 | Mount Benson Views from the top are pretty spectacular, although on the day we climbed clouds drifted in and out offering only tempting glimpses of what’s available under clear skies—the island’s mountains to the south, north and west, the strait to the east and the coastal mountains beyond. |
 | Wildwood Forest Way back in the ‘dirty thirties’ a Ladysmith-area logger and landowner began searching for a better way to harvest trees, make a living, and give back to nature. Merv Wilkinson is now in his mid-90s. Although he still lives on the property, he’s no longer active in its management. That torch, and the legacy of his Wildwood Forest, was passed over a decade ago to... |
 | The MARMOT RETURNS! If you were to go looking for the Vancouver Island marmot you would search small patches of subalpine meadows located between the forests of the lower slopes and the rock of mountaintops. That’s where, in the south and central areas of the island, small numbers of the marmot live on more than 50 species of grass and flowers and gather themselves together in small groups called colonies. |
 | Planting Naturally Locally It’s amazing what you find off the beaten track. Sometimes all you have to do is watch the signs. That’s the case with the Natural Abundance Native Plant Nursery, marked quietly by a small sign off the Island Highway, southbound from Nanaimo. |
