Natural Historians in Canada and it is vital that this important organization remain strong to lobby against environmental abuses as well as produce a magazine which all of us enjoy.

The Federation has made considerable cut—backs in publishing costs, staff, type of binding, travel costs, etc. The Federation has made a sincere effort to reduce spending while not significantly reducing the quality of their magazine. In an effort to promote membership, they had several suggestions: Societies such as the Natural History Society could send complimentary memberships to potential members.

If each person would make a sincere effort to recruit one new member, this would be a great help. When buying Christmas or birthday gifts, remember that the CNF has a wide selection of books and stationary and a very efficient staff!

As well as the board meetings and the interesting papers presented, there were a number of enjoyable field trips. The west coast, and in particular Vancouver Island has an extremely rocky coast surrounded by cold ocean water. This make for a wide variety of plant and animal life in the tide pools and at the ocean edge. As well as the wide variety on the "rocky" beaches, we were impressed by the fact that most plants were on a scale three times larger than we Easterners are used to. Some trees had a circumference of 10 — 20 feet, the bracken fern may be 6 feet high, and even the slugs grow to a length of 6 inches! The weather cooperated to make the meeting with its accompanying field trips informative and enjoyable.

- Kathy Martin P.E.I. Respresentative Director to Canadian Nature Federation

P.S. If anyone wants extra brochures on Canadian Nature Federation, you can pick them up at the October meeting.