Saturday, April 7th South Side, Puntledge River from Comox Dam
Today’s walk explores the south side of the Puntledge River downstream for about 2 km. This side of the river is much less visited then the north side, which BC Hydro has developed for hikers, bikers and picnic users. The walk is an easy downhill stroll on the way out following the turns in the river on well-maintained paths and trails.
A wide range of birds visit the forest, and many shade loving plants line the trails.
Greetings, Members of the Botany Group
As Spring advances lots of plants are coming into bloom: coltsfoot, salmonberry, yellow stream violet, blue-eyed mary and more. Attached are photos of Petasites palmatus (coltsfoot) on the Tsolum floodplain and Erythronium oregonum (white fawn lily) seen on the Ripple Rock trail on Saturday (March 24th). Anywhere along our shorelines or riverbanks from now on will be worthy of repeated visits for the succession of blooms.
Outing to Seal Bay, March 5th
Although we were thwarted in our attempts to have a moss walk in February because of the snow, it was well worth the wait. March 5th was perfect, if perhaps a little dry for mosses, but Randal came equipped with a spray bottle to perk up the specimens. The array of mosses seemed overwhelming, but through Randal’s energetic instruction we were well drilled in the identification of seven of the most common ones on the forest floor and lower tree trunks, and equipped with an excellent handout for reference. Illustrated in the attachments are Ruth`s photos of Buckiella undulata (wavy cotton moss), Hylocomium splendens (step moss) and Dicranum scoparium (broom moss).
Jocie won the prize for spotting a species not in the List of Bryophytes for Seal Bay. It was Dendroalsia abietina, or Plume Moss, not commonly seen in the Valley. For an illustration of plume moss, check E-flora. Randal has added more than 20 to the original 38 (see attached updated list) .
Randal spotted various liverworts including Lophocolea cuspidata. He sent a photo of it in “full bloom” in his local woods with star shaped antheridiaphores. ( See attached photo.) Another one of interest was Metzgeria conjugata in amongst festoons of Neckera on a Maple trunk. Check E-flora for photo. Next year we will have to slate a walk concentrating on liverworts.
Other news – Little River Nature Park
Helen reports that she “took a walk along the river and between the river and the fence at Little River Nature Park, and counted 34 Piperia elegans (elegant rein orchid) plants, but there are probably twice that. They do not bloom for another month or six weeks. I also walked along the beach towards the ferry, looking for emerging yellow sand verbena leaves, but it is still too early. There is more than ever habitat destruction by the homeowners (2) adjacent to the ferry maintenance yard, so I don’t know if they have dug deep enough to totally destroy the sand verbena plants or not.” You may remember that Helen raised concerns last year about the damage to natural vegetation on the beach by some of the homeowners in the Harwood Estates. Murray Little of the Wetland Conservation Group has indicated that CVRD’s Debi Lister is trying to ensure that the residents of the estates are made aware of the ecologically sensitive area and endangered plants in their “backyard”.
Next Gathering : April 9th – Kin Beach – 11.00 am.
We had our April gathering last year at Kin Beach, so this will be an opportunity to compare and contrast what is or is not in bloom from one year to the next. There are picnic tables at the park, where we can have lunch after our foray.
Enjoy our spring displays, Alison
Saturday March 31st, Cumberland Marsh; Jumbo’s Cabin
Loys will be leading a Public walk through the Cumberland Marsh today. The Marsh drains into Perseverance (aka Coal) Creek, and is home to a number of interesting plant species as well as being a favorite spot for water fowl. The level walk goes from Jumbo’s cabin across low coal hills and ends at the Number 1 Japanese Town Site near the Saito House. This is one of our most popular walks, and is an easy stroll.
For more details, check out this link to our website:
http://comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca/nature-viewing-guide/7-cumberland-area/cumberland-marsh/
Saturday March 24th, Ripple Rock,
On April 5th, 1958, the largest non-nuclear man-made explosion to date occurred at Seymour Narrows, just north of Campbell River. The 1270 metric tons of Nitramex 2H explosives was loaded into tunnels coming from Maud Island, on the east side of the narrows. Ripple Rock had been a long time danger to shipping on the inland passageway, as its two peaks almost broke water at low tides. The risk of grounding was increased due to the high volumes of water that flow during full tides. We will meet at the Courtenay Country Market, 5352 Old Island Highway across form Sunnydale golf course. The drive to the trail head is about 45 minutes, and the walk around 3 hours return. Pack water and a light lunch as we picnic at the viewpoint before the return trip. For more details check out this link:
http://www.trailpeak.com/trail-Ripple-Rock-near-Campbell-River-BC-1220
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Saturday March 10th, Macy Woodlot Walk Mt. Washington
Fred Newhouse spoke at our AGM in February, and we are fortunate to have him leading a walk through the Harold Macy Woodlot today. Fred has spent most of his life in the woods in various roles with the forest service, consulting, and managing a crown woodlot. The visit will showcase the sustainable logging practices that are used on the Harold Macy Woodlot. Bring binoculars, water and a snack.
The walk is shady and under trees and may be cool even on a warm day. We have encountered Elk, Bear and Island Deer, but we can always expect 6 to 8 bird species and various species of slugs. The forest is 80 to 100 year old Coastal Western Hemlock Drier Maritime Zone. The trip is moderately difficult, but mostly on dirt and gravel roads with a 7 to 15 % slope. The holder of the woodlot license is Harold Macy, who has written an autobiography “The Four Storey Forest”.
We will meet by the old church on Harmston Road in Courtenay at 9:30, and car pool to the woodlot which is located off the Mt. Washington Parkway.
http://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/news/123750144.html
https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/dcr/FSP%20%20WLP%20Files/WLP%20W1677.pdf
Saturday, March 3rd, Union Bay (Coal Hills)
This easy walk starts at the Union Bay Boat ramp and explores the remains of Dunsmuir’s Coal terminal, located on both sides of Hart (Washer) Creek. In 1887 Robert Dunsmuir had a deep water coal terminal 600 feet long built to load wind and steam freighters which carried the high quality coal from Cumberland around the world. Little of the infrastructure, which included coke ovens, a coal washer, and workers barracks remain. What does remain are mounds of low quality coal and coal dust, removed before shipping to ensure that only the best coal went aboard. Coal dust is explosive and water from Hart Creek was used to remove much of it here. Use of the site only stopped in 1960, and various uses of the area have been suggested over the years since then. This site is a fascinating, if toxic site, and a reminder of how poorly we treated the environment not that long ago. More information is available at these three web sites:
http://comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca/nature-viewing-guide/8-baynes-sound-area/union-bay/
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Emily Lohn receiving CVN Bursary Award from Jim Boulter, CVN President, at Mark Isfeld Secondary School Awards Ceremony June 5 2017
The CVN Bursary Committee chose Emily Lohn as this year’s bursary winner for her volunteer commitments in environmental and natural history-related activities and high academic standing at Mark R. Isfeld Secondary School. She is now enrolled in a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology in the dual admission program at North Island College (Courtenay) and will transfer to the University of Victoria in the last two of the four-year program to complete her degree.
Bursary recipients are invited to give a brief presentation to CVN members on their studies and future educational plans. This gives them an opportunity to say thank you to the CVN community and its donors an occasion to meet the students they are so proud to support.
The first Comox Valley Nature Tree of the Year award was nominated by Susan Holvenstot, who was presented with a small gift basket at the CVN general meeting in February of 2018.
Susan submitted one of her favourite trees, the “Anchor” Douglas fir on the banks of the Tsolum River, near 3326 Dove Creek Road. This tree is a fine example of the old growth forest that dominated the Valley prior to European settlement. It is estimated to be about 300 years old.
The top of the tree was lost sometime in the past, but it is still at least 28 metres high, with a trunk diameter of 245 cm.
The tree is on private land but is viewable from the road.
