CVN Facebook Posts
Bruce Moffat, our very own CVN Nature Photography group coordinator will be presenting at this month’s general meeting. He has prepared a handful of wildlife vignettes collected over the past 7 years on Vancouver Island. Each of these shorts will be played with Bruce pausing to describe the experiences and challenges for each of the diverse subjects covered.This presentation includes images first shown as entries in the Comox Valley Photographic Society’s annual Imagefest show at the Sid Williams Theatre. There will be time to ask questions after each short film and following the wrap up. Bruce will bring some of the equipment used to capture his images.
Bruce has been an avid photographer since his teen years and has focused on nature photography for the past 20 years. He has been published regularly in the local CV Land Trust
calendars and 4 of the last five CV Collective magazines here in the valley. His latest published shot is featured on this month’s cover of Scout Life magazine.
Comox Valley Nature is pleased to announce that Sophie Johnston has been awarded the Brandt Research Grant. This is a $5,000 grant in support of her field research on coastal areas of north Vancouver Island. Sophie is currently a PhD Student at the University of British Columbia.The intertidal zone ecosystem is critically threatened by ongoing climate change. Sophie’s PhD research is documenting the effects of ocean acidification on intertidal marine communities in the Johnstone Strait, British Columbia.
The goal of her research is to investigate how a dominant ecosystem engineer shapes marine community structure along a gradient of ocean acidification.
Ocean acidification not only alters the morphology of limpet species by increasing shell erosion, but can also increase their thermal sensitivity, limiting limpet grazing efficiency and survival in the intertidal zone. Thus, the effects of ocean acidification on such ecosystem engineers could result in large-scale, rippling impacts on marine communities, from microscopic algae to top predators.
The results of this research will be of particular interest to residents who inhabit areas near or along the Johnstone Strait and those interested in the trophic level effects of ocean acidification i.e., the reduced growth of herbivores, barnacles, mussels, and oysters can affect the population sizes of predators like sea stars and otters.
For more information on this grant and CV Nature in general, visit our website at cvnature.ca
CVRD News: Watershed Awareness Days: Discover Where Your Water Comes From 🫗The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) invites the public to explore the Comox Lake Watershed during Watershed Awareness Days, taking place from May 26 to 30, 2026. This week-long event features guided walks, lakeside talks, presentations, and family-friendly activities. It’s a unique opportunity to experience the watershed firsthand and learn how it sustains the health and wellbeing of the entire Comox Valley community.
Read the full story here 👉 comoxvalleyrd.ca/connect/news/watershed-awareness-days-discover-where-your-water-comes
View all the FREE* events here:
www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/connectedbywater
*Some events require registration
#ComoxValleyRD
Photos from Tsolum River Restoration Society's post
Author Archives: web_admin
Botany quiz #3: Conifers
From an email by Jocie to the Botany Group on December 21. Happy solstice! Here is the last quiz before Christmas, featuring local conifers. All of these are found at low elevation except for #9 which is mid to high … Continue reading
Posted in Plants and fungi
Comments Off on Botany quiz #3: Conifers
Learn about the restoration effectiveness of living shorelines
Comox Valley Nature is pleased to host a free online lecture by Jason Toft. The lecture entitled “Restoration Effectiveness of Living Shorelines in the Salish Sea.” is on Sunday January 17, 2021, 7:00 pm PST and is open to the … Continue reading
Posted in Guest Speakers, Shoreline and Marine
Comments Off on Learn about the restoration effectiveness of living shorelines
Christmas Bird Count – Wrap-up meetings December 15 and 20
Although Comox Valley Nature is not organizing the Christmas Bird Count this year given the recommendations of Public Health authorities, and given that our insurance does not cover any liability due to the pandemic, some birders in the Valley are … Continue reading
Posted in Birds
Comments Off on Christmas Bird Count – Wrap-up meetings December 15 and 20
Toothed fungi, part 2
From an email from Jocie to the Botany Group on December 7. Here is Alison’s 2nd instalment of the toothed fungi. [See this post for the first instalment.] Alison’s notes [Click a photo to enlarge it.] Next on the list … Continue reading
Posted in Plants and fungi
Comments Off on Toothed fungi, part 2
Botany quiz #2: Shrubs
From an email by Jocie to the Botany Group on December 5. Here is quiz #2, featuring all native shrubs in autumn. [Click a photo to enlarge it.] You can download the answers here.
Posted in Plants and fungi
Comments Off on Botany quiz #2: Shrubs
Botany quiz #1: Trees
From emails by Jocie to the Botany Group on December 1 and 5. To keep you on your toes, here is a short quiz featuring deciduous trees in autumn (large and small, and a few that may be classified as … Continue reading
Posted in Plants and fungi
Comments Off on Botany quiz #1: Trees
Sunday pancakes?
From an email by Jocie to the Botany Group on November 29. My family enjoys pancakes on a Sunday morning, but I didn’t expect to find pancakes in the woods. Wandering about in the Miracle Beach Park campground, I came … Continue reading
Posted in Plants and fungi
Comments Off on Sunday pancakes?
Herring conservation report
CVN members will be interested in Dr. John Neilson’s report to Conservancy Hornby Island on the need to protect herring in our area. The report is titled “The Science Case for a Marine Protected Area in Lambert Channel: Conservation Benefits … Continue reading
Posted in Conservation and Restoration, News
Comments Off on Herring conservation report
eDNA sampling project completed
From an email by Kelly to the Birding Group on November 23. Today the last sample was taken from Courtenay Airpark Lagoon. All 17 weekly samples were shipped today to Guelph University for analysis. The sampling team consisted of myself, … Continue reading
Posted in Birds
Comments Off on eDNA sampling project completed
Toothed fungi, part 1
From an email by Jocie to the Botany Group on November 22. Alison M. has put together an informative overview of some of the toothed fungi: hydnums and hydnellums. [Click a photo to enlarge it.] Alison’s notes Well into November … Continue reading
Posted in Plants and fungi
Comments Off on Toothed fungi, part 1
