Field Trips
Nature Vancouver offers a variety of field trips almost every weekend. Trips include birding, botany, marine biology or general nature walks; day hikes or short backpacking and snowshoe hikes. These trips are much appreciated by the membership. Non-members are welcome to join field trips as a way to review the activities of the Society but are asked to limit their participation to a maximum of three events.
We are looking for more members to volunteer to lead field trips, specially birding trips.
You don’t need any special nature knowledge to lead a trip – just an idea and enthusiasm for a trip to a particular area that you are familiar with, and a willingness to learn and share. Experienced trip leaders will be happy to co-lead trips with you and provide mentorship. Please contact, Bill Kinkaid, Field Trips Co-ordinator, if you are interested.
Members of Nature Vancouver also conduct monthly bird surveys at UBC Farm and UBC Botanical Gardens. MORE INFORMATION
Other organizations host regular walks and surveys that might be of interest to members of Nature Vancouver. More informations is available on Ongoing Nature Walks and Surveys.
Field Trip Schedule
Nature Vancouver field trips are scheduled on most weekends and some week days. The complete schedule is available at EVENTS CALENDAR.
Half day birding field trip to Terra Nova will take place at Terra Nova Nature Reserve on 23/Jan/2020 at 9:00 am - 11:30 am
Snowshoe Hike - Difficulty Rating B5 will take place at on 25/Jan/2020 at All Day
Half day birding at White Rock Pier will take place at White Rock Pier on 25/Jan/2020 at 9:00 am
Half day birding at Reifel Refuge. will take place at George C Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary on 01/Feb/2020 at 9:00 am - 11:30 am
Half day birding field trip to Terra Nova will take place at Terra Nova Nature Reserve on 06/Feb/2020 at 9:00 am - 11:30 am
Half-day Birding Field Trip at Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary will take place at George C Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary on 15/Feb/2020 at 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Geology of Lynn Canyon Park will take place at Lynn Canyon Park on 25/Jun/2020 at 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Trip Difficulty Rating System
Nature Vancouver uses a field trip classification system by rating the level of difficulty and adding an estimate of the time to be spent on the trail. The trip leader is responsible for deciding on the appropriate classification in conjunction with the Field Trip Coordinator. If this will be your first Nature Vancouver field trip, please review the guidelines for trip participants .
The difficulty rating system is as follows:
- Easy: easy path or road with minimal elevation change and minimal hazards. Examples: Lost Lagoon, Reifel Bird Sanctuary.
- Moderate: trail with possible rocks, roots or other hazards. Moderate grade, occasional steep but short sections. Up to 200m elevation change. Examples: Norvan Falls, Pacific Spirit Park.
- Strenuous: moderately steep gradient. 100 m to 500 m elevation change. Examples: Hollyburn Peak, Mount Galiano.
- Very strenuous: constant steep gradient. 500m to 1,000 m elevation change. Examples: Elk Mountain, Rainbow Lake.
The expected duration of the field trip is added to the letter category to obtain a combined letter/figure rating. Example: A C6 hike will be a C hike, as described above, with an estimated time on the trail of 6 hours. The estimated time spent during a field trip does not include driving or other travel times.
Field Trip Documents
Please review the documents below as they contain important information about trip preparation, carpooling and transportation, associated costs, and more.
Liability Waiver
Please read the release of liability waiver. Anyone participating in a Nature Vancouver field day trip or overnight trip must complete and sign a waiver form.