By Sonja Jones

Sonja Jones

In the UK, we are drowning in litter – be that in the canals, on the beach, or even outside your local supermarket. Don’t even get me started on music festivals where fields turn to landfill in hours. You can’t really go anywhere where there isn’t a sign of human life, no matter how remote; this quite genuinely pains me.

DROWNING IN LITTER

In recent times, due to ‘The Blue Planet Effect’, the world appears to be waking up to the plastic deluge and whilst this is tremendous and crucial awareness raising, isn’t it really sad that it has taken something like a documentary to get people to sit up and pay attention. That being said, it’s really clear to me, looking at my community around me in Cardiff, that we still have one hell of a long way to go to fully clean up our act.

I think the answer to all of this is to introduce bears, racoons, cougar, and wolves to the UK, because apparently the likes of foxes and badgers aren’t deterrent enough for littering. Before you write to me and tell me that is a very silly idea, I of course don’t mean that we should do that, it’s an example for illustrative purposes.

LET ME EXPLAIN

I am not long back from a three-week adventure to British Columbia; I have never been anywhere that is so respectful of its animal friends.

As a most essential basic, there are bear proof bins everywhere to prevent human-bear conflict, as the smell of food can attract bears and if bears get a taste for our food, they will begin to seek out tasty morsels at their treasure location again, or approach developed areas in search of food. This is a scary concept for people, but more importantly, if bears or other animals eat our food or litter, it can result in their health being compromised, giving them; lacerations, tooth decay, internal organ damage, parasitic infections, ingestion of toxic substances, leading ultimately, to their death.

By default, having such creatures sharing their homes, this has naturally made the inhabits of British Columbia exceedingly wildlife aware, taking advantage of every opportunity possible to tell you about the region’s natural and cultural wonders. One such place was unexpectedly on a ferry ride from Victoria to Vancouver, where over the ship’s tannoy, we were invited to a talk on deck by their very own Coastal Naturalists.

BC Ferries have joined forces with Parks Canada, where in their 13th year, provide ferry-based inspirational talks to approximately 150,000 customers, and seasonal programmes reaching millions. This is a fabulous initiative connecting those who may not otherwise be engaged, from all over the world, with information about BC’s coastal wildlife and marine life, cultural history, coupled with engaging personal anecdotes about what connects them so strongly to nature.

When we were on Vancouver Island, we became rather frustrated initially with the difficulty we had in finding somewhere to rent sea kayaks from, but on closer inspection and conversations with the locals, it soon became apparent why. The west coast of Vancouver Island in particular, has some very strong currents, and so it becomes very hard and indeed expensive insurance wise for providers to hire to paddlers.

I’m really not one for organised tours of any kind, however, not wanting to go three weeks without paddling, we succumbed to being led on some micro-adventures. I couldn’t have been happier.

The guides we encountered were the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic I have ever had, especially about their surroundings.

When in very rainy Ucluelet, we were taken on a six-hour paddle with Cali Mitchell and a lovely chap called Martin of Patagonia, from Jamie’s Whaling Station. It was probably a good job we did go with them as in the words of Cali herself, “If you get the tides wrong, next stop is Japan.” Cali’s wealth of knowledge about intertidal species was exceptional to the point I asked her if she’s a marine biologist, to which she replied, “No, I used to work in construction.” We were treated to a show of Bald Eagles, they were as common as seagulls, as we paddled around the inlets, and even a cheeky harbour seal bobbed up to play with the back of Cali’s kayak. We even saw a Doe and her fawn stand at the waters edge of a tiny island as we glided by – I had no idea deer could swim, let alone from island to island.

The pair had such passion for their local marine species that they told us about how they go to Ucluelet Aquarium to check out their library, so that they can be sure of what they are looking at with clients.

“I think because the wild west coast was the last to be colonised, first contact being around 1744 by the Spanish, they had heard what had happened on the east coast with their forests and wildlife. Sustainability is huge among all native people but has definitely rubbed off more to the non-natives in BC. That could be the stunning natural beauty or the collective consciousness of preservation of beauty. In my experience, the west coast attracts these types of people.The rest of Canada definitely needs to step it up a few notches, but some are getting there. Quebec being one with its wind farms, is doing really well for lowering its carbon footprint. We’re getting there as a whole. It’s just slow going.”
Jesse (one of the native paddlers from the Paddlers Inn)

FRIENDS OF CLAYOQUOT SOUND

After a rainy yet glorious paddle, we had a standard hot chocolate drying off session before heading back to camp; even in the cafe, conservation messages slapped us in the face where we spied a beach clean leaflet by the Surfrider Foundation and the newsletter for the organisation ‘Friends of Clayoquot Sound’. Friends of Clayoquot Sound is a grassroots organisation advocating protection for the ancient temperate rainforest ecosystems of Clayoquot sound. They are ‘part of an international movement calling for a shift of consciousness in the way humans relate to Earth’. This newsletter details environmental threats that they are working to address or indeed raise awareness of, such as; the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline, salmon farming and its detrimental effects on wild salmon, potential mining, and the devastating effects of logging. It is very clear that historically and right up to present day, people will go as far as being arrested to protect their beloved wild home and all its inhabitants. What’s more, FoCS want to ensure a legacy for future generations and so welcome bequests.

TOFINO SEA KAYAKING COMPANY

On visiting Tofino we headed out for a four-hour mini adventure with Jesse Pictou and Braden Burke, from The Tofino Sea Kayaking Company. Remember how I am not usually into organised tours? Well, when it came to these two chaps, to be quite frank, I could have paddled with and listened to them all day.

Both natives, they offered an entirely authentic and somewhat spiritual experience.

We were in a group of all ages, including tiny tots in a double kayak with their parents and most hadn’t really kayaked before. The idea of such a sedate paddle would usually frustrate me, but the opposite happened – I was able to take the time to absorb my surroundings properly and be truly in the moment.

Our journey took us to Meares Island, and as we paddled we had the world’s largest barnacles (Belanus nubilus) and vibrant starfish below us, tiny little fairy tale wooden houses on islands around us, and mountains ahead of us – you could have been mistaken for being in a Norwegian Fjord or Scottish Loch, it really was heavenly. It felt a million miles away from the trendy hubbub of the surfing mecca that we set off from.

On landing at Meares Island, we slid our kayaks onto the beach, found a boardwalk, which was made by the First Nations and FoCS, and embarked on the Big Tree Trail. Meares Island has some of the oldest and biggest trees on Earth, some approximately 1,500 years old, with widths of up to 60 feet – the largest recorded trunks internationally.

The boys spoke with passion about how in 1984 there was a tree war where MacMillan Bloedel intended to log it but The Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal council were able to, in the end, through evidencing its tribal heritage, declare the island a Tribal Park, so that no-one could log it and so to this day, the island is protected and governed by Tla-o-qui-aht and Ahousaht First Nations.

As well as cultural history, including how First Nations used Cedar for all their lives (mentioning their respectful ceremonies to thank the trees for helping them), from clothing to canoes, Jesse and Braden, barefoot, walked us through the forest and talked energetically and at length about the ecology of the rainforest and all its inhabitants, not forgetting the Banana Slug, the second largest slug in the world, and yes, its name suggests its colour – it can be anything a banana can be!

This was such an inspiring, ecologically and spiritually aware talk – if you ever make it to Tofino, do try head to the Paddlers Inn where Tofino Sea Kayaking is based and book on a trip with these guys, as I promise you, you won’t be disappointed. As well as short trips, they do multi-day expeditions too.

Remember earlier I mentioned about Music Festivals in the UK becoming essentially landfill? To cap off everything I have been telling you about conservation minded BC; we went to see Vance Joy headline at an open air concert at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby, and after essentially a music festival with everything that goes with it – food, booze, and music, it may astonish you to know that we did not see one ounce of rubbish thrown on the floor, funnily enough, everyone used the bins provided. If there was any litter on the floor, it must have been minimal. We really could learn a thing or two from the Canadians in respect of our environment, and in turn, each other.

Next issue, keep your eyes peeled to learn all about Vancouver Aquarium and its conservation projects, the most authentic seafood dining experience you can get in Campbell River, whale watching around the Gulf Islands, and a visit to one of the most respectful animal sanctuaries and hospitals I have ever seen.