New Year’s facelift underway for Oyster River trail

Island Wild for Fri. Jan. 8, 2010

Vancouver Island’s only native squirrel, the Red Squirrel must increasingly compete with the imported Gray Squirrel.

Some nature parks lose their lustre in the coldest months, with deciduous trees bereft of foliage, wildflowers absent, and many woodland critters snoozing in their dens.
One noteworthy exception is Oyster River Nature Park, one of the area’s premiere winter destinations, where trees reach up to touch the sky. A bevy of animals including Red Squirrels, Coastal Black-tailed Deer and Little Brown Bats make this forest their home.
This dense five hectare (12 acre) wedge of old- and second-growth forest nestles between the Oyster River (near its estuary), the Strait of Georgia and the former UBC farmlands. One of the area’s most charming sandy beaches is located just a short stroll from the park trailhead.
Major changes are underway for the popular park, located midway between Campbell River and Courtenay. Better trailhead signage, more interpretive information and new cedar fencing will all enhance visitor enjoyment of the park, which already attracts about a hundred users daily, says Peter Woods, Parks Coordinator, Strathcona Regional District.
“These trails are suitable for all demographics,” says Woods, noting that families, joggers, seniors and dog-walkers all seem to enjoy Oyster River park.
One improvement already in place is a new wooden footbridge over the old channel – an amenity that turned a popular pathway into a loop trail – always a desirable option for users. The park’s woodland, heavily logged 60-70 years ago, still boasts impressive specimens of old-growth Douglas-fir and Bigleaf Maple.

Photo buffs will find dozens of winter nature subjects alongside the four major trails within this park. Mosses and lichens become shining delights when no leaves mask their beauty; rows of pores on coppery cherry bark resemble amber jewels; Rattlesnake Plantain orchid leaves look vivid in striped white and green.
A daytime nature walk may include a peek at the wild Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) – the only squirrel native to Vancouver Island. These shy charmers are active by day, even in cold weather, foraging primarily on seeds and cones.
The smaller ‘Red’ averaging 230 grams, must now expend energy to defend its territory against the Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) – an introduced species twice its size – which continues a troubling northward expansion on Vancouver Island. The Red Squirrel is protected as a furbearer under the BC Wildlife Act (Yellow-listed).
Oyster River Nature Park falls within the jurisdiction of Strathcona Regional District, maintained under the stewardship of Oyster River Enhancement Society.
Check out the improvements at Oyster River Nature Park. From the Old Island Highway, take Regent Road east to the parking area, located across from the Glenmore Road intersection.