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| Reed canary grass [ArboreaFarrm.com] |
Reed Canary Grass Phalaris arundinacea
Phalaris arundinacea, sometimes known as reed canary grass, is a
tall, perennial bunchgrass that commonly forms extensive single-species
stands along the margins of lakes and streams and in wet open areas,
with a wide distribution in Europe, Asia, northern Africa and North
America.... The Halq'emeylem and probably other Salish groups used the
stems for decorating baskets. The stems were cut while still pliable and
green in May and early June (when the wild roses bloom)... It is not
clear whether reed canary grass is entirely introduced or whether it is
indigenous in arts of the coast and has extended through human
influence.
Phalaris many be called 'canary' grass either because
P. canariensis
is the source of canary seed or because the genus was first described
from the Canary Islands. (Wikipedia, Plants of the Pacific Northwest
Coast)
Efforts to right and raise the capsized George H. Ledcor are taking longer than expected, coast guard says
Efforts to raise the sunken and overturned
George H. Ledcor
tugboat on the Fraser River are taking longer that expected, while
environmental officials claim impacts from the diesel spilled from the
wreck have been minimal. According to Phillip Murdoch, the
superintendent of environmental response for the Canadian Coast Guard,
the 20 metre tugboat has now been righted but remains underwater. He
said the next step was to lift and de-water the vessel, although windows
of opportunity to proceed with the operation were small due to the
complications of river currents and tides. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC)
Canada to phase out pesticides linked to bee deaths, sources say
The federal government will begin phasing out the outdoor use of
nicotine-based pesticides beginning in 2021, part of an effort to stem
the mysterious decline of honey bee colonies around the world. The Pest
Management Regulatory Agency of Canada will announce Wednesday a
three-year phaseout of two of the three main neonicotinoid pesticides
currently approved for use in the country, sources close to the decision
tell The Canadian Press. The agency has already announced plans to
phase out the third pesticide in all outdoor uses, meaning it can't be
sprayed or used to pretreat seeds before planting. Neonicotinoids, or
neonics, are a class of pesticides used by farmers and hobby gardeners
alike to manage pests like aphids and spider mites. Scientists blame the
chemicals for weakening bees, making them more susceptible to disease
and bad weather. (Canadian Press) See also:
New pesticides 'may have risks for bees' (BBC)
Judge dismisses kids' lawsuit seeking to protect the climate they'll inherit
A judge in Seattle has dismissed a lawsuit from a group of children
seeking to protect their generation from climate change. The kids'
lawsuit said Washington state's efforts to reduce carbon emissions are
"grossly inadequate" if their generation is to have a bearable climate
to live in. The group of 13 youths, represented by Our Children’s Trust,
asked the court to come up with a plan to nearly eliminate emissions
statewide by mid-century.... King County Superior Court Judge Michael
Scott agreed that climate change is an urgent and devastating problem.
But he ruled that tackling it is a job for the political branches of
government, not the courts. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)
Garbage from Washington state's booming pot industry clogs gutters, sewers and landfills
Washington state’s penchant for getting high is trashing the place.
Plastic “doob tubes” and small Mylar bags used to package pot are
moldering in gutters, bleaching out in landfills and bobbing in
waterways. Concentrated nutrients and fertilizers left over from
cannabis growing operations are being dumped in public sewers and making
their way past wastewater treatment plants into Puget Sound. And
millions of pounds of weed harvest waste that could be composted are
instead getting trucked to landfills. This, in a part of the country
that prides itself on being environmentally friendly. Kristen Millares
Young reports. (Washington Post)
Injunction-itis in Kinder Morgan debate gives rule of law a black eye
Once again, with the regularity of clockwork it seems, the B.C. Supreme
Court is back at the old game of ordering police to do their job and of
insulating politicians from accountability. Usually, it’s to remove
First Nations from some logging or mining road. This time it is to get
rid of Camp Cloud, which was established to oppose the Kinder Morgan
pipeline expansion. Last week, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey
Gomery granted Burnaby an injunction ordering all structures, shelters
and vehicles be removed from outside the company’s tank farm within 48
hours. He also ordered a sacred fire burning in the camp be
extinguished. The protesters ignored him. For more than a quarter
century, this injunction two-step has occurred with regularity as one
level of government or another, or some giant resource company, uses the
court to transform civil disobedience into contempt of court. The
result, I think, is a black eye for the rule of law. Ian Mulgrew writes.
(Vancouver Sun) See also:
Burnaby RCMP poised to remove Camp Cloud protesters Alex Migdal reports. (CBC)
Gravel mine case gets extension
Skagit County and Miles Sand and Gravel were given until mid-September
to discuss a settlement regarding the possible expansion of a gravel
mine northeast of Burlington. The company is seeking a special use
permit to convert 68 acres of forestland it owns into a gravel mine.
Residents have voiced concerns that the expansion would lead to more
truck traffic and they are afraid for children, pedestrians and
bicyclists who navigate the narrow roads and blind intersections in the
area. The county denied the company a permit on April 5, prompting the
company to appeal to the county hearing examiner. Both parties met in
May and have since been discussing a settlement. Brandon Stone reports.
(Skagit Valley Herald)
Logging in Upper Skagit River watershed put on hold as Seattle has ‘grave concern’
.... Much of the Skagit’s headwaters are protected by Canadian parks.
But, to preserve historic mining rights, the B.C. government set aside a
forested area the size of Manhattan that’s surrounded by parkland. It’s
known now as the “donut hole.” Crews this summer began to fell trees
inside the donut hole at the behest of British Columbia’s government.
Conservationists who once fought to keep Seattle from flooding the area
now worry that B.C. will allow the valley to be hollowed at its center.
Logging could threaten Ross Lake bull trout and disrupt possible
grizzly-bear recovery efforts, some say. They fear logging, and road
construction, will open the door further to mining, which they argue
represents a grave threat to Puget Sound salmon on the horizon. Evan
Bush reports. (Seattle Times)
Everyone wants to live in Seattle. Especially beavers
Seattle, you may have noticed some new neighbors around lately. Not the
ones who moved here to work at Amazon — that’s another story entirely.
We’re talking about beavers, which were all but eradicated from the
region just over 100 years ago. But now they’re back. Amy Rolph
reports. (KUOW)
B.C. lake infested with hundreds of goldfish just months after pets released into wild
Residents of a small B.C. lakeside community say they're dealing with a
goldfish infestation after someone dumped their unwanted pets in the
water. Pinecrest Lake, which is located about halfway between Squamish
and Whistler, had no goldfish in its waters last year — but now they
number in the hundreds, according to the Sea to Sky Invasive Species
Council. "People have been observing schools of 30 to 40 fish schooling
together at a time. They vary in sizes, some small, some up to five
inches [13 centimetres] big," said Clare Greenberg, the council's
executive director. Cory Correia reports. (CBC)
Appeal challenges discharge of Mt. Polley mine effluent to Quesnel Lake
The B.C. Environmental Appeal Board will hear a challenge of a
provincial permit that allows Imperial Metals’ Mt. Polley mine to
discharge mine effluent into Quesnel Lake. An amended permit was issued
by the B.C. Environment Ministry in April of 2017 to allow the discharge
of mine waste water that has been treated at a filtering plant as part
of a long-term water management plan at the Interior B.C. gold and
copper mine. The long-term plan is a requirement of the mine operating
after a dam that held back mine effluent in its tailings pond collapsed
in August 2014. The earth-and-rock dam has since been rebuilt. The
appeal, launched by Christine McLean, a member of Concerned Citizens of
Quesnel Lake, is set for a three-week hearing in Victoria beginning at
the end of January 2019. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)
Proposed Gold Mine Acquires 2 Permits From Federal Agencies
A massive gold mine proposed in western Alaska has cleared a regulatory
hurdle, acquiring permits from federal agencies. The Donlin Gold Mine
received permits Monday from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau
of Land Management after about six years of environmental review,
Alaska's Energy Desk reported . The project required a permit from the
Corps because it will affect thousands of acres of wetlands. The project
also includes a 315-mile (507-kilometer) gas pipeline planned to cross
federal land, requiring BLM approval. The conventional open-pit mine is
planned for a site 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of the village of
Crooked Creek in the Upper Kuskokwim River drainage. Representatives
from the mining industry and Native Corporations joined federal
officials at an Anchorage office to commemorate the signing of the
permits Monday. (Associated Press)
Canada Geese often not given credit for being smart and adaptable
Canada geese are rarely given credit for their intelligence and ability
to adapt to life in the city, according to a wildlife biologist with the
Canadian Wildlife Federation. Nathan Clements says the growing number
of Canada geese in Vancouver are an example of a species exploiting a
niche in an urban environment. “Canada geese are so adaptable,” he said.
“A lot of people don’t give them credit for how smart they are. Canada
geese have found the perfect location in urban settings.” He suggested
that Canada geese have moved into grassy areas in parks such as English
Bay, Sunset Beach and Granville Island because they are not surrounded
by natural predators such as bald eagles, raccoons and dogs. Kevin
Griffin reports. (Vancouver Sun)
Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-
246 AM PDT Thu Aug 16 2018
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
THIS EVENING
TODAY
SW wind 10 kt or less, becoming W 10 to 20 kt in the
afternoon. Wind waves 3 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 12 seconds.
TONIGHT
W wind 15 to 25 kt, becoming SW 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves
2 to 4 ft subsiding late. W swell 5 ft at 11 seconds.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
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