Charlotte Kimmins, CVN Bursary recipient, 2021

Posted on July 26, 2021 by web_admin

The CVN Bursary Committee is pleased to announce that the winner of the 2021 CVN Bursary is Charlotte Kimmins of G.P. Vanier Secondary. Charlotte is planning to pursue a double undergraduate Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences and Engineering at Queen’s University. She has a particular interest in reducing plastic pollution and founded a youth non-profit organization dedicated to reducing plastic pollution in our environment. Ultimately she hopes to conduct research to create biodegradable, water soluble alternatives to plastics using marine bio-polymers.

Charlotte’s environmental background also includes:

  • Member of the Official City Plan Advisory Council promoting conservation
  • Member of the school’s Environment Club for Grades 10-12
  • Explore Outdoor Education participant
  • Ocean Wise Conservation Summit Youth Ambassador and co-founder of their YouthtoSea program
  • Young Women in Ocean Literacy and Leadership Academy: speaker and mentor
  • Youth Ocean Advocacy Summit director, helping to organize conservation workshops and action planning
  • Winner of the Ruth Masters Environmental Award 2019

An excellent student, Charlotte was Biology Student of the Year in 2020 at G.P. Vanier Secondary and maintained a straight A average throughout high school. Her references describe her as an excellent team member with outstanding motivation, work ethic, and ability to inspire. Outside of school she enjoys hiking, mountaineering, skiing, and competing in equestrian sports.

Congratulations Charlotte, and we wish you much success in your studies and future endeavours!

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Plants of lakes and roadsides (and old ketchup)

Posted on July 17, 2021 by web_admin

From an email by Jocie to the Botany Group on July 14.

In early July I did some exploring around the Whymper Lake area (across the Strathcona dam, west of Campbell River). Here are a few photos (mostly botany…and other things of interest. [Click a photo to enlarge it.]

The first 5 photos are from the lakeshore habitat. Some stunning miniature forests of glistening red sundews etc.

  1. Whymper Lake view
  1. Western yellow pond lily (Nuphar polysepala)…

…provides nice landing pads for dragonflies such as…

  1. Chalk-fronted corporal (Ladona julia)
  1. White-beaked sedge (Rhychospora alba): a close-up of the flowers
  1. Great sundew (Drosera anglica)

The next 3 are flowers of the dry gravel roadside habitat. Amazing that anything can grow there!

  1. Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) – what a flower!
  1. Spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium)
  1. Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus)…I think this is right, or one of those fleabanes…

Finally, a bit of relic hunting around some old settlements from logging camp days. Nature reclaiming short-lived boomtowns.

  1. The backyard tin-can & bottle dumping pit. Not much decay on those old tins in nearly a hundred years. Still, way less garbage than today’s households produce.
  1. An intact ketchup bottle…circa 1930s. Yikes, a bit of ketchup still in the bottle!!!
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Paradise Meadows: Winter to summer in 3 weeks

Posted on July 16, 2021 by web_admin

From an email by Jocie to the Botany Group on July 12, with photos from Alison M.

Despite being laid up with a broken wrist and having to type with one hand, Alison has come through with some colourful photos for us of a succession of blooms from Paradise Meadows and area. The hot weather has accelerated the transition from winter to summer, in just a few short weeks!

[Click a photo to enlarge it.]

  1. Western bog laurel (Kalmia microphylla)
  1. Fern-leaved goldthread (Coptis asplenifolia)
  1. Globe flower (Trollius laxus)
  1. Avalanche lily (Erythronium grandiflorum). These are found on the knoll above Croteau Lake (a bit out of focus due to strong wind).
  1. Jeffrey’s shooting star (Dodecatheon jeffreyi)
  1. Utah honeysuckle (Lonicera utahensis). An uncommon honeysuckle in our area with twinned creamy-white blooms, photographed here along the trail to McKenzie Lake.
  1. Black twinberry (Lonicera involucrata). A more common shrub honeysuckle species, with twinned yellow blooms.
  1. Green bog orchid (Platanthera stricta)
  1. Rosy twistedstalk (Streptopus roseus)
  1. Meadows view June 18…note the snow!
  1. Meadows view June 28
  1. Battleship Lake view June 18
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Vanier Garry oaks project next step – delegation to Courtenay Council

Posted on July 14, 2021 by web_admin

In March, our Board of Directors approved a CVN proposal for a restoration and stewardship pilot project to protect and enhance Garry oaks in Vanier Forest. Much research and planning work has already been done by a dedicated team of CVN members. Now the team has been accepted as a delegation to Courtenay City Council to present CVN’s requests for access to the property to undertake the project and for some funding for the project. Bill Henderson and Karen Cummins will present these requests by videoconference to Council at their meeting on July 19.

To learn more about the project, visit our new web page for the project here. You can also find the page any time in the Activities menu.

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