Join the Cumberland Forest and friends for a creative, informative and engaging week of projects, art, walks, talks, trivia, picnics, and fun filled community activities to celebrate Earth Week!
Whether you live in the Village, the wider Comox Valley, the Salish Sea region or across the globe – you are invited to connect and join forces for this celebration 
What does that mean for Cumberland? The Cumberland Forest community has been hard at work for over 20 years protecting 500+ acres of forest, wetlands, creeks and watershed lands through direct purchasing from timber companies – and trust us, we’re not done yet! 
But at the same time, we have important work to do to build climate resilience, restore protected areas impacted by human use, build ecological knowledge and stewardship culture, protect sensitive ecosystems and support biodiversity in the Cumberland and beyond.
Earth Week Festival April 14th to 23rd
What's happening?
All Week Long
Friday April 14th - Sunday April 23rd - CCFS Spring Art Auction
Jump onto this online auction to pick up some beautiful art and crafts donated by local artists over the past season.
Thank you to the incredible creative community for their support for our conservation projects and action!
The auction is LIVE now: Visit https://www.32auctions.com/earthweekauction
Friday April 14th
Cumberland Museum's Artists for Conservation Opening
Visit the Cumberland Museum for this touring exhibition celebrating environmental conservation, visual art and local conservation projects.
Admission by donation to the Museum.
Saturday April 15th
Invasives Removal on the Wellington Trail 12:00-3:00pm
An invasives pull, in partnership with the Village of Cumberland. Let’s tackle the English Ivy, Holly, Himalayan Blackberry, Scotch Broom, and Daphne so that our native species at the edge of our wetlands have more space to thrive.
PLEASE NOTE: While this is a family-friendly event it may not be appropriate for toddlers / little ones. Sharp tools will be restricted to adult-use only.
Please bring if you can:
- thick gloves
- loppers
- handsaws
- smaller shovels
- work clothes
We’ll have some tools available on site.
At 12 pm we’ll meet at the bottom of 2nd Street and discuss the strategy for the day. If you arrive later, please check-in with Heather Thomson before tackling the invasives on your own. We want this to be a coordinated and efficient work party!
So come on down and join us to celebrate our wild spaces by making more room for them to thrive and removing the ones that don’t belong. Please email heather@cumberlandforest.com for more information
Yarrow Willard’s Plant Walk - 1:00-2:30pm
Join Yarrow Willard on a fascinating exploration of Number 6 Mine in Cumberland, where you’ll discover an array of local plants that can be used for both food and medicine.
Sunday April 16th
Earth Week Mini Film Fest 3:00-8:00pm
Peep some films at the Cumberland Museum from 3pm – 8pm based on topics ranging from forest conservation, indigenous resistance to extraction projects, climate change and more. There will be a kids section from 4pm – 4:30pm with local films from Fox and Bee.
Admission is free.
Monday April 17th
Guided Walk with Dawn - 2:00-3:30pm
“Wetland impacts by Humans and Non-Humans”
Join Local historian and knowledge seeker Dawn Copeman as she shares a brief history of how early settlers and present day beavers have shaped the wetlands as we walk through a landscape that has changed many times over and continues to change.
By donation to the CCFS.
Tuesday April 18th
Guided Walk with Dr. Brothers - 5:30-7:00pm
Find yourself amazed walking with Dr Kent Brothers as he guides us to consider the myriad of little organisms that constitute the forest, the ones seldom noticed by those who traverse our diverse local ecosystem.
By donation to the CCFS.
Wednesday April 19th
“Learning the Language of Place” - 3:00-4:30pm
Join Fianna Wilderness School students and staff at the Japanese #1 Townsite in Coal Creek Park for an event sharing stories of connection.
Students between the ages of 5 and 15 will share short stories of their explorations and discoveries on the land. Fianna founder Kes Lwin Reid will share a traditional story from old Europe about the mystery and power of nature-based education.
Kids and adults of all ages welcome. Bring a blanket and a snack and settle in to remember our oral traditions of place.
Meet at Japanese #1 Townsite. No registration required.
Thursday April 20th
Curious Bees “Photo Scavenger Hunt" 1:00-3:00pm
Come play with the Curious Bees: a hive of homeschoolers involved in environmental education with Hand in Hand Nature Education.
We have created a photo scavenger hunt around Coal Creek Historic Park and the Cumberland Community Forest Parklands. We’ll be present to drop scavenger hunt hints, play games, and share some surprises at the Coal Creek Pavilion.
Discover more about where you live through the lens of what is significant, special and beautiful in the eyes of the 8-12 year old Curious Bees!
(no registration required)
Meet at Coal Creek Pavillion
“Big Trees of the Inland Temperate Forests of BC” - Book Reading - 7:00pm
Terry Nelson from Fernie, BC, has written a beautiful book “Big Trees of the Inland Temperate Forests of BC”.
Terry will give a talk and slide show on the book at the Comox United Church hall on Thurs April 20th at 7pm. There is no fee for the event, but his book will be available for sale.
While his presentation focuses on the ITR, his photos are amazing and his story of spending five years obsessed with big trees is compelling. He also talks about the values of big trees, and his extensive interactions with the big tree registry and the benefits and limitations of this system. Of interest to all tree and nature loving types!
Friday April 21st
Medicinal Plant Walk with Amanda - 2:00-3:00pm
Meet Amanda Howe for a medicinal plant walk.
Amanda received her MSc (Distinction) in Herbal Medicine from the University of Wales and worked in England in a multidisciplinary clinic before moving to Vancouver Island twenty five years ago where has been active in practice as a Herbalist and as a herbal educator. She has served on the board of the provincial Canadian Herbalists Association of BC as well as the national Herbal Practitioners Council – the Canadian Council of Herbalists Associations (CCHA) and sat on Health Canada’s Natural Health Products Expert Advisory Committee.
Amanda teaches at Pacific Rim College in Victoria BC. as a teacher in their full time Herbal Practitioner training program.
By donation to the CCFS.
Friday April 21st
Friday April 21st - CCFS Spring Trivia (SOLD OUT)
Come volunteer! Message heather@cumberlandforest.com
Saturday April 22nd
Earth Day at Lake Park: Wake Up the Campground! 9:00am-12:00pm
Start your Earth Day weekend by helping to wake up the Cumberland Lake Park Campground! There will be a cozy fire on the beach with hot drinks from 9:00 – 12:00 at the picnic shelter on the main beach.
Everyone welcome, kids and families included. Come and say hi to your friends and neighbours, help with beach and campsite clean ups and start planning your summer days at Lake Park!
Cumberland Community School BIKE SWAP - 9:00am - 6:00pm
Get and Give all the bike gear you could possibly want or need… and support the school while you do it!
Earth Day Picnic in Village Square 1:00-4:00pm
Cumberland Community Forest Society would like to say hello to our neighbors by holding a fun space to connect, create and learn in Village Square on Earth Day.
Bring the family down to make Seed Bombs, find out what projects are on the CCFS horizon, and visit with us in a relaxed and playful environment. Celebrate with us!
