BC Biodiversity - Contact Page

Non-Proft Work

We are in a critical time for biodiveristy. In the history of life on earth there have been 5 mass extinctions, the last one being 65 million years ago when the dinosaurs died out. We are currently undergoing the 6th global mass extinction event, and at the current rate about one half of all species remaing today will be gone forever, lost to the effects of habitat destruction, competition with invasive species, climate change and pollution. This is why BC Biodiversity was created - to supply free access to information about the biolgoical diversity (biodiversity) we have here in British Columbia. Hopefully with education then we can reduce the current rate of extinction through remediation projects and sound decisionmaking.

The time and expensive of producing this site has so far been donated by myself, Lyrae, through my business, Lyrae's Naturals which now produces hundreds of 100% All Natural Vegetable Soaps, Herbal Salves & Body Care, Pure Essential Oils, Massage Oils, All Natural Perfume Oils, Gifts & More! The addition of the sale of nature cards, gift tags and prints on this site is intended to allow Lyrae to further expand her work above and beyond what her business can currently donate. These are some of the non-profit projects Lyrae has been funding, and projects that Lyrae now along with proceeds from the sale of nature cards, tags and prints on this site will continue to support in the coming years.

Projects:

The BC Biodiversity site

i) To continue documenting species in BC through photography, record keeping, and hopefully this year with the added aid of a GPS for accurate species locations. If you have a photo that you think would fit on this site, and were willing to let the site use it free of charge with proper reference then please contact me.

ii) I would like to expand the nature stewardship page and add more information for the outdoor adventurers on how to reduce your impact when you go out into nature and other simple things we can all do to promote biodiversity even in our own backyards.

iii) I will be adding more information on remediation with respect to noxious weed removal.

iv) This site is an ongoing project that will grow and change as time goes by so please come back and visit us often. Sometime in the next couple of years I plan to re-design this site and change hosts to produce a data-base driven site that is searchable on a range of variables. This will require more funding and technical expertise that I currently lack. If you can help /volunteer your time for this endeavor please contact me.

The BC Biodiversity Organization

The BC Biodiversity site has now begun some baby steps into forming a registered non-profit organization dedicated to the enhancement of biodiversity in BC through research, education and remediation. This will be a few to several years in the making while I organize members and a board of directors.

Non-Proft Greeting Cards & Gift Tags

My new Non-Profit BC Nature Greeting Cards & Gift Tags are a new mission I have embarked on, its job is two-fold. First it will raise money desparately needed to help fund new projects I am trying to start up, for example my volunteer based "Weed Warriors", a noxious weed removal project I am trying to start where I live on the Sunshine Coast (see more below). And second, my ulterior motive :o), is that the cards help to educate people about biodiversity because the cards are of pictures of species that live here in BC along with their name and where the picture was taken, plus a write-up on that species printed on the back, and a link to this website so that they can learn even more. Please help support this project, 100% of all profits from the sale of any cards, tags or prints on this site will fund various projects on this page.

Weed Warriors

As I looked more and more at the invasive species around me I realized that we needed to do something to stem the spread of noxious weeds. So about 6 years ago I began going out and cutting down Scotch Broom, Himilayan Blackberry, English Ivy, and my newest enemy Japanese Knotweed. Last summer as I wished I could do more I happened upon a news story on a Vancouver Island based group called Broombusters dedicated to halting the spread of Broom on Vancouver Island. It inspired me to create a Sunshine Coast volunteer based "Weed Warriors" weekend where I gather up as many volunteers as I can to help remove Broom, Gorse and Knotweed from our highways and vacant lots on the Sunshine Coast. If you live on / near the Sunshine Coast and would like to help please contact me. The event will be taking place Saturday June 9th and Sunday June 10th this year, we will meet at 9AM each morning at Brookman Park for a brief workshop on noxious weed identification and remediation before we go out and cut and dig up weeds. If you would like to volunteer please come to Brookman Park (Wilson Creek) armed with loppers, pruning saws, shovels, and anything else you want to use to cut down Broom and Knotweed.

Research

During the next couple of years I will be continuing my studies in biodiversity but I will also begin branching off to specialize in lichenology. I will be gathering equipment such as microscopes (dissecting and compound), testing and sample gathering eqipment, as well as learning materials such as text books and reference books. With the use of a new GPS I hope to purchase this year I can also begin what will no doubt be a lifelong study documenting the impacts of habitat destruction, competition with invasives, and climate change on the species that make their home here on the Sunshine Coast. changing climate.

What can you do to help?

You can tell people about this site and its mission. Start at the grassroots level and help to educate people on how to protect biological diversity in their own backyards by encouraging native species and discouraging invasive weeds.

If you have technical expertise, or financial ability, here is my "wish list".

i) to fund or supply the skills for the creation of a dynamic searchable database-driven website.

ii) funds or space to host my dynamic web-site (not possible with current host)

iii) funds or a donation of camera equipment such as IS lenses, external flashes, macro lights, spare CF cards, etc for my Canon Digital Rebel XTi.

If you do donate technical skill/funds I would happily consider some form of non-obtrusive advertising.

You can also make a cash donation by clicking on the Make A Donation button below. Paypal will accept all major credit cards as well as Paypal account balances on my behalf; all funds donated to this site will be strictly used in the maintenance of this site or the promotion of projects carried out by the BC Biodiversity organization or Weed Warriors. Upon request you may receive an email informing you of what exactly was done with your donation. Please note that the donation currency is in Canadian Dollars. Sorry these donations are not tax-deductible at this time.