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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Bird DNA sampling started
From an email by Kelly to the Birding Group on August 6. Weekly eDNA sampling has begun and will continue till end of November. The sampling is being done at the Airpark Lagoon. This is to assist Bettina Thalinger (University … Continue reading
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Frilly flowers
From an email by Jocie to the Botany Group on July 31. The last day of July….sigh…what a great month it is for plants! Here are some fun photos from John B: “Plants which like to show off their frilly … Continue reading
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Invasive green crab
From an email by Randal to the Shoreline Group on July 25. This story of the European green crab has been in the news lately because it is sneaking up through the Salish Sea area. According to the DFO: “The … Continue reading
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Plants of Forbidden Plateau
From an email by Jocie to the Botany Group on July 25. I recently hiked the plateau traverse (from Wood Mountain to Paradise Meadows: 28 km) with Mandy and Krista, spending one night at Mackenzie Lake. We had a great … Continue reading
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Rare orchid from White Ridge
Catching up with communications in the Botany Group during July. This is from an email from Jocie to the group on July 20. Frank Hovenden and Jack Bindernagel recently did a trip to White Ridge, a provincial park that is accessed … Continue reading
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Tennant Lake flowers
Catching up with communications in the Botany Group during July. This is from an email from Jocie to the group on July 19. Last week I was camping with the family at Ralph River (south end of Buttle Lake, in … Continue reading
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Wintergreens etc.
Catching up with communications in the Botany Group during July. This is from an email from Jocie to the group on July 18. Here is a message from Gary and Katy with some plants of interest: Below are photos of … Continue reading
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Flowers from Quadra Island
Catching up with communications in the Botany Group during July. This is from an email from Jocie to the group on July 16. Here are some flower photos from John B. from Quadra Island, with a few notes. Scouler’s harebell … Continue reading
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Gnomes and ghosts
Catching up with communications in the Botany Group during July. This is from an email from Jocie to the group on July 16. Fred N. found a new population of gnome plant (Hemitomes congestum) on the Nymph Falls midland trail. There … Continue reading
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More estuary blooms
Catching up with communications in the Botany Group during July. This is from an email from Jocie to the group on July 10. A not-to-be-missed July event is the blooming of Henderson’s checker-mallow (Sidalcea hendersonii) in the Komoks estuary. This … Continue reading
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