Biodiversity.

Yesterday was a little grey. The sun barely showed it's face and rain showers looked eminently possible. The proposed  evening outing to the Christmas lights in Van Drusan Gardens was postponed until some clear evening weather was forecast. After a morning of knitting and a brunch meal we drive with Nancy L. to the University of British Columbia campus.

UBC is situated west of Vancouver at Point Grey, a spit of land jutting out between the Frazer River and The Burrard inlet. The vast Campus is  surrounded by water on three sides. The Frazer River, The  Pacific Ocean and English Bay area of the Burrard Inlet. It's fourth edge is defined by the Pacific Spirit Regional Park, a dense protected forested area.

The University was founded in 1908 as The Mcgill University. It became independent and adopted it's present name in 1915. Originally the creation of Endowment land for the University was to be in the Cariboo region of the Interior. But by the 1920's it was realised this land was not of enough value to bring an income to the University and the Campus was relocated to it's present location in Point Grey.  Two world wars and the 30's recession hit the early days of this great university hard. However after the end of the Second World War the returning servicemen needed to complete their education and the expansion of the campus began.

It was raining by the time we reached the University and some road works with in the campus made it difficult to reach the Biodiversity Museum were we were heading. However a road worker opened a lane for us to drive through to reach a near enough point for me to walk to the building. Nancy who is an Assistant professor at the Creative Writing faculty had a meeting with the Dean. 

The Beaty Biodiversity museum is a relatively new research and teaching addition to the Campus. It's remit is enormous.

"Biodiversity research aims to document the enormous diversity of life on Earth and to identify the factors that generate and maintain this diversity. Scientists at the BRC investigate the ecology, evolution, and conservation of biological diversity through research at all levels, from genes to ecosystems through to interactions with society. As the scope of global climate change, human-caused habitat alterations, and associated extinction rates rise, the need to understand and conserve biodiversity and the ecosystem functions that it sustains has never been more pressing. - See more at: http://www.beatymuseum.ubc.ca/biodiversity-research#sthash.kvDMf6sF.dpuf"

Most of the building is underground as many of the thousands of specimens need protection from light. The entrance foyer is dominated by the skeleton of a Blue Whale  the largest creature on planet earth today.

Blue Whale Skeleton

There's  fascinating tale to the revealing and reservation of this of this skeleton

 This massive whale had died some 25years earlier on the beach of Prince Edward Island. Being too big to dispose of the carcass any other was the whale was buried under tons of the local red clay soil. The relocation of the whale and it's subsequent excavation threw up so many problems that had to be solved before the skeleton was in a suitable condition to be exhibited in it's present position suspended over the subterranean  entrance to the museum.

A diversity chart aimed to make the subject appealing to the younger generation.

We had an interesting  private tour of the facility. It wasn't supposed to be private but as we were the only people who were there at the time of the tour it was. Unfortunately halfway through I had to duck out and go rest in the Museums theatre. Dave finished the tour and went off to explore some more of this vast area.