April 7 - Our swamps are carbon all-stars, study says

Good morning !

With Canada officially cautioning residents about travel to the US, border issues are becoming even tenser.

More on that below, but first we cover a study shedding new light on local swamps—one that emerged out of a massive international collaboration between researchers and stakeholders in BC, the US West Coast, and Mexico.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌧 12 / 6

Tomorrow: 🌧 12 / 6

Wednesday: ⛅ 14 / 7

7-day forecast

NEWS

Island tidal swamps are major carbon sinks, study finds

A collaborative Canada-US-Mexico study digging into forested tidal swamps in the Pacific Northwest, including on the Island, determined that the swamps provide "high carbon bang for your buck."

Some 1,300 coastal sediment samples from up and down the coast were analyzed as part of research into how coastal ecosystems (e.g. mangroves, marshes, mudflats, swamps) lock away organics (e.g. leaves) in low-oxygen conditions as "blue carbon."

Woody wetlands are upstream from coastal estuaries and shorelines, but still affected by ocean tides, and contain tangles of shrubs, grasses, and trees such as Sitka spruce. They can trap about 9M tonnes of carbon per hectare—as much as would be burned by 2M cars in a year.

Woody wetlands also don't produce as much methane (another major warming gas) as their peers. But they aren’t as widespread across the coast, and many have been destroyed by logging or development. Researchers next want to map out where exactly these wetlands persist or could be restored.

The study also found that, despite not storing carbon as effectively as tidal swamps, tidal mudflats and eelgrass meadows also help a lot due to covering a wider area.

This work is being done under the Pacific Northwest Blue Carbon Working Group, which researches coastal carbon storage and consists of an international collection of scientists, conservation leaders, habitat restoration groups, carbon offset market experts, land managers, and government staff.

Read more about the group, and about the swamp research, in the full story at Capital Daily.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Some sun expected later this week after rainy start.

Downtown paving tentative schedule:

• Blanshard is one-laned today to Thurs.

• Fort / View / Yates closed at Blanshard 7am-7pm today & Weds.

• Johnson / Pandora closed at Yates 7am-7pm Tues. & Thurs.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Canada warns about border travel, as BC-to-WA visits keep declining

The updated federal travel advice now warns Canadians to “expect scrutiny” from US officials with “significant” discretion including the ability to search electronics without a warrant. These powers aren't new, but they are increasingly relevant amid ramped up border scrutiny and public anxiety around it.

Phone searches a growing concern amid troubling border stories

Border guards looked into the devices of fewer than 1 in every 1,000 travellers from the Canadian side last year. 

But experts including Victoria-based immigration lawyer David Aujla say there is real concern about border guards using anti-Trump content on phones—rather than typical evidence of crime—as reason for further searches. He told the Times Colonist he recommends not even bringing a phone to the US, and other experts recommend data wipes (after moving files to cloud storage) before crossing. 

There have been a number of recent high-profile stories that have made Canadians wary of the US border. Actor and marketer Jasmine Mooney recently described her 11 days in a concrete cell in ICE custody, saying it was “so disgusting what goes on in there."

UK tourist details 19 days detained in US on way to Vancouver

After Canadian officials turned her around, saying that agreeing to do chores at a host's house required a work visa, graphic artist Rebecca Burke was kept with 103 others in ICE detention. Now back in the UK, she told The Guardian about her time in the prison-like for-profit centre. She drew portraits for many of the women she met there—many of whom, she says, were taken despite having valid visas & permits.

One of them, a Romanian tourist, said she was detained at the BC-Washington Peace Arch after getting onto the wrong side of the park while taking selfies.

US rally supports BC travellers as numbers plunge

That Peace Arch park was on Saturday the site of a group of Americans rallying to say they support their neighbours and “never want to see these gates close”—a reference to the monument’s inscription.

The number of crossings of BC-plated vehicles has plunged by nearly half in March 2025 vs. last March.

FOOD

8 food tours to check out in Greater Victoria this spring

The days are longer and the weather is warming up. We'll even get some sun this week, if the forecast holds.

Spring is the perfect time to step outside and indulge in a culinary adventure. Whether you're a foodie looking for hidden gems or a visitor to Victoria eager to experience different flavours, food tours offer an immersive way to taste the best of local cuisine. Although a “food tour” may seem like a tour intended for visitors, it is a unique way for locals to experience the city.

Check out Tasting Victoria's list of springtime food tours, featuring donuts, wine, hidden gems, and pub crawls by group pedal bike and by pickle boat.

⭐️ Capital Picks

👀 J Pod orcas spotted by ferry riders near Pender. [Facebook photos]

🌷 Spring is upon us. Have Shield Landscaping come out and clean up your garden. They can do all the weeding so you can relax.*

🤝 Now hiring: Payroll & accounting officer at The Truffles Group.

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Mayfair owner wants to buy multiple Bay stores
Chinese billionaire Wihong Liu also owns Tsawwassen Mills and Nanaimo's Woodgrove mall, which like Mayfair have Bay stores as core tenants. She said on RedNote that she wants to "restore the Bay to its glory days" as a way to do something for Canada after moving here a decade ago. [CHEK]

East Islanders reject borrowing money for Ravensong aquatic centre expansion
A referendum for the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) to borrow up to $30M to expand the 30-year-old Qualicum Beach facility failed, 2,877 to 4,487 in preliminary results. The RDN will now weigh funding the project through taxes vs. abandoning it—and its $7M federal grant. [Nanaimo News Now] This vote comes two months after a Victoria referendum approved borrowing up to $169M to build a new Crystal Pool.

A suspect was arrested over last week's Cybertruck keying, police say
The Tesla owner had posted a video of someone scratching the car last Monday, and sent it to police; the vehicles automatically take footage when someone is close by.

CFB Esquimalt sailor arranges surprise marriage proposal while on deployment
When HMCS Ottawa left for a six-month deployment last fall, Scott Coulson took a ring aboard. He then flew his now-fiancée—an old high-school friend he reconnected with in recent years—to Japan for Christmas break so he could propose while they walked across a bridge in a Japanese garden. [CTV]

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🗓️ Things to do

🐮 Highland Spring Cow Paint Night: Create a portrait of a cute cow tonight at Six Mile Pub. [Info]​

🧠 Trivia Monday at 5th Street Bar & Grill: Test your knowledge and grab a bite. 7:40pm today. Free to play. [Event]

🐇 Free family photos with the Easter Bunny: The Easter Bunny is eggs-cited to see you at his newly constructed Cozy Carrot Cottage in Centre Court. Westshore Town Centre. April 11-19. [Info]

📜 The new poets laureate give their first official readings this Thursday. [Event]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Sunday news: Ex-councillor wins byelection. Taxi driver wins $1M lottery. 1K locals rally. 6 under-the-radar cafes. What's on this week. [April 6]

Saturday: Local senior co-organizes “Elbows Up" rally. Candidates for Esquimalt byelection. New step for Victoria OCP. Royals win series. [April 5]

Taxi driver wins $1M in lotto; he and wife will retire. [BCLC]

Victoria Grizzlies hold 2-0 series lead over Coquitlam.

Harbour seal in the harbour (likely place for it to be). [VanIsleWildlife]

Beached ghost shark rescued by beachgoer. [Facebook photos/ story]

Give your input on Victoria's Industry, Arts, and Innovation District and the future of Rock Bay. [Survey]

Ottawa's Parliament Hill was locked down on Sat. after a man barricaded himself inside a section and, police say, threatened property damage. [CP24]

Jays sign Guerrero Jr. to 14 years, $500M—second-largest MLB contract ever. [Sportsnet]