EcoLogic Monthly #80

July 2026

Welcome to the 80th EcoLogic staff newsletter! All archived newsletters can be accessed here!

Health & Safety

Update from Safety Officer Wade:

Hello Everyone,

There was one reported near miss.

IR and Investigation_2026.07.09.NM 0310-01 Helicopter Cargo Hatch.

After the helicopter picked us up the pilot said that one of the rear cargo hatches was not properly secured after he dropped us off. No concern or damage from the incident but was potential safety issue of the door opened during flight.

Review of Procedure > EcoLogic 27.0 Helicopter Safety Guide. Safety on the ground. Ensure gear is secure and there are no loose items (maps, IDs, flagging tape, clothing, etc.) that can be blown around and cause damage to the helicopter.

And you may have noticed the weekly wildfire updates to help keep everyone aware of the developing situations and some of the resources available to learn more.

Stay safe out there.

July Safety Drill

The July Safety Drill is on Wildfire Preparedness and Evacuations. Please complete by July 31st.

Workplace Inspections and Worker Assessments

August’s safety drill is Workplace Inspections. There have been updates to the existing form and more are coming to include home office space also. Stay tuned for more.

Worker Assessments have been rolling in. Thank you Sara, Jason, Jamie, Alice, Natasha, Martin, Scott, Evan, and Danielle. If you haven’t already this year, please remember to conduct Workplace Inspections and Worker Assessments.‍

Reminder

Wade’s parental leave will occur one eek per month. Scheduled for the third week of the month until September. For any safety concerns, please email safety@ecologicconsultants.com

-Wade and the Joint Occupational Health and Safety (JOHS) Team

Celebrations!

Happy Birthday to…

Natasha Bush - July 16

Happy Company Anniversary to…

Mark Thompson - 7 year (July 2)

Celebrating Summer

Field Hockey Masters World Cup

Jason writes -

The FIFA World Cup was exciting, but the important tournament is about to start! EcoLogic has sponsored Colleen and her Team Canada teammates to participate in the 2026 Field Hockey Masters World Cup. This will be Colleen’s fourth time representing Canada on the pitch, following Barcelona in 2018, Hong Kong in 2019, and Auckland in 2024. Here the team poses for a photo after their final practice before heading off to the tournament. The team consists of 18 players from across Canada and they will be representing their nation and age division (Over 60) in Brasschaat, Belgium, August 6-16, 2026, against 13 other international teams. Their first match is August 7 against England, followed by matches against Wales, Belgium and Argentina in their pool play. To check their progress at the tournament, follow along here: https://worldmastershockey.org/wmhevents/2026-wct3-brasschaat/

Propagation Station

Alice has been having fun propagating a variety of native plants from seed collected around Prince George and in the field. It has been great observing their growth habits and the diversity of pollinators and other invertebrates they support. Alice lives near the Nechako River and the soil at her house is very silty. There are many ornamentals that have been suffering, but many of the native plants have been doing very well. For species needing better drainage, Alice has been planting them in pots using soils that suit their needs. However, she is doing a bit of experimentation to “push their boundaries” to see how it changes their growth and survival. Below, are some photos and notes of her successes:

**Heartleaf arnica (*Arnica cordifolia*)**

Currently mild-mannered but hoping for it to spread into a lovely carpet over the years

Lanceleaf arnica (*Arnica lanceolata*

Long-lasting yellow blooms! A bit gangly but will look great when other plants fill in to give it more support.

**Tall woodbeauty (*Drymocallis arguta*)**

This species was momentarily part of the Site C rare plant translocation program. Alice helped Eagle Cap consulting collect some specimens from the Prince George area to support confirming their range on the west side of the rockies. Elegant blooms and upright! Might consider planting in tighter clusters in the future or planting with something else to visually “close the gap” between basal leaves and inflorescences. It has been growing well in the silt and has been surviving in better draining soils (at her parent’s house). I find they become more robust with more sun exposure.

**Yellow monkey flower (*Erythranthe guttata*)**

Such a fun plant! Has been easy to grow from seed, and fast-growing. Plus, their papery husks that hold the developing seeds are beautiful in their own right. I might let them self-seed, but that also might be a mistake. We shall see. The bumblebees love them.

With intentions of creating a pollinator heaven, I may have created a pollinator hell by accident…but crab spider’s gotta eat too. See below for crab spiders and their victims:

Pretending to be part of the flower, and ready to strike!

Crab spiders are quick to drain the life force! They paralyze their victims, then inject enzymes into the wound to turn their innards into a tasty soup. The next day, the bumblebee was gone, and the crab spider was ready for its next meal.

A different crab spider with a different victim.

They’re into moths too, apparently. It’s amazing the size of prey they can take down.

Arctic Dreams

Alice and Sara embarked on the first journey to Nunavut of the season in early July for the INP hydroelectric project northeast of Iqaluit. They were met with surprisingly very sunny and hot days (a stark difference from what the crews might be experiencing now), but at least the strong winds kept the bugs down. They made the most of their limited helicopter time to service (and sometimes re-build) the wildlife cameras and conduct some bird nest surveys for drill pads. It was our first time looking for bird nests in boulder fields…an interesting challenge! But they were up for the challenge and fueled by the camp’s all-you-can-eat chocolate bars. Some memorable moments included trying raw caribou meat (with soy sauce) and going for an intentional swim in the river after a hot day (cold plunge x 1 billion).

Out of the plentiful gaps in boulders, snow bunting chose to nest in this one.

Placed deep in the crevice, was this nest full of snow bunting fledglings. Follow the adults with food!

Took a boat to some sites when the helicopter was occupied. The view from our hike out!

NNC summer student, Cassidy on the giant motorized canoe.

A “Cari-butt” of “Cari-booty”, as known in the science community.

Wildlife on the North Shore!

Michelle shared some great photos of local wildlife, photographed by her friend, Ana María Zúñiga!

Michelle also shared a video of a river otter mom and three adorable babies! (click the underlined text to view).

News in Ecology

Have you heard of Jimothy the Raccoon? This weird little guy lives in Seattle and likely has a condition similar to short spine syndrome seen in dogs. Despite his funny shape, he appears to be healthy and have no issues with mobility or pain. His survival is likely due to his mom’s excellent care. Jimothy has an honorary degree from the University of Washington, recognition by the Seattle City Council and his own Wikipedia page. The person who named him stated that "He just looked like a Jimothy to me."