June 26, 2012

Canada Day is fast approaching and what are your plans? Well, the BC Forest Discovery Centre has the answer! With only $2 admission and kids under 4 free, it is the perfect place to spend the day. Activities include a bouncy castle, tattoos, the Cowichan Camerata String Orchestra, the Cathy White Dancers and an outside concession. Dignitaries including the Mayors of North Cowichan and Duncan, the local MP and MLA will be present. Of course, we provide the cake.  Enjoy the day and explore BC’s history all while riding the Steam Train; unlimited rides. Hope to see you there! Doors open at 10 and close at 4. 

Discovery Workshops Are Back at the BCFDC

The popular Discovery Kids Summer Workshops are back at the BC Forest Discovery Centre. Workshops will run twice a day at 10:30am and 1:00pm. Workshop admittance is included in a regular museum admission, and members may use their season’s pass. No pre-registration is required.

There are four workshops: Whirlgigs and Pick-Up Sticks, Junior Conductor, Forest Survivor, and Marsh Monsters.

Whirlgigs and Pick-Up Sticks is a journey back in time. Children learn to play the same games as children did 100 years ago in logging camps.

Do you have what it takes to work on the railroad? Junior Conductor takes children on a tour of the Discovery Centre’s trains and teaches them how a steam locomotive works. The program finishes with a tour inside the cab of the locomotive from the engineer.

As a Forest Survivor, children use a compass and map to help their team navigate the Discovery Centre’s forest and solve scavenger hunt clues.

What lurks below the water’s surface? During the Marsh Monsters workshop, children explore the Somenos wetland for marsh monsters.

 “What I like most about the programs is seeing how the kids and their parents and grandparents work together,” said manager Vicki Holman. “It’s not just about the kids, it’s a very special and unique family experience.”

The workshops are designed for ages 5-12, and caregivers must remain with their children for the duration of the workshop. Summer daycamp groups can also prebook a workshop.

For more information, please visit www.discoveryforest.com, call 250-715-1113 extension 25, or email jmanuel.bcfdc@shaw.ca. 

June 22, 2012

Thanks to the Volunteers!

The B.C. Forest Discovery Centre has anywhere between 10 and 15 dedicated volunteers log many hours every Monday in order to help the Museum run.  Their projects range from setting up our chainsaw exhibit, fixing our covered car to working the BBQ at our special events.   New Horizons For Seniors, Delivered By Service Canada has collaborated with the Discovery Centre to help fund the “Friends of the Forest Museum” program.  Not only do our senior volunteers help keep the museum looking its best, the “Friends of the Forest Museum” program gives the seniors a place to meet and socialize (on breaks, of course)  with other seniors that have common interests.  Working on and completing projects with other people gives the senior retirees a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.  Much of the cosmetic grounds work is done by volunteers making sure that the museum is appealing when driving through Duncan on the highway.  Over 12 thousand dollars in grants provided by New Horizons For Seniors help to pay for the tools, nails, and paint that the volunteers use for each and every project.  Without the dedication from the volunteers, many projects such as the covered rail car, keeping our heads dry on rainy days, wouldn’t be completed.  The Volunteer work that is done at the B.C. Forest Discovery Centre not only keeps the Museum in shape but also provides an outlet for seniors to meet new people and put their many skills to work.  

Welcome Visitors!

Well it’s that time of year again, the celebration of Dads everywhere! Fathers Day is on June 17^th and the Forest Discovery Centre has a lot to offer.

Fathers only have to pay $2 admission, when accompanied by their child!

There will be a Vintage Tractor show and a slow race! What is a slow race you ask? Well it is exactly what it sounds like…the slowest tractor wins!

In addition, there will be a Tractor parade, Hay rides, crafts for the kids and unlimited train rides which run every half hour.

Treat your dad to a burger and chips with a concession on the lower grounds.

Can’t wait to see you all and celebrate a great day!

Featured joke:

Q: How can you tell it's a dogwood tree?

A: By its bark.

June 4^th 2012

It’s finally starting to look like summer at the BCFDC and that means that the wild flowers are beginning to bloom! 100 acres of land gives the flowers plenty of room to grow and were not complaining! We’ve got daisies, wild roses, and lots of pretty purple phlox. Come walk through our woods and marsh and see if you can identify some more!

The Mute Swans in the Somenos Marsh have once again hatched, and they are busy raising six Cygnets. The train tracks offer a perfect view of the young swans, or you can enjoy a walk along our marsh path! The resident eagles have been spotted in their nest on our lower grounds, come down and check them out for yourself!

Announcing our 2011 Photo Contest Winners!

After judging this morning by staff, we are excited to announce our photo contest winners! There was a shortage of Teen entries, so extra prizes have been awarded in both the Child and Adult categories.

Child:

1^st – Rachel Gill - “Log Hook”

2^nd – Isaac Adams - “Samson”

3^rd – Isaac Adams - “Logging Truck”

4^th – Alex Meikle - “At the Throttles”

5^th – Alex Meikle - “Miniature Wheels”

6^th – Rachel Gill - “Maple Trees”

Teen:

1^st – Joanna Adams - “Somenos Trestle”

Adult:

1^st – John Fairfield - “The Trestle”

2^nd – Kelly Bannister - “Wow, Marsh Monsters!”

3^rd – Christine Roome - “Cousins Watching for the Train”

4^th – Felipe Baloran Jr. - Eccentricity of Woods”

5^th – John Farifield - “Filing Shop”

Prizes will be awarded as follows in each category:

First Place - $50.00

Second Place - $35.00

Third Place - $20.00

Fourth Place - $10.00

Winners will also receive an individual membership for the 2012 season.

Congratulations to everyone!

Coopers Hawks Spotted

Photo from: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/coopers_hawk/id

Two Coopers Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) have been spotted at the Centre over the past few weeks. Early in the morning they can be heard quite loudly as they cry while flying over the forest. Coopers Hawks are a forest bird. They are very acrobatic as they swerve between tree trunks and through the underbrush.

Their feather patterns are a distinctive speckling and striping. Dark markings on a light base colour on their underside. We are hoping our two are a breeding pair and they might be setting up our grounds as a future nesting site. They might have some territorial competition from the Eagles though... so we will see how that plays out!