STANLEY PARK NOTEBOOK
/by Jacqui Birchall
(click images to enlarge)
Nina Shoroplova with her 2020 book, Legacy of Trees.
Legacy of Trees
Purposeful Wandering
Recently I was very lucky to meet Nina Shoroplova, the author of Legacy of Trees: Purposeful Wandering in Vancouver’s Stanley Park.
Nina is a historian, researcher, and author. Born and raised in Wales, she immigrated to Canada in 1969. Nina is an avid walker, amateur botanist, and tree enthusiast.
Nina’s book is beautifully illustrated and filled with wonderful information. There is so much one can learn.
Do you know that some of a tree’s cones are male, some are female? That China Fir is not a fir, or that the bald Cyprus is a conifer but not an evergreen? That you can propagate a twig from a weeping willow in water and it will grow roots? Or that close to the Stanley Park Pavilion there is a Camellia bush planted in 1939 to commemorate the visit of Francis Willard, a women’s suffragist.
Upon her arrival in Canada, Nina lived at the Douglas Lake Cattle Ranch for ten years, where her husband was the manager. Nina and her husband then moved to Australia and lived on a sheep and cattle property in New South Wales. Nina returned to Canada and now calls the West End home.
Nina wrote a book on the history of the Douglas Lake Cattle Ranch, which is also where she first became interested in Canada’s trees.
However, it was Nina’s explorations of Stanley Park that inspired Legacy of Trees, published in 2020. She is currently working on another book about trees. Nina honed her knowledge through a UBC course on landscape trees and shrubs at the university’s Botanical Gardens. Nina also leads tree and cherry blossom walks and maintains her own fabulous deck garden.
Legacy of Trees is an engaging, informative, and visually stunning tour of the numerous native, introduced, and ornamental tree species in Stanley Park.
It makes a great Christmas gift.
Nina can also be booked for presentations on Stanley Park, its history and its trees. You can find more information on her website (link below).
Rescued Heron Chicks (Wildlife Rescue Association Photo).
THE WILDLIFE RESCUE ASSOCIATION
The Wildlife Rescue Association (WRA) of BC recently posted a five-year-old photo of four heron chicks on their Facebook page, along with an accompanying caption:
“Four fledgling Great Blue Herons came in to WRA in 2017 over the course of a couple weeks. Found on the ground at the rookery in Stanley Park in Vancouver, this wild-looking bunch of herons were suspected victims of hungry eagles. Bald Eagles are one of few species that will prey on young heron babies. These youngsters were knocked from their nests in separate attacks, but the eagles never returned for their prey. This left the young herons in dire need, unable to return to their high nests and with various injuries from their falls.”
A familiar story for those West Enders who are neighbours to the Great Blue Heron Rookery above the Stanley Park tennis courts.
STANLEY PARK ECOLOGY SOCIETY (SPES)
As usual, there is much going on with this wonderful organization.
Sign Up for Winter Eco-Camps: SPES will be offering their Winter Eco-Camp from January 2 to 5 for students age 6-11. This year's theme is Winter Wildlife, and it's a great opportunity to start the New Year on a great note, getting outdoors and exploring nature.
Participating children will be immersed in the delights of nature, with the opportunity to uncover the mysteries of the natural world, learn valuable outdoor skills, and have a blast with other kids right in Stanley Park! They will spend time looking for wildlife tracks in the silent winter forests of Stanley Park, and spend time indoors warming up with games and crafts as well. Registration is open at the SPES website (see links below).
Islands in the Lagoon (Steve de Lange Photo)
Floating Islands on Lost Lagoon: SPES staff and volunteers recently planted floating islands in Lost Lagoon. These islands are important because not only do they provide habitat for nesting birds but, unlike on traditional islands, the plant's roots grow through the bottom of the island and directly down into the water, where they are more effective at uptaking pollutants from the water than traditional islands. These islands are part of a pilot project meant to increase water quality and wildlife habitat at the same time.
Volunteer For Bright Nights: SPES is looking for volunteers to make and serve popcorn at this year's Bright Nights event in the park! This is a great opportunity for anyone over 16 to gain food service and customer service experience while also supporting one of SPES’ biggest fundraisers of the year! Highschool students over 16 are welcome.
Book Reading with Emily Loni: SPES is excited to host local author Emily Lonie as she launches her first book: Corben and the Crow Commute, an action packed coming-of-age adventure story about a young crow making his way in the big city, with a little help from wildlife friends he meets along the way. Attend the reading at the Nature House on Lost Lagoon for a chance to meet both the author and illustrator Amy Knill. The event will include readings of excerpts from the book, book signing opportunities, and the chance to needle felt your own little Corben! It all takes place Sunday, December 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Nature House.
Urban Tree Initiative Grant: SPES has been selected to receive an Urban Tree Initiative grant from Enterprise and the Arbor Day Foundation. SPES hopes to help not only enrich green spaces, but also enrich the lives of the 18+ million annual visitors to Stanley Park by building awareness about the benefits of trees, educating residents on proper tree care, and laying the groundwork for a greener future.
Winter Campaign Fundraiser: SPES is preparing to launch their winter campaign fundraiser, an online auction, December 5 to 15. They are bringing together a number of exciting auction items and a sneak peek includes framed, signed, limited edition art by Susan Point from a collection called "Tadpoles”.
Two of the pieces will be on display at VanCity, one at the Robson branch, and the other at the downtown branch on Pender. The auction will launch on the SPES website and social media on December 5 and will only be open for 10 days, so act fast!
