Eighteen members ventured to the west coast of Vancouver island to enjoythe wonderful scenery of the Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet and the amazingAquarium and then onto an immersion into
July 8, 2024 Ucluelet, Tofino Trip Read More »
Twenty five members attended the summer picnic at Bowen Park on June22 nd . Weather was perfect and the potluck was thoroughly enjoyed by all,sharing nature stories and participating in
June 22, 2024 Summer Picnic Read More »
by Rick Harbo- Marine biologist-author-photographer Access was from Lantzville Road, down Harper Road, with parking at the end of the road. It was a cool, windy day and the walk
May 24, 2024 Lantzville Beach Walk Read More »
A small group of nature enthusiasts led by Julie Deveraux visited Lotus Pinnatus Park today to marvel at the floral diversity and enjoy the sunny weather. The highlight was several
May 19, 2024 Lotus Pinnatus Park Ramble Read More »
Congratulations to our own Michael Stebbings, who was awarded a well deserved BC Nature Club Service Award at the BC Nature AGM and Conference banquet on May 11, 2024.
Michael Stebbings awarded BC Nature Club service award! Read More »
Linda Brooymans May 16, 2024 7pm This presentation will discuss the BC Community Bat Program in our region, the ways in which community members can get involved in bat conservation,
Bats in the Nanaimo Area: Community Conservation Efforts May 16, 2024 Read More »
with Scott Black and Paul Chapman EcoSystem Mosaics and Harewood Plains – the disproportionate contribution of a small habitat to biodiversity in BC with Scott BlackSpeaker Biography: Scott is a professional
EcoSystem Mosaics and Harewood Plains; Protecting Harewood Plains – April 18, 2024 Read More »
Curtis Rispin and Sonja Panozzo March 21 2024 7 pm Curtis and Sonja work together on implementing the Estuary Resilience monitoring study at 17 estuaries throughout coastal BC, primarily collecting
By Helen Colvin | February 8, 2024 On February 8, Nature Nanaimo members went to Little Qualicum Falls for an outing. It was a lovely outing as the river was
February 8, 2024 Little Qualicum Falls Outing Read More »
By Staffan Lindgren | February 6, 2024 On Tuesday, February 6, nine Nature Nanaimo members went to the Alaksen National Wildlife Area and the Georg C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary
February 6, 2024 Reifel Bird Sanctuary Trip Read More »
If you travel past Nanaimo on the Nanaimo Parkway, you will drive past a unique area located southwest of the parkway between Harewood Mines Road and Exten- sion Road. If you
Nanaimo’s Unique Harewood Plains Under Threat by Development Read More »
with Dan Strickland The Canada Jay, the iconic “whiskeyjack” of the north woods, is famous for dispensing with migration and living its entire life on year-round territories in the boreal
Canada Jays East and West: Are they different species? : February 15, 2024 Read More »
Plants out of Place: Navigating the Impacts of Invasive Species on Garry Oak Ecosystems With Hunter Jarratt Summary: This presentation sheds light on the pressing issue of invasive
Our Christmas party was held at the home of Michael and Bonnie Stebbings Twenty nine adults + 2 children members attended the potluck Christmas party at the beautiful home of
Christmas party December 2nd 2023 Read More »
The past year has been a busy one for Nature Nanaimo. We had a slate of monthly public meetings as well as a wide variety of organized outings – big
Nature Nanaimo Presidents report 2022 – 2023 Read More »
with Chris Pearce Sea cucumbers are soft-bodied, sea-bottom-dwelling marine invertebrates closely related to sea urchins, brittle stars, and sea stars, all of which are echinoderms. Many are benthic deposit feeders,
The Secret Powers of Sea Cucumbers: November 19, 2023 Read More »
Enjoy an evening with Lyn Hancock as she shares her love of nature and the accounts of her coast-to-coast travel adventure across North America from Newfoundland to the Pribilof islands
An Evening with Lyn Hancock: Looking for the Wild: October – 19, 2023 Read More »
To read the Summary Report of the Cowichan Bring Back the Bluebirds Project 2023 click on this PDF link – Bring Back the Bluebirds.To learn more about the project visit
September 2023 Cowichan Bring Back the Bluebirds Project Read More »
There were almost 40 attendees at the barbecue at this beautiful setting on the ocean. The weather cooperated and members enjoyed a potluck dinner with barbecued salmon and smokies provided
BBQ September 9th 2023, at the home of Lyn Hancock, Lantzville Read More »
By Staffan Lindgren | August 7, 2023 Nine Nature Nanaimo members led by Rick Harbo visited the tidal mudflats of “Oyster Bay”, just north of Ladysmith, on August 2. The
August 2 2023 Oyster Bay Mudflats Ramble – Ladysmith Read More »
About 20 Nature Nanaimo members took advantage of a very low tide on July 3, 2023 for a “ramble” at Cedar Boat ramp. We had great weather with sun and
July 3 2023 Low Tide Ramble – Cedar Read More »
On May 24, I spent a couple of hours watching VIU’s bird banding team led by Professor Eric Demers in action at the Buttertubs West Marsh. Nature Nanaimo members were
MAY 24, 2023 Bird Banding Read More »
The Nature Nanaimo panel discussion about saving Harewood Plains was a success with approximately 80 attendees in person or via zoom. Interest and awareness of Harewood Plains has increased significantly.
June 8 2023 Harewood Plains Ramble Read More »
Nature Nanaimo has adopted a policy to offset our carbon production from vehicles and boats, etc. that we use for outings and other activities. Over the past 12 month period we
UNITED NATIONS CARBON OFFSET PROJECT Read More »
A Panel Discussion with Julia Roberts, Staffan Lindgren, Wylie Thomas, Scott Black, and Paul Chapman
Saving Harewood Plains: Thursday May 18, 2023 Read More »
Join in for a presentation about Marbled Murrelets, the small seabird that nests in mossy branches of old growth trees. We will explore its biology, status, nesting habits and habitats.
Marbled Murrelets: Forest Nesting Seabirds with Bernard Schroeder – April 20, 2023 Read More »
Once the on the brink of extinction, the Vancouver Island Marmot is returning to the Island’s sub-alpine meadows. While its population is improving, the Marmot faces many challenges on the
Return of the Island’s Whistlepig with Adam Taylor – March 16,2023 Read More »
What do we know about the state of Coastal Western Painted Turtle populations in our region? How can we fill any data gaps that exist? This presentation will discuss NALT’s
Sturgeon are a group of fishes with ancestral roots reaching over 200 million years in the past. Despite this ancestry, only 30 species exist and almost all populations worldwide are
The Ancient Sturgeon: a living fossil with Dan Baker – January 19, 2023 Read More »
Marta Donovan is a registered professional biologist who currently works as a botanist with the BC Conservation Data Centre in Victoria, where she manages information on the conservation status and
Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) and eelgrass (Zostera marina) have co-evolved along the north Pacific Rim since at least the middle Pleistocene (~600,000-700,000 years ago). When sea otters were hunted to
The Role of Sea Otters in Eelgrass Communities with Erin Foster – October 20, 2022 Read More »
Description: Chanterelles, boletes, hedgehog mushrooms – what do they have in common, other than being highly sought-after edible mushrooms? They all form mycorrhizas with our native trees. But so does
Linking mushrooms with mycorrhizas with Shannon Berch – September 15, 2022 Read More »
By Lynda Stevens | 10 July 2022 This spring a medical issue has kept me mostly at home and able to walk only short distances with a walker. That meant that
Bumblebee Therapy (or How Bee Watching Kept Me Sane) Read More »
By Staffan Lindgren | 5 June 2022 Photo Neil McDaniel, https://blueocean.net/glass-sponge-reefs-living-fossils-found-off-canadian-coast/ We have heard a fair bit about sponges lately. I presented a “Nature Nugget” on the glass sponge
Sponges – one of the earliest forms of multicellular life. Read More »
Less than 5% of the rare Garry Oak ecosystems exist in their natural form on Vancouver Island. Despite their rarity, they perform valuable ecological, cultural and economic functions in our urban
Garry Oak Ecosystems – Benefits to Urban Areas with Thomas Munson – May 19, 2022 Read More »
SCUBA technology has made participation in underwater citizen science possible for almost anyone. In British Columbia, the recreational dive community has recently driven increased protection of valuable fish habitat and
Underwater Citizen Science in the Salish Sea with Tom Hlavac – April 21, 2022 Read More »
Climate change is the greatest threat to wild Pacific salmon in our fresh water and marine ecosystems. Rivers and streams throughout B.C. are warming and flow patterns are changing. Warming temperatures
Coastal temperate rainforests are globally rare and geographically isolated ecosystems. They exist in only a few places on Earth and are mostly threatened by industrial and climate pressures. British Columbia
Biography: Bill Beese is currently an honorary Research Associate at VIU, having taught as a professor in the Forestry Dept at VIU for 11 years. Before joining the VIU faculty,