CVN Facebook Posts
Hands Off Old Growth, this Sunday October 4th in Simms Park:
Join Comox Valley Nature for a walk to celebrate Comox trees on Saturday, October 3, 2026. We will meet in the parking lot of the Comox Tennis Courts at 1:00 p.m. This 1.5 to 2 hour walk will be led by tree lovers Alora Griffin and Barbara Neilson. The number of participants is limited, and registration is required. RSVP on our events page at comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca/events/We will walk beneath the graceful boughs of some of Comox’s glorious trees, while enjoying their surroundings and the ambience they create for us. The trees selected will include examples of all the native trees now protected by the Town of Comox, as well as some exotic trees.We will discuss their biological features and historical significance as we amble along Brooklyn Creek and through Filberg Park and other parts of Comox. The path through Brooklyn Creek is uneven and there are stairs to climb. Bring your curiosity and questions as well as a water bottle and sun or rain protection, if needed. Please wear comfortable walking shoes. Children are welcome but please leave your furry friends at home, except for service dogs.This event is free, but donations are welcome.
The Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis laingi) is a top-level avian predator in mature and old coastal rainforests and is considered an indicator species of these habitats, as well as an indicator of forest health and biodiversity.Over half of the global range of this subspecies occurs in coastal British Columbia, where it favours mature coniferous forest. This non-migratory bird needs a relatively large home range that contains a good food supply. Despite some recent habitat protection efforts, continuing habitat loss is predicted, in part because of anticipated short rotation times in forest harvest. On Haida Gwaii, populations are very low and face an added risk from declines of prey species due to forest understory losses associated with high levels of browsing from an introduced population of deer.The Gitsegukla Huwilp of the Gitxsan.have drafted a petition to call for the legal protection of Northern Goshawks. These birds are keystone species in the Skeena Natural Resource Region which covers northwest British Columbia and includes the northern half of the Great Bear Rainforest. The coastal subspecies of Northern Goshawk on Haida Gwaii is the most vulnerable.The petition urges the Province of British Columbia to recognize and implement Regionally Important Wildlife protection for the Northern Goshawk. To sign please go to form.jotform.com/261745367749068For more information on the Goshawk visit www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/cosewic-assessm...
Our partners in conservation; CV Land Trust & Conservation Partnership are crowdfunding to purchase a very ecologically important property in Deep Bay.
Comox Valley Nature invites its members and the public to CVN’s September general meeting, this Sunday, September 27th.This month John Neilson will be speaking on “The Challenges in Maintaining an Urban Salmon Population – the Brooklyn Creek Story”Streams in urban environments that support healthy Pacific salmon populations are uncommon, as natural watercourses are often degraded or even buried during the course of development of roads and other urban infrastructure. Of the various Pacific salmon species, coho salmon show special abilities to survive and even thrive in close proximity to human settlements. In this talk, John Neilson reviews the status of coho salmon in the region, and explores the characteristics of this species that promote their resilience. He will also speak of the work of the Brooklyn Creek Watershed Society as they work to conserve the watershed in Comox.Dr. John Neilson has had a 30-year long career as a research scientist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, including leading research on the population status and ecology of bluefin tuna and swordfish in Canadian waters. He was also a member of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), and most recently, led the preparation of the status report on chinook salmon in southern British Columbia. He is the President of the Brooklyn Creek Watershed Society.A brief business meeting follows. Reports from some of our interest groups and projects are an opportunity for guests to learn more about what we do.
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Winter observations
From an email by Jocie to the Botany Group on December 24. Wishing you all a belated happy solstice and a Merry Christmas. A rare white Christmas this year! Between deluges of rain and the current wintery state, botany walks … Continue reading
Posted in Mammals, Miscellaneous, Plants and fungi
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Recording available for talk on heat mortality of seashore life
Comox Valley Nature, in conjunction with the Canadian Society of Environmental Biologists, recently presented the following webinar: Title: Well that stunk: mass die-offs of BC seashore life during the 2021 heatwaveSpeaker: Dr. Chris HarleyDate: Sunday, November 21, 2021 If you … Continue reading
Posted in Climate, Ecology, Guest Speakers, Shoreline and Marine
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More mega polypores, plus bear’s heads
Notes and photos by Alison M. distributed to the Botany Group on November 7. After the extremely hot dry summer, many of our favourite fungi have been noteworthy by their almost total absence. In Strathcona Provincial Park, both in the … Continue reading
Posted in Plants and fungi
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Learn about mortality of seashore life in the 2021 heatwave
Comox Valley Nature is pleased to co-host the following free online lecture: Title: Well that stunk: mass die-offs of BC seashore life during the 2021 heatwaveSpeaker: Dr. Chris HarleyDate: Sunday, November 21, 2021Time: 7:00 p.m. PST This webinar is facilitated … Continue reading
Posted in Climate, Ecology, Guest Speakers, Shoreline and Marine
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Recording available for talk on chemical contaminants in our oceans
The Canadian Society of Environmental Biologists recently presented the following webinar, to which CVN members were invited: Title: Environmental pollution in British Columbia: A short history of chemical conquestSpeaker: Dr. Peter RossDate: Sunday, October 17, 2021 If you missed this … Continue reading
Posted in Guest Speakers, Shoreline and Marine
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Field trips resuming!
We’ve all been disappointed that the pandemic forced suspension of CVN field trips. The good news is that the CVN Board of Directors decided in October that field trips can now resume with suitable precautions. Some key points in the … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips
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Dune blooms in mid-October!
From an email by Jocie to the Botany Group on October 24. I was over on the west coast last weekend, which was almost as wet as this weekend! While wandering the Wickaninnish beach dunes, I was surprised to see … Continue reading
Posted in Plants and fungi
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Spectacular polypores
From an email by Jocie to the Botany Group on October 16. I’ve seen some spectacular polypores this fall! Those that grow attached to dead trees and fallen logs are often called “bracket fungus” or “conks.” All have pores underneath … Continue reading
Posted in Plants and fungi
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Moss articles and photos
From an email by Jocie to the Botany Group on October 10. This is always a good time of year for moss watching (especially after the rain). Two members have sent links to interesting moss-related articles, and I’ve included a … Continue reading
Posted in Plants and fungi
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Do you have a bat box?
This article about a Canada-wide community science project is contributed to our website (and other outlets) by Karen Vanderwolf, a PhD student at Trent University and Research Associate at New Brunswick Museum. A more detailed article will appear in CVN’s … Continue reading
Posted in Conservation and Restoration
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