April 28 - Predicting the future with tiny pieces of the past

Good morning !

Did you see the full moon this week? It was especially noticeable over the water along the Dallas Road coastline. If you caught a photo, you can email it to us and we may include it in the newsletter next week!

But first, we lead off today’s edition with a crop of good news for your Sunday read.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌧️ 12 / 5

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 12 / 2

Tuesday: 🌦️ 12 / 3

7-day forecast

NEWS

Marine fossils offer insight into climate change, UVic study says

UVic scientists are using the past to predict the future. A paper published in Nature by UVic micropaleontologist Andy Fraass and a team of international scientists shows how ocean fossil records offer a glimpse into major climate events and mass extinctions. 

The study looks specifically at the fossils of marine plankton, which provide a complete overview of ancient biological changes through time. Using existing fossil records, researchers were able to map ocean ecosystems and structures all the way back to the death of the dinosaurs.

Fraass said the study proves that a key to understanding our current climate change lies in the years before industrialization.

“We need to work out what community structure looked like before human-caused climate change, and what has happened since, to do a better job at predicting what will happen in the future.”

One time of note in the study was the Eocene epoch, roughly 30 million years ago, when the climate reached high temperatures similar to today’s worst-case scenarios for global warming. Plankton during this time moved to higher latitudes, reducing the variety of plankton in tropical regions, suggesting that biodiversity suffered in these areas.

This could be an indicator of the serious ecological changes in store for nations along the equator, where nearly one-third of the world’s population lives. Adam Woodhouse, the paper’s co-lead, called the info “not great news.”

Having focussed strictly on a class called planktonic foraminifera, the researchers plan to expand their study to include other groups of plankton, in the hopes they can further build out the puzzle to make sense of climate change.

“This is the real utility of geology,” said Fraas. “Geology lets us see the planet’s past, providing glimpses at potential futures—futures we should try to avoid.”

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Weather this week: Sun & rain, shifting to sun & cloud.

Duncan hit-and-run vehicle found, RCMP say.

Apply for Victoria Music Strategy grant funding here.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Artist illustrates everyday life in Victoria in new book

It’s the time of year when folks all around town are trying to capture the perfect photos of the city in bloom. But this month also brings us a new book that captured the city’s beauty in a different, slower way. Hand Drawn Victoria emerged out of illustrator Emma FitzGerald’s year-and-a-half getting to know the city by wandering its streets and drawing what she saw.

FitzGerald had visited Victoria only briefly, as a child, but after the success of her Hand Drawn Halifax and Vancouver books she decided to make this the next place to immerse herself in and draw. Her seemingly bad timing—March 2020, at the start of the pandemic—turned out to be a chance to see a quieter, more local Victoria.

“I think it helped me see more of the community and of what life is like for local people in Victoria,” she told Capital Daily, “which was actually perfect for the book because the focus isn’t so much the tourist destinations, it’s more the everyday fabric.”

In 15 months, FitzGerald made it her mission to get to know the communities that make up Victoria, walking around the city past sidewalk vegetable stands, little free libraries, and save-the-trees signs.

Capital Daily talked to her shortly after she completed her stay here—read the full interview here.

NEWS

The volunteer gardeners growing food in a growing city

In the fast-growing Westshore, a group of residents have planted an idea for how to keep communities fed and happy. The Colwood Garden Society formed in 2017 to establish a community garden, then created 16 garden plots in 2018 and has now expanded to 64. Most are rented out, but two are still tended directly by the volunteers, with the harvest sent to a market-style food bank in Langford.

Read more about the volunteers, their work with elementary schools, their next new garden, and the benefits of community gardens in general, at the Westshore.

SPONSORED BY SPROUT FAMILY HEALTH

Wonderful healthcare for families is here 

Imagine a new kind of healthcare experience. Warm, welcoming, and designed for families. A person on the other end of the line when you have a question. And a specialized team with big hearts and big brains. Sprout is focused on prevention and longevity instead of just reactive illness care.

Sprout’s health navigator is your guide (and a registered nurse on speed dial). The Nurse Practitioners concentrate on proactive care. And their physical, functional, and mental health specialists will support you and your family to thrive in every domain of health. 

In-person, over the phone, or virtual appointments that are never rushed. Extras like developmental milestone checks and an annual Dexa body composition scan. It’s wonderful care for families.

The Sprout team will see you now. 

⭐️ Capital Picks

🌲“A living skyscraper”: Photographing the climb up the largest tree in the Carmanah Valley. 

🏡 Now selling! Rowhomes at Royal Bay with suites and no strata fees. Discover the advantages of buying at presale prices. Register today!*

🥕 Farmers market season begins: Check out Tasting Victoria’s guide to farmers markets across the city—many return at the start of May. 

🌊 Join COAST and Canada’s Ocean Supercluster in Victoria on May 6 for a Networking Mixer. Connect with marine professionals and innovators. Register here.*

🤝 Now hiring: Account Executive at Capital Daily

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

24-hour vegan burger drive-thru coming to downtown
Victoria, recently named Canada’s best city for vegans, will soon welcome vegan fast food chain Odd Burger. [Tasting Victoria]

Coming soon: First changes to Gulf Islands’ guiding policy in 30 years
The Islands Trust governance body has been working on an updated Policy Statement—to address issues such as climate change, housing, and reconciliation—since 2019. In May it will use its newly added, less-formal, and larger “Committee of the Whole” meeting format to get trustees’ first public impressions. [Driftwood]

Victoria Grizzlies’ season ends in BCHL second round
The local club went up 2-1 in the series but gave up three straight games to the high-octane offence of the Surrey Eagles, culminating in Sat.’s 7-3 loss. Young star Chase Pirtle made the All-Rookie team and is tied for 5th in playoff scoring; graduating Luc Pelletier of Courtenay is top 10.

Island water bomber will retire to Arizona
The Phillipine Mars was donated to the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, AZ by Port Alberni’s Coulson Aviation. There are only 5 of that type ever made; Coulson recently donated one other to Sidney’s BC Aviation Museum. [Release]

🗓️ Things to do

🌾 Khalsa Day parade and celebration: The Island’s largest Vaisakhi celebration is happening from 10:30am–2pm today. Check out the parade route and celebration details. 

🎸 Save a Bread: The Thunes, Robby & the Radicals, and Christian Petersen will perform at Victoria Event Centre. Today. 7:30pm.

🪈 Zakir Hussain Trio: The legendary Indian percussionist will be joined by bansuri flautist Debopriya Chatterjee and sarangi player Sabir Khan at the Royal Theatre. Today. 7:30pm.

🎙️ La Lune: The Vancouver-based band will perform at Capital Ballroom for the release of its first EP Disparity. Today.

📖 The Flame: Deborah Williams’s two day storytelling workshop at Belfry Theatre continues today, 10am-4pm.

🎭 Metamorphosis A Healing Journey: Multi-media performance including dance, music visual art, and lived experiences at Dave Dunnet Community Theatre. Today. 2-3:30pm.

🐶 Paw Patrol Live!: This interactive show at Save On Foods Memorial Centre brings the Nickelodeon series to life. Today. 11am and 3pm.

🖼️ SPAC Spring Show: View and shop paintings, sculptures, pottery, and more at Mary Winspear Centre. Today. 10am-4pm.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Princess Anne’s Victoria visit itinerary released. [Capital Daily]

Orca escapes at last: Brave Little Hunter finally exits lagoon. [Sat. newsletter]

Friday news: Gorge dock expanding. Superheroes help local kids. A year later, evacuated tower residents still lack answers. [Newsletter]

Meat recall due to possible Listeria contamination. [CFIA]

That’s it!

If you like what we do and want to support it, you can become a Capital Daily member here and get some perks and local deals.