


A freediver happens upon enchanting sights
Where sea lions dance
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Found – Treasures And Troves In Nature
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How CorVee Forest Foragers reconnect people with the healing power of the forest
Love, land, and medicine
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How the humble bunny is taking over Vancouver Island
Here, there, and everywhere
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Exploring the gardens and grounds of Filberg Park
Island Oasis
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Seeking answers in seaweed
A strange and intriguing organism calls for research
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Deep leadership at Croteau Lake
A wilderness retreat allows an entire company to connect as equals
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Quinny’s Quest and the Campbellton Loop
A journey of connection
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Nimbus Paddles
Made on the West Coast, coveted worldwide
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A holistic health practitioner reflects on years of service
Uncovering alignment beyond the physical
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Cortes Island Academy Offers a Nature-Based High School Alternative
Take it outside
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The How Wild Contest: Photography that prioritizes the wild
Keep your distance
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Comox District Mountaineering Club celebrates 100 years with its 2028 Hiking Challenge
It's the climb
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Photos by Janet Beggs,

Mystery Mountain: A historic first ascent and its modern-day re-creation
The Undiscovered Mountain
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Photos by Greg Gransden &

The Cumberland Forest
The threshold between a village and the great beyond
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Moon Dance
High above the forest floor, small creatures find bliss
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One bean at a time
An Introduction to Vol. 43
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The watery history of Lewis Park
The struggle for a beloved gathering place

The Dirt on Biochar
Black Gold
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A single lady at Maple Lake ponders life and the one that got away
Lonely Sam
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Featured Poet: Naveena Gill
Mysterious orange sky: a poem about a sunset over Goose Spit
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Just keep moving
Meet me in the park. We’ve got some walking to do
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Featured Photographer: Damian Chudzinski, Comox Valley Landscape Artist

Sandy Island Marine Park (Tree Island BC): Remote—and Right Next Door
Trees and sand
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Gwyn Sproule: Guardian of the forest and Cumberland history
A very engaging life
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The 1946 Vancouver Island Earthquake and Landslide Lake
When “bedlam” let loose
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Hollyhock — A Cortes Island oasis
Just across the water, magic awaits
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Creativity and collaboration rule the world of Live Action Role Play (LARP)
Join the quest!
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Understanding food flows in the Comox Valley
Planning for a resilient, sustainable, edible future
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Reimagining Cumberland lake park tourism for community good
Sharing the wealth
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THE VALUE OF SOIL
Considering the world beneath our feet
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: MIKEY PARSONS

FEATURED CREATIVE WRITER: AN ODE TO THE ISLAND COWBOY
Easy to love, hard to hold onto
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A TRIP TO THE SANCTUARY
A sufferfest leads to a Shangri-La deep in the backcountry
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: CHRISTOPHER LINDENAU

THE BEGINNING OF SONORA ISLAND’S BREAKWATER LODGE
Vision, grit, and beauty
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ESCAPE AT INNISFREE FARM
Exploring a whimsical, botanical playground
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The Comox Strathcona Waste Management Service
Community initiatives
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Cycling Without Age offers free bike rides for seniors
Wind in their hair
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Upana Caves
one traveller finds more than they sought
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Engineering a new life at Surf Side Fungus Farm
How to quit your day job
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Campbell River’s shifting trail running culture
The joy in being out there
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A Look At Our Beloved Canada Jay
Theft from above
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LOOKING AT LICHENS
This amazing life form is a portal into interspecies collaboration
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CELEBRATING HORNBY ISLAND’S ANNUAL HERRINGFEST
The CHI of land and sea
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AN UPDATE ON STORIES FROM VOLUME 4
Ten years later
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CLIMATE HOPE
We have the power to make change. Hope helps us act.
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FROM PLASTIC IN THE SEA TO ART INGENUITY
Lost buoys
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CLEANING OUR COASTLINES
The life cycle of our marine debris: from flotsam to recycled and beyond
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FUNGI’S POTENTIAL ON OUR REMOTE COASTLINE
A mysterious world of wonders
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RESTORING CRITICAL EELGRASS HABITAT
Collaboration and conservation in the Campbell River estuary
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COLLABORATIVE MICRO-FARMING
Growing food and community, one yard at a time
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THE RISK OF FIRE TO THE COMOX LAKE WATERSHED
Fire is the number-one risk to our watershed. We need to talk about it now.
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THE FISH AND GAME CLUB
More than what’s in the name
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DISCOVER THE HEALING POWER OF LABYRINTHS
Spiral into the centre
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CREATING A SANCTUARY FOR CORKY THE ORCA
Double Bay Sanctuary
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TRANSIENT ORCAS ARE THRIVING IN THE SALISH SEA
Bigg time
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HOW COMMON BROOM BECAME ALL TOO COMMON ON VANCOUVER ISLAND
A golden killer
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THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS
Finding healing and nourishment in the garden
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WEST COAST EXPEDITIONS ON TLE:HOH
Building business and community on Spring Island
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THE HERRING GOLD RUSH OF 1979
For BC’s fishers, it was the year of money
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WHEN THE BURNOUT IS REAL
What emergency service providers want you to know.
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TO CHOOSE THE TREES
By
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A LONG AND WINDING ROAD
What it takes to keep the Strathcona Parkway open.
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Wild Kelp Harvesting
Spending the day among strands of seaweed.
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KEEP IT GREEN
In an era of climate change and housing pressures, how can urban forests survive and thrive?
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10,000 Volunteer Hours of Urban to Alpine
Campbell River’s Search and Rescue Society.
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THE SEA IN THEIR BLOOD
Meet the diving family who’ve been harvesting geoducks by hand for three generations.
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WHY WITCHCRAFT?
Modern witchcraft and how it may be able to help heal the planet.
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Discovering Ancient Coastal Migration Patterns
The Hakai Institute’s new ancient DNA lab opens on Quadra Island.
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BOW HUNTING: A MULTI-GENERATIONAL LIFETIME OF LESSONS
Raising daughters to appreciate nature through conservation.
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Opening photo by

FALLING IN LOVE WITH FUNGI
The Cumberland Fungus Fest celebrates the marvellous multitaskers of the natural world.
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LISTENING TO PLANTS
In tending to the land, we can restore diversity—and restore ourselves.
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Opening photo by

MARMOTS IN FOCUS
The world’s rarest marmot lives on Vancouver Island. Photographer Catherine Babault wants to share its story with the world.
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Respect, Protect, Flourish
HOW TO LIVE WITH THE LAND, NOT JUST ON IT.
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WILD GARDENING
Being a part of the great chain of life, and nourishing it.
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EYES ON THE TREES
The nominations are closed, but the voting has just begun in the annual Tree of the Year (TOTY) contest. And everyone, of any age, is eligible to vote for their favourite tree between April 1 and May 31.
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THOUSANDS OF GULLS
THE STEWARDS OF MITLENATCH ISLAND.
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FRASER CAIN’S UNIVERSE
The Valley resident behind one of the galaxy’s most popular websites.
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MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
Macdonald Wood: A peaceful park born from controversy.
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THE ELEVENTH HOUR FOR OLD GROWTH
After decades of clearcutting, can a fundamental shift protect what’s left of BC’s ancient trees?
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BUSINESS IS BLOOMING
Farm-to-table flowers are a growing movement in the Comox Valley.
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A TALE OF TWO WOODLOTS
Small-scale operations offer hope for the future of forestry.
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Opening photo by

BETTER BULLETINS
Avalanche Canada comes to the Island.
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THE COAL BENEATH OUR FEET
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DINNER IS SERVED
Creative culinary events help put gustatory joy on everyone's menu.
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MAGIC IN THE DYE POT
Fibre and fungi are key ingredients in Amy Crook’s creative process.
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ALTERED LANDSCAPE
Restoring and reconnecting land and water includes understanding our history.
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WHALE BREATH AND ANGEL WINGS
The forces behind the tides aren’t as simple as you think.
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THE SCIENCE OF SASQUATCH
Dr. John Bindernagel spent decades researching BC’s most elusive creature.
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VIVA LA TRASH PANDA
It’s been around for 19 million years. So can the raccoon get a little grudging respect?
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ALL IN THE SAME BOAT
Connected by water—reflections after an afternoon on Comox Lake.
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Foraging for Food
Going on a treasure hunt and building memories.
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THE ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF SAYWARD
A place of deep quiet
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Cold Water Diving
A visual feast in green local waters may include iconic Wolf Eel.
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Bute Inlet
A soul-restoring destination for active dreamers.
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THE RISE OF MODERN GLEANING
This ancient practice may be getting a rebrand, but it’s still about using our food resources wisely.
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SAVING PLACE
Managing gentrification to protect the communities we love.
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TRUE FACTS ABOUT FAKE BIRDS
They’re among our most plentiful bird species, but seagulls don’t actually exist.
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A COMMUNITY’S HEART IS IN ITS FORESTS
The importance of knowing what you’ve got—before it’s gone.
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SHARING THE LAND
We can’t fix the past for our forests and watersheds, but we have to get the future right.
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THE POWER OF GROWING THINGS
Ode to a Comox yarden (yes, that’s yard + garden).
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THE SEA IS RISING
It's hard to get excited about something measured in millimetres. But ignoring climate resilience is no longer an option.
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A GARDEN FOR EVERYONE
For 25 years, the Gardens on Anderton have offered peace and beauty to all who enter.
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NEITHER SEEN NOR HEARD
The Island's apex predator might just be the perfect neighbour.
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FELLOWSHIP OF THE FOREST
Along the Cumberland Trail Network, you’re sure to be in good company.
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SEAWEED, SVP
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THE TEACHING THAT NATURE PROVIDES
Farm and forest experiences help kids thrive by connecting them to the land.
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Healthy Hives
How to inspect for a thriving, growing bee colony.
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Burrell’s Bog
Protected space for the birds in Beaver Lodge Lands
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WANTED: DEATH COMPANIONS
We’re all going to die, but most of us don’t want to talk about it. Let’s reframe the conversation.
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MUD, MESS, AND MAGIC
Making a case for outdoor education.
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SALMON AND STEWARDSHIP
the K’ómoks First Nation Guardian Watchmen use the bounty of the sea to help protect the forest.
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WHERE THERE’S WATER, THERE’S HOPE
Clearflo Solutions was already working on the global clean water crisis. Then their technology was needed much closer to home.
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WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS
Winters in the Valley aren’t what they used to be. What does this mean for our water supply?
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LET THE RIVERS RUN
Streamkeepers keep a watchful eye on the Valley’s precious waterways.
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THE DUBIOUS PLEASURES OF WINTER BIRDING
Join the hardy, determined, somewhat anti-social ranks of winter birders.
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COME TO THE DARK SIDE
Heighten your senses with a walk in the forest after dark.
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THE COHOUSING CONCEPT
Courtenay’s sustainable, social cohousing community creates a village of neighbours.
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THE NORTHEAST WOODS
Comox’s favourite forest playground has many stories to tell.
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ON A HUMBLE SCALE
An ordinary stormwater retention pond turns out to be remarkable, indeed.
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COMOX VALLEY STARGAZING
How to explore space from your own backyard.
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PROTECTING PERSEVERANCE
Racing against time to protect a vital piece of nature.
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Featured photo by

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GREEN BURIAL
It’s better to burn out than to fade away? Not always. New alternatives to cremation allow bodies to return to the earth naturally.
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THE MCLOUGHLIN GARDENS
A summer cottage becomes a place to dream and create.
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Guardian, Steward, and Watchkeeper
Restoring the Balance of Physical and Cultural Sustenance for Future Generations
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River Magic
The Watery Highway Of Life On The North Island
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REIMAGINING REGIONAL RECREATION
Four local governments working together for better parks and recreation management? It could be a reality very soon.
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FREE THE LAWNS!
The front lines of food production, coming to a neighbourhood near you.
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GETTING HIGH ON VANCOUVER ISLAND
Singing the praises of our unique alpine environment.
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CUMBERLAND, A TINY-TOAD SUPERHIGHWAY
Small but mighty western toads have places to go, and we need to help them get there.
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THE POOP ON CUMBERLAND’S AMBITIOUS NEW WETLANDS PROJECT
…And three other fantastic sewage lagoons to see before you die.
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SECOND CHANCES
Hunting nearly emptied the Salish Sea of whales. Many species are returning—but they’re still at risk.
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THE SEASONS OF BEES
The art and science of beekeeping.
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PLANTING FARMERS
Land-matching program nurtures the next generation.
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Hooked on Tyee Dreams
Embarking on my maiden voyage
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The Moods of Myra
Exploring the falls in all her seasons
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Paddle Away From It All
A kayaker’s retreat in Blackfish Sound
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SPEAKING FOR THE TREES
The lush forest along the Puntledge River feels like a protected sanctuary, but some areas are slated for logging. A new local group aims to change that.
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COASTAL COLLABORATION
In a pandemic season, tourism operators partner with First Nations to protect the shoreline.
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GLOBAL BUSINESS, LOCAL IMPACTS
When is it better to do something by half? Allow AquaQuest to demonstrate.
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BEAVERS, WIDE OPEN!
As RuPaul might say, getting to know more about our beavers may improve our quality of life.
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GREY TURNED GREEN
Comox, British Columbia, tops the list of Best Communities to Live in Canada 2040.
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MORE THAN KUS-KUS-SUM
Project Watershed is using a federal grant to restore the salmon highway: the Salish Sea's nearshore habitat.
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PUTTING THE SUN TO WORK
Vancouver Island’s first Passive House Plus is healthful, comfortable, beautiful—and costs nothing to heat.
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Freedom, Flexibility, and Adventure
Enjoying the region in an unconventional way.
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Exploring West
Thirty-five kilometer of trail, six friends, six backpacks, four days, three nights, and one impromptu adventure.
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COVID DISCOVERIES

EASY, BREEZY E-BIKES
Rad new rides give biking a boost.
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AIMING FOR ZERO
From circular to linear and back again: the human economy on a finite planet.
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THIS PLACE IS FOR THE BIRDS
From fresh waters to the salty sea—the K’ómoks Important Bird Area.
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Salmon, Fundraising, and Volunteering
How one night of celebration supports a community vision.
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Lost and Found
The history of the restoration of the Campbell River Estuary.
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Calling the Rains and the Salmon
The Petroglyphs of Quadra Island.
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THE BIG ONE
In 1946, Forbidden Plateau was the epicentre of the Island’s last big earthquake. The Comox Valley experiences minuscule tremors all the time—are we due for another big one soon?
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A BACKCOUNTRY, MODULAR ROOM OF ONE’S OWN
How one award-winning company is reinventing a classic design for modern adventurers.
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WITCHES OF THE WOODS
Folklore tells of female forms that dwell in the forest, personifying the power of this dark, natural world to frighten and mystify.
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CHANNELING THE STORM
In the face of climate change, the City of Courtenay is working on an integrated system to handle a resource that knows no boundaries.
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DARK SCIENCE
Biologists and “citizen scientists” in the Comox Valley have banned together to gather data on an elusive creature that has long been a metaphor for the fears of mankind.
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PERSONAL STYLE
By rethinking what we wear, the slow fashion movement provides support for local artistry and a path to sustainability.
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DEEP BLUE
One of our community’s most crucial water sources is right under our feet.
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CURIOUS CREATURES
Catch-and-release aquariums provide a unique learning experience, sparking deep appreciation for the natural world.
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PROTECTING THE BALANCE
Roughly one-sixth of Denman Island residents are a member of the Association for Denman Island Marine Stewards, an organization doing work on the ground for the sake of surrounding waters.
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THE RETURN OF GIANTS
Following a decline due to the West Coast’s whaling history, the humpback population around Vancouver Island is making a massive comeback.
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CRUMBLING CANNERIES
The profits from a thriving fishing industry dried up, and businesses moved on. Some of the sites left behind are in hazardous decay, polluting our oceans and tarnishing BC’s coast.
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CURRENT DEMAND
The nutrient-rich waters of Baynes Sound provide the ideal conditions for oyster harvesting, drawing workers to the Valley’s steady industry.
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ABANDON SHIP
Orphaned by their owners, a number of derelict boats litter the shores of Comox harbour. Due to murky jurisdiction and a lack of accountability, they’ll remain indefinitely.
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BEARING WITNESS
Just across the Salish Sea, only 70 kilometres from Campbell River as the crow flies, the Xwémalkwu (Homalco) people share the land with dozens of grizzly bears—and awe-struck visitors.
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GROUND RULES
In a rapidly growing community, development sprawl and the preservation of common space is a tense subject. Despite new demands and changing ownership, our old habits are hard to break.
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WHAT MOVES US
The rivers of the Comox Valley have the power to carry us home.
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AN ELEGANT STRUGGLE
The tranquil experience of our riverbanks betrays the life-and-death cycle that is central to the health of our forests and watersheds.
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VOTING FOR VITALITY
While the political process can be disenchanting to voters, the accessibility of local politics allows us to get closer to the roots of democracy and play a direct role in shaping the future of the Valley.
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FAMILY FRAMEWORK
Through strong vision and tireless effort, an easily dismissed property in Union Bay becomes a unique and envious west coast gem.
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THE PLACES WE MAKE
The Cumberland Community Forest Society reflects deep-rooted passions to map out a flourishing future.
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THE PEACOCK BEAN PARADOX
How a drive to be independent and self-sufficient unexpectedly led to community connection.
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THE TROUBLE WITH WOLVES
In an attempt to protect ungulate species, BC is faced with a difficult dilemma. Is culling their predators an ethical response—and a scientifically sound solution?
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FIELD OF DREAMS
Turning the tides to de-industrialize the estuary in the heart of our community.
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HARVEST & SHADOWS
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STRATHCONA PARK
Getting by with a little help from our friends.
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WEIGHING OUR OPTIONS
One family's tally of their waste.
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MAKING AN IMPACT
Building blocks of sustainability.
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PARADISE MEADOWS
The name says it all.
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PADDLE TO THE SEA
Exploring the Puntledge Hatchery.
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FULL OF LIFE
Clam Gardens in the Salish Sea.
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RAINWATER HARVESTING 101
Capturing nature's bounty.
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LIVING LANDSCAPES
Cultivating the garden of your dreams.
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NATURALLY AWARE
An interview with April Bencze.
Interview & photo by

FOREST TO FAUCET: LIFE IN THE ERA OF HUMANS
Life in the era of humans.
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OFF-THE-GRID
The beauty of disconnecting.
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BLACK-TAILED DEER
Respecting our neighbours.
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COMPOSTING 101
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BURN HOT, BURN CLEAN
Consider wood burning and air quality in the Comox Valley.
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IN LAND WE TRUST
The importance of Environmental Non-Government Organizations (ENGOs) in British Columbia.
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WILD NEIGHBOURS
Sharing your community with wildlife
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VANCOUVER ISLAND MUSEUM OF NATURE
Trucking around the forest with filmmaker Marek Zaleski.
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LOST IN THE WILDERNESS
A close encounter with the Cumberland Lake Wilderness Society.
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SEAS OF CHANGE
Saving more than local kelp forests.
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LOST AND FOUND
A visit to Nymph Falls provides poetic inspiration.
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HENS 101
A beginner’s guide to keeping chickens.
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A RETURN TO LIFE
Monumental efforts help salmon return to the Tsolum River.
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FINDING BALANCE
One couple’s quest to fish sustainably and satisfy spot prawn-lovers.
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FOREST FLOW
The esoteric feeling at the heart of forest conservation.
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COMPLEX TERRAIN
Navigating art and nature in the heart of Vancouver Island.
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LOVE IS A BURNING THING
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FORAGING 101
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WHEN HERRING SPAWN
An ecological highlight of the Comox Valley winter arrives alongside these fascinating fish.

WIRED WATERSHED
Hakai Energy Solutions
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GHOST CATS
Cumberland, Vancouver Island
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AGRI-BALANCE
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CYCLE OF LIFE
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SHARED SOURCE
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GARDENING 101
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BEE KEEPING 101
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A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT
The Puntledge Paddling Festival celebrates a world class river.
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THOUGHTS FROM AN OYSTER
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LAST STAND IN THE LAND OF PLENTY
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CONCERNING ISLANDERS
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