History Lesson About Pacific Spirit Park

Walking in Pacific Spirit Park

Several times a week I walk in Pacific Spirit Park, which covers 860 hectares, with 55km of trails, but didn't know much about the history of it until last week. 

Ryan Regier of the Pacific Spirit Park Society gave a talk recently to some neighbourhood residents and I sat in on most of the presentation.

Douglas Fir trees are second growth

He first showed a news video of the park's official opening on April 23, 1989, with then Premier Bill Vander Zalm and his wife Lillian booed by the Musqueam people, who inhabited this land long before Europeans settled in British Columbia, but had no say about the park, let alone its name.

It didn't seem like Vander Zalm thought to consult the Musqueam, or assumed they would use the land to build casinos, and thought he would pre-empt them by declaring the area a provincial park.

As Regier tells it, trees there used to be some of the tallest in the world before settlers came; it's because the Musqueam would only harvest the bark, and then the trees would grow back the bark and become bigger.

However, after the Europeans arrived in the 1850s, they saw the forest and by the 1890s chopped down all the Douglas Fir trees in what is now the park and used the wood to build most of the houses in Vancouver. Those trees were known as the old growth forest, and the ones standing today are called second growth, which are quite tall, but very skinny.

The park covers 860 hectares

An interesting fact is the Musqueam were living in the area for at least 5,000 years, if not up to 8,000 years ago. Camosun Bog gives us a good idea of what happened to the forest because the trees develop pollen, which falls into the bog and kind of like glacier ice, you can analyse what trees existed in the forest over time. How cool is that?

There are still some old growth trees left, but they are standing on the cliff above Wreck Beach, not the best place for them to flourish.

Regier says when the loggers chopped down trees, they would pour kerosene over the blade as a lubricant... not surprisingly it caused many fires in the forest! There was a large forest fire in 1919 that burned one-quarter of the park, and thankfully because of Camosun Bog, it stopped the fire from spreading to the residential area nearby.

The bog used to be quite large, but then when the University of British Columbia was building Sedgewick Library (now Koerner Library), the dirt that was dug up for the below ground library was dumped in Camosun Bog!

There is a group of volunteers called "crazy boggers" who are trying to restore the bog every Saturday  morning for two hours. 

Mostly Douglas Fir in the forest

It's great to see so many people love the park like me (perhaps much more!) and that we have a common goal of preserving it as naturally as possible.

Review: Against the Grain

O'Reilly profiles an array of outstanding trailblazers

Back in October, ad man Terry O'Reilly presented his latest book, Against the Grain: Defiant Giants Who Changed the World at the Vancouver Writers Festival in Granville Island. He is well known among CBC Radio listeners for his show, Under the Influence, where he talks about different aspects of advertising through actual case studies.

Against the Grain profiles 19 people who were trailblazers in their respective fields, and in particular when others either criticised them or scorned them.

There's Gustave Eiffel who was a brilliant engineer and owned his own iron-production factory, but Parisians hated his design for the Eiffel Tower. Nevertheless, he persisted and was smart enough to sell shares to fund the tower as well as take in revenues from entrance fees and from the restaurants and cafes on the structure.

Another is Suzanne Simard, who saw how clear-cutting and planting new trees didn't necessarily mean a new forest would grow back in a healthy way. She discovered that in the forest, there are "mother trees" that other trees depend on for nourishment, and that they communicate with each other through an underground network. Simard also found some tree species have a symbiotic relationship, like the paper birch and Douglas fir. 

However, the forestry industry didn't believe her until her findings were finally published in a peer-reviewed publication. She wrote her first book, Finding the Mother Tree, and has just recently published a follow-up, When the Forest Breathes.

Interestingly O'Reilly includes former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, more for his positive election campaign in 2015. Refusing to do the usual attack ads against his opponent, incumbent Stephen Harper, Trudeau instead offered a more hopeful and optimistic vision if he was in charge and won over a lot of young voters. 

Taylor Swift is also a good choice to profile, though many people under the age of 50 already know all about her. But O'Reilly found her a fascinating business person who genuinely loves her fans and finds ways to interact with them on her terms. 

Some were bused to Swift's home where she made cookies and took pictures with every single one, or made hospital visits, and donated to the food bank of every city she holds a concert in. In addition, following her Eras tour, she gave out millions of dollars worth of bonuses to everyone from the musicians and dancers to the truck drivers hauling all the equipment for the shows.

I enjoyed reading the chapter on Roger Neilson, the former head coach of the Vancouver Canucks in the 1980s. Turns out he was a baseball fanatic more than a hockey one. His interesting obsession was to memorise the rule book and find creative (and sometimes funny) ways to get around them, or use it to call out the opposing team to his advantage. 

The Canucks were in the Stanley Cup finals in 1982 and it was Neilson who inspired fans to wave white towels during the games. I remember that clearly in high school, as a classmate's father was a big Canucks fan and she told us about the white towels.

Against the Grain was written very similar to the way O'Reilly presents his radio show, and when reading the stories, you can almost hear him reading them too. 

However, there are some stories with complicated concepts to explain, like Simard's theories on forests and Katalin Kariko on developing mRNA vaccines that helped protect people against Covid-19, that O'Reilly kind of glosses over their scientific importance. He's good at giving context to advertising giants like Albert D Lasker and Bill Bernbach, but science is O'Reilly's weak spot.

Nevertheless, Against the Grain is a good roundup for fascinating individuals who were determined to follow their instincts or beliefs despite the chorus of criticism against them. In particular Richard Williams' story of manifesting Venus and Serena Williams into champion tennis players even before they were born is a crazy fairy tale that really came true. Definitely an example of someone going against the grain.

Artist Emily Carr's Art in Nature

Only a few of Carr's paintings focus more on the sky than trees

Artist Emily Carr (1871-1945) lived an unconventional life, challenging norms and traditions at the time, and became an artist in her own right. She is best known for her paintings deep in the forest, trees in simplified shapes, but the brushstrokes have a lot of movement and energy.

The Vancouver Art Gallery is showing an extensive assemblage of her work in That Green Ideal: Emily Carr and the Ideal of Nature until November 8 this year.

Wood Interior, 1909

The exhibition shows over 100 works from sketches and charcoal drawings to numerous oil paintings focused on her love of nature and keen interest in Indigenous culture.

There is also a lot of background information about Carr's life. She was born in Victoria, British Columbia in 1871 into a privileged family. Carr was the second-youngest of nine children, her father intent on carrying on English traditions. 

It's surprising to see the exhibition reveal some personal details about Carr, such as when she was around 12 years old her father decided to talk to her about the birds and the bees that completely turned her off from sex... one wonders what he said to her which caused the conversation to have such a profound effect on her for the rest of her life.

Her childhood and life drastically changed when her mother died when Carr was 14 years old in 1886; she believes her father was heartbroken and died two years later. As a result Carr's oldest sister Edith was her guardian.

From a young age Carr showed artistic leanings and her father encouraged her to develop her talent. But it wasn't until two years later in 1890 that she studied art at the California School of Design in San Francisco for three years, then returned to Vancouver Island and then went to England to study painting; she also went to Paris later in her career.

Tree Trunk, 1931

Meeting Lawren Harris of the Group of Seven in 1930 made Carr feel like she was part of a community of painters who had similar philosophies, inspired by nature.

"Find the forms you desire to express your purpose," she wrote in her journal in June 1931. "When you have succeeded in getting them as near as you can to express your idea, never leave them but push further on and on strengthening and emphasising those forms to enclose that green idea or ideal."

Most of the paintings are vertical, showing the height of the trees she painted, admiring their trunks and leaves -- she used a lot of green paint! One painting called Wood Interior, 1909 shows trees at ground level, but with the morning light shining in between the tree trunks. 

Another called Tree Trunk, 1931, focuses on the simplified form of the tree trunk, which looks similar to a Georgia O'Keefe painting in its sensuous curves and earthy palette. 

Only a few works are horizontal, or only show sparse trees, or from a distance and instead focusing on the sky with clouds.

It's such an extensive exhibition, that it is quite an intense Carr retrospective! 

That Green Ideal: Emily Carr and the Ideal of Nature

On until November 8, 2026

Vancouver Art Gallery

Picture of the Day: Bridal Falls

The waterfall has a veil-like effect

We went for a car ride today to Harrison, a two-hour drive from Vancouver. But before we got there, we made a short detour to Bridal Falls, just east of Chilliwack.

To get to the falls, we walked about 10 minutes on winding an incline through the forest, hearing the sound of the water crashing against the rocks get louder. 

When we arrived, it was a beautiful sight, seeing the water fall 60 metres over a smooth rock face, which creates the veil-like effect.

We took pictures from a safe distance, though others ignored the danger sign and climbed on logs and boulders to get closer to the falls.

Picture of the Day: Turkey Tails

Turkey tail mushrooms growing on a log

On my walk in the forest I spotted these circular fungi growing on a log, and they are called trametes versicolor, or more commonly known as turkey tails!

The underside should be white, and I have read they are edible, though they are on the tough side and would need to be cooked a bit longer in liquid. They can also be steamed, grilled or roasted. These fungi apparently have a nutty flavour and chewy texture. 

Another way to eat them is by drying them and grounding them into powder or steeped in hot water to make tea!

Picture of the Day: Magical Light

When the sun hits fog among the trees

Sometimes the forest inspires some amazing photographs and today was one of them.

This morning it was foggy, but with the forecast promising it would be sunny with a high of 10 degrees Celsius.

It was around noon when the sun hit the fog and created exciting lines of sunshine to dramatic effect.

Visiting Capilano Suspension Bridge

Hold on as you walk across the shaky bridge!

With a relative in town I did a very tourist thing today -- we went to Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver. I can't even remember the last time I went, so this was a good refresher with many new features since 2004.

Tickets aren't cheap -- $72.95 for adults plus tax it's $76.60 -- but if you can get downtown, you can catch a free shuttle bus to the tourist landmark.

Stunning views of the bridge at various points

We caught it at the back of Hyatt Regency Vancouver and about 15 minutes later we had arrived -- along with another busload of people.

As we bought tickets in advance, we were able to walk in right away and soon join the relatively short line to cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge.

The bridge was originally built in 1889 and was made of hemp ropes and a deck of cedar planks. It was later replaced with a wire cable bridge in 1903. 

It doesn't look daunting at first, but once you step onto the bridge, held up with steel cables, it's unsettling because the foot bridge sways a bit. You have to at least hold onto the steel cable handrail, and traffic coming from the opposite side also adds complications to the steadiness of the bridge.

My cousin was pretty freaked out and held on for dear life. I just held on with my right hand and clutching my iPhone for dear life. I didn't dare take pictures!

We made it over to the other side of the bridge. and began exploring the massive park that is filled with Douglas Firs, Cedars and Hemlocks. You can hear a few birds here and there, and some running streams. 

We learned a lot about the banana slug today

At the Raptor Ridge, we met three people who had a different bird attached to their left hand glove. They sat there and rested their hand on an arm rest, the bird attached to the glove.

The expert trio fielded people's questions about a Great Horned Owl that is nine years old, and likes to vocalise; a 21-year-old Saker Falcon, and a Bay-Winged Hawk that is used to scare away seagulls from sports venues. They don't live in Capilano but Maple Ridge and come out periodically on rotation with several other predator birds.

We also learned about banana slugs. What? They are yellow slugs with two pairs of antennae, 27,000 teeth, when handled release a numbing agent, and would take 15 hours to slide across the Capilano Suspension Bridge.

There isn't just the bridge, but two other nature walks that take you up into the trees. One is called Treetops Adventure, where you walk along narrow wooden bridges between trees, and another called Cliffwalk, where you walk along a path secured onto the side of a rock face!

By the time we went through the entire park, it was just over two hours. We went through the gift shop which is very big, and sells a bunch of nice stuff including Herschel knapsacks, retro CBC T-shirts, honey and maple syrup products, fudge and ice cream.

Cliffwalk had scenic views too

As we were leaving there was a massive line to get onto the suspension bridge and I got a certificate certifying that I had survived the Capilano Suspension Bridge! A fun souvenir.

We encountered tourists from Taiwan, The UK, South Korea, and United States and luckily we didn't have to wait too long to get onto the shuttle to get back to downtown. 

The logistics of the park was very well managed and most of the staff are cheery and informative. They have an activity booklet for kids, and if you hang around for some informative sessions, you will be rewarded with a sticker or stamp.

Capilano Suspension Bridge

3735 Capilano Road

North Vancouver, BC

604 985 7474

Botany Lesson in the Forest

Murdoch showing off a horsetail

This morning I attended a botany walk at Pacific Spirit Park which started at the park's headquarters, just near the beginning of the 16th Avenue highway. About a dozen of us joined the stroll led by naturalist Dave Murdoch. He's a retired school teacher and admitted right away that he was not a botanist, but taught geography and has done some research on native plants in the forest.

The park on 16th Avenue is not one I have been to so it was nice to explore another part of the forest (sliced up by the highway).

Flowering thimbleberries

Murdoch walked along with two walking poles, which meant the walk would not be too arduous, though most of the participants were keen walkers.

As we wandered along the trails, he would point out interesting facts. Some of them include:

There are around 100 varieties of moss in the park;

Salmonberries always grow near Alder trees because they give off nitrogen, which helps the salmonberries develop. Indigenous people eat salmon with salmonberries. If you peel the bark of Alder trees, underneath it's red, and that is harvested and used as a dye for clothing.

Salal berries are a source of food for First Nations, with lots of Vitamin C. They are also eaten with salmon.

We also saw thimbleberries flowering, and wild blueberries. Will have to look out for the berries later in the summer.

There are also horsetails in the park, long stems with what look like bristle leaves. These plants date back over 100 million years ago because they have been discovered in fossils. Apparently they were used as toothbrushes!

Holes made by birds or animals

Sword fern is the most popular fern species in the park. There are also bracken fern, also widely found here.

Practically all the trees in Pacific Spirit Park are what's called second growth -- the first growth were cut down and new trees planted, which are about 50 to 100 years old. When the first growth trees were cut, they were dragged out of the forest by horses. 

With that, our walk was over in about an hour and 20 minutes. Neat to see there are people willing to show others what they know about the forest! And a beautiful day for a stroll. 

Photo of the Day: Snow in the Forest

Walking in a winter wonderland today

It has been snowing for the past two days and needless to say I've been shovelling each day, struggling to keep up with the deluge of the white stuff!

Students were thrilled to have no school today and stayed at home, making snow angels, or sliding down hills on toboggans, and making snowmen.

A beautiful sight in Pacific Spirit Park

This afternoon I walked to Pacific Spirit Park, expecting to have to tromp through fresh snow, but found that it was somewhat "paved", making it relatively easy to walk. 

I saw people walking their dogs, a cross-country skier, two women jogging(!) and a guy who wore shorts as he ran. His legs looked painfully red. Why try to act so macho when it's zero degrees and snow everywhere?

In any event, it was a magical sight walking along the route and seeing the trees covered in snow -- it almost felt like being on a movie set for Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. 

What's funny about walking in the snow is seeing yellow spots next to tree trunks or posts because dogs have left their marks! 

Picture of the Day: Dogs and their Sticks

A golden retriever carrying a large stick

Just before the rain came down this afternoon I took a walk in Pacific Spirit Park and I have a habit of counting how many dogs I encounter.

Today I managed to time my walk just as many canines and their masters were in the forest too.

He proudly sauntered ahead 

And a handful of these dogs were very proud to carry their sticks -- not twigs, but actual large branches like this golden retriever.

He had no problems carrying it in his mouth and he would saunter ahead of his master and me and then stop and turn around to make sure his owner was walking up before continuing his way ahead of the pack, so to speak.

On the way back I encountered a black shaggy dog that was lying down and resting. In front of him was a massive chunk of wood that looked very heavy and he needed a break from carrying his trophy for his master.

His owner meanwhile, praised him for his hard work and let him rest before continuing on...

Picture of the Day: The Northern Lights Show Again

Ethereal-looking colours in the sky tonight

Tonight we were able to see the northern lights again after seeing them in May.

It turns out there is a severe geomagnetic storm happening these few days and since tonight was clear, I took the opportunity to check it out.

At first I drove to the outskirts of Pacific Spirit Park, a forest that has no lights. But while it was relatively dark, the trees were in the way!

A colleague took this in Scotland

So I drove to a park and even though there was some light pollution, I was still able to get some decent pictures, including some with the moon hovering very low.

The US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center says storm watches this far south are rare, so it's worth trying to see it.

The northern lights are not visible with the naked eye -- you need to use your smartphone or digital camera to be able to see it. People in the UK seem to have more vibrant colours than in Vancouver, or perhaps I need to go to a darker place?

Will try again in the next day or so!

Picture of the Day: Steam Fog in the Forest

Some dramatic scenes in the forest today

This morning it was raining heavily and so I didn't expect to be able to go walking outside.

However, by around 10.30am the skies cleared up to reveal patches of blue and about an hour later I headed out to Pacific Spirit Park.

I walked along a trail that went west and then I turned and went south towards the University of British Columbia. Then I started walking east and then north and that's when I started to see what's called "steam fog", when there is a steam or mist due to the change in temperature and the sun's rays hit is creating a dramatic sight.

The steam fog revealed sun's rays

Only when I saw a person taking pictures of this "steam fog" and the rays hitting the trees that I took my smartphone out to take photos too.

Every few paces I would turn around and marvel at the phenomenon unfolding in front of me and take more pictures.

After a while, perhaps because the temperatures were getting warmer and evened out that the "steam fog" was less pronounced, or perhaps I was in a different area of the park that there were no more dramatic sights.

Nevertheless, I felt extremely lucky to be able to witness such an awe-inspiring scene! 

PIcture of the Day: Forest Bathing

Looking up at these green giants in the forest

Shinrin yoku is the Japanese term for forest bathing, or the process of relaxation. People turn to hobbies, sports, music and exercise.

I do this literally by going into Pacific Spirit Park and letting myself be a tiny person amongst the really tall Douglas Firs.

The trails in this forest host avid runners, hikers and dogs that are arguably the fittest in Vancouver, as they run around this massive playground.

Recently in a bid to appreciate the trees even further, I have begun putting my hand on the tree trunk and looking up to appreciate the tree.

One fun fact is that a large tree can provide a day's supply of oxygen for up to four people!