Join us for an experience in Nature.
Sample calendar of events
Naturalist programs can inspire future scientists and stewardship of Nature
The Wild Pacific Trail Society is looking for people passionate about connecting people to Nature. We are currently seeking to hire Naturalists for long term hire or short term special guest events. The society is also looking for volunteers to be "Friends of the Trail" or new members for our Board of Directors.
Email: info@wildpacifictrail.com
Mail: Wild Pacific Trail Society, PO Box 572 Ucluelet, BC, V0R 3A0.
The Wild Pacific Trail is a unique outdoor classroom that offers incredible opportunities to connect people to nature. Easy to walk, one hour programs aim to engage both visitors and local communities. Topics range from natural to cultural history.
TALKING TREES and Magic Mosses: 
Let’s explore the suprising life of trees! Question: Do trees share food, communicate information and sleep? Learn about recent research that will change the way you look at trees, mushrooms, mosses and lichen. Drive just past Black Rock Resort on Marine Drive to join this NEW program.
Tidepool and Beach Exploration:
Question: Why are micro plastics harmful to sea creatures? Join our Trail Ambassador for a first hand discovery of plants and animals living here. Follow us to touch a real shipwreck! Rubber boots or sturdy footwear is highly recommended so we can explore the treasures of the tides.
Tidepool tours are not suitable for toddlers due to the rough rocky terrain, small children must be supervised by an adult please.
Beneath the BOG: 10am Saturday September 24th from the Whale Parking Lot
Discover the secrets of dwarf trees, carnivorous sundews and the unique plants that thrive above an acidic pool of water. This guided walk will help you explore a world seldom given the attention it deserves as a climate hero. This section of trail is a quiet refuge worth exploring more than once.
BEAR Walk: Sunday September 25th 10am from the Whale Parking Lot, Coast Guard Road
Our newest interpretive walk sharing fun facts and tips about black bears on the west coast. Did you know that a bear can smell six times better than a dog? Some bears have even learned how to open car doors if they smell food. Join this walk to learn fun bear facts and how to avoid conflict visiting bear country.
Salmon Trail Booth: Tuesday September 27th 10am to 1pm at the Lighthouse Discovery Tent
Visit Redd Fish Restoration Society's booth to share forest, fish and ecosystem insights. Restoration is our passion!
Build-A-Whale: Wednesday September 28th 10 am to noon at the Lighthouse Discovery Tent
This kid-friendly event is a rare chance to construct an actual size orca skeleton! Question: Do orca have sharp teeth?
Join Strawberry Isle Research Society staff to learn about these remarkable whales and why some populations are endangered.
Salmon Trail Guided FOREST WALK: Thursday 10am September 29th from the Whale Parking Lot, Coast Guard Road
How can the rainforest be important to salmon?
Walk and talk with Redd FIsh Restoration Society's guide to share forest, fish and ecosystem insights. Restoration is our passion! Bring your questions we will do our best to help.
Silva Johansson offers two walks during the summer months.
BOG SURPRISE: Enjoy a guided walk into the unique and strange world of a bog with an expert guide. Magical insights into carnivorous plants, explosive spores and why wetlands are the heros of our planet. Date to be announced.
Pass of Melfort Shipwreck Walk: Silva Johansson leads this walk to the site of a tragic shipwreck that inspired the creation of Amphitrite Lighthouse at the turn of the century. Date to be announced.Watch this page for updates.
BUILD-A-WHALE with Strawberry Isle Research Society Dates to be announced.
Question: What whales have teeth? Learn how to identify Orcas that pass by our shores, there are three distinct ecotypes with very unique diets and behaviour. Join this popular hands-on activity building an actual size Orca skeleton. Drop in for this family friendly event.
Wildsafe BC
Did you know bears can smell food from a kilometre away? This entertaining walk will explore the lives of bears and how to keep them safe.
Learn about WildSafeBC and how to keep our wildlife wild. Humans-predator conflicts can be avoided !
BIRDING with Ian Cruickshank:
Learn from a birding guide about birds and their environment. A spotting scope will help you see rare species such a Marbled Murrlets.
Did you know songbirds can sing so well because they have two voice boxes? Meet at the lighthouse at 10am or join the group as they explore the shoreline trail near the lighthouse.
Andy MacKinnon MUSHROOM WALK
Explore mushrooms and plants with an expert. Andy MacKinnon is a forest ecologist who teaches university field programs and marvelous mushroom walks. Co-author of best-selling books like “Plants of BC”, Andy has a vast scope of knowledge and an entertaining sense of humor.
Visit our Discovery Tent at the lighthouse during spring and summer
The trail society sponsors a naturalist to welcome you at Amphitrite Lighthouse. If you miss the 10am walk your questions will not go unanswered. Start your walk at the whale parking lot trail head and gather your questions as you walk. If the naturalist is off duty interpretive signs answer frequently asked questions.
In order to ensure accessibility to everyone, programs are offered at no charge (no admission or parking fees).
These programs depend on donations from visitors.
Interpretive signs are also a great way to learn year round:
— The new Bog Woodland Interpretive Loop — Terrace Beach First Nations Interpretation — Children's Interpretive Trail
Where to find us? Calendar events are colour coded to the parking lots at the Whale Parking Lot (red), Lighthouse (teal), Big Beach aka Frog parking lot (blue) and Brown's Beach aka Sea Star parking lot ( brown).
We are grateful to program experts such the Ucluelet Aquarium the Raincoast Education Society, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Silva Johansson, Strawberry Isle Research Society and Redd FIsh Restoration Society for their expertise. The trail society sponsors these walks and networks with the District of Ucluelet. Special Guest speakers also enrich our programs.
Below are a series of timeless videos created by our Naturalists that will inspire your experience in Nature.
Did you know a square metre of mudflat contains more calories than a chocolate bar? Enjoy our latest video created by Samantha, our summer naturalist.
Seven entertaining and award winning videos below include fun activities from our "Learn Where You Live" series.
Episode 1: "What's that smell?" video with our Wild Pacific Trail Naturalist
Join us for seven "Learn Where You Live" videos to inspire you to look closely at Nature.
From the teachings of Banana Slugs--to the secrets of Skunk Cabbage and flammable mosses--you will enjoy this EXPLOSIVE series!
CLICK HERE to download a PDF activity you can do at home.
Special thanks to Special thanks to Vi Mundy of Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ First Nation for her guidance.
Video series by Arya Touserkani @tousquared www.waterlogue.ca
Episode 2: " Follow that Slime" -- We have a lot to learn from Nature, we just need to listen!
Special thanks to Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ community, Elder Vi Mundy and Gisele Martin of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation for their traditional teachings.
Follow this link for a slug race activity.
This beautiful series was born out of Covid-19 restrictions to our in-person interpretive walks. Narrated by Tanya Nestoruk, trail naturalist, video by Arya Touserkani.
Episode 3: "For Peat's Sake" -- explore with our Wild Pacific Trail Naturalist!
Follow our naturalist as she discovers the weird and wonderful species that thrive in a Woodland Bog. Warning, you could get lost.
Follow this link for a COLOURING BOOKLET or a fun WORD PUZZLE.
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Special thanks to Special thanks to Vi Mundy of Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ First Nation. Video by Arya Touserkani.
Send your questions to naturalist@wildpacifictrail.com or post on our Facebook page.
Episode 4: "Force of Nature" will sweep you off your feet.
Explore the unique WEATHER that comes with living on the coast, how species not only manage to survive, but THRIVE!
Fun fact: Can you name an amphibian that has no lungs?
We are proud to acknowledge the skills of our past naturalist Tanya Nestoruk for her work with videographer Arya Touserkani www.waterlogue.ca
in achieving an award of excellence from Interpretation Canada for the video above.
Special thanks to Vi Mundy of Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ First Nation and Dr. Barb Beasley with the Association of Wetland Stewards for Clayoquot and Barkley Sound.
Episode 5: "Remarkable Ravens" a story of the smartest bird in the rainforest
Raven’s are not only role models of communication, fair trade, and savvy intelligence, they play an essential role as ecosystem recyclers.
Challenge: how can you tell the difference between a raven and a crow?
Thank you to Parks Canada for support for this project. Special thank you for footage and raven sound clips copyright by Ian Cruickshank
Note: footage was taken with a telephoto lens to avoid disturbing wildlife.
Raven vs Crow Image by Rosemary Mosco and Dr. Kaeli Swift with BirdandMoon.com @corvidresearch
Special thanks to Vi Mundy of Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ First Nation for Nuu-chah-nulth translations.
Additional footage courtesy of:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHHHAfzAuKc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEksZdWKqtA – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6K9LbRX15Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJdj-2XvGF4 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6vzGrWP9lc
Also thanks to the Clayoquot BIosphere Trust for funding.
Video production by Arya Touserkani.
Episode 6: "Tree-S-I: Murder by Mushroom" help us solve this mystery.
There’s been a murder in the forest! Who! What? Why!
Follow along as detective Tanya gets to the root of the crime by investigating clues and searching for suspects in the woods… will she discover whodunit in this in-tree-guing case?!
Special thanks to the inspirational Gisele Martin of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation for sharing her timeless knowledge of Nuu-chah-nulth language and culture.
So Mush-thanks to Andy MacKinnon, forest ecologist extraordinaire, for sharing his vast scope of marvelous mushroom knowledge and delightful sense of humour.
Stop motion animation on tree communication by Local Ucluelet youth, Riley Gerbrandt. Thank you!
Fun fact: what is our planet's largest organism?
Special thanks to the Clayoquot BIosphere Trust for funding. Video by Arya Touserkani.
Episode 7: hašaḥma quuquuʔaca ( language is precious & valuable )
Join special guests Jeneva Touchie and Gisele Martin as they share their personal connections to the Wild Pacific Trail and the importance of Nuu-chah-nulth language.
What wisdom can we learn from ancient languages?
To learn more about the Nuu-chah-nulth language visit:
https://www.firstvoices.com/explore/FV/sections/Data/Nuu-chah-nulth/Nuu%C4%8Daan%CC%93u%C9%AB/Nuu-chah-nulth%20(Barkley)
Jeneva offers free Nuu-chah-nulth language classes Tuesday evenings over Zoom. To find out more please email touchie_jeneva@hotmail.com
To learn more about Nuu-chah-nulth history, culture, news and events please go to https://nuuchahnulth.org/
We are grateful to our special guests and Sam Touchie from Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ First Nation for inspiring this episode.
Project funded by the WIld Pacific Trail Society and the Clayoquot BIosphere Trust.
Video by Arya Touserkani @tousquared www.waterlogue.ca
Download this activity sheet, use naturalist on your phone, or just use a blank piece of paper to record what you find.
You will be enthralled at the number of species. What do you think each creature eats, or who is looking to eat them?
CLICK HERE to download a PDF activity you can do at home.
We are grateful to the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust for funding several of these interpretive videos.
Send us your questions, or post photos and ideas on Instagram or email naturalist@wildpacifictrail.com.
We will post answers to the best questions. Let us know what you would like to learn!
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