whitebear_blog

A Sea Change

Celebrate the upcoming World Ocean Day with the Sierra Club of BC!  They're holding a fun and informative fundraising night on Friday June 5th in Victoria.  Hear Marine Campaigner Dr. Colin Campbell speak and see the film A Sea Change: Imagine a World Without Fish,  described the San Francisco Chronicle as "a love letter to the planet and an urgent plea to its citizens".  WHITE BEAR wine and other refreshments will be served.

The concept for World Oceans Day was first proposed in 1992 by the Government of Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Official designation by the U.N. this year is a significant step in conserving and protecting our world's ocean. This year's theme one ocean, one climate, one future, affords each of us an opportunity to celebrate our personal connection to the sea. 

What's mine?  My family are Maritimers ... I grew up spending summers in Nova Scotia clam digging, swimming in the brisk waters off the North Shore, and sailing in the Northumberland Straight.  Now living on the West Coast, I love kayaking in Deep Cove, swimming at the warm beaches in Parksville, and some day hope to visit BC's central coast where the Great Bear Rainforest is located.

Wear blue and tell two

To help promote our collective ocean conservation, this Friday tell people two things they likely don't know about our ocean and how they can help and wear blue in honour of the ocean. 

Adopt a bear

Our awesome partners over at World Wildlife Fund have just launched a new campaign to help the Spirit Bear thrive.  For only $50 you can virtually adopt a rare Kermode Bear, which is found only in the rainforests of BC's Pacific Coast. A unique gift that makes a real difference, it will help sustain the Bear's sensitive rainforest ecosystem.

The WWF notes "the Kermode Bear is what scientists call an "umbrella species." If the habitat is large enough to support this creature, it also will support abundant life in the same ecosystem, such as salmon, birds, wolves, deer, insects, and many other species crucial to a thriving ecosystem.

But much of the Spirit Bear's historic habitat is threatened by logging, hunting and environmental degradation. Sensitive marine estuaries and freshwater ecosystems, which produce the main source of food for the Kermode Bear (salmon), are in danger."

The gift helps ensure that the Great Bear Rainforest remains an area of diversity and a healthy ecosystem, where the Spirit Bear can thrive. Enabling governments, communities, and businesses strike a delicate balance between conservation and development will keep this vibrant ecosystem alive and well for years to come.

A truly thoughtful and unique gift idea!

The Nature's Trust

Conserving BC's Natural Beauty

Kudos to organizations like the Nature Trust who protect BC’s natural diversity of wildlife and plants.  For over 35 years they've been successful in the acquisition and management of ecologically significant British Columbian land and have secured over 61,000 hectares (150,000 acres).

One of their top three priority projects right now is in  the Okanagan.  They are working to acquire a 3.7 hectare property along the Okanagan River, one of the most endangered rives in BC.  Channelization of the river in the 1950s shortened it and now only 6 km of natural habitat remains. The river supports one of only two remaining populations of sockeye salmon in the Columbia drainage. Twenty-six additional species of fish are found in the Okanagan system and together with the salmon they provide food for at least 137 other species of animals. In addition, the salmon spawn from the coast to the Okanagan and the ecosystem we rely upon in the Valley for growing grapes is intricately tied to our vast coastal reserve.

Benefitting Nature's Trust

We are proud to help support them and will be donating our WHITE BEAR wine and our time to a worthy and fun fundraising event, Earth Wind Fire, at the end of May in Kelowna at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort.  We look forward to a delicious evening of food prepared by Culinary Team Canada paired with outstanding Okanagan wine!  Hope to see you there...