Concept development

What if I made a book that included a collection of 'specimens' (found objects) from the bog.

What if I created a book that included a story about the escape of a mouse from prison and a horrible life, to a secluded refuge in the bog (This was actually a dream I had about a year ago).

What if I connected Burns Bog to a hip and cool lifestyle (inspired by Michael's project), music etc. all geared for kids.

What is the bog's unique position? It is a special spot on the planet. It's a home for many animals and plants. It's personality is: mysterious, unusual, full of small natural wonders, freedom, fascinating little systems and activities, magical (it could be...). All I need to do in my project is create clues that will lead kids into thinking the same thing. Why do I think it? Because I learned about survival and about amazing things (like filtration and almost extinct animals) as a child in the bog, when I hiked there with my girl guide group for example.

Actually, when I was about 13 years old, I went for a walk with a friend into the bog. This wasn't unusual. What was unusual was when we got down to the train tracks (we weren't even in the bog at this point, just on the edge), I suddenly spotted something through the trees. There was something moving. It was making the strangest sound, like a monster in pain, high pitched yet quiet. I froze and grabbed my friend's arm. We both crept closer until we saw it - it was a great blue heron.

We just watched it with wide eyes for five minutes. It felt like a magical moment. It flew away and we tried to follow it, but the trees were too dense. So although it was in my imagination, I feel like the bog is a special place. Like it was good luck to see the great blue heron, even though I'm not superstitious.

Some facts about the bog, (taken from http://www.wildernesscommittee.org/campaigns/historic/burns/reports/Vol18No03/burns):

purifies our air, produces oxygen, stores carbon and absorbs excess rainfall (which lessens flooding).

evidence of repeated fires. The most recent fire, which burned about 160 hectares, occurred in 1996.

the largest domed peat bog on the west coast of the Americas - an internationally unique ecosystem.

The Delta Nature Reserve covers 148 acres (less than 2 percent of Burns Bog) and is located in the northeastern corner of the bog. The reserve has boardwalk trails and gives visitors a chance to see some of the unique and wonderful plants and animals of Burns Bog.

the highest point of the dome (5.5 metres above sea level) is just south of the centre of the bog; water flows north and south from there.

the bog contains fish habitat, including an historically significant salmon stream, Cougar Creek.

sphagnum moss is the bog's main plant species and occupies the central portion of the bog; pine woodland occurs just south of the core; the bog is ringed with mixed deciduous and coniferous forest.

other interesting plants in the bog include sundew (a small insect-eating plant), cloudberry (a unique plant species), the rare bog rosemary and crowberry, labrador tea, bog laurel, bog blueberry, huckleberry, pond lily, mushrooms, fungi and lichen, including fragile reindeer lichen that can grow to two feet high.

24 species of mammals are known to use the bog. Bog animals include black bear, black-tailed deer, red fox, beaver, bobcat, coyote and spotted skunk.

20 species of waterfowl, 18 species of raptors, 9 species of gulls, 9 species of shorebirds and 87 species of passerines and other birds are known to use the bog. The greater sandhill crane, found in the bog, is threatened with extirpation from the Lower Mainland. Other vulnerable bird species include the bald eagle, barn owl, great blue heron, gyrfalcon and peregrine falcon.

Burns Bog is home to some rare and beautiful species of insects, including the blue darner dragonfly, mariposa copper butterfly and a rare beetle (Beller's ground beetle).

2,283 hectares (over one-half the bog) is owned by one private company, Delta Fraser Properties.

the City of Vancouver owns 627 hectares for use as a sanitary landfill (garbage dump).

the rest of the bog (about one-quarter) is owned by various public and private interests, including Delta School Board and the Fraser Harbour Commission.

the majority of the bog is zoned for agriculture and peat extraction.

148 hectares (less than 2 percent of the bog) is currently protected, as the Delta Nature Reserve.