Organizers of the Brant Wildlife Festival are gearing up for a grand opening night early next month, featuring Salt Spring Island author Briony Penn speaking about her North American project called For the Love of Nature.
Penn said the project involved a quest to find people doing simple things to help nature on the ground.
“A little piece of habitat saved or a species that was assisted,” she explained, “something that was a simple action and led to a direct outcome.”
One of the examples she used was Neil Dawe and his contribution to the creation of the Brant Wildlife Festival. She said he had an idea to create awareness about the little goose and it has had a direct impact.
“People have moderated their behavior in March and April and that has had a direct impact on what the geese do when they breed,” she said.
Penn co-authored a book following the project with Dr. Robin J. Hood called For the Love of Nature: Solutions for Biodiversity.
The Nature Trust of BC is co-ordinating the festival and director with the Trust, Rob Butler, will be the Master of Ceremonies at the event.
His speech will be on Optimism for the Future, he said, outlining positive steps taken in B.C. to maintain the province’s diversity along with suggestions to improve and save some of the wildlife at risk.
“It’s all for a good cause,” he said. “We’re trying to get as much land set aside as we possibly can for the wild creatures we have in B.C., it’s the last stand for some of them.”
The Nature Trust is celebrating its 40th year which the event will also celebrate.
Butler said it will be a fun night with appetizers, give-away prizes and more.
The event takes place Saturday, March 5, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Parksville Conference Centre. Early Bird tickets are $20, $30 at the door, and drinks will be available.
For tickets call toll free 1-866-288-7878 or e-mail rrivers@naturetrust.bc.ca.
The Brant Wildlife Festival surrounds the Pacific Black Brant which stops on Vancouver Island during migration from Cailfornia and Mexico to Alaska and the Arctic.
The Festival runs from March 5 to April. 23.