Koksilah River Provincial Park: Initial observations.

Date: 11-01-2023

Time: 1330-1530

Location: Near burnt bridge which crosses Koksilah river

Coordinates:  48.643517, -123.738672

Designation: Provincial Park 

Weather: Foggy, approximately 7℃, 87% humidity. 

(Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia 7 Day Weather Forecast – The Weather Network)

Riparian habitat, rocky riverbed, surrounded by deciduous forest. The Koksilah river is approximately 44 km long. Emptying into the Cowichan River near the ocean. The park itself is 210-hectares. 

Species listed below were identified with “Plants of Coastal British Columbia: Including Washington,Oregon & Alaska” by Jim Pojar and Andy Mackinnon.

Some type(s) of hair cap moss

 cladonia chlorophaea (False pixie cup) Pictured below among other lichen and mosses, photo taken at site. 

lobaria pulmonaria (Lungwort)

alectoria sarmentosa (Common witch’s hair)

 hypogymnia enteromotpha (Beaded bone)

 hypogymnia inactiva (Forking bone)

Gaultheria shallon (Salal)

 mahonia nervosa (Dull oregon grape)

Polypodium glycyrrhiza (Liquorish fern)

 vaccinium parvifolium (Red huckle berry)

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Kinnikinic) 

Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir)

Juniperus virginiana (Western Red Cedar)

Acer macrophyllum (Broadleaf maple)

Questions: 

Do the species closer to the river share similar characteristics/needs in comparison to the species above the river in the forest?

Does the angle of the riverside have any correlation to how quick the dominant species changes?

Are there shared differences between lichen that grow among/in moss, on rocks, or on trees?