|
GaLTT's board The current Board of Directors was elected at the society's AGM on Tuesday February 7, 2012 in Phoenix Auditorium at the Haven. The table officers were elected at the following regular board meeting. They are:
GaLTT board committeesSeveral committees do GaLTT's routine work between board meetings and all board members belong to at least one such committee according to their personal skills and interests. In general, the chairperson of each committee is empowered to act and communicate on behalf of the Society based on pre-approved projects and within the existing policy framework of GaLTT. Executive CommitteeThis committee is composed of the Table Officers and Past Presidents of GaLTT, and has responsibilities related to strategic planning, planning for succession, and the day-to-day operation of the Society. It is also responsible for liaison with all levels of Government including, Local Islands Trust, Regional Distrct of Nanaimo, Provincial Government departments and agencies, and Federal Government departments and agencies. Its Chairperson is GaLTT's President, John Peirce. Members: Vice-president, Colin Masson; Past President & Treasurer, Tom Cameron; Secretary, Jenni Gehlbach; Continuity & Constitutional Sage, Kerry Marcus (GaLTT's founding President). Trails and Parks Management CommitteeThis committee is literally where the heavy lifting occurs. Based on monitoring and requests, the committee plans and executes regular work bees to build and maintain trails on public land, through road right-of-ways, and on other legal, approved routes, including trails legally licensed for public use across private land. It also works to eradicate or contain invasive plants on parks and trails. It helps to plan new trail projects, and supports the RDN and Provincial parks departments with park management plan implementation. Its Chairperson is Randy Young. There are also currently two sub-committees: for Elder Cedar Reserve management (co-chaired by Kerry Marcus and David Boehm); and for Cox Park Grant Completion (chaired by Tom Cameron). Other board member-volunteers: David Boehm, Rufus Churcher, Steve Struthers, Bob Weenk, and Duane West. In addition, many GaLTT members and other members of the Gabriola community regularly volunteer to work with this committee on its biweekly work parties. Acquisitions and Trails Route CommitteeThis committee reviews all matters relating to the acquisition of land for public use and/or for environmental protection. "Acquisition" is interpreted in the broadest sense to include obtaining titles, leases, licences and other instruments such as covenants. The committee is also responsible for fund-raising for the purpose of acquisition and maintenance of land, covenants, and trail licences. A major goal of GaLTT is to have a connected trail system from Descanso to Drumbeg, and this committee analyzes and prioritizes the individual project segments, recording progress in Project Summary Reports. Its Chairperson is Vice-President Colin Masson. Members: Tom Cameron, Norm Harburn, Anne Landry, Kerry Marcus, Steve Struthers, Randy Young. A new covenants sub-committee has been formed within this group, and the role of Covenant Co-ordinator is held by Norm Harburn, with Anne Landry serving as a subcommittee member. Events and Education CommitteeThis new committee will interact directly with the community, providing information and activities relevant to our mandate. Its formation grew out of our new strategic plan which requires enhanced interaction with the community at large, in particular the youth of Gabriola. The committee will do this through:
The committee hopes also to work with related organizations (such as the Commons and the Hope Centre) in pursuit of common goals. The committee is chaired by Duane West and committee members are: Carol Hemrich (managing events tables and liaison about publicity and print materials with the Communications Committee), Melanie Mamoser (streamkeepers and youth programs), Bob Weenk (guided walks and geocaching), Duane West (workshops), and David Boehm with GaLTT member Rob Brockley (big trees). Communications CommitteeThis committee manages print and electronic communication with GaLTT's membership and with the general public. It does this through publication and distribution of printed materials (such as trail maps, brochures, and GaLTT's biannual newsletter); through direct email announcements and requests to members; and by public communication through the local newspapers, the island's internet distribution lists, and GaLTT's website. Communication Committee members are Tom Cameron (membership), Jenni Gehlbach (advertizing, newspaper articles, website, email communications, print materials), Carol Hemrich (print materials and committtee liaison), and non-board member Judy Preston (newsletter layout and publishing). It is chaired by Jenni Gehlbach. The Communications Committee works with the Events Committee to publicize events and activities, and to raise funds through membership and donation drives and through raffles and product sales. Retired Communications Committee member Barb Hague will continue to serve as the Events and Communications "roving reporter and photographer" (and advisor). Board member biographies:David BoehmDavid moved to Gabriola in 1976. He worked as a silvicultural contractor (tree planter) from 1972 until 1988, and since then has been a chimney sweep, inspector, and installer on Gabriola. He served on the APC for six years during discussions of the controversial Weldwood deal. He’s a tree hugger with Friends of Cathedral Grove and has been on the Board of the BC Environmental Network (BCEN) for 6 years, and is their Treasurer. He also serves on the Toxics Caucus of the National Council of the Canadian Environmental Network (CAN) Tom Cameron
Rufus ChurcherRufus has been retired on Gabriola for a number of years from a very interesting career as University of Toronto Zoology Professor, Assoc. Royal Ontario Museum researcher, a practising soft rock geologist, vertebrate paleontologist, and forester. On Gabriola, he is past chair of Silva Bay Shipyard School, and past Board member of the Gabriola Museum and Historical Society. Rufus and his wife are keen walkers of the beautiful trails in their neighbourhood, and Rufus effectively manages broom removal on his entire street. Jenni Gehlbach
Norm Harburn
Carol HemrichCarol retired to Gabriola from Vancouver in 2010, but has owned property here since 2007 and is very grateful to be fulfilling the dream to live on a Gulf Island that she has had since starting to visit the islands in the early 1990s. Previously she worked in the education and information fields as a teacher and a librarian at the elementary and university levels in Vancouver, Edmonton and Ottawa. She has long been involved at the grass roots level in community issues, especially those involving women, youth and seniors and has served on boards and in nonprofit and service groups relating to these issues. Carol is enjoying the opportunity to be involved in island life and is particularly concerned about preserving the Gulf Islands' unique character. Anne Landry
Melanie Mamoser
Kerry Marcus
Colin MassonA founding member of GaLTT (2004), Colin has lived for 19 years on Gabriola with his wife Pat, raising their two children through elementary and high school. Colin has a strong interest in the community of Gabriola, parks and trails; he is an avid marine enthusiast, rower, and sailor. Colin is co-owner of Baja Kayak Adventures and he works for Fisheries and Oceans in Nanaimo and Vancouver. John Peirce
Steve StruthersSteve moved to Gabriola in 2001 and he joined GaLTT at its inception. In GaLTT’s early days he attended many board meetings as a resource person to answer questions related to legal issues. In his previous life he was a lawyer, practising in Ontario and Alberta for 25 years. He and his wife have been involved in a number of the GaLTT trail clearing parties, though not recently, and seem to be owners of a complete line of GaLTT-wear. He enjoys all aspects of the outdoors, and particularly enjoys hiking. The idea of a series of linked trails from one end of Gabriola to the other appeals greatly to him. He has hiked trails all over Canada and the USA, trekked several times in the Himalayas, walked for days through the jungles of New Guinea, hiked in the Sahara desert, and enjoyed foot safaris in Kenya, Zambia, and Tanzania. He likes to walk! Bob WeenkBob came to Gabriola with his wife, Judy, about five years ago after forty years in the classrooms and gymnasiums of Saskatchewan. During his brief time on the island, he has been involved in painting with the Palette People, instructing with the Gabriola Squadron of CPS, and umpiring softball for the kids and the local Slo-pitch league. An avid gardener and a once and future golfer, Bob has recently enjoyed the Sunday GaLTT work bees, from boardwalk building to pulling broom in the rain. Bob and Judy (and sometimes their two dogs) take every opportunity to walk the trails of the island, particularly in 707-acre Park. Duane West
Randy YoungRandy was born in Saskatoon, and went to highschool on Salt SpringIsland. He has a B.Ap.Sc. Mech. from UBC, and Athlone Fellowship and Masters Operations Research from Imperial College. He worked as a Log Supply Manager at Twinriver Timber Terrace, a Computer Systems Engineer at Alberni Pacific Division, and a Senior Research Engineer MacMillan Bloedel Research. He was responsible for most of the computer process control specifications and initial sawmill systems now in use today. Randy has been retired on Gabriola for a number of years, and has a strong community interest. He has been involved in many activities, including the Ratepayers Association. He is a ‘doer’ with a capital D, and was a member of the first RDN Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee. Randy joined GaLTT in 2006 and has led a keen trails work team ever since on numerous great trail building projects!
|
Directors at large:
Tom Cameron has lived on Gabriola for six years. As a plant ecologist with a background in municipal, provincial and national parks, he is passionate about parks, public access and conservation issues. Prior to retirement, he managed a land trust within the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation (ASRPWF—colloquially known as the alphabet foundation). He spent many years working with Alberta TrailNet towards a provincial trail system and was an early supporter of the TransCanada Trail Foundation He participates with the Gabriola Cyclepaths in support of safer and easier cycling on our island roads.
Jenni has enjoyed BC’s parks and wilderness areas on foot and by kayak since the late 1970s. She is married to Nick Doe and they have lived on Gabriola since 1998. On arrival she joined the walking group and soon became interested in helping to establish a public trail system the length of the island. In her previous lives elsewhere in BC and in England, Montreal, Toronto, and the USA, she has been a highschool and college teacher, a research assistant, a computer programmer, and a technical writer and editor. She also owned and operated a kitchen store and cooking school in White Rock, BC where she brought up her two children and served on the boards of a professional theatre company and a large community services group. 
Norm has been a seasonal user of Gabriola Island for 26 years, a landowner here for 6 years, and a full-time resident for the last 2 years. He is retired now after close to 40 years work experience in environmental related jobs with industry (mainly in the arctic) and as CEO of the Parks Foundation Calgary. His masters degree was in Natural Resources Management and he did research for Parks Canada, Interpretive Use Management Plan, Peace Athabasca Delta, WBNP. He served for 12 years on the Provincial Board of Lougheed House, 7 years on Rotary Challenger Park Board (special needs Olympic facility), and has extensive experience in fund development. He likes to travel, hike, golf, and garden with his wife Beth and their two sons.
Anne is a recent arrival to Gabriola from Whitehorse after a 35-year career with Parks Canada. With a life-long love of nature, working as an interpreter in national parks from the Maritimes to Saskatchewan to the Rockies, gave her an appreciation for the rejuvenating power of wild places and the importance of their protection. Most recently Anne was a management planner in the Yukon for over a decade, working collaboratively with First Nations, local communities and park users to shape the future management of protected areas including Kluane National Park & Reserve and Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site. She is enjoying discovering the diversity of interior trails and coastal walking opportunities available on Gabriola. Drumbeg is an early favourite for walks with her partner and dog, the maze of 707-acre Park trails remains a bit intimidating and she looks forward to summer explorations by kayak.
Melanie was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario. She completed her BSc at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick and came to BC to do a Master’s degree at the University of Victoria. One short year after arriving in Victoria, Melanie had the opportunity to move to Gabriola Island and she fell in love almost immediately, both with the Island and with her husband Jethro. She has quickly become an active member of the community, serving as secretary for the Gabriola Groundwater Management Society, as a member of the Volunteer Review Committee for the Official Community Plan and Land-Use Bylaw, and appointed to the Advisory Planning Committee. When she is not in Nanaimo working for the BC Ministry of Environment, she can usually be found walking with friends and her dog (Ping) on one of the many trails on Gabriola.
A founding member (2004) and past president of GaLTT, Kerry has lived 30 years on Gabriola, has raised a family here and has long enjoyed our parks, crown land access, and trails, walking with dogs, kids, friends, and more recently on horseback. She was a member of the first RDN Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee, where she found others with interests in our disappearing trail access, and GaLTT evolved. She also commutes to town to a full time job with Fisheries and Oceans, is a member of the Gabriola Horse Group, and co-parents a young rider in the 4-H horse group. 
John is a retired geophysicist who grew up in eastern Massachusetts, where his father started two land trust organizations that together have protected some 40,000 acres over the last fifty years. John and his wife Nancy moved to Calgary from Halifax in 1978 on a five-year plan to get to the west coast. They finally realized their dream 30 years later as they moved into their new, 22-sided, geothermally heated house on Gabriola in 2009. John was heavily involved in the mid-80s in the creation of Nose Hill Park in Calgary, was on the Board of the Gabriola Land Conservancy for many years, and joined the GaLTT Board in 2008. John served as Co-Chair of the Volunteer Review Committee for the OCP process, designs and installs rainwater harvesting systems with Rainwater Connection, and recently joined the Board of the Gabriola Chamber of Commerce.
Duane West has been living on Gabriola for four years and joined the GaLTT Board in 2009. Duane retired from Parks Canada after 35 years. He considers among his most tangible accomplishments the hiking trails he laid out in Kluane, Fundy, and Prince Albert National Parks. Duane was attracted to the Gulf Islands because of the strong community-driven protected area initiatives, and the unique natural environment. He believes that protected areas and public trails positively influence our community; and that GaLTT must continue its contribution to Gabriola's quality of life. Duane's recent best walk was an 11 day trip around Mount Rainier this past August. Drumbeg to Descanso is possible!