Hollyhock Flats is as close to natural as you are likely to find in the K’omoks estuary. Known as Kus Kus Sum by the K’omoks First Nation, this area is south-east of the Field sawmill site, and south of Comox Road, between the sawmill site and the Rotary viewing platform. This site has been of interest to conservationists since the 1970, and CVNS has been involved in invasive removal since the mid-1990s. The tidal channels and wetlands are home to a wide range of salt tolerant plants, including large Sitka spruces, Lyngby’s sedge, and its namesake marsh hollyhock (Sidalcea hendersonii), and hosts many different species of birds and wildlife. It is also susceptible to Purple loosestrife invasion.
This rarely visited site is seen by hundreds of motorists daily, yet is one of the least explored areas around the bay. Project Watershed has an ambitious long term plan to restore the Field site to a more natural setting. A video vision of their plans are here;
There is little on the web about the area, but one resource is listed here. You may need to use the “Find on this page” app to search for Hollyhock flats.
