Ecosystems In Peril: The Coastal Douglas-fir forests of British Columbia

Guest post by Vijay Somalinga Forests in British Columbia appear to stretch forever. To someone who is seeing these forests for the first time, it seems like they have remained untouched since the beginning of time. But, even the remotest stands of pristine old growth forests have been logged, and only  scattered patches of protected old-growth forests remain today. Even these remnant …

Wildflowers on the Canyon View Trail

This is the time of year on Vancouver Island to get down to local riverside trails and check out the spring wildflower bloom. One of my favourite places to walk is the the Canyon View Trail in Campbell River. We usually start this moderate 6 km loop trail at the John Hart Generation Station and then walk downstream along the …

White Fawn Lilies at Pipers Lagoon Park

The white fawn lilies (Erythronium oregonum) at Pipers Lagoon Park in Nanaimo, British Columbia are in full bloom this week. Jocie and I were doing a bit of botanizing last week and were astounded by the display. White Fawn Lilies (Erythronium oregonum) cover the ground at Pipers Lagoon Park in Nanaimo. The dense carpets of white nodding heads and mottled …

Spring Streamside Wildflowers

Guest Post by Jocie Brooks “Spring is finally here,” I think, letting the little ones run ahead of me down the path as I take in the fresh greenery and colourful wildflowers, while listening to a burst of melodious bird song. Today, we are heading out to find some of spring’s finest flowers, and the kids have volunteered as my …

Canyon View Trail in Campbell River

The beautiful White Fawn Lily (Erythronium oregonum) is one of many wildflowers in bloom along the Canyon View Trail in Elk Falls Provincial Park. The Canyon View Trail in Elk Falls Provincial Park is a six kilometer loop that follows the banks of the Campbell River is spectacular right now and getting better every day. Allow yourself about 1.5 hours …

Signs of Spring on Lily Lane

I love this time of year for the amazing new growth and early flowers here on the West Coast of Canada. On the southern part of Vancouver Island things are already well on the way to spring and here in the “north” I’m seeing more and more species of flowers coming into leaf, bud and flower. Some of the earliest …

Spring Flowers at Mount Douglas

The vantage point of the top of Mount Douglas in Saanich offers a spectacular 360o view of rural Saanich and downtown Victoria. The Olympic Mountains across the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington state are visible. However, it is worth turning one’s eyes from the striking vista and looking to the ground at this time of year. Much of …