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Recent Posts
- Learn about coho and Brooklyn Creek stewardship at our September general meeting
- Enjoy an afternoon of storytelling with author Caroll Simpson
- SWI workshop: Subalpine mycology 2026
- Entomology and botany at Mt. Washington, July 2026
- Smartphone photography for iNaturalist
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- Learn about the proposed New Forest Act, June 15
- SWI plant diversity workshop, June 28
- Sophia Priestman, CVN Bursary recipient, 2026
- Bruce Moffat’s nature photography talk materials
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CVN Facebook Posts
1 week ago
The CVN photo group met last night for its September meeting and here are a few of the photos we shared with one another.Species and photographer shown in each photo...Comox Valley Nature is attending an event.2 weeks ago
Join the Comox Valley Conservation Community for a day long celebration of the watersheds and waterways that connect us all in the Comox Valley!Learn about restoration and habitat enhancement projects, salmon cycles, drinking water, forests, creeks, wetlands and estuaries – and so much more. Art projects, kids activities, volunteer engagement opportunities, hands on learning and guided walks – all looking out over the beautiful Puntledge River.
Comox Valley Nature will be there with our new outreach tent. Come by and say hello, and try our bird identification game. We can also show you why native plants are best for your garden, and how to spot invasive species.
Pack a picnic and stay for the day!
Saturday Sept 19th from 9 am – 3 pm
in Puntledge Park 1111 1st , Courtenay ...
2 weeks ago
In her memoir, Pacific Northwest author Caroll Simpson recounts the highs and lows of running a remote fishing lodge on her own following the untimely death of her husband, and of falling in love with the natural world.Simpson tells stories of living in the remote wilderness and managing the lodge, becoming an accidental environmental activist, fending off wild animals, working as an angling guide and finally, fighting off a proposed mining operation and participating in the development of a government land management plan as a spokesperson for the wilderness tourism industry.
While Simpson welcomed paying guests at Ookpik Lodge, unwanted house guests included a woodchuck, a pack rat, and martens. Simpson constantly had to watch out for grizzlies, moose, and cougars. Storms and extreme weather also provided fodder for hair-raising tales. All this makes for wonderful storytelling.
Caroll’s story is essentially a love story. In an essay for Sierra Club, Simpson wrote: “I developed an immense passion for flora and fauna. Just walking back and forth on the 300’ dock several times a day, I was exposed to the unbelievable beauty of the northern spectrum of water life: the golden eagle soaring above, the osprey and kingfisher diving and coming up with fish for their hatchlings, the muskrats and otters looking for an easy meal, the tireless beaver working into the late evening sunsets. All of these creatures and more expressed their generational ownership of this small piece of the world. In return each was given my utmost respect and admiration…As I listened to the loons at the end of each day and the owl and the wolf in the night, I felt blessed to be witnessing such beauty. “
On September 20th, join Comox Valley Nature and Save Our Forests Team for an afternoon of storytelling about this remarkable time spent living on a remote British Columbia lake.
The event is being held at the Comox United Church Hall. (250 Beach Drive, Comox) Admission is by donation. Doors open at 2:30; the event begins at 3:00 p.m. There will be time for Q&A after the presentation, as well as books available for purchase. Tea/coffee and cookies - including forest-themed cupcakes - will be available for a donation.
Join us, and prepare to fall in love. ...
3 weeks ago
🎟️ Get your tickets to the Project Watershed 2026 Keeping It Living Dinner today! projectwatershed.ca/2026-keeping-it-living-dinner/Every ticket holder makes a difference. 💙🎟️ Get your tickets to our 2026 Keeping It Living Dinner today! projectwatershed.ca/2026-keeping-it-living-dinner/
When community and local businesses invest in conservation, our entire ecosystem benefits.
Ticket sales directly support habitat restoration, scientific research, and environmental education, while the generosity of our sponsors helps offset event costs, ensuring that more of the funds raised can go directly toward this important work.
Thank you to our incredible sponsors and dinner attendees for believing in the power of community-led conservation. Odlum Brown Community and Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, 40 Knots Winery, CNB
Together, we're keeping our watersheds living.
🌿 Hope to see you September 12, 5 - 8 pm at 40 KNOTS Winery
#KeepingItLiving #ProjectWatershed #CommunitySupport #Conservation #ComoxValley ...
3 weeks ago
The City of Courtenay is developing a long-term vision for Bill Moore Park and Dogwood Park to guide future improvements. To help guide these decisions, three initial concepts have been developed, and there is an opportunity for you to offer your input.The latest survey on the City website engagecomoxvalley.ca/bill-moore-and-dogwood-park asks for feedback on three concept plans and specifically which concept you prefer. The three concepts present a range of recreation possibilities and there is room on the survey for your comments.
Dogwood Park is a 2.32‑hectare nature park featuring mature forested areas, natural habitat and a small wetland.
Only Concept A will maintain the intact forest areas in Dogwood Park. Concepts B and C propose increased recreation in the park including an off leash dog park, disc golf course, pump track (a purpose built track for children’s cycling) and nature play areas. While the planners may say that no trees or few trees will be taken down to accommodate this, the under-story will not survive this level of trampling and fragmentation. The trees as well as all the wildlife who now call that area home will disappear over time.
For those of us who value this forest, Concept A is the only option that makes sense.
Dogwood Park is one of the few islands of green for many, many blocks. It provides habitat for wildlife, shade, retains water and acts as a carbon sink. On the architect's base plan of current conditions it is now characterized as an "underutilized space".
The City has heard from sports enthusiasts but not nature lovers. Let them know why you value an intact forest and your connection to it. The survey is open until Sept 15. ...
Author Archives: Botany
Shoreline Outing Summary: Willow Point Reef, June 17th, 2019
We had a great outing yesterday at the Willow Point Reef just south of Campbell River. Endless thanks to Sandra Milligan from NIC for leading the group and knowing this shoreline inside and out. We got to see an octopus … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Shoreline and Marine
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Shoreline Outing Summary: Comox Peninsula Tip, June 5th. 2019
Hey Everyone, We had 19 members and a little assistant show up at the very tip of the Comox peninsula. Some observations, follow ups and a species list can be found below. A sluggish leopard The spotted leopard dorid, Dialula … Continue reading
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Outing: Botany, Harewood Plain, May 7th 2019
Greetings all, On May 27th eight of us were treated to a brilliant display of later spring flowers at Harewood Plains in Nanaimo. Our target was to see the red-listed Hosackia pinnata ( formerly Lotus pinnatus) – bog bird’s foot … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Plants and fungi
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Shoreline Outing Reports: Oyster Bay, May 8th, 2019
Hey Everyone, Betty Brooks led a great outing around Oyster Bay Shoreline Park last Wednesday. We got a bit of history, a bit of botany and a lot of interesting invertebrates, including an octopus. Species list to the best of … Continue reading
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Botany Outing Report: May 2019
On May 6th at Kin Beach Park, six of us including Helen, spent a couple of hours uprooting more of the invasive Lamium galeobdolon (yellow archangel) as well as equally aggressive Aegopodium podagraria (goutweed) under the watchful eye of the … Continue reading
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Shoreline Outing Report: Denman Island, April 24th 2019
Hey Everyone, Yesterday’s trip to Denman intersected with ideal spring weather. We visited two bedrock shorelines– one on the east side of the island and another on the west. Some notes to follow up on things we saw. (1) Geology … Continue reading
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Botany Group Report – April 1st Outing to the Comox Lake Bluffs Ecological Reserve
15 of us had a glorious day in the shade of the forested areas, and out in the sun on the old road that skirts around behind the open bluffs (which we avoided because of the extreme aridity). The hot … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Plants and fungi
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Botany Outing Report: April 1 2019
Greetings all, Spring is suddenly upon us. Luise reported that there were goldstars (crocidium multicaule) blooming on Hornby on Sunday 17th; check out Point Holmes, usually one of the earliest spots here on the mainland. The coltsfoot (Petasites palmatus) that … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Plants and fungi
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Shoreline Outing Summary: Mission Road Pleistocene Deposits, Mar 13th, 2019
Roughly twenty shoreline members made it out on Wednesday to investigate 12,500 year old sand deposits laid down 10m below sea level back when the the waves would have been lapping at the spot where today you find the front … Continue reading
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Guest Speaker: Ann Eriksson, Salish Sea Nearshore Habitat Recovery Project, 17. March 2019
CVN invites the public to learn about the Salish Sea Nearshore Habitat Recovery Project Comox Valley Nature is pleased to host a public lecture. Join Ann Eriksson for an illustrated talk entitled: “Salish Sea Nearshore Habitat Recovery Project (SSNHRP)”. The … Continue reading
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