Nature House Week 4: July 23-26

What a week it's been - first, a heartfelt thank you to our friends at Community Climate Resilience (CCR) for putting on an extraordinary Nature of Forests Weekend. The talks, walks, and conversations were truly inspiring, and we're so grateful to everyone who joined us.

Now, on to another full and exciting week! We're diving into the deep sea, learning about sustainable fisheries, printing with the sun, and following water from its headwaters all the way to the sea - capped off by a very special beach seine with our S4 speaker Katrina Adams. 

Turmeric gold meets Prussian blue - printed with nothing but plants and sunlight. Create your own this Saturday at Wild Creatives!

Thursday, July 23

2-3:30 TIME Jr: Deep Sea Creatures (youth 8-15)

Location: Sea Life Centre at Telegraph Harbour Marina

This week TIME Jr. ventures into the strange and mysterious world of deep sea creatures - one of the least explored environments on Earth. What lives down there, how do they survive, and what does the deep sea have to teach us about life itself? Come find out.

Friday, July 24

10-12 Tides to Trails: Water on the Land with Ian Ralston (youth, adults)

Location: The Portal - meet at the Nature House, parking at Heneage House (the wine-coloured building) or the Fairyslipper parking area

Join local expert Ian Ralston for a walk at The Portal exploring how water moves through our Gulf Islands landscape - across rocky outcrops, through thin soils, and down to the sea. Drawing on the concept of One Water, Ian will guide us through the water cycle across the seasons, considering the roles of soil, sediment, rock, forest, and human impact. We'll look at practical ways to enhance water in the landscape, improve soils, and tread more lightly on the land we share.

About Ian: Trained in soil and water engineering, Ian has worked with communities in West Africa and beyond to develop watershed management initiatives. He practices in BC as a wastewater system engineer and soil evaluation specialist, with a particular interest in ecological sanitation and the role of wastewater systems within One Water management.

1-3 SLC Drop-in: Sustainable Fisheries (all ages)

Location: Sea Life Centre at Telegraph Harbour Marina

The fishing industry has been a backbone of the BC coast for decades, but how do you know if the fish you're buying is actually sustainable? Come to the SLC this weekend to decode those symbols at the grocery store, learn why supporting local fishermen matters, and try an interactive demonstration exploring the real impacts of overfishing.

The SLC is open Friday–Sunday whenever the seastar flag is flying - drop in anytime!

Saturday, July 25

10-12 Wild Creatives: Sun Printing (all ages)

Location: Forbes Hall Pavillion 

Experience the magic of cyanotype and anthotype printing! Using nothing but sunlight, plants, and found objects, sun printing captures the natural shapes and textures of the world around us in stunning detail. Cyanotype produces striking prussian blue prints with crisp white silhouettes while anthotype yields softer, dreamy prints in warm yellows and reds drawn directly from plant pigments, such as turmeric. Watch your image appear before your eyes - a luminous portrait of leaves, feathers, or whatever treasures you bring along.

Please note: Sun printing requires sunshine! If it’s overcast (or raining!), we'll swap in an alternative art-based activity - same time, same place. Keep an eye on your morning eSPOKES reminder for any updates.

1-3 SLC Drop-in: Sustainable Fisheries (all ages)

Location: Sea Life Centre at Telegraph Harbour Marina

Missed Friday's session? Same great activity running again today - see Friday for details.

Sunday, July 26

9-11 Beach Seine with Katrina Adams (all ages)

Location: The Nature House at The Portal - park at Heneage House (the wine-coloured building) or the Fairyslipper parking area

Before her S4 talk this afternoon, join Katrina Adams for a hands-on beach seine at The Portal! A beach seine uses a large net to encircle fish and other creatures living in shallow coastal waters - a real ecological survey method used by aquatic biologists in the field. Come get a close look at who's living just off our shores.

9-11 Harvest Hours (all ages)

Location: The People’s Apothecary Garden, Lot 62

This week's harvest: Wild Bergamot (Bee Balm) is stealing the show - its Dr. Seuss-like purple and pink blooms are at their peak and both flowers and leaves are ready to harvest. Yarrow's flat white clusters are in full bloom, Borage stars are opening in brilliant blue, and Mullein leaves and early flowers are ready to pick. Feverfew and Betony flowering tops are up, and Plantain and Salad Burnet offer tender young leaves.

The PAG is open during daylight hours - plant card decks organized by category are in the box on the back of the gate. Join us during Harvest Hours when we're on hand to guide you through what's ready and how to use it.

1-3 SLC Drop-in: Sustainable Fisheries (all ages)

Location: Sea Life Centre at Telegraph Harbour Marina

The SLC is open Friday–Sunday whenever the seastar flag is flying - drop in anytime! See Friday for information on this week's activity.

2-3 S4: Headwaters to Deepwaters with Katrina Adams

Location: Forbes Hall

Starting with wetlands and moving through streams to the ocean shoreline, join us as Katrina Adams guides us through the diverse components of a watershed. Water systems are strongly interconnected, providing habitat for a wide range of species both upstream and downstream. Through species monitoring and restoration, Peninsula Streams Society works to preserve the watersheds, streams, and shorelines of the Saanich Peninsula.

About the Speaker: Katrina Adams is a senior aquatic biologist and Registered Professional Biologist with Peninsula Streams Society, a Victoria-based environmental organization. Her background spans aquatic ecosystems ranging from coral reefs in Australia to Arctic char in Iceland, and she brings expertise in ecology, restoration, and GIS to support Peninsula Streams Society's goal of improving aquatic habitats across the Saanich Peninsula.