Vancouver Naturalist_Sept 2011.pdf - Nature Vancouver

Nature Vancouver
Botany Section
Chair: David Cook cookeco2@yahoo.com or 604-924-0147
Botany Nights are held from January through April and
September through November on the third Thursday of each
month at 7:30 p.m. at the Unity Church, 5840 Oak St.,
Vancouver. These programs are open to the public, and
members are encouraged to invite their friends. For more
information and suggestions for future programs please contact
David Cook.
Thursday, September 15
Exciting Trends in Botanical Field Research
in British Columbia
Dr. Terry McIntosh
Terry McIntosh, PhD, plant ecologist and taxonomist, will
give an overview of ‘what’s happening’ in botany these days
in B.C., at least from one person’s perspective. For example,
there are many new discoveries. Many areas in BC have not
been thoroughly inventoried and botanists continue to make
new finds. He will discuss the newest trends in botanical
taxonomy (all those name changes!). He will also address some
of the issues surrounding conservation of rare plant species and
biodiversity-critical habitats.
Ron Long was a professional photographer at Simon Fraser
University for 36 years. Now retired, he travels extensively and
enjoys sharing his experiences and photographs with interested
groups.
Thursday, November 17
Constantine Rafinesque:
The Controversial Titan of American Natural History
Daniel Mosquin
Peppered with Daniel’s photographs of plant species named
by Rafinesque, this presentation will briefly share the story of
this early 19th-century naturalist. Rafinesque was described
as “the only (naturalist) who might clearly be called a titan...
amongst all the naturalists who have ever worked on the
American continent”. A controversial figure, he was shunned
and disregarded by his contemporaries, due in part to both his
eccentricity and his (over)enthusiastic naming and renaming of
plant species and genera. Rafinesque died alone and in poverty,
but his scientific legacy lives on.
Daniel Mosquin is the Research Manager at UBC Botanical
Garden. He frequently travels throughout North America to
photograph plants and landscapes, and has a keen interest in
botanical history.
Thursday, October 20
Some unique plants of southern Oregon
Ron Long
Southern Oregon is not that far from British Columbia in
distance but geologically and botanically it seems much farther.
The unique geology that is found there has allowed an unusual
set of plants to evolve. The British Columbia naturalist finds
many old friends in southern Oregon but also many, often rare,
new species.This talk will look at the familiar and the unfamiliar
aspects of the plants, birds, animals and landscapes of this
fascinating region.
Richard Irving Greyson
May 26, 1932 - July 23, 2011
It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Dick Greyson,
age 79, in Vancouver, after a brief struggle with esophageal cancer.
Dick was pre-deceased by his wife, Dorothy (Auterson), and is survived by his
children Maureen, Peter, John, Philip and Cecilia, his eight grandchildren, his
sister-in-law Maureen Davis and her family, and relations across British Columbia.
In particular, we will miss his wry sense of humour, his great kindness and generosity,
his quiet commitment to social justice, his love of camping with friends and family,
and his fascination with the stars and planets.
Born in Nelson, BC, Dick studied botany at the University of British Columbia and the
University of Oregon, and taught for three decades at the University of Western
Ontario. In 1994, he was awarded the George Lawson Medal from the Canadian
Botanical Association. In this same year, his well-regarded book ‘The Development
of Flowers’ was published by Oxford University Press. A pioneering research scientist
and the author of numerous research articles, he will be greatly missed by his many
colleagues and students, who in 1989 presented him with a plaque inscribed to
“…a teacher and a friend," a tribute to the profound personal connections he
forged with many.
In common with many scientists, he had a great concern with the condition of the
earth and a great love of all things in nature, particularly plants. Throughout his life,
walking in wilderness areas in British Columbia and Ontario with friends and family
was a source of great joy, both for Dick and those with him.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to:
Treasurer, Nature Vancouver, PO Box 3021, Vancouver BC V6B 3X5.
Lunch at Bellevue Prairie, Summer Camp 2011
photo by Daryl Sturdy
Vancouver Naturalist September 2011 7