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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
Later fall fungi in the Comox Valley
Notes and photos from Alison M., distributed to the Botany/Mycology Group on November 18. Click a photo to enlarge it. Until a couple of days ago I had given up on there being anything of interest in our woodlands here … Continue reading
Posted in Plants and fungi
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Mushrooms at Paradise Meadows in October
From an email by Jocie to the Botany/Mycology Group on November 16. Click a photo to enlarge it. One of the highlights from our fungi trip to Paradise Meadows on October 20 was the handsome Admirable bolete (Aureoboletus mirabilis). The … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Plants and fungi
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New article: A dwarf mistletoe’s story
If you’ve ever wondered about the dwarf mistletoe that you can see parasitizing coniferous trees in our forests, you can find out all about it in the latest addition to our occasional series of long-form articles, as Véronique McIntyre listens … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Ecology, Evolution, Plants and fungi
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Merville Woods fungi
From an email by Jocie to the Botany/Mycology Group on October 18. Click a photo to enlarge it. We had a great time looking at a bonanza of fungi at Merville Woods on October 12! I got a bit carried … Continue reading
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Hairtrigger Lake moments
From an email by Jocie to the Botany/Mycology Group on October 9. Click a photo to enlarge it. Here are a few photos from a recent hike I did to one of my favourite spots: Hairtrigger Lake. Hairtrigger has lovely … Continue reading
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Plants of Miracle Beach Park, part 2
From an email by Jocie to the Botsny/Mycology Group on September 19. Click a photo to enlarge it. Here’s “Part 2” of the September 15 walk, featuring plants from the Black Creek gravel flats (accessed just upstream from the bridge … Continue reading
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Plants of Miracle Beach Park, part 1
From an email by Jocie to the Botany/Mycology Group on September 19. Click a photo to enlarge it. On September 15 we took advantage of a sunny day to check out Miracle Beach Park, visiting the Black Creek estuary and … Continue reading
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Subalpine fungi – recent observations
Notes and photos from Alison M., distributed to the Botany Group on August 30. Click a photo to enlarge it. Fall approaches and there are even a few fungi bravely raising their heads up on the mountain after sporadic rains … Continue reading
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Botany on the Trent River trail (part 2)
From an email by Jocie to the Botany/Mycology Group on June 21. Click a photo to enlarge it. Here are some more of Véronique’s lovely photos of seeds (first 6) and flowers (last 6) from our visit to the Trent … Continue reading
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Botany on the Trent River trail (part 1)
From an email by Jocie to the Botany/Mycology Group on June 21. Click a photo to enlarge it. On Monday we enjoyed a leisurely ramble along the ridge above the Trent River, accessing the trail from the end of Hatton … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Molluscs, Plants and fungi
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