This post has been contributed by Ben Hill, Communications Volunteer with the Stanley Park Ecology Society (“SPES”).
Seasonal Symbiosis in Stanley Park
The festive season is often referred to as the season of giving. These days giving gifts is a way to show how much we care for friends and family, but in earlier eras winter festivals and the sharing of food prepared people to survive the harsh conditions.
The plants and animals of Stanley Park don’t wrap their gifts or decorate them with ribbon, but healthy ecosystems also rely on giving. In nature, though, these relationships usually provide benefits for both parties.
Pollination is one of the most important of these symbiotic relationships. When you see hummingbirds or bees clustered around a flower feeding, they aren’t getting a free meal. They pick up pollen from the flowers and deliver it to a different bloom as they flit from flower to flower. While flowers are long gone, there are still many ways that plants and animals rely on each other during the winter months.
Some berry bushes like the common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) continue to fruit during the winter. This makes them a vital source of food for small birds and animals when other plants are barren. The plants get benefit from this too as the seeds from the berries aren’t digested and so get spread across the forest. Squirrels are famous for preparing for winter by burying caches of food, particularly nuts that they can dig up. Although researchers have found that grey squirrels can remember the location of these food stores, many nuts remain buried which helps the new growth of trees.
Being outside of breeding season, also has its advantages. Not having to care for young or defend a territory means more opportunities to be part of a group. Birds like sparrows, finches, kinglets and even woodpeckers often flock together in winter to make feeding more efficient and safer. Because these species are adapted to feed differently – for example pine siskins and crossbills eat the seeds from pine cones, while kinglets take insects from pine needles – it keeps competition to a minimum.
For other animals, the colder weather means sharing space with the extended family. It’s not quite Christmas dinner with the in-laws, but mammals like the tiny deer mouse and the skunk will make communal dens to provide extra warmth in winter, although they aren’t social in breeding season. Even racoons will share dens during particularly harsh weather. So while this may be the season of giving for us, sharing resources is what makes the natural world tick.
About SPES Saturday
As a member of the Stanley Park Ecology Society (“SPES”), I wanted to offer the organization an opportunity to share their news, events, and work so I created the “SPES Series” years ago. This is where SPES can contribute and share stories with my audience once a month. Follow SPES on Facebook for more information.
Christmas Shoppers on Granville, boarding the Victoria bus.
© City of Vancouver
Vancouver Archives #CVA 293-088.
Photographer: William Edgar Knowles Middleton.
The festive tress have been lit and Santa Claus has arrived, by way of parade, to local shopping centres and attractions, so now is the time to check out some great holiday events attractions around Metro Vancouver. Check out a full list of free activities, along with the Vancouver weekend event list below.
Miss604 is proud to sponsor the following featured attractions: Lights at Lafarge, Burnaby Village Museum Heritage Christmas, and the VanDusen Botanical Garden’s Festival of Lights.
Things to do in Vancouver This Weekend
Events that run for longer than three days in a row are highlighted in green.
Friday, December 8, 2017
Party in the Plaza, Jim Deva Plaza
The Dark 80s with Odonis Odonis (TO), Chasms + Wire Spine
Arts Umbrella: Mock Auditions
A Very Merry Fringemas
Seniors Christmas Dining Out Series
A Victorian Christmas
The Pack A.D. with Gang Signs, Dopey’s Robe
Oh Man! at Havana Theatre
Cindy Wilson (The B-52s) at the Railway Stage & Beer Cafe
Sponsored by Miss604: Burnaby Village Museum Heritage Christmas
Sponsored by Miss604: Lights at Lafarge Lake in Coquitlam
Sponsored by Miss604: VanDusen Botanical Garden’s Festival of Lights
Make It! Vancouver
Ongoing Attractions
Vancouver Christmas Market
GLOW Christmas at Milner Village Garden Centre
Christmas at Canada Place
Christmas at FlyOver Canada
Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain
Park & Tilford Hi-Light Festival
Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge
Theatre This Season
The Nutcracker at Surrey Arts Centre
How Star Wars Saved My Life
Bah Humbug!
Vancouver TheatreSports: Christmas Queen 4 Secret Santa
The Arts Club Presents: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
The Arts Club Presents: The Day Before Christmas
The Arts Club Presents: Onegin
East Van Panto: Snow White & the Seven Dwarves
Gateway Theatre: A Christmas Carol
Pacific Theatre: Almost, Maine
Little Dickens: The Daisy Theatre Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
Heading to Coquitlam’s Lights at Lafarge winter light display? Whether you’re planning a family outing, date night or get-together with friends, here are eight ways to add to your night out.
8 Ways to Enjoy a Night Out in Coquitlam
All of these options are within a short walking distance from the display or a short zip by SkyTrain.
Get a hot drink
Warm up those hands and add some rocket fuel to your legs. Just a short walk from Lafarge Lake-Douglas SkyTrain station, you’ll find Caffé Divano at 3003 Burlington Dr., Papparoti at 1196 Pinetree Way, and Him and I Café at 1153 The High St. Also, a concession stand is available on the north end of Lafarge Lake from 4:30pm to 9:00pm, Wednesdays to Sundays.
Treat yourself
Got kids? See their eyes light up when you walk through the door of Snowy Village on Pinetree, which specializes in shaved ice desserts. Other delicious options close by include Miracle Belgian Waffle at 2950 Glen Dr. and Clever Cupcakes at 2985 Northern Ave. near Coquitlam Centre.
Shop ’til you drop
Get a jump on your Christmas shopping at Coquitlam Centre, which is a 10-minute walk from the lights display, or one stop on SkyTrain (at Lincoln Station). Ho, ho, ho – Santa is on location until Christmas Eve! Also nearby is Henderson Mall (at Pinetree and Lincoln), which specializes in Asian stores and restaurants, as well as Little Planet Kids Café. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
Broadway Across Canada presents Motown the Musical at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, it is the true American dream story of Motown founder Berry Gordy’s journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and so many more.
Motown the Musical in Vancouver
When: February 6 – 11, 2018
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre (650 Hamilton St, Vancouver)
Motown shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all move to the same beat. Featuring more than 40 classic hits such as “My Girl” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” Motown the Musical tells the story behind the hits as Diana, Smokey, Berry and the whole Motown family fight against the odds to create the soundtrack of change in America.
Kai Calhoun as Michael Jackson with the Jackson 5 in Motown the Musical © Joan Marcus, 2017
Motown is a registered trademark of UMG recordings, Inc.
General Tickets
Work Light Productions and Broadway Across Canada, are proud to announce that single tickets will go on sale Monday, December 11, 2017 at 10:00am. Ticket prices begin at $30.50. To purchase tickets, visit Ticketmaster online or call 1-855-985-5000. Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling 1-800-889-8457.
Pre-Sale Code & Link
This pre-sale link will be ONLY available Friday, December 8, 2017 from 10:00am until Sunday, December 10, 2017 at 10:00pm. The code to use is SONGS.
Follow Broadway Across Canada on Twitter and Facebook for more information about their shows coming to Vancouver for 2017-2018.
