Back in the mid 90s, what is now called Metro Vancouver began buying up marsh, bog and abandoned farm land along a stretch of the Fraser River in Surrey a little east of the Port Mann Bridge. Eventually they got all the flatland lying north of the Fraser Heights neighbourhood that was bounded by a rail line, close to one thousand acres in all. They called it a park - Surrey Bend Regional Park. But few people knew about it, and it seems those that did, kept that info to themselves. It helped that the train tracks and a moat-like ditch limited access. But it's really quite easy to get into.
It's going to become even easier as various park facilities get built in the next while. But I decided to see what I looks like now and ask the people who currently use it what they think about the changes that are coming. Surrey Bend 
Years ago, an owl living in Stanley Park began to attack a few joggers running along the trails. It would wait until they ran by then swoop down and latch onto their heads before flying off. The bird was quite particular about its targets, choosing mostly women, almost all of whom had pony tails. Experts decided the bird mistook that for a squirrel's tail. Probably, the owl soon learned to distinguish between the two and the attacks ended as suddenly as they began. 
How many times have you looked out the window, saw that it was an absolutely beautiful day, headed out wearing not much more than a t-shirt and shorts, then discovered it was bloody cold out there? I think that's a typical experience for Canadians, our optimism in the face of sunlight often is at odds with the reality. Such was the case the other day when the daytime high was quite a bit lower than normal temperatures. We still enjoyed it, but bundle up, folks. 
I have done a couple of wildlife stories in Squamish over the past couple of years and both involved very good news. The first was two years ago when massive numbers of herring arrived to lay eggs in the estruary, after largely ignoring the area for decades. Much of the credit for the revival was due to the Squamish Riverkeepers, who had worked with industry to wrap creosote soaked pilings in non-toxic fabric so the eggs laid on the pilings could survive. 
We city folk have a strange ambivalence towards wildlife. We like most wild animals so long as they do not view us as dinner (bears and cougars), want to spray us (skunks), live in our attics (racoons and squirrels), bite our kids (coyotes) or poop on us (most any bird). This list of caveats means many people do not like wild animals at all, if they happen to invade our urban environment. But this happens rather regularly and somehow we manage to co-exist with many of the animals I just mentioned. 
Most people like wildlife. Nobody wants a bear or cougar to attack them, but the idea of bears or cougars wandering about in the wilderness is usually a pleasing thought. We like to live in harmony with our fellow creatures. We often travel long distances to see them. 
