‘A WHALE OF A TALE:

Colleges have been invited to submit a brief to the Department of Education as to their
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ideas and aspirations in entering the field of marine education.

Senior administrators at Douglas have been studying this field for months and
are concerned that the College has been given no mandate for developing programs to deal
with the unique problems presented by the presence of the Fraser River in the College

Region.

Before authorizing the study trip, Dr. George Wootton, Principal of Douglas
College stated: "It is not a question of self-interest... our responsibilities in this
area are clear. We have one of Canada's major rivers in our College Region and we have
a prime responsibility to design a curriculum answering to the many and varied educational

needs this natural phenomenon presents."

Dr. Barry Leach shares Dr. Wootton's concerns and has spent considerable time
developing the Institute of Environmental Studies. He places particular emphasis on studies:
that embrace the Preservation of The Tidal Flats, River Management, Hunter Training,
Wildlife and Waterfowl Studies, Migratory Birds, Industrial Pollution, Sewage Disposal and

Treatment, and the development of the now established Serpentine Fen,

Other passengers on board, Geologist, Ray Cox and Cyril Porter of Porter Yowlng in
.Richmond, expressed concern about areas of dyking in the North Arm that appeared to be
eroding. In fact, it was pointed out that areas of the dykes are dangerously low in places,
One such spot is immediately west of the stone work as you approach the vadimey bridge at

the curve in the North Arm.