What’s up with trees? Join Comox Valley Nature as we get to the root of the matter.
Over the past seven years, Comox Valley Nature (CVN) has hosted very successful Trees of the Year events, asking residents of the Valley to nominate a special tree. Over 120 notable trees were nominated, and their unique stories, photographs and locations can be viewed starting at our general Trees of the Year page with details in many blog posts.
For 2025, we are taking a break from the nomination process and will spend the year honouring the work that has been done thus far and taking a deeper dive into the world of trees, their importance to the ecosystem in your own garden, in our local parks, and in urban forests.
Brochure
CVN is producing a brochure describing the history of past Trees of the Year events, highlighting 10 of the most significant trees (the 7 past “winners” and 3 selected others). We will also place QR codes by each of these trees.
Spring workshops and walks
As part of TOTY 2025, we are offering a series of guided workshops and walks to explore and learn more about the trees in our community, including the benefits, history and care of the trees in our gardens, public spaces, parks and urban forests. Prior registration is required (see below).
The first spring workshop will be held on March 8 (now postponed) in Seal Bay Nature Park, led by members of Comox Valley Nature. “Finding the Mother Tree” features the western white pine and explores the concept of the Mother Tree through a guided walk of discovery. Participants will learn about the forest environment, the evolution of maturing second and third growth forests, and the ecological role of the western white pine.
[NOTE: With high winds predicted for March 8, we have rescheduled this walk to Saturday March 22. Those who have already registered have been automatically registered for the new date.]
The second workshop is “Don’t Fear Your Trees” which is focussed on the biomechanics of trees. Why are some trees more prone to storm damage than others? What makes a tree move in the wind? (Scheduled for May 3, 2025.)
The June workshop is all about growing: “Getting to the Roots of the Matter.” How do roots work, and what do they do? We will dig up some small roots and look at root plates of trees to understand this vital but often forgotten part of a tree. (Scheduled for June 7, 2025.)
Depending on public interest, more workshops and guided walks may be offered in the autumn. We invite you to check back on CVN’s blog and Events calendar to stay up to date on our Trees of the Year activities.
Registration
Updates on the location, date and time of each workshop will be on the CVN website and social media pages. They are limited to a maximum of 15 participants, and prior registration is required via the CVN website’s Events calendar.
