Fieldy handles all communication and booking for you.
What it actually looks like
Photos from Morrell Nature Sanctuary's website
Our note
This is the two hour walking version, so children are on their feet on uneven forest trail for most of it. Trips run rain or shine unless it is windy, so send everyone in boots and rain gear and expect mud.
What the children do
A two hour walk in field trip for grades 3 to 7, offered all year. It looks at the Coastal Douglas-fir ecosystem and the relationship between plants, animals and non-living things, and the flyer says it also shows students how to identify seven of the most common trees in the forest. The fee is $65 and we have read that as a charge for the class rather than per student.
Walk the forest trails for about two hours with a trained volunteer interpreter, stopping to look at trees, plants and signs of animals and learning to tell seven common trees apart.
Good to know
Washrooms are at the entrance and at the Morrell Lake picnic shelter, and there are picnic benches to eat at. Nobody has published how many adults you need to bring or whether a bus can turn around, so ask when you book.
Sources disagree. Their school programs page lists Forest Detectives twice and gives two different answers for which grades it is for. One says kindergarten to grade 7, the other says grades 3 to 7. Their fall flyer says kindergarten to grade 7, which is what we have used, so it is worth confirming your grade when you book.
Washrooms
There are restroom facilities at the entrance, and at the sheltered picnic area at Morrell Lake.
Lunch space
There are picnic benches at the entrance, and viewing benches located throughout our 11km of trails. Visitors are welcome to bring their own food and drinks. However, they are responsible for carrying out any garbage they generate.
Rain backup
Needs confirmation
Strollers
Needs confirmation
Wheelchair access
To the left of the entrance gate is the "Yew Loop" trail, built for wheelchair accessibility.
Bus parking
Groups are required to park in the overflow lot at Nanaimo Lakes Road to avoid congestion in the parking area.
Nearby park
Needs confirmation
Restrictions
No harvesting is permitted within Sanctuary grounds.. Bicycles are not allowed on any Sanctuary trail.. All dogs must be on leash at Morrell Nature Sanctuary at all times. Please clean up after your dogs.. Please stay on the trails!. Morrell Programs will be run rain or shine, unless there are high winds.
