Evening meetings of the Nicola Naturalist Society are held once a month from September through May. We generally meet at 7PM on the third Thursday of the month in the Lecture Theatre of NVIT (Nicola Valley Institute of Technology) on Belshaw Road, Merritt. Admission is free to members.
Field Outings are usually held in spring, summer and fall and are listed below. Members will receive e-mail notices too. Field trips are restricted to paid-up members (but visitors can sign up as a member for the day for a nominal fee).
We are on Facebook. Check out our Facebook page: NNS Facebook
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coming up this fall ……
Saturday 6 September 2025, 11:00 AM at the Merritt Library – Lori Weidenhammer: Bees, Butterflies and Botany – talk and walk.
A joint presentation of the Merritt Library and the Nicola Naturalist Society. Lori Weidenhammer is a self-styled “bee nerd, artist and educator” and author of Victory Gardens for Bees: A DIY Guide to Saving the Bees. Native bees and pollinators are her specialty. This presentation is aimed at families and naturalists of all ages. The talk will be followed by a nature walk at the Rotary Park Pollinator Garden. For more information on Lori check here: Madam Beespeaker.
Native bees. Photos © Lori Weidenhammer
Thursday September 18th 2025, 7 PM at NVIT: AGM & Members’ Photo Night
We keep the essential business meeting short to allow plenty of time to enjoy some great photos of local nature, wildlife, wildflowers and scenery. Renew your membership for 2025-2026 (or join us if you are not already a member). This is always a popular event with lots of interesting photos.
Western Meadowlark by NNS member Murphy Shewchuk. An example of the photos to see at our Members’ Photo Night.
Saturday September 27th: Learn about Lichens – field outing.
Our own lichen aficionado Christine Rimmington will lead an outing to get to know some of our local lichens. Lichens are fascinating organisms made up of fungi, algae and sometimes other micro-organisms living together as symbionts. And our local lichens are often colourful and highly varied. Meet at 09:00 at the Merritt Civic Centre to car-pool. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy footwear for minor rock scrambling (which is optional). Magnifying glass, macro-camera or cell phones are useful too. Bring a lunch and drink for a longer outing. A reminder: our field outings are for paid-up members only.
Art in Nature: a crustose lichen Lecidea lapicida, from Kane Valley. Photo: © Christine Rimmington.
Thursday October 16th 2025, 7 PM at NVIT: Nancy van Wagoner – Volcanism in our backyard and its impacts.
Volcanoes in the Thompson-Nicola region??! YES – they had a big impact on our landscape. Nancy Gruver Van Wagoner is a Professor of Geology and volcanologist at Thompson Rivers University. She has studied volcanoes all over the world, ranging from some of the youngest volcanoes at the Juan de Fuca Ridge, to some of Canada’s oldest volcanoes of the Precambrian Shield. Her presentation will be a survey of volcanism—causes and hazards – and then focus in on the Early Eocene (roughly 55 million year old) volcanism of central BC and how volcanism influences climate and landscapes.
Dr Nancy van Wagoner at a lava tunnel near Kamloops (from one of her YouTube presentations).
Thursday November 20th 2025, 7 PM at NVIT: Selena Carl – Where are the juvenile Chinook? Tracking salmon in the Okanagan River system with acoustic telemetry.
The Okanagan River supports a genetically and geographically distinct population of Chinook Salmon. This population is greatly reduced and despite ongoing recovery efforts, little is known about the movements and survival of the juveniles in this system. Selena Carl is a graduate student at Thompson Rivers University. She has used innovative acoustic telemetry to track these juveniles. Her study will inform science-based restoration strategies, guide adaptive management practices, and support the long-term recovery of this imperiled Chinook population.
Juvenile Chinook Salmon. Photo: US Fish & Wildlife Service
We don’t have an evening meeting in December but an important event …….
December 20 or 21 (date to be determined): Merritt Christmas Bird Count
Join thousands of naturalists across North America in this Christmas tradition. We form groups to survey the 22 km diameter Merritt Count Circle and tally all the species on the count day. You don’t have to be an expert birder – each group has one or more experienced birders. A great way to learn about our winter birds. Details on registering to come.
A Northern Pygmy Owl. This species has been recorded in 13 of the 26 Merritt Christmas Bird Counts. Photo: © Alan Burger
