually heavy rainstorms at this time caused low dissolved oxygen and high salinity, making it hard for the fish to survive. Otters, beavers, birds, frogs, turtles, and other species that breathe air above the surface were not affected in the same way.

Lost Lagoon has been in poor shape for many years. In their 2011 report to the Park Board, the Stanley Park Ecology Society (SPES) noted that Lost Lagoon is shallow, with an average depth of 1.2 m. Infilling is caused by runoff sediments and waterfowl fecal matter.

SPES also notes that the fountain helps with aeration, but increases evaporation. It hasn’t been in working order for some time.

Hundreds of Lost Lagoon carp died in September. *(Rita Ivanauska Photo)*

The report further notes that “An engineered wetland was constructed in the northeast corner of Lost Lagoon in 2001 as part of the stormwater management plan for the Stanley Park Causeway to improve the quality of the roadway runoff prior to its discharge into Lost Lagoon. The wetland includes a fore-bay, biofiltration pond/marsh zone, and bermed area and was planted with a variety of trees, shrubs, and perennials.” This corner is very interesting to observe.

However heavy vehicle traffic on the nearby Stanley Park Causeway continues to have negative effects on the Lagoon despite this filtration system. Rain runoff from the causeway brings further dangerous pollution to the Lagoon.

The Lagoon was tidal at one point but became a man-made lake with the construction of the Stanley Park Causeway. There are controls to stop saltwater infiltrating the now freshwater lake, but the system is not 100 percent successful and the water is frequently brackish and a poor colour.

The poet Pauline Johnson named it Lost Lagoon because it was tidal, disappearing at low tide. Sadly this tidal body of water became a shallow, contained, polluted body of water.

SPES recently published this comprehensive report on the deaths of the carp and the state of the Lagoon.

Park Ranger Mike Mackintosh releases a yearling owl to the wild. *(Cliff Lemire Photo)*

MEET RANGER MIKE MACKINTOSH

As a frequent walker in Stanley Park, I became acquainted with park ranger Mike Mackintosh. Mike started working in the Stanley Park Zoo in 1965, hoping to turn it from what it was to a conservation/education facility. Unfortunately, that was not to be. He was a founding member of the Stanley Park Zoological Society, a society focusing on ecology and conservation of endangered species. It morphed into the Stanley Park Ecology Society which Mike directed for many years, followed by stints as manager of Queen Elizabeth Park and later, Wildlife Services Manager for Vancouver. Although now retired, Mike is so dedicated to Stanley Park that he still works part time as a park ranger.

What fascinates me is that Mike is the chair and founder of the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of BC.

What an amazing organization. This society is dedicated to preventing the extinction of the burrowing owl, native to southern BC. Nests are built and maintained on private land throughout southern BC, much of it on First Nations land.

And yes, the Burrowing Owl Winery was named after these owls. Mike enticed the owner, Jim Wyse, to allow conservation efforts to take place on his land and hence the name of the winery and the huge support Jim brings from his winery to the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society. The society has many other sponsors, including the Wildlife Conservancy of Canada and the World Wildlife Fund Canada

The Burrowing Owl Society works hard to ensure this very attractive breed does not become extinct.

If you are interested in volunteering with or supporting this very worthwhile society please check their website.