In Pictures: Day One of the Chickadee Nature Festival
The sixth annual Chickadee Nature Festival dodged a bullet Saturday when predictions of day-long rain proved to be unfounded. The festival provided lots of fun and diversion for families that also wanted to hit the Farmer's Market. David F. Rooney photo
By David F. Rooney
The sixth annual Chickadee Nature Festtival dodged a bullet Saturday when predictions of day-long rain proved to be unfounded. Though largely overcast and cool in the morning, the day warmed up and the festival’s Saturday activities took place where they were supposed to — on Mackenzie Avenue — and not in the basement of the United Church.
There were lots of booths run by local nature-oriented groups and agencies with interesting exhibits and activities for children. The festival continues on Sunday with a Morning Bird Blitz at the Skunk Cabbage Boardwalk, followed by a Bio Blitz and talks by biologists about the birds, bugs, fish and amphibians that live there and, if you’re up for it, a weed pull. (Please click here to read the official Chickadee Nature Festival program.)
Here is a selection of photos from Saturday’s activities that we hope you’ll enjoy:
Natalie Stafl's talk about the American Pica, a small mammal native to our mountains, kicked off this year's Chickadee Nature Festival at the United Church on Friday. David F. Rooney photoWendy Harper and Ingrid Boaz share a laugh as Joel Burke whipped up the pancakes at the Friends of Mount Revelstoke and Glacier's Pancake Breakfast at the United Church on Saturday morning. Served with orange slices and strawberries, they were pretty good. David F. Rooney photoRyan Gill and sons Nicholas and Tobin enjoyed Janette Vickers' Bear Aware display at the Chickadee Nature Festival. The Bear aware display was one of many set up on Mackenzie Avenue between Second and Third Streets. David F. Rooney photoSmokey Bear had a great time hangin' out and fooling around with local kids. David F. Rooney photoSaplings anyone? Kevin Bollefer of the Revelstoke Community Forest Corporation had plenty of trees and pamphlets to hand out to passersby — many of whom probably knew nothing about RCFC. The 18-year-old corporation manages and operates the 120,000-hectare TFL 56. Owned entirely by the City It provides local employment and local management decisions around one of our region's most important resources. It pumps $5 million to $6 million into the local economy each year. David F. Rooney photoKevin Bollefer shows Simon Brittin how a prismatic works. David F. Rooney photoBiologist Andrew Jones of Parks Canada talks about his wolverine research with Richard and Wendy Mulligan and another couple. "It almost seems like every one's got a story of how they ran into one or had one trash their cabin back in the day," he said. the barbed-wire-wrapped tree trunk is used snag hair from wolverines. DNA extracted from the hair follicles allows Jones to study their genetics. David F. Rooney photoYes! There are alternatives to chemical pesticides. Revelstoke's Environmental Coordinator Penny Page-Brittin talks about approved alternative pesticides with Donna Peterson and John Pearce. David F. Rooney photoStill a child at heart, Lise Sommerville creates a floating soap bubble at the Association de Francophone Kootenay Ouest in front of the United Church. David F. Rooney photoSylvia Woods Crazy About Caribou display was a hit with young Leif Winter, shown here with his dad, Norm. David F. Rooney photoTara Johnson talks about the water system in this neck of the woods. All of our streams, creeks and smaller rivers are simply tributaries of the mighty Columbia. How we treat that water resources if critical to our future. David F. Rooney photoJanette Vickers talks with Ian Brown and his daughters about the bears with whom we share the mountains and forests. David F. Rooney photoParks Canada's Alice Weber supervises Dartagnan Abbott as he makes a great button marking the 125th Anniversary of Parks Canada. David F. Rooney photoDid you know the native name for Revelstoke means Land of the Chickadee? According to Jannica Hoskins, shown here helping kids create beadwork ornaments, it comes from a Shuswap legend about two children, a brother and sister, who were separated from their parents and later transformed into the tiny birds. David F. Rooney photoCharlie McLellan of Parks Canada's fire crew talks with Jim Maitre about the equipment he and other fire fighters use to combat wildfires. David F. Rooney photo
