Our activities include Hiking, Nature Walks, Birding, Bat Monitoring, Botanizing, Education and Outreach, Conservation and Monthly Meetings featuring informative guest speakers.
Non-members are welcome to participate in these activities as a way to preview our club and meet our friendly members prior to joining our group.
Visit our calendar of events for a list of scheduled activities.
Burke Mountain Naturalists (BMN) was formed in 1989 by local residents interested in enjoying nature, encouraging nature awareness, and conserving local green spaces.
We are a club based in Coquitlam, BC, with a focus on the enjoyment and awareness of nature through activities and education.
Whether you are starting your exploration of nature in the Tri-Cities area (Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam) or are an experienced naturalist, we invite you to join us. Meet people who share your interests such as hiking, walking, birding, nature appreciation, and conservation.
Come as a guest and drop in to one of our monthly meetings, or participate in an scheduled activity,to learn more about us.
Looking for Volunteers to do Trail Maintenance in Pinecone Burke Provincial Park
The Pinecone Burke Stewards (PBS), under the guidance of BC Parks, have been doing trail maintenance on Burke Mountain & the Widgeon area for the last few years. If you are interested in joining us you will need to attend a meeting and sign an agreement before you will be able to do trail maintenance without BC Parks present. In return for signing the agreement, we will have liability insurance if someone is injured while working. There are no membership fees.
If this interests you, we will be scheduling a meeting in Coquitlam on Friday, April 26
Please contact Ian (604.939.4039) if you are interested.
Join Larry Cowan and members of Nature Vancouver on a half-day birding field trip along Port Coquitlam’s Pitt River Dyke north from the east end of Nicola Place back to the parking lot at DeBoville Slough. This field trip covers some excellent dyke-side habitats. Birders will be on the lookout for spring migrants. Meet in the main parking lot adjacent to the public washrooms at Cedar & Victoria Drives (DeBoville Slough) in Port Coquitlam at 0830. Carpools will be arranged to the start point on Nicola Place.
Join members of the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society for a guided tour of some of the outside portions of the heritage buildings and a wander into Riverview’s wilder “backyard” area. The tour will last 90 minutes with some uphill and downhill sections. Dress for the weather, and wear comfy shoes or boots. Walks go rain or shine. Dogs on leash are welcome. Please contact Ian (604. 939. 4039) for more info and meeting location.
This is a special event hosted by the Minnekhada Park Association where you can join BMN member Lee Harding for a morning of birding.
This event will take place hiking around the marsh while keeping a look out for the different types of birds that call Minnekhada Park home. Throughout the hike you will have the chance to learn about the birds and take photos of the park. If you know a lot about birds, please feel free to share your knowledge with the group.
Please bring hiking gear, lots of water and snacks. A Clif bar will be provided. If you have binoculars and a camera, feel free to bring those too. Dress for the weather conditions to make sure you stay warm and dry.
We will meet at the Quarry Road Parking lot at 8am. The early bird gets the worm!
Limited spots!
Please RSVP to register for this free event through email.
Join your fellow members of BC Nature at the Annual General Meeting 2019 in the beautiful Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. The meeting is hosted by the Cowichan Valley Naturalists’ Society in Duncan.
O.W.L. is a frequent recipient of money raised at BMN’s December Silent Auction. Here’s your chance to tour some of the facilities at O.W.L. in Delta.
OWL’s annual Open House allows you to get a behind the scenes look of one of the busiest raptor rehabilitation centres in Canada. This is the only time that they open up 70% of the facility for the public to get a peek at the medical facility and some of the rehabilitation enclosures. Meet some local raptor species and learn about what they do at OWL.
The highlight of the Open House will be the release of a rehabilitated bird on both days at 1pm. Tours will leave on every half hour and there will be two Raptor Meet and Greets each day where you can get a more close up view of some of O.W.L.’s permanent residents. Come listen to David Hancock talk about Bald Eagles both days at 11am in the School House.
The annual Noons Creek Hatchery Fingerling Festival at Noons Creek and the Port Moody skating arena. Help to release 40,000 young chum into Noons Creek and view displays from 70 environmental groups in the lower mainland. Enjoy the music, children’s activities, food, and fun!
From 11am-3pm. Parking around the Rec Centre will be a problem, so please consider walking or transit.
O.W.L. is a frequent recipient of money raised at BMN’s December Silent Auction. Here’s your chance to tour some of the facilities at O.W.L. in Delta.
OWL’s annual Open House allows you to get a behind the scenes look of one of the busiest raptor rehabilitation centres in Canada. This is the only time that they open up 70% of the facility for the public to get a peek at the medical facility and some of the rehabilitation enclosures. Meet some local raptor species and learn about what they do at OWL.
The highlight of the Open House will be the release of a rehabilitated bird on both days at 1pm. Tours will leave on every half hour and there will be two Raptor Meet and Greets each day where you can get a more close up view of some of O.W.L.’s permanent residents. Come listen to David Hancock talk about Bald Eagles both days at 11am in the School House.
This is a presentation sponsored by the City of Coquitlam. Registration (645417).
Come out and enjoy an evening of slides while learning about local places to hike and how to be prepared. Do you know what ten essential items you should have in your pack? Ian McArthur will present slides of hikes in Coquitlam and other local areas. This presentation is geared for the novice and intermediate hiker, but experienced hikers will learn about some favourite hikes and some hidden gems our local mountains have to offer.
Please contact Ian (604.939. 4039) for more info.
Have a look at the City of Coquitlam website coquitlam.ca/outdoors
Register or for information at 604-927-4386
Raptors at the top of the food chain are particularly susceptible to chemical pollutants, especially the so-called “legacy pollutants” like DDT which are banned but still present in the environment. SFU PhD student Kate Fremlin will present results of her research on how toxins like DDT move up the earthworm – robin – Cooper’s hawk food chain. She sampled these creatures (or their eggs, in the case of the hawks) throughout Metro Vancouver and analyzed the tissues for legacy toxins and newer toxins of emerging concern. Learn about the basics of biomagnification from Kate and how this process can affect top-level predators, including us.
This meeting will be held at
King of Life Lutheran Church
1198 Falcon Dr (SW corner of Falcon and Guildford)
Coquitlam BC
There is parking in the church parking lot, off the Falcon Drive entrance.
Join the Friends of DeBoville Slough and the City of Coquitlam for a morning of good exercise while helping the environment. We will be working to control the invasive plant, Japanese knotweed. We will meet at the kiosk on the north side of the slough at 9AM. Wear sturdy footwear, and dress for the weather as we go rain or shine. If it is hot and sunny don’t forget the sunscreen and water. The Friends of DeBoville Slough will supply tools but if you have a favourite pair of hand clippers or loppers, feel free to bring them along. As there is a waiver to sign, anyone under the age of 19 will need a parent or guardian to sign.
This is a hike sponsored by the City of Coquitlam. Registration (645968) and signed waiver form is required.
This low level intermediate hike will take in a forested trail along Burrard Inlet and climb steeply to a wonderful viewpoint looking to the west. Roundtrip distance is 8 km with an elevation gain of 300 m. Meet at 2:00 pm. Return approximately 6:00 pm.
Please contact Ian (604.939. 4039) for more info.
Have a look at the City of Coquitlam website coquitlam.ca/outdoors
Register or for information at 604-927-4386
This is a hike sponsored by the City of Coquitlam. Registration (645366) and signed waiver form is required.
This trip will travel through the lush upper section of Miller Ravine while taking time to enjoy nature. The group will then descend into the steep forested area of the Chines before regaining elevation to make a loop back to the starting point. On a clear evening, great views of the mountains to the north can be seen. Roundtrip distance is 4 km with a cumulative elevation gain of 130 m. Meet at 6:00 pm. Return approximately 8:00 pm.
Please contact Ian (604.939. 4039) for more info.
Have a look at the City of Coquitlam website coquitlam.ca/outdoors
Register or for information at 604-927-4386
This is a hike sponsored by the City of Coquitlam. Registration (645375) and signed waiver form is required.
This evening hike will take in the power line right-of-way on Westwood Plateau to gain elevation into the wonderful forest of Ridge Park. There will be a chance for great views overlooking Coquitlam and beyond. Roundtrip distance is 6km with an elevation gain of 245 m. Meet at 6:00 pm. Return approximately 9:00 pm.
Please contact Ian (604.939. 4039) for more info.
Have a look at the City of Coquitlam website coquitlam.ca/outdoors
Register or for information at 604-927-4386
