[BCMA] The Aliens Are Invading a Museum Near You

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

[cid:image001.png at 01CBF516.3C0C0F20]


For Immediate Release

April 5, 2011


The Aliens Are Invading a Museum Near You

VICTORIA, BC - The Royal BC Museum’s popular exhibition Aliens Among Us is about to invade a local museum near you.

The exhibition, which aims to educate British Columbians about the growing threat of alien species in our natural environment, will visit nine community museums throughout British Columbia from
May 2011 to December 2013.

“We want to get British Columbians talking about this important issue, and thinking about what each of us can do to prevent invasive species from further damaging our environment,” said Pauline Rafferty, CEO of the Royal BC Museum.

The exhibition tour will also include community visits by Royal BC Museum curators.  They will host community presentations about alien species and discuss practical things people can do right in their own backyards to help limit introduction and spread.

Aliens are not just figments of Steven Spielberg’s imagination, the lovable long-necked extraterrestrial trying to go home.  In fact, many are not liked at all, having made B.C. their new home often to the detriment of native wildlife and plants.

“There are over 4,000 alien species in our province and that number grows each year,” said Kelly Sendall, Manager of Natural History at the Royal BC Museum. “Some of these aliens are invasive - they spread quickly, threaten native wildlife and are hard to control. They are capable of causing major harm to our environment, our economy and to our communities.”

Alien species are everywhere around us. They arrive in a variety of ways, from crossing borders to hitching a ride on boats, planes or shipping containers, and even from the garden store down the street.

>From American Bullfrog to Smallmouth Bass, Purple Loosestrife or Scotch Broom, these uninvited guests can include anything from plants and animals to microorganisms.

Did you know at least a dozen species of lady beetles are aliens to Canada, some introduced to help control aphid infestation and other insects? Or that the entire Vancouver population of Eastern Grey Squirrels came from just eight animals imported from New York in 1914?

Visitors will learn how alien species arrived in BC, how they can affect our environment, and what people can do to help protect their communities.

“By raising awareness about the issue of alien species, we hope to inform people so they can make good choices about protecting B.C.’s natural environment,” said Rafferty.

The provincial tour of Aliens Among Us is sponsored by BC Hydro and made possible through the generous support of British Columbians who donated to the Royal BC Museum’s special “Aliens Among Us” 2010/2011 fundraising campaign.

Here is the full listing of exhibition dates and locations:

Aliens Among Us Travelling Exhibition Schedule
2012 and 2013 dates should be confirmed with individual museums.

*         May 14 to Aug. 7, 2011 - Craig Heritage Park & Museum, Parksville
*         Aug. 13, 2011 to Nov. 6, 2011 - White Rock Museum & Archives
*         Nov. 19, 2011 to Feb. 5, 2012 - Okanagan Heritage Museum, Kelowna
*         February to May 2012 - The Exploration Place, Prince George
*         May to August 2012 - Kitimat Museum & Archives
*         August to November 2012 - Penticton Museum & Archives
*         November 2012 to February 2013 - Touchstones Nelson: Nelson Museum of Art & History
*         March to June 2013 - Richmond Nature Park
*         June to December 2013 - Fraser River Discovery Centre, New Westminster

About the Royal BC Museum
As the provincial museum and archives, the Royal BC Museum preserves and shares the stories of British Columbia - on‐site, off‐site and online - through its research, collections, exhibitions and educational programs. Its two‐hectare cultural precinct also includes a number of historically significant buildings and First Nations sites.

For more information about the Royal BC Museum, visit www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca or call 1‐888‐447‐7977.
‐30‐

Media Contact:
Royal BC Museum Media Enquiries
250‐387‐3207
news at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.vvv.com/pipermail/bcma/attachments/20110407/264b520f/attachment-0001.htm 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 10360 bytes
Desc: image001.png
Url : http://lists.vvv.com/pipermail/bcma/attachments/20110407/264b520f/attachment-0001.png