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Woman walks through an expansive field of yellow wildflowers with a blue sky dotted with clouds on the horizon

Williams Lake Field Naturalists

Who we are

We are an active group of people who observe, learn about, and share the joy of nature, especially in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region of British Columbia. With a general membership of about 150 persons, we organize natural history field trips and walks, nature oriented presentations, and a variety of projects. A principal focus of the club is co-management of the very popular Scout Island Nature Centre in Williams Lake, BC, on behalf of the Nature Trust of BC. We also promote knowledge-based nature conservation in the Cariboo-Chilcotin. We respect and continue to acknowledge that indigenous people have occupied and thrived on these lands for thousands of years before Euro-American colonization.

A large group of field naturalists enjoy a viewpoint in grasslands overlooking a river valley and gentle hills covered in grasslands and forests.

We gather and travel on the unceded territories of the Secwepem’c, Tsilhqot’in, and Dakelh Nations. Scout Island Nature Centre is on the ancestral lands of the T’exelcemc, members of the Secwepem’c Nation.

Scout Island Nature Centre

We operate and manage Scout Island Nature Centre programs and infrastructure under lease agreements with the Nature Trust of BC and the City of Williams Lake. The Nature Centre provides nature education for hundreds of school children each year and is a very popular nature viewing and walking area for the public.

Go to Scout Island Nature Centre’s website
Bird's eye view of Scout Island in Williams Lake, BC. The trees are thick and full, contrasting against the dark lake.
Bird’s eye view of Scout Island in Williams Lake, BC

The Cariboo-Chilcotin region at our doorstep has a great variety of unique natural areas to discover

Bright green grassy fields and meadows contrast against dark bunches of evergreen trees sloping in the foreground. A large dark blue mountain capped in snow looms in the background against a bright blue sky.
A field naturalist in a canoe paddles through marshy reeds observing and listening to birds like the yellow headed black birds seen in the foreground perched on reeds.
Three field naturalists descend a grassy slope towards Farwell Canyon's turquoise river, which meanders its way through the canyon and grasslands. Along the edge are lush green trees and bushes.

View more on our blog

Now is a great time to join the Williams Lake Field Naturalists! Check out our upcoming activities and get in touch. We would love to hear from you.

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