The Vancouver Island Paleontological Society (VIPS) is hosting the 12th B.C. Paleontological Symposium this coming weekend, Aug. 17-20.
The British Columbia Paleontological Alliance sponsors a different society to host the symposium every two years. Fifteen paleontologists from all over North America will speak on the many new species of plants and animals found on Vancouver Island and other areas.
Dr. Richard Hebda, curator of botany and earth history (emeritus) from the Royal BC Museum, will be the keynote speaker and give a presentation on Vancouver Island Refugia during the last ice age.
All 15 presentations will be at the Florence Filberg Centre on Aug. 18 to 19. Also at the Filberg, the evening Paleontological Banquet dinner will take place Aug. 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. The special guest speaker is Ray Troll, artist and paleontologist.
The welcome reception will be held at the Courtenay and District Museum and Paleontological Centre, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 17. The CDMPC is partnering with VIPS for this special paleontological weekend.
The weekend will also include fossil field trips and a fossil preparation workshop. Hear about large fossil ratfish tooth elements, the fossil terrestrial turtle and the bones of a hadrosaur found right here in the Trent River shales.
Hear about the new species of ammonite found on the Brown’s River. Gary Kaiser of the RBCM will talk about a new species of bird, based on bones found from the Sooke area.
This and many other firsts from Vancouver Island will be presented. Visit vips-fossils.com or courtenaymuseum.ca for links to the events.
Registration will be at the Courtenay Museum this week. For more information, call Dan Bowen VIPS chair (250-897-5026) or Gillian Miller CDMPC (250-334-0686 ext. 5)