SVIMS Volunteer Appreciation Picnic 2025

The SVIMS Volunteer Appreciation Picnic (formerly President’s Picnic)  is an annual tradition where we gather with the SVIMS community to celebrate all those who volunteer their time and talents to make it all happen!
 
Please join us for a potluck-style picnic and prize draw! Sign up here.
 
Saturday, June 14th, 2025, 11:00am to about 3:00pm
 
11:00am to noon: arrival and socializing, set up your dish
Noon: lunch
After lunch: prize draw (Butchart Gardens tickets, t-shirts with new logo, edible mushrooms, mini survival kits + more.)

 

Location: Ourdoors, TBA

For: Active SVIMS members +1 guest
 
What to Bring
    • A dish (appetizer, side, main or dessert) for around 6-8 people. Please bring serving utensils and an ingredient list for your dish
    • Your own seating (blanket, chair, etc), cutlery, dishes, cup, napkins, and libations (Coffee, tea, and water provided.)
    • A guest, if you wish
    • Mushrooms to have identified and show off

SVIMS Foray to the Rae Leigh Addition April 2025

In 2024, BC Parks Foundation acquired a 15-acre parcel that adjoined John Dean Park. The parcel is slated to become part of the park.

SVIMS was invited to survey the biological diversity on this tract. On April 26, 2025, a group of SVIMS members made their way into the hilly area. (See adjoining map–The red outlines the addition, the green is John Dean Park.)

The walk was arranged by Mel Hesz. David Walde, Elora Adamson, Vail Paterson, and Ann McCall led the foray.

Results were collected in an iNaturist project that SVIMS set up for the tract. About 75 different species were recorded. Nearly 30 of these species were fungi.

Second SVIMS Spring Foray to Mechosin WP

Tiny (about 1 cm) eyelash cup fungi (Genus Scutellinia) were found on the ends of some downed tree trunks.

SVIMS members made a second spring foray to Metchosin Wilderness Park on May 3, 2025. A group of 25 fungal fans, several of them on their first SVIMS foray, spent two hours chasing down examples of spring fungi.

The walk was organized by Mel Hesz, Caroline Pap, and Ann McCall. Kem Luther and David Walde were walk leaders. Foray coordinators Ian and Tina Brown did the check-in, check-out.

An early advent of the dry season this year has made fungi hard to find. Still, searchers were able to turn up about 25 different species. The full list, with pictures, can be viewed on iNaturalist. 

(Click on the accompanying pictures to see the associated iNaturalist observations.)

Oyster mushroom (Genus Pleurotus)s, though not as abundant this year as in 2024, were dotted along Red Alder logs.
Someone found a beautiful, orange-dusted cap of the Plectania melastoma cup fungus.