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Recent Posts
- Learn about bioblitzes, rare plants, and BC plant diversity at our October general meeting
- Recording for talk on a birding “big year”
- Learn about slime moulds of Strathcona Park
- Learn about the medicinal plants of Cumberland
- Rotary Trail English ivy pull
- Hear about a birding “Big Year” at our next general meeting
- Community invited to celebrate Family Watershed Day
- Botany at Paradise Meadows, August 2025
- Botany at Thames Creek, June 2025
- Botany at the Airpark, May 2025
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CVN Facebook Posts
1 week ago
Comox Valley Nature invites the community to participate in an invasive English ivy pull in the Dogwood Park/Rotary Trail area on Saturday, October 11th, from 1–3:30p.m. We will meet at the 21st Street entrance to the trail, just off Piercy Avenue.According to the Invasive Species Council of BC, English ivy was intentionally introduced from its native range of Europe. It has since spread throughout rainforest understories, where it can grow as a dense mat that suppresses native plants or climbs up trees, reducing their lifespan and leaving them more susceptible to wind damage.
For our second “Pulling Together” event, join community member Megan Ardyche and Karen Cummins of CVN and we will aim to pull as much English ivy (and potentially other invasives) as we can in one afternoon. Join us for one hour, two hours, or all three hours with friends and neighbours in what will be a “surprisingly satisfying” afternoon.
Please pre-register by emailing . Pre-registration lets us know how many people to expect, and also allows us to notify you if the event is cancelled.
What to bring: your own garden gloves, as well as loppers, hand pruners or garden forks, if you have them. Also bring water. Please wear appropriate sturdy footwear.
@cvlandtrust
#invasives #restoration #stewardship #comoxvalley #cityofcourtenay
2 weeks ago
WE regret that we are cancelling this event. Stay tuned for information on rescheduling.Join Comox Valley Naturalist Society botanists as we explore the Cumberland Community Forest on October 11th from 1 to 3:00 pm.
Our focus will be on lush ferns and mosses, as well as the early fungi that the recent rains have brought out. The trail is gently sloping but do expect many thick and entangled roots. It can be slippery at times if it has rained recently.
Please dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes. The walk is not a loop so if you need to shorten the walk you will need to retrace your steps.
Bring a hand lens if you have one, since mosses and many small plants look much better when enlarged. Binoculars used the “wrong” way make very good magnifiers.
This walk is free. Register at
Donations are welcome as they allow us to continue our programming.
There is a full heated washroom facility in the Cumberland Rec. Centre parking lot on Sutton Rd and Dunsmuir (entrance from Sutton Rd).No dogs allowed. Please do not come if you are ill. Thank you for your consideration.
Directions: From downtown Courtenay head south on Cliffe Avenue, past Driftwood Mall. Turn right onto Comox Valley Parkway. This will take you straight into Cumberland as it passes under Hwy 19. The Parkway becomes Cumberland Road. Continue down Cumberland road as it veers to the left and becomes 4th Street. Turn right onto Dunsmuir Ave at the Esso station. Follow Dunsmuir to Sutton Ave and turn left. At the bottom of the hill Sutton becomes Comox Lake Avenue and curves sharply to the right. Park on the verge of Comox Lake avenue. The entrance to the Cumberland Community Forest is at the sharp turn. Walk south from the entrance for about 50 m until you see the interpretive sign marking the trails where we’ll meet.
#cumberlandcommunityforest
#botany #comoxvalley ... See MoreSee Less
2 weeks ago
4 weeks ago
On Family Watershed Day join artist Juliana Bedoya from Plants Are Teachers for a day-long participatory weaving project. Using recycled t-shirt yarn, willow, cattails, and scotch broom, participants will create Water Catchers and Woven Salmon that honor the colours and connections of the Puntledge River and the Pentlatch Watershed. ... See MoreSee Less1 month ago
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 (weather permitting) be on September 27, from 1–4 p.m. We will meet at the 21st Street entrance to the trail, just off Piercy Avenue.According to the Invasive Species Council of BC, English ivy was intentionally introduced from its native range of Europe. It has since spread throughout rainforest understories, where it can grow as a dense mat that suppresses native plants or climbs up trees, reducing their lifespan and leaving them more susceptible to wind damage.
For this inaugural “Pulling Together” event, join community member Megan Ardyche and Karen Cummins of CVN and we will aim to pull as much English ivy (and potentially other invasives) as we can in one afternoon. Join us for one hour, two hours, or all three hours with friends and neighbours in what will be a “surprisingly satisfying” afternoon.
Please pre-register by emailing . Pre-registration lets us know how many people to expect, and also allows us to notify you if the event is cancelled.
What to bring: your own garden gloves, as well as loppers, hand pruners or garden forks, if you have them. Also bring water. Please wear appropriate sturdy footwear.
For a handy video on pulling ivy, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP7FNjpnNvw&ab_channel=RogerstvCommunityShorts ... See MoreSee Less
Category Archives: Field Trips
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
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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
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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
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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
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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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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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Exploring Willow Point reef, July 2024
The CVN Shoreline Group had a productive field trip to the Willow Point reef in Campbell River this year on July 5. As on trips to this location in previous years, the group enjoyed the excellent leadership of Campbell River’s … Continue reading
Posted in Field Trips, Shoreline and Marine
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