Western Tiger Swallowtail frolics in the flowers Photo by kc dyer. Seeing more butterflies, bees and other pollinators around lately? You can thank the hard-working Butterflyway Rangers for promoting the growth of indigenous plants in gardens around the Village. Want to encourage more pollinators in your garden? Reach out to local Butterflyway Rangers Val Morton and Hana Boye on their Facebook page HERE. This Western Tiger Swallowtail was spotted on June 6, frolicking on the

Bear pauses in Sunday sunshine to allow fans a photograph Photo by Norma Rodgers, May 31, 2026. Spot a bear? Make sure you report the sighting to Lions Bay Bear Smart. While you're there, take a look around the site to learn all the tips and tricks for keeping bear encounters positive and conflict-free. The Watershed values your opinion. Share your thoughts below, or email editor@lionsbaywatershed.ca Like what you're reading? For as little as $5/month, you can support local

Local residents return to find unexpected new tenants When Lions Bay residents Trevor Hoffmann and Bobo Zhao recently returned from a work trip, they were met by a unexpected group of gate crashers. A window that had been left cracked open to offer a little air circulation while they were away proved to be an invitation to an uninvited visitor with homemaking plans of her own. All photos by Trevor Hoffmann. A nest, complete with four perfectly positioned eggs, had been neatly

Wishing a lovely long weekend to all Watershed readers A Lions Bay rhododendron offers a glorious display. Photo by kc dyer. The Watershed welcomes your thoughts. Leave your comments below, or email us at editor@lionsbaywatershed.ca Like what you're reading? For as little as $5/month, you can support local independent journalism by subscribing to The Watershed HERE.

Our power, our planet What you do matters. The daily actions of communities, educators, workers, and families helps sustain and give momentum to environmental progress, according to the organizers of Earth Day. The international celebration of this planet and its fragile environment has taken place every April 22 since 1970. This year, organizers chose the theme 'Our Power, Our Planet' to remind people that environmental progress doesn’t depend on any single administration or

Andrea Bradshaw: Hummingbird whisperer? Hummers enjoy a nosh at one of three Bradshaw feeders. Photo by Andrea Bradshaw, April 14, 2026. The return of spring means the local hummingbird population is out in force. And nowhere more so than in the Bradshaw/Wuetherick garden. Andrea Bradshaw has been feeding the local hummingbird population for four years, year round. She says she's careful about consistent feeding over the winter when the resident birds have no other natural fo

How will you mark International Dark Sky Week? A global celebration of the night sky began Monday with International Dark Sky Week. Held annually during the week of the new moon in April to allow for best possible viewing of the night sky, the event started in 2003 when American high-school student Jennifer Barlow launched an initiative to get people to reduce unnecessary outdoor lighting and reconnect with the night sky. Today, organizers note that dark nights "sustain criti

Organizers hoping many hands will make light work photo by kc dyer Val Morton wants your help making the Village entrance (even more) beautiful. She and Hana Boye are hoping to corral a large group of volunteers on Sunday, April 19 to remove all the ivy around the Lions Bay sign beside the steps leading to the underpass along Lions Bay Avenue. "It's important that the native plants that will be used in the entrance garden are planted relatively soon so they can take full adva

(...And they're hungry) BC Conservation Officer removes bear trap from Village on April 2, 2026. Photo by Norma Rodgers. It's that time of year again. With the return of our ursine neighbours, it's also time to lock in those good habits to help protect the local wildlife. A year ago, former Mayor Douglas Miller shared his thoughts on keeping bear traps out of Lions Bay. Nothing has changed since then. Bears wake up hungry after their winter hibernation, and their excellent se

Captured by the crew of Artemis II Photo courtesy Canadian Space Agency. Do you have a beautiful photo to share? Email us at editor@lionsbaywatershed.ca Like what you're reading? For as little as $5/month, you can support local independent journalism by subscribing to The Watershed HERE.

photo by kc dyer Watershed subscribers can expect the March digest in their email boxes this weekend. Not a subscriber yet? Follow the link below. Happy Easter! Have a beautiful photo to share ? Email us at editor@lionsbaywatershed.ca Like what you're reading? For as little as $5/month, you can support local independent journalism by subscribing to The Watershed HERE.

Welcoming April on the West Coast The United Nations marked World Water Day on March 22 as a celebration of water and gender equality — and what better way to bring that home than this gorgeous shot of Átl 'ḵa7tsem/ Howe Sound? The photo was taken by Lions Bay resident, hiker and photographer Chris Dunn from high above the Village, atop Sleepless Night trail. Later this month, the health of this body of water will become the focus as Lions Bay hosts the annual Howe Sound C

Is it a problem? BC Nature wants your thoughts It's the bane of hikers and city pedestrians alike — dog waste in your path, or worse, in the treads of your shoe. Increasingly, both on local streets and on trails through the woods, the waste is neatly bagged up, but still left behind. BC Nature is currently investigating public concerns regarding dog waste (both bagged and 'au natural') that is being left along trails, parks, and natural areas. They are asking for public feed

Weather didn't dampen spirits Wet but undaunted volunteers at the Fire Hall ivy pull. Photo by Val Morton. The Village garden group's latest Ivy Pull this past St. Patrick's Day Sunday was a major success, in spite of the waterlogged weather. Organizer Val Morton says that seven volunteers, plus Public Works stalwart Andrew Smethurst braved the atmospheric river conditions, and filled the back of a large Works truck with invasive ivy in just one hour. "It was a very good morn

Indigenous plants make everything better Editor's note: Butterflyway Rangers and gardeners Hana Boye and Val Morton offer these follow-up suggestions to last week's article on native species garden planning. Common Invasive Plants in Lions Bay, BC A few examples of invasive groundcover, berries, shrubs and trees found in the Village. Story and photos by Hana Boye and Val Morton Promoting native plants and other organisms With spring almost here, there are a number of things w

Blood moon once again obscured by cloud To make up for this week's non-appearance of the total eclipse of the moon above our heads, photographer Herb Johnston shares this shot of the gorgeous moonset over Howe Sound, taken at 6:20 a.m. on March 2, 2026. Photo by Herb Johnston. The Watershed welcomes your thoughts. Leave your comments below, or email us at editor@lionsbaywatershed.ca Like what you're reading? For as little as $5/month, you can support local independent jou

Anna's Hummingbirds already at work Photo of Anna's Hummingbird was taken in Lions Bay by Danielle Wills. Many residents know to avoid tree work during the songbird nesting season (mid-March – late August), but did you know our official Village bird, the Anna’s Hummingbird, is already nesting? By now the Anna’s mamas have eggs the size of jelly beans or even miniscule nestlings. Their toonie-sized homes are carefully engineered in shrubs and trees from plant fibres, spider we

Springtime (and butterflies!) just around the corner Story by Val Morton and Hana Boye Photo courtesy of Hana Boye and Val Morton. News about declining biodiversity can feel overwhelming; the problems and challenges too big for any one person to tackle. To change that perspective, Douglas Tallamy, a professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, promotes the idea of creating "Homegrown National Parks" by "renaturing" the backyard

Climate Action Committee member John Robb breaks it down Aerial photo of Lions Bay by David Butler. Editor's note: At the February 17 meeting, Council approved a recommendation from the Climate Action Committee to complete a Natural Asset Inventory, a concept discussed at the January 27 Committee of the Whole meeting. CAC member John Robb breaks down the details of all such an inventory entails here. Story by John Robb Lions Bay has provincial Local Government Climate Action

Great Backyard Bird Count Returns tomorrow Your backyard, window, or office counts: this Friday, become a scientist by joining the Great Backyard Bird Count ! This year’s annual global count takes place from February 13 – 16. By participating, you support researchers who track bird populations, document declines, observe the impacts of climate change, identify disease outbreaks and more. Research results inform conservation strategies to support struggling bird populations. A