Morrell Sanctuary

Morrell Sanctuary Non profit society
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Morrell is so full of Western Starflower (Trientalis latifolia) this time of year that we're tempted to call them conste...
06/02/2026

Morrell is so full of Western Starflower (Trientalis latifolia) this time of year that we're tempted to call them constellations. 🌠

Looking for an antidote to all the bad news and stress in the world? Maybe Forest Bathing can help.Forest Bathing, or Sh...
05/30/2026

Looking for an antidote to all the bad news and stress in the world? Maybe Forest Bathing can help.

Forest Bathing, or Shinrin-yoku in Japanese, is the practice of mindfully immersing yourself in nature to reduce stress. Instead of hiking with a destination or goal in mind, just take a slow, sensory-focused stroll.

A slow and quiet walk in nature can reduce cortisol (stress hormone), lower your blood pressure, and alleviate feelings of anxiety.

Try a little walk on the Tranquility Trail this weekend ☮

Lunch Time! We caught this Hairy Woodpecker, Leuconotopicus villosus, having a snack on an old stump. Check out that gru...
05/28/2026

Lunch Time!

We caught this Hairy Woodpecker, Leuconotopicus villosus, having a snack on an old stump. Check out that grub he's eating!

Hairy Woodpeckers and Downy Woodpeckers are remarkably similar little birds. They both live in forests and they have similar plumage. The Hairy Woodpecker is a bit bigger if you see them side by side, but the real way to tell them apart is that beak! Hairy Woodpeckers have a "railroad spike" beak, just about as long as their head is wide. Downy woodpeckers have a small, dainty beak.

Listen carefully in the forests at Morrell and you're sure to hear them knock, knock, knocking!

Did you know that there are wild orchids at Morrell?! This is the Western Spotted Orchid (Corallorhiza maculata var. occ...
05/24/2026

Did you know that there are wild orchids at Morrell?!

This is the Western Spotted Orchid (Corallorhiza maculata var. occidentalis), a leafless orchid that grows in coniferous forests!

How can it be leafless? This species of orchid is "myco-heterotrophic"! Instead of photosynthesizing with chlorophyll in green leaves, it steals nutrients from mycorrhizal fungi! What a beautiful nutrient-thief!

This is Lupa. She’s a happy little dog who comes to the Sanctuary five times a week with her human friend. She wants t...
05/22/2026

This is Lupa. She’s a happy little dog who comes to the Sanctuary five times a week with her human friend. She wants to do this for the rest of her life so her message is plain. “Please use a leash when walking your dog in Morrell Nature Sanctuary.” 🐾

Our invasive species removal team was hard at work this week cutting broom! Maintaining a diverse and (mostly) native ec...
05/20/2026

Our invasive species removal team was hard at work this week cutting broom!

Maintaining a diverse and (mostly) native ecosystem here at Morrell requires a lot of elbow grease. We love and appreciate our volunteers!

If you'd like to volunteer at Morrell Nature Sanctuary, please visit: https://www.morrellnaturesanctuary.ca/getinvolved.html

I had just started up the trail when the birds were letting me know that something was bothering them. There in the sha...
05/17/2026

I had just started up the trail when the birds were letting me know that something was bothering them. There in the shadows up on the branch is the Barred Owl trying to get some sleep. May 17 2026

All aboard the Night Train! We think this little millipede might have more names than legs. She's called the Night Train...
05/17/2026

All aboard the Night Train!

We think this little millipede might have more names than legs. She's called the Night Train Millipede, the Cyanide Millipede, the Almond-Scented Millipede, the Yellow-Spotted Millipede, and Harpaphe haydeniana.

These abundant millipedes can in fact produce cyanide when under threat! It's not enough to seriously harm a human (though it may be enough to cause a small blister if you pick one up), but it is enough to be fatal to small rodents and birds! What an amazing defense mechanism.

Have you ever heard of "Stilt Roots"? Sometimes trees, like this Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), can start growing ...
05/15/2026

Have you ever heard of "Stilt Roots"?

Sometimes trees, like this Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), can start growing on old stumps or nurse logs. As the new tree grows and the stump rots away, they end up perched on their roots. Naturalists call these "stilt roots" or "octopus trees". It may look precarious, but these trees are solid and strong!

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787 Nanaimo Lakes Road
Nanaimo, BC
V9R3C2

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