They thought we wouldn't notice them slip this in during the long weekend ‼️ As Canada burns, the federal gov wants to designate the proposed west coast oil pipeline as a "project of national interest"—allowing it to sidestep critical environmental laws & assessments. Feedback is being accepted now.

A case of Mini-me DOGE. The Carney government has been firing scientists and researchers. Now they are asking some of them to come back to help figure things out. We risk a great deal in losing research expertise in agriculture, climate, fisheries/oceans. www.nationalobserver.com/2026/07/31/n...

Feds ask fired scientists to advise on Canada's future research

Officials at Canada's agriculture department are asking scientists who were abruptly fired earlier this year to help the agency decide its future research goals, Canada's National Observer has found.

nationalobserver.com

Had a beautiful (but mucky) day of salvaging/transplanting floating wetland plants with kʷikʷəƛ̓əm Nation today. The rhizomes of yellow pond lily (Nuphar polysepala) always blow my mind.

To those not familiar with the Fraser Delta, here are the tidal marshes of Roberts Bank, located next to the proposed terminus of the proposed Carney-Smith pipeline.

if i won the lottery i wouldn’t tell anyone, but there would be signs

Time lapse of the encroaching Fraser River Plume at Campbell Bay, Mayne Island.

Environmental assessment in Canada is broken. The mine escapes assessment through a loophole (below minimum capacity) but once approved can exceed that capacity without further assessment. And it's only getting worse under Carney. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

B.C. court to allow Rossland magnesium mine to proceed without environmental assessment certificate | CBC News

The Record Ridge mine near Rossland, B.C., is set to go ahead without an environmental assessment certificate, with a B.C. Supreme Court judge rejecting a lawsuit calling for more scrutiny filed by lo...

cbc.ca

Congrats to my lab colleague Megan Winand on her recent publication – a timely one considering our province and country's desire to push major infrastructure projects while devaluing conservation.

B.C. moves millions of amphibians for development, but researchers say their survival isn't tracked | CBC News

Millions of amphibians and reptiles are displaced and relocated from their habitats because of development projects in B.C., according to a new study. But researchers say there’s no monitoring require...

cbc.ca

Amy Angert and I are recruiting 2 temporary field technicians to assist with demographic surveys across the range of scarlet monkeyflower in California and Oregon. Perfect for recent graduates who are considering applying for grad school. Apply here: jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/231.... Please share!

A bucket list and lessons learned paper -short title Levings, C. D., & Macdonald, J. S. (2026). Historical case study of a transfer experiment that demonstrated the importance of the estuarine ecosystem for the survival of Chinook salmon . Journal of Fish Biology, 1–16. doi.org/10.1111/jfb....

Myself and a number of Liber Ero Postdoctoral Fellows recently wrote about how massive cuts and lay-offs in federal science in Canada are super concerning due to their lack of clear strategy or transparency. Thinking of the govt scientists who have lost their jobs www.hilltimes.com/2026/05/28/c...

Canada’s nature strategy needs science and transparency, not spending cuts - The Hill Times

Protecting biodiversity requires more than targets on paper. It depends on sustained investment in three pillars of scientific capacity: long-term monitoring, scientific expertise and recovery infrast...

hilltimes.com

Was a pleasure to support Raincoast Conservation Foundation with this important work in the Middle Arm.

Raincoast Conservation Foundation@raincoast.org · 3mo ago

Using big tools for small salmon... Get a closer look at our marsh restoration projects in the Lower Fraser River. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b6P...

More money to oil, pipelines, policing, and AI. More cuts to important science that protects Canadians. “Experts say Canada’s radars were already 15 years behind the capabilities of those in the U.S.”

Weather experts concerned about public safety as Environment Canada disbands radar research team | CBC News

From hail sizes to wind speeds, weather radars help Environment and Climate Change Canada track storms and issue public warnings. But the organization has recently disbanded its radar research team. M...

cbc.ca

Fascinating to visit Jardin des Plantes (perhaps my new favourite garden) and see so many species highlighted that have naturalized or are invasive back home. Phragmites, Iris, Lycopus, and Myriophyllum to name a few!

Introducing * READMEBuilder * A shiny app that helps users build a high quality README to upload along with their data and code. Just install the package and run the build_readme() function to launch the app! github.com/EIvimeyCook/... Comments and suggestions welcome!

This is the CAT 450, a crew transport vessel used by Woodfibre LNG that runs from Sea Island to Squamish. My understanding is that the Environmental Assessment for the Woodfibre project included a wake assessment for Howe Sound, but not the Fraser River. How!?

Got some help today cleaning and downloading data from my barometric sensors. A future wetland scientist perhaps?

Saw a group of these mysterious organisms floating in brackish riverine conditions yesterday. Very Cnidarian-like, ranging from 3–8 cm diameter. Anyone have a clue what this is?

Are you involved in the environmental sector? How many colleagues do you know purely by their email sign-off, or a small thumbnail in a zoom meeting? It’s time we changed that. youtube.com/shorts/am0b-... The Confluence, happening April 24th at the Fraser River Discovery Centre.

Upcoming event: Raincoast's The Confluence

YouTube video by Raincoast Conservation Foundation

youtube.com

Our mini-documentary on our new process-based marsh creation pilot project is now online! Thanks to Fernando Lessa for the fantastic footage 📽️.

Process-Based Marsh Establishment Pilot Project, a new chapter for the Fraser River Estuary

YouTube video by Ducks Unlimited Canada

youtube.com

Images of the now-completed Tilbury Process-based Marsh Establishment Pilot Project in the Fraser Estuary. 350 m of low-tech dams, 2000 donor marsh plantings, 10 goose exclosures, and > 300 volunteer hours. Now comes the fun part – monitoring!

New Research Alert: www.nationalobserver.com/2026/03/20/n...

Conservationists ask: Will Ontarians spend $7 a year to save 88 species?

Nearly all species at risk in southern Ontario could vanish by 2050. A cost analysis of how to save them suggests the decline could be reversed if every Ontarian pitched in $7 a year.

nationalobserver.com

Abstracts are due this Friday for the upcoming Pacific Estuarine Research Society annual meeting held from April 23–25 in Newport Oregon. If you haven't attended before, these meetings are a great place to meet west coast/estuarine researchers and practitioners! pers-cerf.org/pers-2026/

It's been a wild few weeks overseeing the construction of an experimental marsh creation project in the Fraser River Estuary. This project aims to accelerate accretionary processes, encouraging the river to build a marsh for us. We are testing exclosures, planting, and different low-tech structures.

So sorry to hear that Rufus Guitar Shop is closing after more than 40 years. The number of music stores in Greater Vancouver is dwindling, yet they are irreplaceable in providing repairs, expertise, and a place to sit and try things. A reminder to support local businesses wherever possible!

Come work with us! We are seeking a tenure-track botanist, preferably in the areas of non-vascular, systematics, physiology or cell. Happy to answer questions. unbc.njoyn.com/CL/xweb/xweb... 🧪🌱 #botany

From IRES's Milind Kandlikar and @drdavidboyd.bsky.social : It is not too late for Carney to pivot, and redirect federal support from the industries of yesterday to the industries of tomorrow. vancouversun.com/opinion/op-e...

Opinion: A 'Build Canada' plan for the 21st (not 20th) century

Opinion: As a clean energy powerhouse thanks to renewable energy and critical minerals, we could create hundreds of thousands of jobs

vancouversun.com

There is no greater remedy for a desk-bound, stir-crazy me than a walk in the Fraser Estuary. Even on a January evening during an atmospheric river.

In an effort to make my desk time more healthy, I have come across this free, intuitive, and extremely helpful little desktop app. Would highly recommend if you need something to remind you to take a break now and then! breaktimer.app

Thanks Ucluelet - a much-needed breath of fresh air.