Comox Valley Nature

Saturday, July 15, Oyster Bay Regional Park

Loys will lead today’s Public walk. Oyster Bay Regional Park, aka Oyster Bay Shoreline Protection Park is a small park in the Strathcona Regional District. It features sand dunes and interesting foreshore vegetation. This little visited gem is an easy walk with stunning views across the Salish Sea to the Coast Range. Meet at the Courtenay Country Market to car pool.

http://www.strathconard.ca/oyster-bay-shoreline-protection-park

Sunday, July 9th,  SWI Walk, Trees in Paradise Meadows

Fred Newhouse will be leading today’s Strathcona Wilderness Institute walk. Paradise Meadows is sub-alpine at around 1,300 meters, and the tree species and growth patterns are sustainably different than their cousins at sea level.  Fred has spent most of his life in the woods in various roles with the forest service, consulting and managing a crown woodlot. Over the years, he has realized that like a vineyard, a forest can grow and mature in response to climate, site, soils and the cultural practice.

Car pool at pull out on Parkway at 9:30 or the SWI Cabin in the Nordic Ski area at 10 am. There is no charge for this walk, but donations to SWI will be accepted. No dogs please.

Saturday, July 8, 9:30 am, Headquarters Townsite Park Walk

This is an easy walk around Headquarters Townsite Park on level trails. The 8 hectare riparian forest site on the east bank of the Tsolum River was once an active centre for Comox Valley Logging between 1911 and 1950, and a few ruins still remain.  The Park is 2.5 km long from its southern end at Fitzgerald Road to its northern end at Headquarters Road and is level for most of the trail

We will meet at the Country Market for a car pool at 9:30 am, or at the trailhead on  Farnham Road at the bridge over the Tsolum River at 9:45 am.  There are no facilities at the Park, so bring water and dress for the weather. Park details are available at;

http://www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/EN/main/community/parks-trails/comox-valley-parks/headquarters-townsite-park.html

Sunday, July 2, 1 pm SWI/CVN Paradise Meadows Early Flowers

This is to announce the opening of the Strathcona Wilderness Institute 2017 Season of Nature Walks at Paradise Meadows. The first one will be held on Sunday July 2nd at 1.00 pm, with Alison in the lead. The snow is gone from the loop trails in Paradise Meadows and there are several plants in bloom, notably Caltha Leptosepala ( white marsh marigold),   Dodecatheon Jeffreyi ( shooting star),  Kalmia microphylla ( western bog-laurel), Viola adunca ( early blue violet) to name a few.  Meet at the Wilderness Centre at 1.00 pm.

There is no charge, but you will be pestered to make a small donation to SWI. $5 to $10 donation suggested. Car pool at pull out on Parkway at 12:30 or at the SWI Cabin in the Nordic ski area at 1 pm. No dogs please.

http://comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca/nature-viewing-guide/5-forbidden-plateau-area/paradise-meadows-strathcona-provincial-park/

Sunday  June 25 Public Walk Nymph Falls, 9:30 Forbidden Plateau Road.

Nymph Falls Park is not just for mushroom walks in the fall, but is a very popular walking park the year around. Loys will lead the group along the shores of Puntledge River on this very popular Public walk. Participants will meet at the main entrance of Nymph Falls Regional Park on Forbidden Plateau Road at 9:30.

The walk is on forest trails, and includes a gentle incline on the way out as you go upstream. This is a very popular swimming hole, and if the weather is warm you will want to have water with you and wear sturdy shoes. The walk will be about 3 hours long. The park has restrooms.

Note that there is no access to Forbidden Plateau Road from the new highway; you will have to access the road from Piercy Road.

A link to the Park trail map is here: http://www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/assets/Community/Documents/Parks/Nymph_Falls_map_30x21.pdf

Saturday. June 10 Lower Morrison Creek- Puntledge River

Steph Nathan will lead you on a walk through  the lower reaches of Morrison Creek today. No car- pooling is required as you can park on Lake Trail Road, near the Lake Trail School’s ball field. You will visit the Roy Stewart Morrison Nature Park, then cross over to continue Malcolm Morrison/First Street Park. After a short walk along quiet residential streets, you will enter Ruth Masters Greenway, and follow the Puntledge River downstream to Bear James Park.  We will have a few cars are parked on Robert Lang Drive to take the drivers back to their cars on Lake Trail Road. Those who wish to, can continue down Robert Lang Drive to Puntledge Park for pickup at the main entrance to Puntledge Park, near the  restrooms on 1^st Street.  .