You may enjoy this video produced by John MacKenzie of Rogers TV, Victoria. The energy and enthusiasm that Jerri conveys while describing the event and all that the members of VicPS bring to Fossil Fair for the public’s pleasure is wonderful to see and hear. Kudos to all you volunteers!
Our second fieldtrip in April will be this coming Sunday, April 19th to North West Bay just south of Parksville. An email has been sent to all paid members with details of the site that are relevant to fossil hunting.
Victoria members: meet at the Helmcken Park & Ride on the Island Highway at 8:00 AM.
Up Island members: we will rendezvous with you at the Petro Canada located at the corner of North West Bay Rd and the Island Highway by 10:00 AM for a potential beverage and bio break. We will stop in Duncan only if a carpooling meetup is requested there.
For those of you inspired to join us because of this year’s Fossil Fair: if you’ve never been out fossil hunting, please wear clothing and foot wear suitable for a day outdoors, such as if you were hiking. A rock hammer or mason’s hammer, a cold chisel/concrete chisel, leather gloves (not gardening gloves) and safety glasses will be required if you are going to remove fossils from sandstone or shale. Newspaper, masking tape and a marking pen or pencil are handy to wrap up and tag fossils that come apart as you extract them. When you RSVP, if you don’t already have the field trip email, please request the writeup on the site details.
We do have extra hammers and chisels. Annual membership dues are not required on your very first field trip with us.
The beach is suitable for children and those able to walk several kilometers on relatively flat surfaces.
Please RSVP by email to vicpalaeo@gmail.com, indicating where you will rendezvous with the group. Waivers will be signed prior to embarking to comply with insurance requirements.
NOTE: If you accept a carpooling ride with another member, please contribute your share to the cost of gas with the driver.
Our first fieldtrip in April will be this coming Sunday, April 12th. An email has been sent to all paid members.
Victoria members: meet at the Helmcken Park & Ride on the Island Highway at 8:00 AM.
Up Island members: we will rendezvous with you at the Northfield Road Tim Hortons by 10 AM for a potential beverage and bio break. We will stop in Duncan only if a carpooling meetup is requested there.
The site we’ll be visiting is suitable for children and those able to walk several kilometers on relatively flat surfaces.
NOTE: If you accept a carpooling ride with another member, please contribute your share to the cost of gas with the driver.
Please RSVP by email to vicpalaeo@gmail.com, indicating where you will rendezvous with the group.
Happy New Year Everyone!
Welcome to 2026! Attached is the VicPS schedule of events for 2026.
FIELDTRIPS:
This year, we’re doubling up on fieldtrips, with twice as many on the roster compared to last year. Thanks to John Kitson for committing to these extra trips.
For those new to VicPS, fieldtrips are on Sundays (less traffic) and the time indicates when we leave/return to the Helmcken Park & Ride on the Island Highway. For those without vehicles, we arrange carpooling from the park & ride, which is accessible via transit.
Fieldtrip locations are chosen based on tides and river levels, with beach visits generally April thru July and river sites generally June thru Sept. Higher elevation sites are reserved for months when weather and tides are not favourable. We usually take a hiatus from fieldtrips in Dec/Jan.
Fieldtrip dates, times and locations are subject to change based on weather and times; logistics, along with site details, are confirmed via email in advance of each trip. Fieldtrip invitations & details are sent only to those who have renewed their annual dues by the January 31st deadline (details below).
MONTHLY MEETINGS:
Monthly meetings are generally the second Tuesday of the month, with hiatus in the summer during peak fieldtrip season. Monthly meetings are subject to cancellation if we do not have a speaker or a topic of interest to discuss.
Last year we had a wonderful run of workshops, thanks to leaders Marji Johns and Thor Henrich, and those continue to be a possibility if other leaders step forward.
PUBLIC DISPLAYS:
The annual Fossil Fair to display our fossil collections for the public will take place at Tillicum Mall for the second year in a row. More details on that leading up to March break, but please consider booking a table and displaying your material to augment the fair, or volunteer to run an activity. We have microscopes for a cool microfossil display but haven’t been able to do that in a few years, so the more volunteers we have, the more creative things we can do to show the public the cool history below BC!
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES:
It really helps with administration when dues are paid by the JANUARY 31st deadline, as our Society is required to remit a portion of dues to the BC Paleontological Alliance in early February. I thank you in advance, and note that dues can be paid by e-transfer to victoria.palaeontology.society@gmail.com, or by cheque to:
Treasurer
Victoria Palaeontology Society
4034 Hessington Place
Victoria, BC, V8N 5C6
On February 15th, names of those who have not renewed membership for 2026 will be removed from the distribution list, and access to the resources in the member’s area of the BCPA website will cease. A few reminders will be sent throughout the month, for your convenience.
We look forward to what the earth will reveal to us in 2026!
(VicPS Chair) Jerri Wilkins
Members should check their email to find details for our fieldtrip this weekend. Please note the early start time (7:50AM) if you are leaving from Helmcken Park & Ride in Victoria.
We will rendezvous with up island members at the Co-op at 4A Alberni Highway at 10:00AM. We will make a special stop in Duncan if anyone wants to carpool from there.
VIPS members welcome to join us. Please RSVP at vicpalaeo@gmail.com.
The VicPS fieldtrip this month will be to the lovely Chemainus River. The site requires a 15-minute walk on a gentle to moderate grade from the parking lot to the river, the ability to traverse a rocky riverbank, and it’s possible you may want to wade across the slippery rocks of the river to the other side. It is appropriate for families, and children old enough to be around the river. All children must be in the company of an adult.
Expect beautiful views, wet feet and a high probability of finding specimens. Sunday is forecast to be a bit cooler than mid-week, but do bring and use sunscreen.
Details are in the email that each member should have received; contact Jerri Wilkins if you have not received the email. Please RSVP.
The VicPS fieldtrip this month will be close to Victoria: on the Saanich Peninsula. Paid members will have received details concerning the field trip as an email.
Please follow the emailed instructions and RSVP your intention to participate.
VicPS now has 40 members, the largest membership in the history of VicPS!
More details on the upcoming Fossil Fair, taking place at Tillicum Mall on the weekend of March 22 – 23. Please help get the word out!
The Fossil Fair is a hands-on, educational experience for all age groups, organized by recreational collectors (citizen scientists) and professionals. The public is encouraged to bring in fossils found in BC for identification. Specific activities for children include hands-on inspection of fossils, a scavenger hunt with prizes and fossil colouring and rubbings.
VicPS members will have received an email that invites them to join our monthly online presentation, compliments of the UVic Speaker’s Bureau. On Wednesday, April 12th at 7:30pm, please welcome:
Ms. Emily Cross, Graduate Student, School of Earth & Ocean Sciences, as she presents
Exploring Paleontology:
From Finding a Dinosaur to Seeing it on Display
This presentation covers the steps from finding a fossil to seeing it on display. It delves into what kinds of tools paleontologists use and examples of interesting research. It also examines what museum collections are like and the work needed to get exhibits ready for display. The presentation also covers different fossilization environments and different types of fossil preservation.
VicPS members should reference the aforementioned email for instructions and links to join this April 12th Zoom presentation.
Join us for a talk by Dr. Grant Zazula on January 15, 2023 at 2 PM PST to hear about his excavation of Woolly Mammoth remains along the Indian River and his work at the Beringia Interpretive Centre. We’ll learn what the DNA of extinct Arctic mammals can tell us about their lives and environment.
There is no need to register for this free VIPS Lecture.
Simply click on the Zoom link at www.fossiltalksandfieldtrips.com on the day of the talk to enter the lecture.