Saturday, November 28th - Elk Falls Trail

Remember that the next gathering of Into the Wild is happening this Saturday at the Elk Falls Trail. We will meet at the parking lot at 1 pm. From there we will check out the falls and explore the trails. After we will warm up with some hot drinks. You bring the mugs and we'll bring the hot chocolate and tea. With all the rain we've been getting the falls should be quite the sight!

wet and wonderful at quinsam river

While driving through the lashing rain, running a bit late, on our way to the Quinsam River trail last Sunday, I couldn't help wondering if anyone would be waiting there for us. Sure enough, there were some hardy souls decked out in their rain gear standing patiently in the parking lot. It made my heart sing! What a committed group of people to come out in what was inarguably a miserable day.

Luckily, the Quinsam River trail did not disappoint. Not long in to the walk we wandered down to the river bank, and sure enough saw lots of evidence of salmon. There were still plenty of carcasses of pink salmon in various stages of decomposition. But, we also saw dead chinook and our patience was rewarded with some fluttering action in the water.

The real highlight for me was when we got to the end of the trail by the Quinsam hatchery. There we saw a few fishermen and, despite the rain, stood around to watch and see if anyone got lucky. Again our patience was rewarded when one of them caught a huge coho and slowly brought it up to shore for us to see before releasing it again. Wow, what a sight. Fish are not often thought of as beautiful, but there was no denying the beauty of this amazing creature all shimmering pink, vibrating with energy and purpose. There were numerous other coho, pinkish orbs, visible just below the surface.

What a great experience for children to get up close with the realities of nature. The annual migration of the salmon illustrates in a contracted way the cycle of all living things - life, reproduction and finally death, and even in death the interconnectedness of all living things. There was plenty of evidence of other animals taking sustenance from the salmon. Seagulls were up and down the river feeding. We even saw numerous large chinook carcasses dragged up on to the trail some of their bodies torn open, probably by bears, left there to rot and eventually nourish the forest itself.

It's fascinating how the curiosity of children overcomes their squeamishness. None of the young ones were uncomfortable with all the death and rot around them. My own son loves nothing more than poking the dead and sometimes stinky bodies with sticks and his rubber-booted feet. I have to suspend my adult sensibilities, so as to let him experience this oddly intimate encounter with nature in his own three-year-old way.

We would have missed out on all of this had we let a little, okay a lot of rain keep us inside. Even though the weather was wet, I'm so glad we ventured out on that forest trail. I'm so glad, too, that some of you decided to join us! I hope to see you next time.

swimming upstream at quinsam river

We are so lucky in Campbell River to be able to witness the salmon run up close in our own backyard. That's why we have chosen the Quinsam River Trail for the location of Into the Wild's next gathering. This is a beautiful trail at any time of year, but when the big leaf maples are changing colour and there's a chance of witnessing salmon on their annual rite it's tough to match. We will meet at the trailhead on Quinsam Road (just past the bridge) on Sunday, October 25th at 2 pm, and hike up toward the hatchery.

Our family was exploring the Quinsam River trail last weekend and were treated to the spectacle of hundreds of pinks making their way up stream. There was plenty of action with the males jostling for dominance. The pinks we saw will be long gone by the end of October, but if we're lucky we'll see some chinook or coho at work. Check out the video below.

We were so excited by this amazing scene that we didn't want the salmon celebration to end. When we got home we snuggled up to read Salmon Forest by David Suzuki and Sarah Ellis. This beautiful book does a wonderful job of describing not just the life cycle of the salmon, but their intricate interdependence with the forest and it's inhabitants. If you aren't already familiar with this story, you should really check it out.

the wilderness of childhood

Michael Chabon, the Pulitzer-Prize winning author of The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Clay and The Yiddish Policeman's Union, is one of my favourite writers.  He could write a phonebook and I would probably be riveted.  So imagine my delight when I stumbled across this moving article of his, The Wilderness of Childhood, about one of my favourite subjects - children and nature.  It's worth checking out.

into the wild gets into gear

We couldn't have hoped for nicer weather for Into the Wild's first outing of the season.  The company was pretty nice, too.  We were treated to blue skies, a warm sunny glow, and a show of colour thanks to the big leaf maples.

The kids had a great time exploring, climbing logs and throwing rocks in the water.  While the adults got a chance to visit and soak up some sun.  It was easy to forget that October is almost upon us.

Thanks everyone for coming out.  We're already looking forward to the next gathering.  See you on the trails!  

starting the season

On Saturday, September 26th Into the Wild will kick off the fall season. We thought it would be a great time to revisit one of our favourite walks.  

Oyster River Nature Park is a kid-friendly trail that has a little bit of everything - lush forests, a sparkling river, and a beautiful beach with great views of the Georgia Strait. We will meet at the trailhead (next to the Fisherman's Pub in Oyster River) at 11 am. We will then walk to the beach for a picnic where the kids can enjoy some free play.  

We hope to see you there!

fall means fresh starts

It's hard to believe the end of summer is upon us, and with it the usual mix of emotions - melancholy, longing, and anticipation. My husband and I are both teachers, so the emotions stirred up by September's imminent approach are especially powerful - anxiety about getting back to the busyness and stress of work, gratitude for all the amazing family memories we created, and, yes, even excitement about the new school year.

But the waning days of summer also make possible the new beginnings of fall. And so it is with Into the Wild Family Nature Club. After a hiatus this summer I am excited about starting fresh and with a new approach to the Nature Club this September.

In recognition that families are busy and that not everyone is prepared to make a big commitment Into the Wild Family Nature Club will be getting more - let's just say laidback this fall. To begin with events will happen less frequently, about once a month. I say "about" because there will not be regular days or times for meeting. Hopefully this will provide opportunities for families who might otherwise have scheduling conflicts to come check us out when they are able. It will also let us plan events to coincide with other happenings in the community.

We'll also be getting the word out in a whole new way - an email newsletter. We will let people on the email list know about upcoming events about a month in advance and then send out a reminder closer to the meeting date. If you are anything like me, a jogging of the memory and a little encouragement can go a long way. To sign up for the newsletter just drop me a note at bakota@telus.net and I'll add you to the list.

For those of you who like to plan ahead, the next meeting of Into the Wild Family Nature Club will take place at Oyster River Nature Park on Saturday, September 26th. There will be more details to follow.

We hope the new approach encourages more families to come out and join us as we continue to explore this beautiful region. Summer may be almost over, but the opportunities for family fun outside are just beginning.

We hope to see you on the trails!

next meeting - canyon view trail

With the spring weekend walking series, in partnership with Our Big Earth, we've been out making the most of the beautiful spring we've been having on the island.  If you haven't been out to join us yet, here is your chance.

The next meeting of Into the Wild Family Nature Club is happening Saturday, June 13th at 1 pm.  We'll be meeting at the parking lot of the Canyon View trail, just north of Campbell River on highway 28.  The parking lot is located right by the Duncan Main Road bridge and is across from the Quinsam campground. 

This trail is a favourite for people of the area.  It's supposed to be warm, so heading into the forest along the lovely Campbell River will make for a cool and refreshing way to spend the afternoon.  We hope to see you there.

This will also be the final walk for our spring series.  It's been great meeting other families and enjoying the beauty of this amazing place with them.  We continue to explore new ways to promote our goals of encouraging family fun outside in nature.  Stay posted through the blog to learn about upcoming events.

See you on the trails!

next stop quinsam river

Our next walk is happening this Saturday, May 30th at the Quinsam River Trail at 1 pm.  Access the trailhead off Quinsam Road, just past the bridge.  We will hike along the river to the Quinsam Fish Hatchery.  

This is beautifully green and mossy damp forest trail with lots to see.  I can't wait to see how things have changed since my family last explored its wonders.  Everyone welcome.

See you on the trails!

spring walks in full swing

Spring is definitely in full swing on the island.  The temperature is warming up and everywhere you look it is alive with green.  The spring walking series is getting into full swing too.  Our second walk is happening this Saturday, May 23rd at Oyster River Nature Park.

This walk is a family favourite.  It winds through the forest, along the river and emerges onto the beach.  The trail is gentle enough to be kid-friendly, while still having plenty to keep the little ones engaged.  The beach itself is a great place to take a break and have some unstructured play time and a snack.

The weather is supposed to be nice and the company even nicer, so you won't want to miss out on this one.  Meet us at the trailhead next to the Fisherman's Pub in Oyster River at 1 pm.  Everyone welcome.

See you on the trails!

spring walks begin

We are pleased to announce that the spring walk series is beginning this Saturday.  We will be meeting at the Martin Road trailhead of the Willow Creek Conservation Area at 1 pm.  It looks like we are going to have some beautifully sunny weather to enjoy.  We hope to see lots of you out on the trails!

spring walks delayed

Due to concerns around swine-flu we have decided to postpone the spring walk series.  This means the walk at Willow Point Conservation Area on Saturday will be cancelled.  We will plan on starting things up again soon, once the risk of exposure to the virus has passed.  Check out the blog to stay posted on further developments.

spring walk series draws near

Into the Wild Family Nature Club is super excited about the spring walk series, in partnership with Our Big Earth, beginning this Saturday.  It looks like we'll have a nice sized group of families joining us.  Spots are still available, so it's not too late to register at Our Big Earth.  Find all the information under NeighbourWood Walks.  

If you are not sure you want to commit to all six walks in the series, that's okay too.  We are welcoming families to come and drop in on any of the walks.  The schedule is posted to the right.

Our first outing is at Willow Creek Conservation Area Saturday, May 2nd at 1pm.  We will be meeting at the Martin Road trailhead.  Martin Road can be accessed off of Erickson Road.  

Spring has definitely arrived in all it's glory on the island.  Why not get out and enjoy the warmth and new greeness by joining us for some family fun outside.  See you on the trails!   

neighborwood walk registration begins tuesday

Registration for the spring NeighborWood Walk series begins Tuesday, April 14th. Remember, there are only spots for thirty children so register soon! The schedule of walks is as follows:

May 2nd Willow Creek Conservation Area
May 9th Oyster River Nature Park
May 23rd Quinsam River Trail
May 30st Beaver Lodge Lands
June 6th Canyon View Trail
June 13th Miracle Beach

To register go to the Our Big Earth website. See you on the trails!

into the wild teaming up with our big earth

If you have been following the blog you know that I have been alluding to some changes happening at Into the Wild Family Nature Club. Well I am happy to finally be able to anounce all the details.

Into the Wild will be teaming up with Our Big Earth to offer a walking series this spring. If you don't already know, Our Big Earth is an amazing website and media company offering information, inspiration and so much more for families in the Comox Valley. As part of the mission of Our Big Earth to empower families and inspire community they have been offering seasonal walking series for the last few years as a way to get families outside together with their NeighborWood Walk program. It seemed like a natural fit with what we have been trying to do at Into the Wild Family Nature Club, and to that end we decided to work together. Into the Wild Family Nature Club will be able to reach a much larger audience, and Our Big Earth can expand their walking program.

The weekend spring walking series will begin May 7th and run for six consecutive Saturdays, taking a break for the May long weekend, with final walk happening June 13th. The walks will begin at 1pm at various locations around Campbell River and area. You can register for the walks on the Our Big Earth website. The walks are free and children will receive a hand-made journal and some other goodies for participating. Registration is limited to 30 children, so register soon.

We are so excited about teaming up with Our Big Earth and being a part of the amazing work they do. We are also looking forward to meeting many more families and joining them for good times outside. See you on the trails!

greenways land trust - april events

Into the Wild Family Nature Club will be taking a hiatus for a few weeks before being back in full force, and a slighty different form, in May. Luckily, that is no excuse to miss out on some great hikes. You can join Greenways Land Trust and the Spirit of BC Committee for hike month. Each weekend in April they will be offering a guided interpretive hike open to the public. The first event happened on April 5th with Nunns Creek steward, Barb Phipps, leading an interpretive walk along the ERT. Upcoming events will be advertised soon.

April also means Earth Day with lots of events happening around town. Greenways Land Trust will be joining other groups at the Compost Education Centre in Campbell River on Sunday April 19th from noon till 4 pm to celebrate Earth Day.

The weather is warming up and the days keep getting longer. With all the great events happening this April there are lots of reasons to get outside and enjoy spring!

celebrating spring at seal bay

The weather gods must look kindly on Into the Wild Family Nature Club.  After a drizzly morning on Saturday, we were treated to a beautifully sunny spring day during our hike at Seal Bay Nature Park.  We made good time on our way to the beach as the kids enjoyed racing down the steep and winding trail.  There was plenty to explore once we arrived.  Clambering over rocks, hunting for crabs and sea anemones, playing in driftwood forts and climbing hills kept the little ones busy.  They surprisingly still had enough energy left for the tough climb back to the trailhead - good thing we stopped for snacks.  It was a great way to celebrate the arrival of spring.

Stay posted for information about our upcoming hikes.  There may be some changes in store.  Keep checking the blog for updates and details.  Until then - we hope to see you on the trails!

march 7th hike cancelled

Due to a lack of interest and conflicting schedules the hike for this weekend at Nymph Falls Nature Park has been cancelled.  We may be back in a slightly new configuration soon.  Keep checking the blog to stay posted on any news. 

big trees and winding trails

We were treated to great weather once again for the second meeting of Into the Wild Family Nature Club. Our small group enjoyed sunny skies and mild temperatures while we viewed Elk Falls and explored the surrounding trails. The forest was lush and damp, dominated by cedar, douglas fir and hemlock. Paul treated us to an impromptu natural history lesson and clever story about tree identification. It's all in the pinecones, which the kids enjoyed collecting while we walked the winding trails.

Next meeting is March 7th. Meet at Nymph Falls Nature Park parking lot at 11 am. After exploring the trails we'll break for a picnic and some time to play. Hope to see you there!

next meeting - elk falls

The next meeting of Into the Wild Family Nature Club will be happening this Saturday at 11 am.  We will meet at the Elk Falls viewpoint day-use parking lot which can be accessed off highway 28.  From there we will check out the spectacular waterfall.  There is a short circuit of trails that we will explore afterwards, returning to the parking lot for a picnic.  The drive to the parking area is now free of snow, but we may encounter some wet conditions on the trails so make sure you wear some good footwear.

The weather is supposed to be great, so make the most of it and join us outside.  See you on the trails!

sunny skies, driftwood forts and new friends

We were treated to a beautiful day for our first meeting of Into the Wild Family Nature Club.  The weather was certainly no excuse to stay inside, what with sunny skies and mild temperatures.  A small, yet enthusiastic crew enjoyed a pleasant walk in the Oyster River Nature park, but I think the highlight for all was playing on the beach.  Throwing stones, chasing dogs, meeting new friends, climbing logs and building forts - what more could a bunch of little boys hope for.  The bald eagles did not disappoint either.  It was a great start, and we hope just the beginning.  

The next meeting is February 21st at Elk Falls.  Meet at the day use parking lot at 11 am.  Hope to see you there!

into the wild family nature club hits the trail!

The first meeting of Into the Wild Family Nature Club is fast approaching. Next Saturday, January 31st, we will meet at the trailhead of Oyster River Nature Park at 11am. From there we will hike to the beach. This is a beautiful and kid-friendly trail with great views of the Oyster River, neighbouring farms, and the Discovery Passage. We are sure to see bald eagles at the point where the river meets the sea, so bring your binoculars. The beach itself is a great place to stop for a rest, enjoy a bite to eat, and for the kids to have some time for unstructured play.

We hope to see you there!

Get Outside! It’s in our Nature (March 5–8, 2009)

BC's Second Regional Children, Family & Nature Forum is coming up in March.  The theme: connecting children and families with nature.  Richard Louv, Author of Last Child in the Woods, will be speaking.  He is also offering a free public lecture on Saturday, March 7th as part of the forum.  If you are interested in the development of the relationship between children and nature, you may seriously want to check this out.  For more information see the Nature Child Reunion website.  I've posted a link on the right-hand side of the page.

change of date

Please notice the change of date for the first meeting of Into The Wild Family Nature Club.  We will be meeting on January 31st instead of February 7th.  I realize this date is neither the first nor the third Saturday, but I have the opportunity to go home for a visit on the weekend of the 7th and so needed to change the date.  All subsequent meetings will be on the first and third Saturdays - barring unforeseen events!  Hope to see you on the trails.

so what is a family nature club?

Families getting together to enjoy and explore nature - such a simple, yet radical idea. Kids running wild outside, what could be more simple and natural than that? Dragging ourselves from our televisions and computer screens and bigbox store parking lots, what could be more radical? In a world of ever-present digital media and rampant over-consumption couldn't we all use more time outside with our kids? And wouldn't it be great if we could meet other like-minded families while we did it?

The idea for Family Nature Clubs grew out a movement to reconnect children with nature. One book that has helped inspire the movement is Last Child In the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature Deficit Disorder, by Richard Louv. I learned about the book and the movement from a great website called the Children & Nature Network. It's also where I learned about Family Nature Clubs and read about some already established clubs in the US. Check out the links on the right side of the page for these great resources.

I was an advocate for spending time in nature with my own children before I ever learned about Louv's ideas. I love being in the outdoors and value the joy and restoration nature provides me. Why wouldn't I want to share that with my children? Yet, as a mother of two boys aged five and two, I am also aware how having small children can make getting into nature, and just about everything else, a bit more complicated. I know lots of "outdoorsy" people who don't get outside much since they have become parents.

That's where Louv's ideas came in and provided some of the inspiration for starting Into the Wild Family Nature Club. Maybe if families had a regularly scheduled time to play in nature and they could share the experience with others more families would get into the wild. And just maybe those shared experiences would play a role in instilling a lifelong love of nature and the outdoors in our children. Something I think we can all get excited about.