2011 Field Trips with NOCI

2011 is the International Year of Forests and during our field trips this year we will visit different kinds of forests and forested wetlands in Manitoba. Come out and see for yourself the many beautiful plants and animals these important biomes support. Canada's forests account for over 50% of terrestrial biodiversity, everything from orchids to carnivorous and medicinal plants and from moose to insects. Beyond that they sequester carbon and clean our air and water as well as provide food, building materials and homes for wildlife and people. Manitoba's portion alone stores almost 100 times as much carbon as the entire country emits in one year. Help us protect our remaining forests.



Saturday May 7 - East Braintree area-spring flowers, Jackpine Forest, early spring flowers, trailing arbutus, coltsfoot, marigolds, club mosses etc.

Saturday May 21 - Bird's Hill- Aspen and Bur Oak Forests, 3 flowered avens, crocus, violets, pygmy flower etc.

Saturday May 28 - Hadashville Ski Trails- Lush, mixed riparian forest along the Whitemouth River, eastern bloodroot, crocus.

Saturday June 11 - Five Corners trail (Mt. Nebo area)- Deciduous forest, spotted coralroot etc. NEW! - This trip has been rescheduled please see last trip schedule entry.

Saturday June 18 - Woodridge Bog- Forested wetland with Cedar and Spruce, Ram's head lady's-slipper, many other orchids and rare plants live in this magical area.

Saturday June 25- Brokenhead Wetlands old trail- White cedar forest, wetlands, calcareous fen and bog, carnivorous plants, orchids other rare plants.

Saturday July 9 - Five Corners trail (Mt. Nebo area)- Deciduous forest, spotted coralroot, wild ginger , sessile bellwort and more . Rescheduled from June 11.



To register for a trip please contact our fieldtrip-coordinator John Dyck at 204-222-7188 or email jwdyck1@mts.net. Please register early because we take a limited number of participants in order to minimize damage to some of the sensitive habitats. Note the cut off date for registering for the trips will be on Wednesday the week of the field trip. There is a charge of $15.00 per adult or $5.00 per child under 18 to help to cover costs and you will be required to sign a liability waiver. You must be a NOCI-member to join us on these trips (becoming a member on the day of the trip is fine). Please dress suitably for the weather as we go rain or shine. Hats, drinking water, a bag lunch, sunscreen, and insect repellent are recommended. We will meet at a place in the city that is on a bus route before setting off on the fieldtrip. We encourage car-pooling for environmental reasons. If you wish to leave your car at the meeting place and ride with another participant, please be prepared to pay a share of the expenses. We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule trips due to weather conditions or insufficient volunteers to lead trips.

Recommended field guides:
Orchids of Manitoba   by Ames, BainardAcheson, Heshka, Joyce, Neufeld, Reeves, Reimer, Ward;
Plants of the Western Boreal Forest & Aspen Parkland   by Johnson, Kershaw, MacKinnon, Pojar;
Wildflowers Across the Prairies   by Vance, Jowsey, McLean, Switzer.


The 2011 Field Trip Schedule is available as a printable poster by clicking on the image below