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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.
The Canadian Coalition for Invasive Plant Regulation (CCIPR) wants the federal government to establish a regulatory body for the horticultural industry and create a national database identifying invasive plants and their risks in different regions. "Even if we don't prohibit them, we need to let the public know when there is potential harm," said CCIPR co-founder Cathy Kavassalis. "We do this on other products, and we should do it on plants too. It's just common sense."In July, Nanaimo council passed a motion to pursue a bylaw amendment restricting the sale of plants on a list maintained by the Invasive Species Council of B.C. A week later, Surrey moved to ban sales by businesses including nurseries, large retail chains and florists. Kavassalis said a problem that could be addressed at higher levels of government is being pushed down to municipalities."These are all patchwork solutions that, in some ways, just waste a lot of resources," she said. The CCIPR says a national database could give provinces, territories, retailers and gardeners a shared source of information about which plants pose risks in different regions. Kavassalis also wants invasive plants removed from shelves or clearly labelled.For more on this story visit www.cbc.ca/news/science/invasive-plants-sale-federal-regulation-9.7312362 or see our link in bio
Category Archives: Guest Speakers
Feb. 17, 2013: Two Local Naturalists Featured
Comox Valley Nature is pleased to present the work of two well-loved long-standing members, Jennifer Harrison and Krista Kaptein. Both will make 30 minute presentations prior to the 47th Annual General Meeting of Comox Valley Nature as part of the … Continue reading
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Nov. 18, 2012: Ecological Historians Linda Dorricott & Dierdre Cullon
Ethnohistorical researchers Linda Dorricott and Deirdre Cullon will present a one-hour illustrated lecture based on findings associated with the recent publication of the hitherto little known and untapped diary of Captain G.H. Richards. Richards surveyed the Vancouver Island Coast aboard … Continue reading
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Oct. 21, 2012: Amphibians & Road Crossings
Elke Wind, a contract biologist, is the speaker at the monthly Comox Valley Nature meeting Sunday, October 21. Ms. Winds talk “ Why Did the Toad Cross the Road – Amphibians and Road Crossing Issues” will be at 7 pm … Continue reading
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Sept. 16, 2012: Restoring Western Bluebirds to Garry Oak Ecosystems
As it approaches its own 50th anniversary, Comox Valley Nature will launch a special monthly lecture series to commemorate and honour Rachel Carson’s launch of Silent Spring. Fifty years ago on September 15, 1962, Rachel Carson’s tale of environmental greed … Continue reading
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Empower the 99%: Visit the 1% forest, and learn about Courtenay’s threatened Garry Oak heritage
Comox Valley Nature wishes to thank the 40 residents and the staff of School District 71 who made the Garry Oak Gardening Workshop a very successful educational event, and an important step towards recovering the valley’s natural heritage. Fresh out … Continue reading
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Tagged ecological restoration, Garry Oak, Nature Walk
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May 20, 2012: Dragonflies of the Comox Valley
In March many readers were dismayed to hear that our guest speaker Terry Thormin was rushed to hospital and would not be able to present his dragonfly show. Comox Valley Nature (Comox Valley Naturalists Society) is pleased to announce that … Continue reading
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Mar. 18, 2012: The Value of Fisheries Habitat Protection
Due to unforseen circumstances there is a change of speaker for Sunday’s meeting. Jack Minard, President of the Tsolum River Restoration Society, will give a one hour lecture on the value of habitat protection in light of his two decade experience … Continue reading
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Feb. 19, 2012: Celebrated Comox Valley Historian Richard Somerset Mackie to lecture on Pioneer Naturalist, Mack Laing (1883-1982)
On Sunday, February 19 Comox Valley Nature (Comox Valley Naturalist Society) will hold its Annual General Meeting, at the Filberg Centre at 8pm. The meeting is open to all members. Prior to the AGM, as part of its public educational … Continue reading
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Jan. 15, 2012: Rare and Special Listed Species of the Comox Lake Bluffs Ecological Reserve
One of the Comox Valley’s favourite recreation areas, enjoyed by mountain bikers and hikers alike, the Comox Lake Bluffs region is above-all a frequently overlooked special ecological jewel. It is registered as a rare northernmost arbutus / manzanita / maritime juniper ecosystem. It is home to many rare and endangered plant species. Continue reading
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Nov. 20, 2011: Living Oceans Society Presentation
As global energy demands increase, the US Department of Energy reports that atmospheric CO2 outstrip all IPCC predictions, and the Keystone Pipeline debate rages in Washington, few subjects should be of more economic and environmental concern to British Columbians than … Continue reading
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