Evening meetings of the Nicola Naturalist Society are held once a month from September through May. We generally meet at 7PM on the second 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).
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Thursday September 10th, 2026, 7 PM at NVIT: AGM & Members’ Photo Night
We keep the necessary business meeting short, leaving lots of time to enjoy many photos of local wildlife, wildflowers, scenery and more. This is always a popular event, with lots of great photos and supporting stories.
River Otters in the Nicola River – an example of a member’s photo. Photo: © Vic Newton.
Thursday October 8th, 2026, 7 PM at NVIT: Tom Beeke – Birds of the Thompson-Nicola Region
Tom Beeke is an educator, photographer and keen birder from Kamloops, and the author of a new book: Birds of Kamloops and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. In addition to many photos and stories about our local birds, Tom will outline the many adventures, encounters and rare sightings during his 10-year research for the book. Copies of his book will be available for signing at the meeting.
Pine Grosbeak (L) & Black-backed Woodpecker (R) – two of the many species that make the Thompson-Nicola region special. Photos: © Tom Beeke.
Thursday November 12th, 2026, 7 PM at NVIT: Gary Hunt – The Functions of Fungi in Ecosystems
We are familiar with mushrooms, but there are many more fungi around us. They have fascinating lifestyles and they play key roles in our natural ecosystems. Dr. Gary Hunt is a retired Thompson Rivers University professor, an expert on fungi and a captivating speaker.
Coral Fungus – a common species in the Nicola Valley. Photo: © Alan Burger
