Lesley Marian Neilson

Nature Conservancy of Canada.

 

On Sunday December 13th, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) welcomed winter revellers to the Marion Creek Benchlands Conservation Area, on the west side of Columbia Lake. The third annual Winter Celebration was an opportunity to spend time outside with the local community.

Some lucky guests were even able to harvest Christmas trees from the excess fir and pine that are a legacy of a past tree farm operation.

People came from up and down the Columbia Valley to celebrate the season and enjoy the outdoors with skating and hockey, Christmas tree gathering or simply gathering around the warm bonfire.

Kicking Horse Coffee, Konig Meat and Sausage Co., and the Invermere Bakery generously supplied the hot beverages and snacks.

Despite the warm weather in the days leading up to the Winter Celebration, Sunday dawned cold and crisp, with clouds burning off to reveal perfectly blue skies, warm sunshine and ice for skating on the pond.

“It really felt like a Canadian winter postcard out on the pond — this event brightened one of the shortest light days,” said Chad Townsend, who attended the event.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada would like to thank Kicking Horse Coffee, Konig Meat and Sausage Co. and the Invermere Bakery for their generosity and everyone who attended for a wonderful afternoon. It was a perfect beginning to the holiday season!

 

About NCC

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is the nation’s leading land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962, NCC and its partners have helped to protect more than 2.7 million acres (over 1.1 million hectares), coast to coast. Almost one million of the acres (400,000 hectares) are right here in British Columbia.

Visit www.natureconservancy.ca/bc.