The next ‘Experience the Estuary’ activity on Sunday July 15 will be a Plant Identification Walk at the confluence of the Puntledge and Tsolum Rivers in Courtenay. This outing is part of the series of events coordinated by Project Watershed Society, part of the 2012 ‘Keeping it Living’ campaign raising awareness for the protection & restoration of the Courtenay River (K’omoks) Estuary. The influence of the estuary’s brackish waters extend upstream to encompass the lower portion of these rivers.
The outing will be led by Barb Whyte of the K’omoks First Nation, who is a Registered Aboriginal Agricultural Wildcrafter with a medical background. Meet at 1 p.m. at Riverside Park on Anderton Ave. in Courtenay (near the outdoor fitness equipment across from the Florence Filberg Centre). From there, participants will carpool to the start of the walk. The trail is rough and may be wet if it has rained.
The walk is by donation ($8 – 10 suggested) with proceeds going to the ‘Keeping it Living 2012’ campaign. Pre-registration is required as numbers will be limited: Contact estuary.projectwatershed@gmail.com by Friday July 13.
The 2012 ‘Keeping it Living’ finale ‘Day of the Estuary’ on Saturday July 28 is fast approaching – with opportunities to ‘Experience the Estuary’ with children’s events, nature walks, a flotilla across the estuary, and indoor displays; and the ‘Art for the Estuary’ silent auction & competition, prints & posters, and draw prizes. Visit the ‘Keeping it Living’ website at www.keepingitliving.ca for more information on the day, to view the art, and to bid on-line for the artworks.