CVN Facebook Posts
SWI will hold its Annual General Meeting on April 23th in the Evergreen Lounge of the Filberg Centre starting at 7:00 pm, in conjunction with a presentation by Rob Szasz on exploring a remote mountain area of Sichuan Province in southwestern China.Our guest speaker, Rod Szasz, is a Nanaimo-based inventor and entrepreneur with a love for adventure and climbing. He grew up in Ladysmith and was educated at Malaspina University-College (now Vancouver Island University) and the London School of Economics. After travelling the world, he then spent most of his adult life working in Japan, during which time he climbed extensively in Asia. He returned to Vancouver Island about 13 years ago, where he continues to climb remote peaks but periodically travels overseas to climb and explore out-of-the-way places.
The presentation is open to all and FREE to attend. The presentation will begin at 7pm and the SWI AGM will take place afterwards.
We invite former and potential volunteers to attend the AGM and learn more about SWI’s work, accomplishments and plans for the upcoming year. We openly welcome volunteers to staff our visitor centres and participate in our educational programs, thus ensuring the continuation of what we have achieved in the past. Please put your names forward! Anyone who loves Strathcona Park and would like to contribute a little of their time to the organization of SWI’s many activities should consider becoming a director. Nominations can be made from the “floor”.
A fantastic learning opportunity:The Native Bee Society of BC will be hosting a Mini Bee School on May 10th in Nanaimo, BC. Participants will learn identification strategies for common native bees, and their nesting, overwintering, and flower preferences. We will look at specimens under the microscope, learning about basic anatomy, and different bee families.Participants will also have the option to join the Master Melittology students on a “Bee Quest” on May 11th! We will look at specimens in the field and how they interact with their habitat.
Plug these dates into your calendar and register on the Events page!
bcnativebees.org/outreach-events
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#NBSBC #mastermelittology #mastermelittologist #bcbeeatlas #explorebeautifulbc #bcnativebees #beautifulBC #bcbees #nativebeesocietyofbc #citizenscience #beautifulbcbees #bethebees #BCnativebeesociety #savethenativebees #explorewildBC #exploreBC #Wildnativebees #BCwildbees #BCbeeschool
The Canadian Society of Environmental Biologists invites CVN members and the general public to attend the following free online lecture:"All paths stop at the fence: Pronghorn antelope management in southern Alberta"
presented by Paul Jones of the Alberta Conservation Association.
Time: Thursday April 10th at 12:00 p.m. (noon) PT
Paul Jones tells us:
In life they say that there is always a fork in the road for which one needs to decide which direction to take. As a senior biologist with Alberta Conservation Association, but even before, my career has not been directed by the road taken (or not) but by the path to the fence. As with the pronghorn, I may not have found my way across the fence yet, but it has led me to being the 2024 recipient of the Berrendo Award at the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ 30th Biennial Pronghorn Workshop.
“Seating capacity” for the talk is limited. Please register in advance at register.gotowebinar.com/register/1551447636054324316
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the webinar.
Join knowledgeable Geologist Bob Hauser on this 6km walk to view a few of the glacial features of the Comox Area.Meeting at the bottom of the steps at Goose Spit and then travelling along the beach we will return to Goose Spit via Curtis Road. Lots of variety on this interesting walk!
This walk will be enjoyable for people with a good level of fitness and an interest in geology! Bring lunch or snacks and dress for the weather!
This is a free event but donations are welcome.
Reserve your spot at or add your name to the waitlist.
On Saturday April 12th from 10-12, join the Comox Valley Nature naturalists on a guided botany walk around Ruth Masters Greenway.Get to know the variety of plants and trees that have
found a home in the many environments of this park.
Sharpen your plant identification skills, get to recognize spring flowers before they bloom (and after too!) and learn about the history of the park. Easy walk over mostly level ground except for one short downhill part and 8 or 9 stone steps up.
Please dress for the weather keeping in mind that we’ll walk at a very leisurely pace. No dogs please.
Comox Valley Nature is entirely run by volunteers. There is no charge for non-members but donations are most gratefully accepted (money goes towards insurance, brochures, signage etc. in the areas we restore).
To sign up register at . Meet up details will be sent before the walk. Hope to see you there!
Category Archives: Plants and fungi
Botany at Lazo Marsh, March 2025
The Botany Group made a late-winter visit to Lazo Marsh on March 4 (repeated on March 15) to continue identifying plants without the aids of leaves, flowers or fruits. This was the first trip that repeated the usual first Tuesday … Continue reading
Posted in Ecology, Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
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Trees of the Year events, 2025
What’s up with trees? Join Comox Valley Nature as we get to the root of the matter. Over the past seven years, Comox Valley Nature (CVN) has hosted very successful Trees of the Year events, asking residents of the Valley to nominate … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Plants and fungi, Tree(s) of the Year
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Botany at Ruth Masters Greenway, January 2025
The Botany Group enjoyed a field trip to Ruth Masters Greenway in Courtenay on January 7. Ruth Masters was a prominent local environmentalist and activist, and was a long-time member of CVN. In 2004, she donated this important property adjacent … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
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Botany at Seal Bay Park, December 2024
On December 3, a large contingent of Botany Group members enjoyed a walk in Seal Bay Nature Park, following the Coupland Loop trail. The main themes of this late-autumn outing were mosses and fungi, and many interesting and beautiful specimens … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
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Botany at Puntledge forest, November 2024
The Botany Group delved into the plentiful and diverse world of fungi in the Puntledge forest on their November field trip. Although walking only a short distance, it seemed the group saw specimens to examine every metre along the side … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
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Botany at Paradise Meadows, October 2024
Now that the flowering season is over, the Botany Group returned to Paradise Meadows on October 8 to learn to identify the plants there by their other characteristics—growth habit, leaves, seeds and other clues. And, of course, to enjoy the … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
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Botany at Paradise Meadows, August 2024
The always fascinating Paradise Meadows in Strathcona Provincial Park was the destination for the Botany Group’s field trip on August 6. The focus species for this outing are all found only at elevations above 300 metres: Sitka alder, yellow-cedar, green … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
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New article: Life cycle of mosses
CVN member Véronique M. explains in her latest long-form article what the gametophyte and sporophyte forms of a moss are and the roles they play in the sexual reproduction of mosses. As always, she provides her own field photos to … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Plants and fungi
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SWI workshop: Subalpine mycology
CVN members and others are invited to participate in the following two-day workshop organized by the Strathcona Wilderness Institute as part of its “Discovering our Biodiversity” series exploring the natural history of Strathcona Provincial Park. Title: Subalpine Mycology Workshop (Sep … Continue reading
Posted in Education, News, Plants and fungi
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Botany at Rosewall Creek Park, July 2024
The Botany/Mycology Group’s July field trip was popular with members. On July 2, the group observed a variety of plants and fungi in the lower part of Rosewall Creek Provincial Park, with a particular eye out for these species: eyelash … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
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