A special event at the Whyte Museum next Tuesday (April 25), will mark the 50th anniversary of Bow Valley Naturalists.
The group first met in March of 1967, and BVN has been going strong ever since. Fifty years is a long time for any small organization to survive and this is especially true for one that has always been totally volunteer-run.
The anniversary will be marked by an open house from 7 to 9 p.m., so people can come and go as they please. There will be food and drinks (cash bar), and a short program for tributes (around 8 p.m.).
A slide show celebrating BVN’s past will be running in the background among some small displays scattered about the room. Brief tours into the Whyte’s Archives will be available to see the vast collection that documents BVN’s history. These records document environmental advocacy and education that traces the path of the development of the Bow Valley and the evolution of its natural history over the past 50 years.
BVN hopes the evening will be mostly left to socializing and be “a night to remember” according to the organization’s president Peter Duck.
“It is intended to be a night to reminisce about all that BVN has been involved in over five decades, as well as a memorable night for catching up with old friends, and perhaps meeting new ones. We hope many guests will share their BVN memories with us by email, or jot some quick notes in the anniversary guest book during the evening.”
Over the years BVN has been involved in countless planning processes regarding protected areas, writing briefs and attending meetings regarding development pressures in the valley, plus taking the time to experience and learn more about our natural environment.
Besides the monthly winter program, BVN hosts various natural history related projects, such as the annual Banff-Canmore Christmas Bird Counts and its online HELS (High Elevation Local Species) wildlife sightings project. The website (bowvalleynaturalists.org) is a great way to learn about this long established group.
