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.
As such, it has been designated since 1996 by the province as an ecological reserve. Care must be exercised to preserve it as such. As with 150 other such areas throughout the province, these ecological reserves are protected for educational and scientific research. The recreational public needs to take an informed approach in the enjoyment of the Comox Lake Bluffs to preserve its value for generations to come.
As part of its public educational mandate Comox Valley Nature (The Comox Valley Naturalists Society) will be hosting a one hour talk on the Comox Bluffs and the ecological reserve system on Sunday January 15th, at the Filberg Centre at 7pm.
Helen Robinson is one of the Comox Valley’s best-known plant taxonomist. Helen Robinson has been the volunteer warden for the Comox Bluffs for the past 4 years, and is very familiar with the botanical and geological features that make this area so special. Her powerpoint presentation will cover ecological reserves in general, and then show pictures of many flowering plants, as well as birds and mammals found in the Comox Lake Bluffs Ecological Reserve.
The Comox Valley Naturalists Society (Comox Valley Nature) is a non-profit society affiliated to BCNature which fulfills its educational mandate by hosting monthly lectures, organizing weekly guided hikes and undertakes a variety of environmental projects . Founded in 1964, it is one of the oldest environmental societies on the North Island.
Meetings and lectures of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society are held on the third Sunday of most months at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton, Courtenay. Meetings and guided walks are open to the public, including children and youth. A donation of $3.00 for the lecture is suggested for non-members. New memberships are always welcomed.
Forthcoming events include: February 19, Richard Somerset Mackie, “Bird Man of Comox: Mack Laing and the Natural History of the Comox Valley.”
Please come out and join us for these important environmental topics. For more information on CVNS please visit the website at www.comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca
