The Friends of Comox-Lazo Forest Reserve (FOCLFR) are hosting their annual general meeting May 16 in Room A (upstairs with elevator available), at the Comox Recreation Centre.
FOCLFR president Barbara Price invites all interested people to “please join us at 7 p.m. to learn more about the work of the Friends and enjoy an excellent presentation by Terry Thormin, a keen wildlife photographer and birder.”
The Comox-Lazo Forest Reserve was set aside as a Crown Reserve by the Honourable Moe Sihota, the then-Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks, in October 1994. The Friends were incorporated as a non-profit society in 1996 to act as stewards.
In 2001 the Comox-Lazo Forest Reserve, in conjunction with Lazo Marsh and surrounds, was designated as a provincial Wildlife Management Area covering over 300 acres.
This Wildlife Management Area, coupled with land owned by the Town of Comox and the Comox Valley Regional District, provides a 470-acre protected area within the heart of the Comox Peninsula. It is expected that this area will soon be increased by protective status on the remaining forested Crown Land.
“This large protected area is the result of many years of tireless effort by committed individuals backed by huge community support,” points out Price. “Come and celebrate our successes and be entertained by the incredible photos and knowledge of our guest speaker, Terry Thormin.”
Thormin has been a birder since his early teens. He worked at the Royal Alberta Museum until retiring in 2006, and then moved to Comox in 2009. One of the first places Terry went birding was Lazo Marsh, and since then it has become a regular place to visit.
A keen wildlife photographer, much of his time has been spent taking photos of the many birds that occur in the marsh and surrounding woods. Terry’s talk will highlight the birds of both the marsh and woodland habitats as they change through the seasons.
— Friends of Comox-Lazo Forest Reserve