Environment

Two tugboats and a supply vessel will be part of East Sooke’s Western Canada Marine Response base. The tugs will escort oil tankers through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. (Contributed - Trans Mountain)

West Shore-based tugs to escort oil tankers through Strait of Juan de Fuca

Vessels will operate out of Sc’ianew First Nation’s Cheanuh Marina at East Sooke

Two tugboats and a supply vessel will be part of East Sooke’s Western Canada Marine Response base. The tugs will escort oil tankers through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. (Contributed - Trans Mountain)
Trash collected by sea bins, installed by VAncouver Island Surfrider at North Saanich Marina. (Photo by Sally McIntyre)

Surfrider, UVic study sea bin data to determine foam infiltration near North Saanich marina

Sea bins provide ongoing info to help track impact of microplastics on waterways

Trash collected by sea bins, installed by VAncouver Island Surfrider at North Saanich Marina. (Photo by Sally McIntyre)
A fan photo of Cole Sprouse in Langley, where parts of Netflix’s show Riverdale have been filmed. (Submitted photo)

Riverdale star fundraising for B.C. environmental groups with sale of his photo prints

Cole Sprouse, Jughead in the Archie Comics spin-off show, also an avid photographer

A fan photo of Cole Sprouse in Langley, where parts of Netflix’s show Riverdale have been filmed. (Submitted photo)
A rockfish. Courtesy Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance.

Researchers uncover and map biological hotspots of B.C.’s Central Coast

Rich groups of rockfish, sponges and corals found, including in fjords and inland channels

A rockfish. Courtesy Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance.
United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney addresses supporters in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, April 16, 2019. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

Environmentalists threaten Alberta Premier Kenney with lawsuit over inquiry remarks

‘If Premier Kenney doesn’t follow the good advice of his lawyers, he will be served’

United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney addresses supporters in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, April 16, 2019. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)
Facing climate change, Sidney has launched a survey asking residents to identify barriers between them and lower emissions. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

New survey looks at lower greenhouse gas emissions for Sidney

CAO says a lot of work remains ahead but reductions are achievable

Facing climate change, Sidney has launched a survey asking residents to identify barriers between them and lower emissions. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch awards longtime community volunteer Margaret Lidkea a place in the Oak Bay Wall of Fame. (Photo by Hazel Braithwaite)

Decades of dedication earn educator place on Oak Bay Wall of Fame

Friends of Uplands leader recognized for nearly 30 years of work

Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch awards longtime community volunteer Margaret Lidkea a place in the Oak Bay Wall of Fame. (Photo by Hazel Braithwaite)
Shopping carts checked out by co-owner France Bournazel, left, and operations manager Tammy Calverley should be filled with groceries at Russell Farm Market, but other items are taking precedence until things get back to normal. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Russell Farm staff in quick clean-up mode to reopen Island business after flood

Volunteers pitching in to help operation get going at Westholme again

Shopping carts checked out by co-owner France Bournazel, left, and operations manager Tammy Calverley should be filled with groceries at Russell Farm Market, but other items are taking precedence until things get back to normal. (Photo by Don Bodger)
Ian Bruce, president of the Peninsula Streams Society, says he hopes that federal authorities do more to remove a boat aground in North Saanich’s Patricia Bay after debris from the boat has started to wash ashore. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

North Saanich’s Patricia Bay sees debris from derelict boat wash up on shore

The boat lies aground near the North Saanich station of the Canadian Coast Guard

Ian Bruce, president of the Peninsula Streams Society, says he hopes that federal authorities do more to remove a boat aground in North Saanich’s Patricia Bay after debris from the boat has started to wash ashore. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Fresh cut sawdust is seen from a tree cut from a cut block near the Òheli campÓ in Fairy Creek logging area near Port Renfrew, B.C. Monday, Oct. 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. forest company says rule of law must apply to ongoing protests at Fairy Creek

Teal Cedar Products seeking to extend injunction against blockades through court appeal

Fresh cut sawdust is seen from a tree cut from a cut block near the Òheli campÓ in Fairy Creek logging area near Port Renfrew, B.C. Monday, Oct. 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Crews at Cascadia Seaweed pull in a harvest. The Sidney-based company recently received a license from Tsawout First Nation to establish a farm off James Island. (Photo supplied by Cascadia Seaweed)

Sidney’s Cascadia Seaweed partners with Tsawout First Nation on James Island farm

Operation aims to help restore surrounding ecology, boost Tsawout economic stability

Crews at Cascadia Seaweed pull in a harvest. The Sidney-based company recently received a license from Tsawout First Nation to establish a farm off James Island. (Photo supplied by Cascadia Seaweed)
The central meadow in Uplands Park is closed to walkers for the fourth consecutive year in order to protect at-risk plants. (Wylie Thomas photo)

Oak Bay asks Uplands visitors to stick to trails, stay out of central meadow

It’s up to guests to protect Garry oak meadow at risk

The central meadow in Uplands Park is closed to walkers for the fourth consecutive year in order to protect at-risk plants. (Wylie Thomas photo)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, second left, and Mark Carney take part in a panel discussion on carbon pricing at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made many policy announcements across the pond at the COP26 climate summit in Scotland, a new poll hints at how Canadians feel about those developments. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Most Canadians support the federal government’s climate policy announcements: poll

69% support Canada’s summit announcement

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, second left, and Mark Carney take part in a panel discussion on carbon pricing at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made many policy announcements across the pond at the COP26 climate summit in Scotland, a new poll hints at how Canadians feel about those developments. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
The Plot Market Garden was one of the award recipients of Saanich’s Environment Awards in the business category. (Photo courtesy of the District of Saanich)

Saanich honours environmental champions

Saanich Environment Awards recognize groups and individuals making significant contributions

The Plot Market Garden was one of the award recipients of Saanich’s Environment Awards in the business category. (Photo courtesy of the District of Saanich)
Clumps of seaweed washing up along the beach off Dallas Road can provide a unique food source to certain types of insects. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)

Seaweed on Greater Victoria beaches part of largely uncharted ecosystem

Washed-up seaweed feeds insects unknown to any other ecosystem, says RBCM researcher

Clumps of seaweed washing up along the beach off Dallas Road can provide a unique food source to certain types of insects. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)
Someone onshore documents the position of a load of refrigerators that made it to shore near Cape Scott after more than 100 containers fell off the M/V Zim Kingston container ship in late October. (PHOTO COURTESY CDN. COAST GUARD)

Zim Kingston container spill clean-up continues as coastal concerns question response

Vancouver Island beaches clearing of MV Zim Kingston debris, local resources feel ignored

Someone onshore documents the position of a load of refrigerators that made it to shore near Cape Scott after more than 100 containers fell off the M/V Zim Kingston container ship in late October. (PHOTO COURTESY CDN. COAST GUARD)
Val Aloian wades in to measure the flow of Bowker Creek after a fall rainstorm. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

Volunteers take advantage of heavy rainfall to measure Oak Bay creek flows

Bowker fills to the brim during heavy rains, high tide

Val Aloian wades in to measure the flow of Bowker Creek after a fall rainstorm. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)
A wildfire-scorched sequoia tree stands on a hillside, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, in Sequoia Crest, Calif. Archangel Ancient Tree Archive is planting sequoia seedlings in the area. The effort led by the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, a nonprofit trying to preserve the genetics of the biggest old-growth trees, is one of many extraordinary measures being taken to save giant sequoias that were once considered nearly fire-proof and are in jeopardy of being wiped out by more intense wildfires. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Hope after wildfire: Tiny sequoias could grow into giants

Measures underway to save trees at risk of being wiped out by more intense wildfires

A wildfire-scorched sequoia tree stands on a hillside, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, in Sequoia Crest, Calif. Archangel Ancient Tree Archive is planting sequoia seedlings in the area. The effort led by the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, a nonprofit trying to preserve the genetics of the biggest old-growth trees, is one of many extraordinary measures being taken to save giant sequoias that were once considered nearly fire-proof and are in jeopardy of being wiped out by more intense wildfires. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
A tug boat cools the hull of the MV Zim Kingston Oct. 24 as crews work to control the ship’s fire. (Courtesy Canadian Coast Guard) A tug boat cools the hull of the MV Zim Kingston Oct. 24 as crews work to control the ship’s fire. (Courtesy Canadian Coast Guard)

Ship that lost 109 containers near Victoria is now stable: operator

Remaining containers safe and will be unloaded once a port of call has been identified

A tug boat cools the hull of the MV Zim Kingston Oct. 24 as crews work to control the ship’s fire. (Courtesy Canadian Coast Guard) A tug boat cools the hull of the MV Zim Kingston Oct. 24 as crews work to control the ship’s fire. (Courtesy Canadian Coast Guard)
A rainy and wet day in Chemainus near the end of October. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Vancouver Island’s rainy fall continued in October, if not to September’s extremes

Quick change from the dry to the wet season making region forget its dusty summer

A rainy and wet day in Chemainus near the end of October. (Photo by Don Bodger)