This week I say farewell to a photographer I’ve long admired while congratulating another. I also share some wisdom from early conservationist Aldo Leopold. There have been some updates on the control of Whirling Disease in Banff as well as on bear populations in Kananaskis. Finally, I look into the importance of environmental economics.
Local Photographers
If you’re a regular listener, you’ll already know that I am both a photographer and author. It was through both of these rolls that I’m feeling very sad today to hear of the passing of Doug Leighton.
Doug was a visionary photographer who introduced countless numbers of people to the magic of the Canadian west. His coffee table books and calendars were widely collected. I remember a particular favourite was a large format 11 x 14-inch calendar which thousands of people bought simply so they could frame the images.
We were both published by Altitude Publishing in Canmore and I had a great appreciation for the work that Doug produced for them. It was an especially appropriate relationship for Doug. Altitude publishing was created by another pioneer photographer from Banff by the name of Byron Harmon. For the larger part of a century, Altitude Publishing represented the very best of mountain imagery, and Doug wore that mantle well.
Doug left the Bow Valley in 2005 and moved to the Blaeberry Valley near the mountain community of Golden, B.C. where he passed with his family on March 28, 2018.
Doug was born in Banff in 1953 and the mountains were his inspiration for all of his life. Rest well, Doug. You helped us all see the Rockies just a little bit clearer.
Another local photographer, John E. Marriott has recently been honoured by the League of Landscape Photographers for his long practice of ethical wildlife photography. League magazine is a collective of photographers for whom ethical image capture is their first priority.
As they state on their website:
“Rather than a top-down, formal structure, the League of Landscape Photographers is a grassroots group comprised of photographers with similar values. It transcends borders both physical and digital. If your art has something personal to say about the world, if you photograph with care and respect for other people and the environment around you, if you post these values (or your own ethical values) to the world – then you are the League. “
John was awarded The Best of the League for 2018. The advent of digital cameras has seen tens of thousands of so-called wildlife photographers explode onto the scene. Those of us that photograph WILD life understand that the well-being of the animal or bird is what matters – not the photograph.
John has been an advocate for wildlife for decades. He not only refuses to photograph captive or baited animals, he is a powerful opponent of such practices.
Here in the Rockies, every year we see more and more people crowding animals, baiting and enticing them, offering food, and even illegally using wildlife tracking equipment to locate research subjects.
Way back in episode 6, I shared a story of Banff Park Wardens finding evidence of photographers using antennas designed to help researchers keep track of animals fitted with radio collars just so they could photograph them.
I’ve been a wildlife photographer for many years and I’ve seen many indefensible actions by unethical photographers, but this is a new level of low. You can listen to the story at www.mountainnaturepodcast.com/ep006.
Social media is full of photographs of distressed animals, baited owls, and all means of creating situations dangerous for the photographer, but all too often, more dangerous for the animal.
Photographers like John call out this practice. He has made a career of raising the bar and educating photographers on how to capture ethical images. No photograph is worth the life of a grizzly bear, or wolf, or owl.
As the League puts it:
“Not only does John practice ethical wildlife photography, but he is also an activist for wildlife causes. His YouTube video series, Exposed with John E. Marriott, highlights wildlife conservation concerns with ideas for concrete results. John is not a complainer but one who points out the facts with solid background research and then puts his knowledge into positive action. John also takes his wildlife ethics and philosophy for conservation on tour with him when he teaches other photographers. Anyone who has been on a John Marriott tour will come away not only with great pictures but also with a bigger appreciation of the issues and the ethics around wildlife and nature photography.”
Congratulations John. Keep on helping us all to be better photographers. If you’d like to see more of John’s work, check him out at https://wildernessprints.com/. You can purchase his amazing images, wildlife photography books, or join him on one of his incredible workshops.
Aldo Leopold
Aldo Leopold was one of the fathers of conservation in the U.S. and was a forester, educator, writer, and lover of the outdoors. According to the Aldo Leopold Foundation, he was a true believer in the development of a “land ethic” based on an ethical, caring relationship between people and nature.
In 1933, he published the very first textbook about wildlife management. Throughout his life, he focused on understanding ecology and the relationships that made up complex ecosystems.
While I’m working on this podcast week in and out, I spend countless hours reading long scientific journal articles. More often than not, I have three windows open on my computer:
- Two windows of the same article. One I use to highlight the important aspects of the study and another one so I can search for the definitions of acronyms without losing my place in the main article.
- Then I have another Google search window open to help me translate the arcane jingo that allows scientists to be precise but serves to exclude vast numbers of readers from understanding the value of the research.
Aldo Leopold understood natural systems, but more importantly, he understood how to share that knowledge. When you read his words, you instantly are transported to a new world full of wonders and magic.
I often joke that my job is to take the important science being done by ologists, whether they are palaeontologists, biologists, geologists; the list goes on – and make it cool. Aldo understood the clash between science and ecology.
In his most important work: A Sand County Almanac, ironically published more than a year after he passed away, offers an insight that has remained with me for the past 30 years:
“There are men charged with the duty of examining the construction of the plants, animals, and soils which are the instruments of the great orchestra. These men are called professors. Each selects one instrument and spends his life taking it apart and describing its strings and sounding boards. This process of dismemberment is called research. The place for dismemberment is called a university.
A professor may pluck the strings of his own instrument, but never that of another, and if he listens for music he must never admit it to his fellows or to his students. For all are restrained by an ironbound taboo which decrees that the construction of instruments is the domain of science, while the detection of harmony is the domain of poets.”
That last line struck me like a hammer when I first read it decades ago. The study of ecology was slowly starting to become more mainstream. I’ve never forgotten the concept that the detection of harmony is the domain of poets.
Ecology is all about understanding all of the instruments. Every strand in the ecological web, just like in an orchestra, is critical to the functioning of that system. Leopold helped millions of people to suddenly see that the orchestra was more than just a collection of instruments – it was the harmony that they create when combined in just the right way.
Whirling Disease
If you’re a regular listener to this podcast, you’ll already know that whirling disease has been spreading across the river systems of Alberta over the past year or so.
I first spoke about it in episode 7 when it was first discovered in Canada in Banff’s Johnson Lake. It is a parasite that affects most trout species and can result in massive losses. For additional background information, check out episodes 008, 020, and 029
In the past year, the parasite has been discovered across Alberta’s most iconic river systems including the Bow, Oldman, Red Deer, and most recently, the North Saskatchewan River systems.
Johnson Lake, where the discovery first took place, is particularly important. At first look, it’s a tiny mountain lake with intensive human use. On a large scale, it doesn’t seem like one lake among many watersheds would matter, but Johnson Lake is unique.
The Bow River watershed is a blue-ribbon trout stream. It is also home to critical populations of endangered west slope cutthroat trout.
Cutthroat trout have been decimated over the past few decades as introduced species like brook, brown, and rainbow trout have become the dominant fish in the mountain west.
Native trout like the bull, or dolly varden, and west slope cutthroat trout can be outcompeted by these more aggressive invaders. Johnson Lake forms a transition zone between the wider Bow Valley river system and the upper portions of the watershed where the most important populations of cutthroat trout are found.
The original plan for Johnson Lake involved a winter draining of the lake to kill all the trout contained within it as well as to kill the alternate host of the parasite, bottom-dwelling tubifex worms.
At this point, 2,700 kg of fish has been removed from the lake along with 15,000 other fish from adjacent creeks.
At the same time, they were able to reduce the water level in adjacent creeks which feed into Johnson Lake and capture additional fish there.
Recently, as Park officials continued their work on the lake, it became apparent that there were a lot of streams feeding the local wetland which in turn fed into Johnson Lake. To remove the fish from the lake, it’s critical to make sure that new migrants aren’t just replacing those recently removed.
Draining the lake was seen as premature as they focused on reducing reinfection. Instead, they left nets in the lake to catch as many remaining fish as possible. They’ve also installed a barrier to prevent fish from re-entering the lake from tributaries.
For now, the focus has moved to the wetlands feeding the lake. If need be, once this work has been done, they can drain the rest of the lake if need be. It’s now apparent that this will be an ongoing project as opposed to a short-term assault.
The goal is to prevent the parasite from moving further upstream into already vulnerable populations of cutthroat trout. Whirling disease can be responsible for vast losses within populations and when you have an already stressed one, it can be terminal.
If you visit Johnson Lake this year, please pay close attention to the warning signs. Whirling disease is not only easily transported on the soles of boots or boat paddles, it can remain viable for years. This means that you can wade into the lake today, put your waders in the garage for years, and then still infect a new body of water once you dust them off and wear them into a new water source.
Let’s help keep our most sensitive trout healthy.
Kananaskis Grizzly Updates
First up…it’s bear season in the Rockies again. While deep snows may have led a few of our bears to have a bit of a lay-in this year, Bear 122 was confirmed to be up and at-em by at least March 22 this year. He’s merely the bellwether of all the other bears so if you’re out on the trails, be sure to carry your bear spray from now on.
Grizzly bears have had a lot of challenges in the past few years, but today I’m bringing some good news. In a recent DNA study in Kananaskis Country, it seems things are currently OK for grizzly populations.
The most recent study looked at a vast 10,000 square km area stretching from the Trans-Canada Highway all the way to the Crowsnest Pass in southern Alberta.
DNA testing has revolutionized wildlife research. Because bears are predictable and are drawn to rub trees where bear after bear take the time to stop, rub and in many cases, leave a hairy howdy do.
Researchers can visit these trees and collect these furry follicles, test the DNA and get a good idea of individual bears that were using a particular territory.
One of the best illustrations of this was a time-lapse video published by Kananaskis Country that showed a great example of how many individual bears visit rub trees. Not only is it an awesome example of science in actions, it’s just fun – and very Jungle Bookey. I’ll leave a link in the show notes at www.mountainnaturepodcast.com/ep059
Bears are driven by their noses and scent posts are visited by one and all as they travel through an area. In some cases, researchers added a bit of extra cologne in the form of bear lure to help attract newcomers to the trees.
Motion activated cameras helped to make sure that every dance was captured but more importantly, the DNA in the form of hair samples.
According to the study, they found 16 grizzlies per thousand square kilometres within the northern part of the region that includes Kananaskis Country. The southern region is still doing well with 12 bears/1,000km2.
So how many bears are calling the Kananaskis home? According to this study, there are approximately 96 individuals with 52 females and 43 males in the northern section and 22 females and 22 males in the south.
Yup! They can get this specific in terms of numbers. DNA doesn’t lie.
Hair samples will continue to be an important way to track bear populations in the future. These results will vary with the local conditions for the bears though.
Grizzlies populations reflect the ecology of the landscape they call home. If food conditions vary due to drought or other conditions, the bears will follow the food. Essentially, over time, results may vary but continued research will help to determine trends in bear movement.
As important as rub trees are, and as much of a traffic hub they form, they’re not a place that the bears hang out. It’s more of a pass by, spend a few minutes saying I’ve been here, and then moving on to leave the tree vacant for the next visitor.
The longest that researchers witnessed bears hanging around the rub trees was 9 minutes. Many bears just spent a few seconds to a few minutes…a quick rub to say they were here and then on their way.
This latest study was good news for Kananaskis Country. While grizzlies are a threatened species in Alberta, Kananaskis Country as a whole seems to be at its carrying capacity for bears.
Along with this good news was the discovery that slightly more than half of the bears were females.
When this happens Kananaskis Country ecologist John Paczkowski said, they encounter more cases of cubs being killed by other bears. It’s nature’s way of regulating their population.
Even as far back as 2009, I witnessed the first documented case of a female grizzly killing the cub of another female. Both of these females are favourite bears in Kananaskis. Bear 94 attacked and fatally injured the cub of Bear 104.
It has always been a puzzle as to why the attack occurred. Perhaps this might lend a clue.
Banff’s population has also remained steady at 13 bears per 1,000 km2.
Grizzlies remain a threatened species, but this is very good news.
Bears are one of the truest symbols of the mountain wilderness. They are one of our most iconic animals. With more and more and more people visiting the parks, we need to keep on trying to educate visitors on the importance of enjoying wildlife safely.
The tourist season is getting ready to kick off once again. Let’s all do our part to keep the bears and the people that want to view them, safe.
David Suzuki Honored by the University of Alberta
One of Canada’s most beloved naturalists, Dr David Suzuki is set to receive an honorary doctorate of science for his years of environmental work. He has been a steady voice for decades on the importance of ecology and been a constant warrior for nature.
This is a story that has opened up a floodgate of introspection among interpreters, guides, naturalists, and scientists. Many of us have been really conflicted about our own personal feelings about this most reverent of Canadian figures.
Dr Suzuki spoke out at times when it wasn’t cool. He never pulled a punch when conservation was on the line. He helped a generation of Canadians to recognize that nature has value. He made us focus on the natural landscape and the importance of keeping it both healthy and intact.
His television program The Nature of Things is seen in more than 40 countries and has focused the world’s attention on the challenges facing our oceans and fisheries, climate change, and clean energy.
He is a member of the Order of Canada, our nation’s highest civilian honour, and placed 5th on a list of the greatest Canadians to ever live.
This impending honour has made many of us come to grips with our conflicting opinions of Dr Suzuki.
I first heard him speak some 20 years ago in Canmore. I booked the tickets months in advance and couldn’t wait for the chance to meet a man that had had a significant impact on my career as a naturalist.
His presentation left me absolutely flat. It wasn’t a presentation as much as it was a rant. It was doom and gloom and government inaction with little prescription for positive actions.
It didn’t make me want to go out and act at all. It seemed that all the actions had already been done. The planet was finished and all that was left was for the multi-nationals to carve up the profits.
I began to realize that we all suffer fatigue when we try to protect something that’s, not just important, but critical to our sense of being. I understood his frustration as ecological understanding seemed to be ignored from the larger political discourse.
I decided to forget the event and remember David as I had imagined him before the presentation. Few people have done so much for the environment, even if just in terms of awareness, as Dr David Suzuki.
Recently, an article in the Calgary Herald by University of Alberta environmental economist Andrew Leach caught my eye, in part because it was shared by another person for whom I have great respect, former Banff National Park Superintendent Kevin Van Tighem.
In the article, Leach outlines why he would never share a stage with Dr Suzuki. Now before I move forward, Andrew Leach is no ordinary economist. He’s the architect of Alberta’s climate change plan.
I know. For some of you, I’ve just lost all credibility…Alberta and climate change policy…what folly is this? For many people in British Columbia at the moment, as wars of words fill the airwaves, Alberta is nothing but an oil-hungry, tar sands purveyor of doom trying to force an unwanted pipeline down the throats of more environmentally friendly B.C.
Forget the fact that our neighbour’s number one export is coal, the current war of words is not moving either province forward. I’m not here to defend either one, but rather to try to understand a part of my challenges with Dr Suzuki.
In this modern world, everything has a value, whether we want it to or not. Natural ecosystems and their processes contribute to the natural world. Intact ecosystems help to protect watersheds by storing water in terms of glaciers, lakes, and aquifers.
Intact ecosystems help to provide connection to the creatures that call it home, allowing them to move between seasonal habitats free from disturbance.
Today, intact ecosystems also help to offer protection in times of changing climates. It also allows ecosystems to change more slowly than already stressed environments where increases in temperature can become the final stressor that causes ecosystem collapse.
Keeping ecosystems intact requires political will. More and more, economists are one of the most important tools helping politicians sell the importance of conservation to a province or a nation that may not see the financial return on investing in ecosystem protection.
Dr Suzuki has, has for years, referred to economics as a form of brain damage. To him, all economists do is find the most efficient way to clear-cut a mountain or farm salmon, nature be damned.
He has gone so far as to call it a “pretend science”. Today, some of the greatest climate warriors are economists. National governments understand numbers, and a well-versed ecological economist that can quantify the risks behind environmental choices can be worth their weight in gold.
Natural ecosystems help to regulate climates and provide resources that were, and are, critical to our modern lives. Critical to these discussions today are the economists! If we agree that nature has value, then just what are those values? Economists that specialize in natural systems help organizations and government to see beyond the quarterly balance sheet and hopefully, make better policy decisions.
Very dear to our heart in the central Rockies has been British Columbia’s choice to end the trophy hunt for grizzly bears. This decision wasn’t just a spur of the moment decision. It was a culmination of huge public outcry, along with economics. Every study of the value of live bears as compared to trophy bears has overwhelmingly supported the ban on hunts.
Economics showed that the viewing of live bears is worth orders of magnitude more than the value of the commercial hunt. It is the work of economists that help to quantify those numbers.
As a nation, we’ve made grand promises as part of the Paris Accords to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. This is no small task. If we can agree that climates are warming and that Canada, and all of its component parts, need to work together to accomplish any goal towards this reduction than we can also agree that it’s a monumental challenge.
These goals can only be accomplished as a nation. Alberta has been working very hard to reduce its emissions and has started a phase-out of coal-burning power plants. Its carbon levy is also a powerful tool to help push the province towards a gradual phase-out of carbon-based fuel sources.
Economists help to show the value of these changes on ecosystems. Bickering between provinces is not going to get the job done. Let’s get it together Canada.