Fundraiser

This Thursday October 12th at 7 pm we’re showing the award-winning documentary film “The Messenger”, Su Rynard’s visionary film about our deep-seated connection to songbirds and threat that human activity poses to their survival, at the Nature Centre as a part of the month-long WildWings Nature & Arts Festival.  Doors open at 6:30

This is a film for anyone who cares about the environment and nature. It’s not only an opportunity to see an amazing award-winning film (especially if you missed last year’s showing at VIU) but also to talk together about constructive local action and ongoing local successes in restoring song bird habitat and song bird recovery.

The Nature Centre film screening will be followed by a Q and A discussion with local naturalists.

Since its world premiere in 2015 at Toronto’s Hot Docs Film Festival, The Messenger has wowed audiences the world over at more than 30 international film festivals, receiving numerous awards, including The Best Conservation Program from Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, Best of Fest and Best Theatrical Feature, International Wildlife Film Festival plus a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Cinematography in a Feature Documentary and the Ontario Nature’s Carl Nunn Media Impact Award.

Shot in Canada, Costa Rica, Germany, France, The Netherlands and the USA, The Messenger is an international story with high stakes global consequences. The film looks at the connection between the decline of songbirds and human activity and what that could means for our already fragile ecosystem, leaving us with the questions: Does the uncertain fate of songbirds mirror our own? and.. What can we do to respond?

Your donations to support the education and conservation work of the Estuary Nature Centre at our location in an Internationally recognized “Important Bird Area”, one of 12,000 IBAs recognized by BirdLife International world-wide, are much appreciated!

TimberWest recently donated $2,500 to support education and outreach at the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre!  $1,000 of this corporate donation will go toward creating educational workshop packages, displays and interpretive programs for children, youth and adults as a part of the Centre’s Adapting to Climate Change Project this year.

Domenico Iannidinardo, VP of Sustainability and Chief Forester for TimberWest, told us: “We’re happy to help the Land Trust and the Nature Centre instill a greater understanding of the importance of estuary wetlands and the ecological services they provide. It’s great to see this project taking place in the Cowichan Valley, reaching out to the community and helping community members and land owners learn about effective ways to mitigate and adapt to climate change and get hands-on experience participating in the Nature Centre’s volunteer action days.”

TimberWest has also been a long-time supporter of and partner with the Land Trust and Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre, most recently on our shoreline restoration work.

Many thanks TimberWest!

This coming Tuesday, September 26th at 7 pm we are pleased to host local filmmaker Harold Joe for this showing of his film “Wisdom of the River” at the Estuary Nature Centre. This is in the lead-up to the Quw’utsun Cowichan Heritage River Celebration on September 30th where Harold will also be sharing his knowledge.

Harold will be available after the film to answer your questions and talk more about the Quw’utsun River, what it means to the Quw’utsun People and the making of the film.

By donation.

The Cowichan Watershed Board is hosting the Lower Cowichan River Clean-up on Sunday, August 27th from 10 am to 2 pm. Meet at Little Big House past Cowichan Tribes gym – follow the signs from downtown Duncan.  More information at: www.facebook.com/events/1211599648952363/

Pharmacists know about health care so Thomas at Pharmasave knows that the Cowichan Estuary also needs health care. Our first Nature Centre sponsor of the year, Thomas will help Cowichan Valley students to learn how to help nature help us. Thanks, Pharmasave!  http://pharmasave.com

If you too want to sponsor kids in nature, please call Centre Manager Todd Carnahan at 250 746 0227.