Nature House Week 1 Events: July 2 - 5

The Nature House is open once again for a vibrant season of curiosity, creativity, and connection! From now until August 23rd, join us every Thursday through Sunday for a rich lineup of events that blend science, sustainability, and art in a setting that celebrates our local ecosystem.

Weekly event details will be shared every Monday via eSPOKES and on our ThINC blog, with daily morning reminders throughout the week so you never miss what's on.

Welcome to the first week of the 2026 Nature House summer program!

Thursday, July 2

2-3 TIME Jr. (youth 8-15)

Location: The Nature House at The Portal

Please park at Heneage House (large red building) and walk down to the Nature House. As this is a working sheep farm, please no dogs, and don't touch the fence, it's electric!

Young ocean enthusiasts aged 8–15 are invited to join TIME Jr. - the junior division of the Thetis Island Marine Explorers dive club. Each week, participants help care for the residents of the Sea Life Centre's seaquarium while diving into a new marine topic, both at the SLC and out in the field. For more information about this special program, contact Maya at maya@thetisislandnatureconservancy.org

This week we're exploring marine mammals - from Southern Resident Killer Whales to harbour seals, come discover the similarities and differences between these remarkable creatures.

Saturday, July 4

10-12 Summer Kickoff (all ages)

Location: Telegraph Harbour Marina

Come celebrate the start of the Nature House program with us at the marina! Drop in for one activity or stay for them all.

Decorate a flower cookie using fresh edible blooms, paint a rock plant marker that will live permanently in the People's Apothecary Garden, or forage the shoreline for natural treasures - driftwood, feathers, shells, seed pods, dried seaweed, and craft them into a Wild Wand. Meanwhile, help us populate the Sea Life Centre's seaquarium by collecting critters off the dock, discovering who's clinging to the pilings, hiding in the eelgrass, and drifting through the harbour.

Add to our PAG plant marker collection at Saturday's Nature House Kickoff event

1-3 SLC Drop-in: Marine Mammals (all ages)

Location: Sea Life Centre at Telegraph Harbour Marina

Did you know that sea otter bones are purple? Come find out why, and uncover many more surprising marine mammal facts at the Sea Life Centre. Want to test your knowledge? Take on our Marine Mammal Jeopardy challenge.

The SLC is open Friday to Sunday and whenever the seastar flag is flying!

Sunday, July 5

9-11 Harvest Hours (all ages)

Location: The People’s Apothecary Garden, Lot 62

Get to know our medicinal plant collection with the help of our newly available plant cards. Organized into categories from Culinary & Everyday Tonics to Native Plants, the cards make it easy to discover what's growing and how each plant has been used for food, medicine, and wellness. Harvesting is reserved for our weekly Harvest Hours, when we're on hand to guide you through what's ready to pick and how to use it.

What's in Season: The garden is bursting - peak flower season means Calendula, Lavender, Chamomile, and Yarrow are all ready to pick, alongside a full flush of leafy herbs including Lemon Balm, Mint, Sage, and Mugwort.

2-4 S4: Shared Waters Shared Crisis Documentary Screening and Q&A with Misty MacDuffee (youth, adults)

Location: Forbes Hall

Join us for a screening exploring the urgent effort to protect the intertwined futures of Southern Resident killer whales and Chinook salmon, followed by a Q&A with Misty MacDuffee.

About the film: Shared Waters, Shared Crisis is the third film in the Salish Sea documentary trilogy, weaving together three community stories set along the Canada–US border. It reveals how habitat restoration, Indigenous fishing practices, and marine guardianship are shaping the future of iconic Northwest species - and the interconnected ecosystems of the Fraser River, its estuary, and the Salish Sea.

About the speaker: Misty MacDuffee is a conservation biologist specializing in fisheries ecology and salmon ecosystems, and Program Director of Raincoast Conservation Foundation's Wild Salmon Program. Her work focuses on the conservation of wild salmon, Southern Resident killer whales, and coastal ecosystems.