The always fascinating Paradise Meadows in Strathcona Provincial Park was the destination for the Botany Group’s field trip on August 6.
The focus species for this outing are all found only at elevations above 300 metres: Sitka alder, yellow-cedar, green false-hellebore, kneeling angelica, white mountain-heather, pink mountain-heather, crowberry, bog blueberry, common butterwort, and king gentian. Various other species were also observed.
The group’s co-leader Véronique has created another great photographic identification guide for many of the species observed on this walk using her own photos and additional research. Below is a selection of images from the guide. Download the full guide here (PDF, 7.4 MB, 28 pages). [Click a thumbnail photo to see the full photo.]
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 illustrate the concepts. If you’ve ever wondered what the term “alternation of generations” means, learn all about it in the article Life Cycle of Mosses.
You can always find this and other long-form articles via the Articles category in the sidebar.
Title: Observations on the fish and aquatic ecology of Buttle Lake Speaker: Paige Stuart Date: Tuesday, August 27, 2024 Time: 7:00 p.m. PT
See the registration link below.
Situated at the heart of Strathcona Provincial Park, Buttle Lake, which was once home to large trout populations, has never recovered from the twin impacts of the building of the Upper Campbell Dam (1958) and the mining impacts of the Westmin Mine at Myra Falls. The impacts have drawn attention to short studies, notably by Dr. Tom Northcote from 1962 to 2000. Paige Stuart has reviewed the literature to date and carried out a series of preliminary observations to determine knowledge gaps and understand the situation limiting recovery.
About the speaker
Paige Stuart is a Research Student at SWI during the 2024 season.
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 21) with Mycology Hike to Divers Lake (Sep 22) Presenters: Andy MacKinnon, Thom O’Dell, Erin Feldman and Bryce Kendrick Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024 and Sunday, September 22, 2024 Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, and starting at 9:00 a.m. Sunday, PT Location: Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre, Paradise Meadows. Cost: $70.00 (students: $25.00) Maximum number of participants: 15
See below for registration instructions.
The 6th annual SWI Subalpine Mycology Workshop will take place on September 21 in the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre, Paradise Meadows, followed on September 22 by a hike to Divers Lake. This year the team of talented experts includes Andy MacKinnon, Thom O’Dell, Erin Feldman and Bryce Kendrick, all eminent mycologists with extensive experience in both instruction and guiding field forays.
On Saturday they will have in-class slide presentations and ID sessions, combined with forays out into the Meadows, in both the morning and afternoon, separated by a lunch featuring wild mushroom soup.
On Sunday, SWI Director Loys Maingon will lead a hike through the fungus-rich forested slopes on the trail to Divers Lake, which lies in the valley below and to the west of Paradise Meadows.
About the workshop leaders
Andy MacKinnon is a forest ecologist with research interests in plant-fungal partnerships. He is Past-President of SVIMS, and is a co-author of RBCM’s “Mushrooms of British Columbia”.
Thom O’Dell, Ph.D. has over 35 years experience studying and teaching about mushrooms.
Erin Feldman, MSc, is a research scientist turned mushroom cultivator and educator with more than 10 years sharing fungal facts through classes, forest walks and biodiversity surveys.
Bryce Kendrick, Ph.D, D.Sc., F.R.S.C. has been working with fungi for more than 70 years and has published more than 300 papers and books over that period.
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 cup fungus, oak fern, spiny wood fern, devil’s club, black gooseberry, clasping twistedstalk, goatsbeard, and enchanter’s nightshade.
Also, co-leader Karen C., who recently completed a course on grasses, helped the group identify a few grasses and sedges along the way. Karen recommends the following field guides for grasses and sedges, both published by Oregon State University Press:
Another highlight was examining an amazing nurse stump with several trees of different species growing from it.
The group’s other co-leader Véronique has created another great photographic identification guide for many of the species observed on this walk using her own photos and additional research. Below is a selection of images from the guide. Download the full guide here (PDF, 6.8 MB).
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 the bluffs with their uncommon dry-site plant communities, including some plants rare in this region.
Seaside juniper
The group’s co-leader Véronique has created another very useful photographic identification guide to many of the species observed on this walk using her own photos and additional research. Below is a selection of images from the guide. Download the guide here (PDF, 16.1 MB).
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 Park Date: July 27, 2024 Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Location: Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre, Paradise Meadows Cost: $65 – includes a copy of Field Guide to Basic Lichens of Strathcona Provincial Park Registration: Email Limit: 15 participants Instructor: Loys Maingon
Here is SWI’s description of the workshop:
This event is one in a series of “Discovering our Biodiversity” Workshops held each summer to promote the amazing wealth of flora and fauna in Strathcona Provincial Park. This specific workshop, led by lichen expert Loys Maingon (RPBio), provides an introduction to field identification of lichens found in Strathcona Provincial Park . There will be an in-class slide presentation and discussion in the morning in the Ruth Masters Nature Hall (lower floor of the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre). After lunch the group will go out into the Meadows for on-site observation of lichens in the Paradise Meadows area.
Preregistration is required, with acceptance on a first paid, first served basis.
Please email for further information.
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The identification guide linked here was updated on July 13 with a few minor changes, replacing the version that was posted originally.
Spotted coralroot (Photo: V. McIntyre)
The Botany/Mycology Group held an extra outing in June (on June 12) at the Puntledge forest with the goal of finding mycoheterotrophs. A mycoheterotroph is a plant that gets its nutrients from a fungus during at least part of its lifecycle.
The group’s co-leader Véronique has created another very useful photographic identification guide to the mycoheterotroph species observed on this walk using her own photos and additional research. Below is a small selection of images from the guide. Download the guide here (PDF, 5.4 MB) [click a photo to see the uncropped image].
Beach plain in foreground, estuarine plain on opposite bank, wooded area with pond (not visible) in background. (Photo: V. McIntyre)
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:
the rare and sensitive beach plain
the sensitive salt marsh estuarine plain
the wetland and pond area.
Many of the spring flowers on the beach plain were showing up on this trip.
The group’s co-leader Véronique has created another very useful photographic identification guide to most of the species observed on this walk using her own photos and additional research. Below is a small selection of images from the guide. Download the guide here (PDF, 10.3 MB).
Botany Group at Little RiverRocky Mountain pond-liliesCalifornia blackberry male flowerCommon forget-me-notMenzies’ larkspurSeashore lupine
Comox Valley Nature is hosting the presentation "Comox Valley Land Trust (CVLT) programs and the Puntledge Forest land protection project" by David Stapley, Treasurer Comox Valley Land Trust .David will provide an overview of Comox Valley Land Trust (CVLT) programs with a special focus on the “Save the Puntledge Forest” land protection project. He will outline the ecological characteristics and benefits of protecting this 100 – to 120 -year-old naturally regenerating forest. The history of human disturbance and current risks from mining to hydro power generation and logging will be presented. The complicated story of protecting this area due to the unique challenges posed through land ownership and a private timber reservation registered on title will be shared. For more information visit www.cvlandtrust.ca/portfolio-items/land-securement-fund-puntledge/Date: Sunday November 24, 2024; 3:00 – 5:00 pmLocation: Comox United Church, Church Hall, 250 Beach Drive Comox, BC V9M 1P9CV Land Trust & Conservation Partnership City of CourtenayProject WatershedCumberland Forest... See MoreSee Less
Bird-watchers, please be aware of Avian Flu;NOTICE REGARDING AVIAN FLU (HPAI): As we head into another fall season, staff have found a number of HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) cases in Canada Geese, ducks and gulls. While the populations of waterfowl in the Comox Valley have been highly decimated by this disease, there is still risk to many birds. HPAI is exacerbated by the stress of migration, especially when birds flock together in large numbers.All potential carriers of the avian flu are screened by hospital staff before coming into the hospital, so as to protect the health of the current patients. Education staff have reintroduced protocols that were first set up at the beginning of the outbreak to help maintain protection for our ambassador birds, who are our top priority.As for donations, we are currently unable to accept any culled chickens or other poultry. We cannot risk the transmission of HPAI to any of our patients or ambassadors. We are able to accept any human-grade processed poultry (chicken breasts, etc). We continue to accept eggs as these are boiled before feeding to patients. For the most up-to-date info on food donations please visit our hospital wish list. marswildliferescue.com/ways-to-give/wish-list/If you raise chickens or other poultry, and would like to tour MARS facilities, please wear clothing that hasn’t been in direct contact with your flocks.If you notice any wild waterfowl (geese, ducks, swans), raptors (hawks, eagles, owls) or corvids (crows, ravens, jays) with suspicious behaviour or any of the symptoms listed, please call the wildlife hospital at 250 337-2021 for guidance.We thank you for your understanding and support at this time. ... See MoreSee Less
