CVN Facebook Posts
Help a Toad to cross the road!
Dont miss these upcoming presentations, giving insight into wildlife rehabilitation, bird intelligence and the lives of coastal wolves:
Reporting wildfire sightings is easier with the BC Wildfire Service App:With the BC Wildfire Service app, you can quickly report wildfires electronically - even in areas with limited cell coverage. Click on the report button, prepare your report offline and your report will automatically go to the Provincial Wildfire Reporting Centre when you’re back in service.Our mobile app is free to download on both Apple and Android devices.
iOS: apps.apple.com/us/app/bc-wildfire-service/id1477675008
Google play: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ca.bc.gov.WildfireInformation&pcampaignid=web_share
Interesting and helpful advice from John Neilson and the Brooklyn Creek Watershed Stewards :Recently, BCWS has been made aware of two incidents of soapy water at the Brooklyn Creek fish ladder (see picture taken July 2nd). This has likely resulted from a release of a detergent into the stream, possibly from car washing or moss removal on roofs.As readers know, Pacific salmon are found in Brooklyn Creek every day of the year, and there certainly is no “safe” time to release detergents or other pollutants into the storm water system that connects with the Creek. Release of any deleterious substance into salmon bearing streams is contrary to the Fisheries Act, and subject to fines. Soapy water can impact young salmon by damaging their gills or skin.
In addition to posing a threat to our salmon populations, soapy water may also indicate that some people are still washing cars, which as of June 23, is not permitted under Stage 3 water restrictions. Once car washing is again allowed, consider washing on a lawn, rather than a hard surface. This simple method can greatly reduce the amount of soapy water entering the storm water system.
Thank you for considering the health of the Brooklyn Creek Watershed.
Dr. John Neilson, President BCWS
Sophia Priestman, a graduate of Mark R. Isfeld Secondary School, is the 2026 recipient of the CVN Bursary. Our $1000 bursary was presented to her at the school’s awards ceremony on May 28.Sophia graduates with straight A grades. She made extensive contributions to the Environment Club throughout her career at Isfeld, taking on the president’s role in grades 11 and 12. She was also very involved in the Model UN Program, and participated in other school clubs and sports.
Outside school, Sophia has volunteered with Anderton Therapeutic Garden and with Lush Valley for several years. At 12 years old she was offered a job by five vendors at the Farmer’s Market and chose Alderlane Bakery where she is in her sixth year of employment. She also has helped out at Pendleton Farm.
Sophia has been accepted at the University of Victoria where she will pursue a dual major in Environmental Studies and Economics with a minor in Applied Ethics. Of this somewhat unusual combination of disciplines, Sophia says:
This variety of disciplines will allow me to see complex political and environmental issues from multiple perspectives and find innovative solutions that both foster sustainability and ensure welfare for all (human and non-human alike).
Congratulations, Sophia!
Category Archives: Plants and fungi
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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Botany at Comox Lake Eco Reserve, June 2024
A small contingent of Botany/Mycology Group members enjoyed the group’s June field trip to the Comox Lake Bluffs Ecological Reserve on June 4. They explored both the forested area adjacent to the reserve and trails inside the reserve leading to … Continue reading
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SWI offers lichen identification workshop
The Strathcona Wilderness Institute is offering a workshop this summer on identifying lichens in Strathcona Provincial Park: Title: Field Identification of Basic Lichens in Strathcona Provincial ParkDate: July 27, 2024Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Location: Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre, Paradise … Continue reading
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Mycoheterotrophs at Puntledge forest, June 2024
The identification guide linked here was updated on July 13 with a few minor changes, replacing the version that was posted originally. The Botany/Mycology Group held an extra outing in June (on June 12) at the Puntledge forest with the … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
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Botany at Little River, May 2024
The Botany/Mycology Group’s May field trip took place on May 14 at Little River Nature Park and was well-attended. This CVRD nature park has three special ecosystems which the group explored: Many of the spring flowers on the beach plain … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Learning material, Plants and fungi
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Tour native plant gardens and learn about carbon sequestration
Comox Valley Nature is sponsoring a special all-day event at Steller Raven Ecological Farm that will highlight native plant gardening techniques and research into the potential of such gardens for carbon sequestration. The public is invited to attend this free … Continue reading
Posted in Conservation and Restoration, News, Plants and fungi
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Botany at MacDonald Wood and Mack Laing Parks, April 2024
The Botany/Mycology Group was privileged to have Marta Donovan lead the group in a very informative walk through MacDonald Wood Park and Mack Laing Nature Park in Comox on April 9. Marta is a professional botanist who recently retired after … Continue reading
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Trees of the Year 2024 results
The nomination period for CVN’s Trees of the Year 2024 event ended on March 31. Once again we’ve seen how passionate and observant you, our community members, are for the trees around us in both our urban and rural environments. … Continue reading
Posted in Plants and fungi, Tree(s) of the Year
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