Submitted
Two youth from the Youth and Ecological Restoration Program will give a nature tour through Wildwood Marsh and Forest, Sunday, July 20 at noon. This is a YER, Phase II project funded by BC Ministry of Children and Family Development and Comox Valley Regional District, Community Services Branch.
Wildwood Marsh Park, a CVRD park since 2004, was donated as a conservation area and has a small covenant held by The Land Conservancy. An important local wildlife area, it is home to beavers, many species of birds and sometimes elk.
The marsh is fed by two small streams and drained by Smit Creek, a seasonal tributary of the Tsolum River.
The adjacent Wildwood Interpretive Forest has a trail network managed by CVRD in partnership with Ministry of Forests since 2002. This Crown land forest provides habitat for populations of bear, cougar and deer.
The northern part of the forest was harvested and replanted around 1994, while the southern portion is a mature second growth forest.
Registered biologist Ian Moul will guide the YERII ecological inventory of Wildwood Marsh and Forest, and write a report for the CVRD. Two youth will learn scientific research methods used to understand the plants and animals that live in this area.
The youth will share the ecological knowledge gained from this work experience and training program.
The public is welcome to join the tour, and to learn about the ecology of Wildwood Marsh and Forest, located north of Courtenay. Go on Condensory Road, turn left on Burns Road, left on Wildwood Road, and park along the road at 5440 Wildwood Rd., which is across from the trail. We will meet you there.
FMI contact Wendy Kotilla at wkotilla@shaw.ca, call 250-336-8487, or visit www.youthecology.ca.