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Filed daily from Victoria. See you at 7.

Hand-drawn panorama of Victoria's Inner Harbour — lighthouse and cherry blossom on the left, a ferry on the water, Parliament and the park on the right.
Issue 1,276 · Friday, July 17, 2026PrivacyTermsEthics© Capital Daily Media Ltd. Victoria, BC
The newsroom · By topic

Environment.

Recent environment coverage from the newsroom — newest first.

All🏛️Civic & council🏠Housing🚌Transit🌲Environment🏥Health🚨Public safety🎓Education💼Business🍽️Food & drink🎭Arts & culture🏅Sport🤝Community

Latest

Climate experts: El Niño won’t affect Island weather this summer, but a warmer winter is coming

The impact of the incoming El Niño won't be apparent on the BC Coast until the end of the year.

Robyn Bell·Wednesday, June 3, 2026·5 min read

🌲Events

Ocean Week events happening in Greater Victoria this week

From family-friendly festivals to educational talks, find new ways to discover our blue backyard.

Robyn Bell·Wednesday, May 27, 2026
·
7 min

🌲Travel

Tourists chasing a viral BC beach are blowing tires on remote logging roads

Many visitors are arriving in low-clearance cars or rentals that are not allowed on service roads, or vehicles equipped only with temporary spare tires.

Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada's National Observer·Sunday, May 24, 2026·10 min

🌲Climate Change

Climate experts: the Island’s early heatwave was notable, but not a major cause for concern

It’s too soon to say whether this spring heatwave will lead to summer droughts and increased fire risk, says BC Wildfire Service

Robyn Bell·Tuesday, May 5, 2026·4 min

With Stanley Park to the left, a Sea Vancouver zodiac heads toward Vancouver's iconic Lions Gate Bridge. Photo: Sea Vancouver

🌲News

Sea Vancouver Like Never Before

A tour of Vancouver’s waterways showcases what makes the West Coast city one of the most beautiful in the world.

Prince of Whales·Wednesday, April 8, 2026·3 min

Volunteers collect invasive English ivy at UVic. Photo: GVGT

🌲News

Nature cleanups: good for the forest, great for your brain

It sure is easy to feel that giving back to nature can create some seriously positive vibes.

Mark Brennae·Monday, April 6, 2026·2 min

A cyclist cruises by the Ucluelet Petro Canada as the price of regular gas hit 191.9 cents per litre on March 14, 2026. Two days later, it went up again to 197.9. Photo: Nora O'Malley / Ha-Shilth-Sa

🌲News

Conflict in the Middle East underlines trend to shift away from fossil fuels, says climate change expert

As gas prices rise across the Island, experts say relying on a fossil-fuel economy is becoming increasingly risky.

Nora O'Malley, Local Journalism Initiative, Ha-Shilth-Sa·Sunday, March 22, 2026·4 min

Bleached tissue of the intertidal sea cabbage kelp at Ogden Point in Victoria during the heat dome. Photo: Brian Timmer / UVic

🌲News

UVic-led study highlights the species hit hardest by the 2021 heat dome

Nearly all Bay mussels in BC were killed off during the weeklong event, but sea lettuce thrived.

Robyn Bell·Sunday, March 15, 2026·3 min

A bat afflicted with white-nose syndrome. Photo: US Fish & Wildlife Service

🌲News

A fungus that could wipe out Island bat colonies detected in Metro Vancouver

White-nose syndrome has devastated bat populations throughout North America—and it's inching closer to the Island.

Robyn Bell·Tuesday, March 10, 2026·3 min

Split-rail fencing can be seen on the left, where the new page-wire fencing begins. Photo courtesy CRD DOGG Society.

🌲News

Saanich mayor condemns vandalism at PKOLS Mount Douglas Park

“We want people to continue to be able to exercise their dogs, but the alternative may be to have dogs on-leash only, which nobody wants.” — Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock

Mark Brennae, Local Journalism Initiative·Friday, March 6, 2026·3 min

Photo: Malahat Skywalk

🌲News

A Year of Coastal Forest Wonder

Some memberships collect dust; this one collects views.

Malahat Skywalk·Sunday, March 1, 2026·2 min

A Garry oak meadow at Fort Rodd Hill. Photo: Robyn Bell / Capital Daily

🌲News

Native plant seeds from critically endangered Garry Oak ecosystems to be preserved

Seeds from the meadowlands will be preserved in the event of an environmental disaster.

Hope Lompe, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder·Thursday, January 22, 2026·3 min

Photo: James MacDonald / Capital Daily

🌲News

Victoria council wants BC marine strategy to become law

Council voted unanimously, directing Mayor Alto to write a letter urging the province to codify its strategy.

Robyn Bell·Thursday, January 8, 2026·2 min
🌲EnvironmentVisual brief

Environment

Independent review of CleanBC highlights financial benefits of sustainability

CD

🌲News

Independent review of CleanBC highlights financial benefits of sustainability

The report found the province's investment in LNG projects could cost more down the line.

Robyn Bell·Tuesday, November 25, 2025·3 min

J63 seen breaching. Photo: Center for Whale Research

🌲News

New Southern Resident orca census confirms population growth remains stunted

Researchers say urgent conservation policies must be enacted to save the unique population.

Robyn Bell·Monday, October 13, 2025·3 min

🌲News

Mount Underwood wildfire threatens to wash out Bamfield's summer season

August is an important money-making month for Bamfield businesses. But smoke and power outages from the nearby fire have left its tourism industry high and dry.

Rochelle Baker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada's National Observer·Tuesday, August 19, 2025·4 min

Bev Agur has been cutting the invasive Scotch broom since 2010 with Broombusters. She is now the contact for Comox Valley’s arm of the organization. Photo courtesy of Bev Agur.

🌲News

Scotch broom increases wildfire risk. What can we do about it?

Scotch broom has been ravaging Vancouver Island since the 19th century. Its high oil content could feed the flames of wildfires.

Madeline Dunnett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Discourse·Sunday, August 17, 2025·7 min

Ucluelet homeowner Brandon Halvorson stands beside the dog door a bear used to enter his house around July 17 or 18. (Submitted photo)

🌲News

‘Reverse Goldilocks’: Black bear enters Ucluelet home through dog door

The bear tested each room and consumed hundreds of dollars of food—and weed.

Nora O'Malley, Local Journalism Initiative, Ha-Shilth-Sa·Thursday, August 14, 2025·5 min

Kayakers soak up a tropical paddle in the Broken Group Islands on July 12. Photo: Nora O'Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

🌲News

Algae bloom turns coastal waters off Vancouver Island tropical blue

The turquoise blue waters are so bright you can see them from space.

Nora O'Malley, Local Journalism Initiative, Ha-Shilth-Sa·Tuesday, July 29, 2025·3 min

A mola mola, a tropical fish found in warm waters, was found washed up in Bamfield. Photo: Kristina Tietjen / UVic

🌲News

UVic releases groundbreaking study on the cost of the 2014-2016 marine heat wave

The Blob reshaped how ecosystems in the Pacific Ocean functioned—and climate change makes it likelier that these extreme weather events will return

Robyn Bell·Wednesday, July 23, 2025·5 min

Comox volunteer Heather Thomson tracks the bat colony living in a rural farm property. Photo: Dave Flawse / The Discourse

🌲News

Signals in the dark: How Comox Valley volunteers monitor bats against a devastating disease

Citizen scientists are keeping track of the Island's bat population—and have their eyes peeled for signs of white-nose syndrome.

Dave Flawse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Discourse·Monday, July 14, 2025·5 min

Orcas have been recorded around the world sharing food, including Bigg's killer whales near the Island, but Southern Resident killer whales are unlikely to give a meal to people. Photo: Center for Whale Research.

🌲News

Orcas sharing prey with humans may be their way of learning about us

Scientists studied two decades of interactions where orcas appeared to share food with people.

Robyn Bell·Thursday, July 3, 2025·5 min

2155 Dowler Place Access Hub. Photo: Robyn Bell / Capital Daily

🌲News

Victoria mayor apologizes for Dowler Place rollout

Mayor Alto says the access hub has helped 75 people so far, but North Park residents previously criticized the lack community engagement

Robyn Bell·Wednesday, June 11, 2025·4 min
🌲EnvironmentVisual brief

Environment

UVic study: understanding kelp forests could be key to Canada's net-zero emissions goal

CD

🌲News

UVic study: understanding kelp forests could be key to Canada's net-zero emissions goal

Early research suggests Canada's kelp forests can capture a combined 40K-400K tonnes of carbon each year.

Robyn Bell·Thursday, June 5, 2025·4 min
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