CVN Facebook Posts
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...
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 pmin Puntledge Park 1111 1st , Courtenay
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.
🎟️ 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
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.
Category Archives: Plants and fungi
Rotary Trail English ivy pull
Comox Valley Nature invites the community to participate in an invasive English ivy pull in the Dogwood Park/Rotary Trail area. The event will tentatively (depending on weather) be on September 27, from 1–4 p.m. We will meet at the 21st … Continue reading
Posted in Conservation and Restoration, Plants and fungi
Comments Off on Rotary Trail English ivy pull
Botany at Paradise Meadows, August 2025
On August 9, a small contingent (two leaders and one member) from the Botany Group enjoyed a mid- to late-summer field trip to Paradise Meadows. This subalpine environment (elevation 1200 m) offers many plants different from those at lower levels. … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
Comments Off on Botany at Paradise Meadows, August 2025
Botany at Thames Creek, June 2025
On their first trip (at least in recent years) to Thames Creek near Bowser on June 3, repeated with public participation on June 14, the Botany Group enjoyed exploring the variety of habitats in the area. The presence of old-growth … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
Comments Off on Botany at Thames Creek, June 2025
Botany at the Airpark, May 2025
Botany Group members enjoyed a field trip to the Courtenay Airpark on May 6 (repeated with public participation on May 10). With the (perhaps surprising) diversity of plants at this urban location, there was much to see, ranging from algae … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
Comments Off on Botany at the Airpark, May 2025
Botany at Ruth Masters Greenway, April 2025
The Botany Group’s early-spring field trip to Ruth Masters Greenway on April 1 (repeated on April 12) was a followup to the winter outing in January. Although plenty of spring growth was visible, including some flowers, observing bark, branches and … Continue reading
Posted in Ecology, Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
Comments Off on Botany at Ruth Masters Greenway, April 2025
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
Comments Off on Botany at Lazo Marsh, March 2025
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
Comments Off on Trees of the Year events, 2025
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
Comments Off on Botany at Ruth Masters Greenway, January 2025
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
Comments Off on Botany at Seal Bay Park, December 2024
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
Comments Off on Botany at Puntledge forest, November 2024
