Ralph Shaw
This column was inspired by an uplifting evening we had at the Courtenay and District Fish and Game Protective Association (C&DFGPA) annual banquet and fundraiser.
They had every means they could think of to raise cash from the participants in aid of conservation. It was done without undue pressure and everybody I spoke to had a great evening.
The theme of the fundraiser as printed in the program was as follows: "Conservation - A Huge Job - and we're willing to take it on."
The program information page went on to list many conservation projects the club had been involved with since 1937 right up to the present. They include: spawning gravel for cutthroat trout in Blue Grouse Lake, Trent River rearing channel for coho, re-habitation work on Morrison Creek, re-establish the coho run in the Trent River over a 25-year period, working with Ministry of Environment in capturing and relocation of Roosevelt elk on Vancouver Island and elsewhere over a 36-year period – plus many others too numerous to list in this space.
These kinds of conservation projects cost money – lots of it – hence the need for conservation fundraising events by many conservation-minded groups throughout the years. The challenges are ongoing, and just as we step up to the plate for our many health-related fundraising events it is also important that we continue to meet our conservation challenges.
We are beginning to see the effects of climate change on many fronts that will impact our use of the planet's renewable resources. At times I have heard it expressed that the conservation projects of fish and game clubs are motivated by self-interest. While we do have some self-interest, our conservation projects have many positive spin-offs that help other species in the ecosystem beyond the target species in any given project.
In support of the evening, over 200 businesses and individuals donated items for auction, raffles or draw prizes. The spread of individual prizes was enormous – from trips around the world to local treats such as restaurant meals, weekends in local spas, and so forth.
No better example of the spin-offs of conservation exercises by this group is the picture of one of the raffle prizes my daughter Lynnea Ross won in the in the Pack Sack Raffle. It was a gift certificate from Woofy's Pet Foods that we converted into two large bags of bird seed for our feeding station. It is a simple illustration that conservation knows no boundaries. A heartfelt "thank you" to all the people who donated their time, services, gifts, cash and participation to make this conservation fund raising event such a huge success.
The C&DFGPA banquet is a local affair run by members of the club and their supporters. On a per capita basis it is less costly and therefore more appealing to folks who may not have really deep pockets, but are still committed to conservation causes. I particularly noted the large number of young people in the crowd who were actively participating in the events, winning some great prizes and having a really good time in the process.
Wild game treats are an integral part of fish and game banquets and this one was generously supplied with a wide range of smoked and cured game and fish treats supplied by the members and prepared by Hack Snack – thank-you to all who gave generously of the bounty from the past season.
In case you wondered the prawns were purchased for the event from a local supplier. To Lorna Bridges and her crew, Colin Daye the auctioneer, and Richard Heyer the musician – gold standard contributions to the evening are the materials that bond us in a common purpose to making the evening such an outstanding success. (For those who got carried away with celebration the club supplied free rides home by taxi).
The next fundraiser event is the annual Ducks Unlimited Fundraiser Auction and Banquet on March 12 at the Filberg Centre. If you wonder what they do with their funds look at the fields in the centre of our community that are filled with swans, geese, ducks and opportunistic eagles.
The challenges of meeting the needs of our wild neighbours will continue to grow and if you doubt this, ask a gardener about the challenges our bees face.
Ralph Shaw is a master fly fisherman who was awarded the Order of Canada in 1984 for his conservation efforts. In 20 years of writing a column in the Comox Valley Record it has won several awards.