Comox Valley Nature (CVN) is an organization of naturalists and aspiring naturalists active in the Comox Valley and surrounding areas on Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia. We provide opportunities for members and the public to learn about, appreciate and protect the natural world.
Our motto is “to know nature and keep it worth knowing.”
On This Page
- Interest Groups
- Projects
- Education and Outreach
- Other Activities
- Committees and Roles
- Governance
- History
Interest Groups
Members can join groups within CVN that focus on particular areas related to natural history. These groups primarily conduct field trips to observe and study their particular subject. Follow the links below to learn more about the present interest groups:
Projects
To “keep nature worth knowing,” CVN organizes a number of projects to restore and conserve specific habitats and ecosystems. Follow the links below to learn more about our current projects:
- Wetlands Restoration
- Courtenay Airpark restoration
- Little River Nature Park invasives control
- Rotary Trail and Dogwood Park ivy reduction
- Vanier Nature Park Garry oak restoration
Education and Outreach
CVN engages the public in a variety of ways as part of our mission to know nature and keep it worth knowing. Follow the links below to learn more about some of these ways:
- Education and outreach at public events
- Guest speakers
- Comox Valley Trees events
- Bursary for relevant post-secondary education
- Brandt Memorial Research Grant for a post-graduate student
We also have very active Facebook and Instagram accounts which highlight a broad range of environmental events and concerns.
Other Activities
- General meetings
Typically, CVN holds a general meeting in each of eight months per year, with the February one being the Annual General Meeting. Meetings are not usually held in June, July, August and December. Attendance by non-members is welcome.
- Environmental advocacy
At its discretion, the CVN Board may aid efforts to protect the environment by writing letters of support for conservation projects, letters opposing harmful activities, letters to support appropriate public policy, and similar actions. Generally, the focus is on local issues, as BC Nature (of which CVN is a member) is better positioned to address provincial and national issues.
CVN is a member of the Comox Valley Conservation Partnership, an alliance of local environmental non-profit organizations, stewardship groups and residents’ associations that work collaboratively to address shared environmental concerns. CVN’s Board has a dedicated position as our representative to CVCP, including sitting on its Steering Committee.
- Publications
CVN publishes a newsletter three times a year with content provided by members. We also have created several brochures and booklets to highlight some of our important educational and project information.
- Website
This website’s blog publishes news, notices, trip reports, and similar information that’s directly related to the club or to other closely related non-profit environmental organizations. A major feature of the site is our online Nature Viewing Guide. You’ll also find a few book reviews and long-form articles on natural history here.
- Conferences
Occasional gatherings organized by CVN.
Committees and Roles
It takes a lot of volunteer effort to make CVN successful. Besides the leaders of the interest groups and projects, here are most of the other ongoing committees and individual roles that make all this happen:
- Membership Secretary
Manages new and renewing memberships, keeps records secure, prepares periodic reports, and liases with BC Nature.
- Program Committee
Recruits guest speakers, and prepares related press releases.
- Bird Count Coordinator
Organizes the Christmas and Spring Bird Counts.
- Swan Count Coordinator
Organizes counting teams during swan season and reports results to the relevant organizations.
- Public Walks Coordinator
Plans, with others, guided walks that include public particpation. If needed, a helper posts the event information on the website.
- Bursary Committee
Liases with secondary schools in School District 71 and selects the recipient each spring from the applications received.
- Charles Brandt Legacy Committee
Recommends deployment of the investment income from Charles Brandt’s generous bequest to CVN. Currently, we fund graduate-level environmental research, and the committee chooses the recipient of the grant.
- Development Permit Application Review Committee
Knowledgeable members review DPAs when requested by the Comox Valley Conservation Partnership.
- Policies and Procedures Committee
Develops and documents policies and procedures as directed by the board.
- Nominating Committee
Recruits members to fill board positions and other roles.
- Refreshments Committee
One person to coordinate (mainly for general meetings) and others to bake treats and prepare tea and coffee.
- Caring Cards Preparer
Sends greeting cards to members facing challenges or having a very special occasion.
- Newsletter Editor
Edits submitted articles and produces three issues per year.
- Newsletter Advertising Sales
Annually renews previous advertisers or finds replacements if needed.
- Webmaster
Prepares or edits blog posts and static pages using submitted material where possible, and generally manages the website and our web hosting account.
- Technical Support Team
Manages our Google Workspace and Zoom accounts. Handles audio-visual setup for general meetings and records the keynote presentation.
In addition, the board creates temporary task forces and ad hoc committees as needed.
Governance
CVN’s full legal name is Comox Valley Naturalists Society. We are a non-profit society registered under the BC Societies Act (incorporation number S0011915). We are also a federally registered charity (number BN 89319 3375 RR0001).
CVN is a member organization of the Federation of British Columbia Naturalists (also known as BC Nature). Members of CVN are automatically enrolled as members of BC Nature and can take part in BC Nature’s activities.
Board of directors
CVN’s bylaws define the usual four executive director positions (President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary) and the non-executive directorship of BC Nature Representative. In addition, the bylaws empower the board to define other director positions as needed. In 2026 we have these additional directors: Past President, Wetlands Director, Comox Valley Conservation Partnership Representative, and three Directors at Large.
The board typically meets at least once a month (except July and August), with additional meetings as needed. Business may also be conducted electronically.
Constitution and bylaws
You can view these documents here:
History
Some highlights of CVN’s history:
- 1966: Local naturalists form the Comox-Strathcona Natural History Society.
- 1966: Begins coordinating the local Christmas Bird Count which had started in 1961.
- 1968: Holds our first public nature walk.
- 1969: With five other clubs, founds the Federation of BC Naturalists (now known as BC Nature).
- 1971‒1973: Campaigns to form Seal Bay Park.
- 1975: Formally incorporates under the BC Societies Act.
- 1976: Conducts the first local annual Spring Bird Count.
- 1986: Members lobby to protect Strathcona Park from logging.
- Early 1990s: Launches the Courtenay Airpark restoration project.
- 1991‒1992: Conducts the first local weekly count of Trumpeter Swans.
- 1996: Awards our first annual bursary for grade 12 students.
- 1996: Launches the Wetlands Restoration Project.
- 1997: Changes name to Comox Valley Naturalists Society.
- 1999: Begins contributing to the BC Coastal Waterbird Survey.
- 2002: Begins contributing to the BC Beached Bird Survey.
- 2007: Publishes the first edition of the Checklist of Comox Valley Birds.
- 2008: Joins the Comox Valley Conservation Partnership.
- 2008: Forms a Conservation Committee to engage with public conservation issues.
- 2010: Launches website.
- 2011: Adds Nature Viewing Guide to website and publishes first edition of a corresponding brochure.
- 2012: Launches a Garry oaks restoration project, including a nursery.
- 2012: Adopts the operating name of Comox Valley Nature.
- 2016: Hosts the Annual General Meeting and Conference of BC Nature.
- 2016: Publishes the first edition of the Comox Valley Plant List (later: Comox Valley Herbaceous Plants, Shrubs and Trees).
- 2018: Runs our first Tree of the Year contest (later becoming the Trees of the Year events of various kinds).
- 2019: Launches Vanier Nature Park Garry Oak Restoration Project (initially to plan and develop a proposal).
- 2023‒2024: Receives bequest from estate of Charles Brandt. Forms committee to guide disposition.
- 2026: Awards first research grant from the CVN Brandt Memorial Fund.
- 2026: Celebrates our 60th anniversary.
