Hello from all of us at Nature Nanaimo.
As of April 2025, Nature Nanaimo’s membership remains at just over 150 members.
To increase our community presence and encourage club participation and membership. Nature Nanaimo has developed two new initiatives for this calendar year. The first has been the development of a series of monthly magazine articles. These columns are published in collaboration with Nanaimo Magazine and its affiliated publication, Voyageur Magazine. Distribution reaches approximately 15,000 people. Earlier this month, the initial column detailing the story of Nature Nanaimo’s founders and their vision was published. The May and June stories will feature the Harewood Plains protected area, followed by a piece on the Buttertubs Marsh. The organizing committee is currently developing the first full year’s calendar of stories to coincide with seasonal relevant columns and educational issues.
The second initiative, Nature Student Award has been a few years in development but is now open to applicants. The award honors students who support environmental preservation. The recipient of a $500 award and a one-year membership will be announced at the fall 2025 Nature Nanaimo Meeting. The award is for grade 11 or 12 students in good standing. The application link for this award is available on NatureNanaimo.ca.
Nature Nanaimo offers a series of eight monthly public presentations and various organized outings. We are continuing to use zoom to enable easy online attendance for our own members as well as for members of other VI Naturalist clubs and the public. Attendance at these meeting have averaged forty plus in person with an additional 20 to 40 online viewers.
Recently hosted educational presentations this year have included Wildlife Biologists Paul Levesque and Christine Rock. Their presentation titled “Study of the Black Swift”. Dr. Thomas Therriault presented “Understanding Aquatic Invasive Species in British Columbia.” And, “Bats in the Nanaimo Area: Community Conservation Efforts with Linda Broymans from the Nanaimo Area Land Trust.
During the past 12 months we have organized a diversity of outings. Most recently, these have included The Brant Geese Festival and VIU Marine Research Station visits in early April. In March, a ramble toured Pipers Lagoon. January saw a Lynley Valley Ramble around Cottle Lake.
Beginning in May and running through August, Nature Nanaimo volunteer guides will once again be leading scheduled Interpretive tours at Buttertubs Marsh Conservation Area.
This year will also see the return of Nature Nanaimo’s popular “Summer Picnic.”
Nature Nanaimo continued to maintain an active online presence through our website, Facebook page, Instagram, and Twitter accounts and via email.
As new members joined executive group this year. A system to collect, maintain, and preserve data for continuity and perspective was considered necessary. We were fortunate to find the expertise within our executive group to organize the implementation of Google Workspace suite for that purpose. As a result, we have now organized a series of shared drives for document storage and access. This suite also provides us with email identities that will follow our club’s organizational status. For example, President@NatureNanaimo.ca or Secretary@naturenanaimo.ca will stay with the office holder rather than the individuals. Apps like Meet, Forms, and Docs. will offer online tools and records that will remain with the organization.
Nature Nanaimo continues to consult with BC Nature and other local and member clubs as part of the Vancouver Island Region.
I look forward to the year ahead which I know will include many opportunities to learn about and share experiences with a wonderfully talented and inspired group.
My thanks and appreciation to the many members of Nature Nanaimo for their vision, energy, enthusiasm, and dedication to the mission of enjoying and conserving natural ecosystems in the Nanaimo Region.
Sincerely, Gary Gauthier
President
