Comox Valley Naturalists Society

Sunday, November 16, 2003
Chris Junck
Garry Oak Ecosystems

Dazzling displays of spring flowers and gnarly branched trees attract artists, photographers, and naturalists to Garry oak meadows and woodlands. The Comox Valley is the northernmost range of the Garry oak meadow, Vancouver IslandÍs most threatened ecosystem. Among CanadaÍs most species-rich habitats, it is also home to more than one hundred species at risk. Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team (GOERT ) representative, Chris Junck, was the featured speaker at the meeting of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society on November 16 at 7:00 p.m. at the Filberg Seniors Lounge, 411 Anderton Ave. in Courtenay.

The Comox Valley Naturalists Society, as stewards of the Courtenay Lagoon Park, have been removing invasive plants and planting native vegetation with the aim of establishing a Garry oak meadow, appropriate to the site. Plants associated with the Garry oak ecosystem include camas, Orobanche, spring gold, Deltoid balsamroot, arbutus, and Oregon grape.

As the GOERT Public Involvement and Extension Specialist, Chris Junck is responsible for spreading the word about GOERT's initiatives to protect and restore Garry oak and associated ecosystems, and their species at risk. Although he is a relative newcomer to GOERT as of July 2002, Chris has been actively involved in conservation for over 20 years.

Since completing a B.Sc. degree with a zoology major, botany and biology minors, Junck has mainly worked in the field of natural and cultural history interpretation in provincial and national parks in Alberta, Newfoundland and British Columbia, and at the zoo and Glenbow Museum in Calgary. He shares his passion for nature with his wife, Dr. Jenny Feick, the manager of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Science Section of the Biodiversity Branch of the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection.

Junck has led ecotours to some of the worldÍs wildest places, including Africa, Baja Mexico, the rainforests of South America, the Galapagos Islands, Haida Gwaii, the Rockies and several other Canadian destinations.

Click on a link below to view descriptions of previous guest speakers.