environmental history – Page 7 – Whistler Museum and Archives Society

Whistler’s Wildfire Past: Alpine Meadows is BurningWhistler’s Wildfire Past: Alpine Meadows is Burning

June 15, 2013 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

The arrival of summer (especially the summer-like weather we are currently enjoying) is universally admired, but with it comes the increased risk of wildfires. Despite our relatively wet climate, fire season is a reality in Whistler. A great deal of our valley has burned within the last century alone.

Throughout this summer we will share a series of stories about the history of wildfires in our region, making use of the remarkable amount of information that has been assembled through the Whistler Forest History Project. Through these stories we hope to provide a better understanding of the active role that wildfires have played in shaping our valley.

All of the wildfires in the Whistler Forest History database. You may notice the absence of the recent high-profile fires on Blackcomb Mountain. Those have not yet been added to the Forest History Database, but we’ll discuss those fires in detail in a future post.

First off, we’ll start with two photos taken by Myrtle Philip that are now in our archives. Looking northward from Rainbow Lodge, the images portray massive columns of smoke billowing up from the lower east flank of Rainbow Mountain, approximately where Alpine Meadows is today.

Alpine Meadows wildfire1 - ACCESS WMA_P86_0688B_Philip

Alpine Meadows wildfire2 - ACCESS WMA_P86_0688B_Philip

Quite the raging fire. As is the case with many of our archival photos, especially our older ones, we have limited information about the image. By the time the Whistler Museum formally acquired the few thousand photographs in the Philip collection in the 1980s, memories were already fading, and only sparse details could be recorded for most acquisitions. We knew this photo was taken from Rainbow Lodge, likely mid-1920s to to 1940s, but that’s about it.

Now that the Forest History Project has compiled a comprehensive database of virtually every large forest disturbance (logging, wildfires, urbanization and other development, etc), using a combination of historical aerial survey photographs, Forest Service records, and other archival research, we have the opportunity to get a bit more of the story behind the photos.

The database isn’t 100% complete, but it’s virtually certain that a wildfire as large as appears in the above photos was not missed. Plotting only the wildfires in the database into Google Earth, then zooming in on the Alpine Meadows region, we get this:

Wildfire history of the Alpine Meadows area since 1914.

Judging by the Rainbow Lodge buildings in the photo, as well as the location of the smoke, it’s probably not the 1920 fire (burning roughly on the flats where Mons and Nicklaus North lie today). That leaves 1940 or 1943 as possible dates for the photos.

So we’ve managed to add a bit more background info for some archival images, but more interestingly, those are pretty massive fires, right where Whistler’s largest residential neighbourhood sits today! The 1940 fire in particular covers more than 3 square kilometres of terrain, encompassing the entirety of Alpine Meadows and Rainbow.

It is easy to take for granted the protection we are afforded by a modern wildfire management service, but these images demonstrate just how common large fires such as these would be in this valley without human intervention.

In future wildfire-related blog posts we’ll look at the effects of lightning strikes in triggering fires, and recount the massive 1919 Cheakamus Canyon fire (the massive brown splotch near the bottom of the first image) that took out several PGE railway bridges, leaving Rainbow Lodge isolated for several months before they were re-built.

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FYI: As of Friday afternoon our wildfire hazard rating is 3 out of 5, or “moderate.” A moderate rating is characterized as “forest fuels are drying and there is an increased risk of surface fires starting. Carry out any forest activities with caution.”

Practically speaking, this means that there no major changes to restrictions on outdoor fires (these come at level 4, “high”), but the risk of human-caused wildfires spreading out of control is certainly present. Our current wildfire danger rating can be found on the BC Wildfire Management Branch’s website (on this comprehensive list for the coastal fire section, Whistler’s rating is listed under “Blackcomb Base”).

Whistler’s Environmental History part 3: Olympic AmbitionsWhistler’s Environmental History part 3: Olympic Ambitions

April 6, 2013 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

Around the same time that environmental activists were fighting to save old-growth forest in the upper Elaho Valley, AWARE’s leadership was fighting its own battle to bring some sort of focus and coherence to the organization. According to a June 15, 2000 article in the Pique, at one AWARE meeting more than 50 different environmental issues that had been raised as concerns by members. Voting was undertaken to identify key priorities, with resolving the Elaho conflict, continuing to protect Whistler’s wetland, and further involvement in regional land-management processes identified as key concerns. More than anything it seems, core members wanted the group to return to its pro-active roots, offering solutions (like recycling) rather than simply identifying problems.

A few years later, as with everything in Whistler, things got a little sidetracked by a little announcement in July 2003. Once again, AWARE’s organizational strategies were forced to respond to broad changes in Whistler’s economic and political landscape. With the coming of the Olympics, and the potential for major infrastructure expansion yet again, AWARE set about ensuring any development was as environmentally sound as possible, while leveraging the push for Olympic legacies to get more important habitat set aside.

The cover of a multi-page pamphlet promoting Olympics-related wilderness conservation, produced by AWARE.

These efforts led to major protected areas in the upper Callaghan and Soo Valley. Today, while opinions on the overall Olympic Legacy are mixed, in his recent Speaker Series Ken had this to say:

Now, in a post-Olympic Whistler, AWARE has returned its focus to wetlands conservation (for example, the Zen Lands), old-growth forests and logging, and education.

On this last point, the Whistler Museum is excited to announce a new partner program with AWARE to help disseminate environmental ideas and discussion throughout the community. Starting Wednesday May 1st, and continuing the first Wednesday of every second month after that, we will be hosting “Green Talks.” These will be evening presentations on any and all environmentally themed topics. The first Green Talks will be all about growing food in Whistler: what to plant for our wet, mountain climate, how to grow it, and how to eat it!

Green Talks will provide the Whistler community with an excellent opportunity to stay informed of the latest environmental news and initiatives, meet like-minded environmental enthusiasts, get involved in important one of Whistler’s longest-standing community organizations, and, of course, hang out at the Whistler Museum! Stay tuned for more details soon.

This is just the latest initiative in a 25-year run for AWARE, making Whistler a greener, healthier, and happier place. We hope to see you there! For more info on AWARE, check out awarewhistler.org

Bringing the environment into the mainstream: Ken Melamed, AWARE in the 1990sBringing the environment into the mainstream: Ken Melamed, AWARE in the 1990s

March 23, 2013 Whistler Museum 3 Comments

Last week we wrote a post about the early history of local environmental group AWARE (Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment). We wrote the piece, in part, to promote this month’s Speaker Series featuring long-time environmentalist, former AWARE president, and former Whistler mayor Ken Melamed. Well, last Wednesday Ken delivered some great insights into the history of local environmental movements in the Whistler Valley, so we’ll follow up with some more AWARE history.

One of the great things about Ken’s talk was the broad perspective he brought and his insights into the political processes that informed the development of the Whistler Valley over the years. As a dedicated grassroots environmentalist and a successful politician, he was able to provide excellent context for why specific project and initiatives went forward while others were stopped.

First, let’s go to Ken, and hear his explanation of one of the key turning points in our valley’s environmental history in the early 1990s:

One lesson he made very clear in the question and discussion session at the end of the night, was “It is always better to be at the table.” What he meant by this was, though it might entail challenging and discouraging compromise, you can always have more influence when you are involved in top-level discussions. Once Ken was elected to municipal council in 1996, he could be far more effective in trying to ensure environmental protection went hand-in-hand with the valley’s continued development.

One such victory was the protection of the Emerald Forest in 1997. Ken expressed disappointment with the compromise which led to some development of the sensitive wetlands, and feels that they could have gone into the development bargaining more aggressively than they did, he still is proud of the fact that only a few acres of the roughly 140-acre parcel were developed. If the original plan to develop the entire area had gone through, Ken asserted, “it would have been an environmental catastrophe.”

As Ken and council started to get serious about habitat conservation and putting intelligent controls on rampant development, AWARE became entangled in its most contentious campaign to date. The story is too long, twisted, and involving to fully recount here, but essentially, major protests sprung up in opposition to the logging of newly discovered old-growth stands in the upper Elaho Valley. Some of the Douglas Firs were estimated at 1300 years old! The activists (from both AWARE and the Western Canada Wilderness Committee) were dedicated to preserving these ancient stands, but some of the loggers were just as dedicated to doing their jobs. Things turned ugly, and violent clashes at logging road blockades actually led to jail time for some of the worst perpetrators. Despite the ugliness (perhaps, in part, because of it), today, the old-growth stands are protected, as well as recognized as a Squamish Nation Wild Spirit Place.

For a more detailed account of the story, read local biologist Bob Brett’s take on the Elaho Old Growth forests from June 2000.

At the same time, AWARE was becoming stretched too thin by the Elaho campaign, and numerous other interests that its membership was pursuing. It was time to take stock of the situation…

AWARE.: definitely not a WASTEAWARE.: definitely not a WASTE

March 16, 2013 Whistler Museum 2 Comments

With Ken Melamed’s upcoming speaker series on the history of habitat conservation in the Whistler Valley, we figured it was an opportune time to look into the history of AWARE (Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment) the local environmental advocacy group that Ken played a formative role in during the 1990s.

AWARE’s origins could not be any more grassroots; in October 1988 Michelle Bush (still in Whistler today, best known as a Village Host and as a stage actor/performing artist) was ankle deep in junk mail at the post office, and couldn’t believe that pristine BC forests were being cut down just to create this waste. Instead of shrugging it off, Michelle placed a classified ad inviting anyone and everyone who was similarly fed up.

Roughly 15 people showed up at Citta’s that autumn day to talk about the lack of recycling in Whistler, and to figure out a solution. They realized pretty quickly that they were going to need a name for their fledgling group. Two witty acronyms were considered: “Whistler Association to Save The Environment” had a nice ring to it, but the acronym WASTE was too negative sounding, so they opted for AWARE.

Fitzsimmons Creek is one of several important habitat areas in the Whistler Valley, protected thanks to AWARE's environmental advocacy. Bob Brett photo. — Fitzsimmons Creek is one of several important habitat areas in the Whistler Valley, protected thanks to AWARE’s environmental advocacy. Bob Brett photo.

An Earth Day fundraiser was organized for that April (a band named Zumac headlined) and the money raised went towards a municipal waste management study. It took some effort convincing the more “old school” administrators at muni hall, but, with the help of now-retired municipal official Cliff Jennings (who was part of the original AWARE group but had to back out due to conflict of interest with his muni position), Whistler’s first municipal recycling system came on board through the early 1990s.

In 1990 Ken Melamed became AWARE’s president, and with the success of its recycling campaign, the organization’s focus shifted to habitat conservation. Coinciding with North American economic recovery starting in the late 1980s, this period saw another boom cycle of development in the valley. Vancouver-based Intrawest entered the Whistler scene, Upper Village was built, and development proposals were expanding throughout the valley.

And thus, AWARE took it upon themselves to act as stewards of our valley’s important wildlife habitat and sensitive ecosystems. It was these prominent environmental campaigns that helped lead Ken (and others) into an even more prominent role in local politics as a councillor and later mayor. But we’ll let Ken tell that part of the story.

Make sure to pick up tickets before this sells event out, it promises to be a compelling and informative presentation. We’ll check back in next Saturday with a recap of Ken’s talk, and we’ll continue this story with some of AWARE’s more recent work.

When: Wednesday, March 20th; Doors at 6pm, show 7pm-9pm
Where: Whistler Museum
Who: 19+
Cost: $7 regular price, $5 for museum members

To purchase tickets (seating is limited), call the Whistler Museum at 604.932.2019, or visit us at 4333 Main Street, just behind the library.

There will be a cash bar featuring the Whistler Brewing Company and Jackson Triggs Wines, as well as complimentary coffee served courtesy of the Whistler Roasting Company and teas from Namasthé.

Tag: environmental history

Whistler’s Wildfire Past: Alpine Meadows is BurningWhistler’s Wildfire Past: Alpine Meadows is Burning

Whistler’s Environmental History part 3: Olympic AmbitionsWhistler’s Environmental History part 3: Olympic Ambitions

Bringing the environment into the mainstream: Ken Melamed, AWARE in the 1990sBringing the environment into the mainstream: Ken Melamed, AWARE in the 1990s

AWARE.: definitely not a WASTEAWARE.: definitely not a WASTE