The regular Monthly Meeting of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society will be held September 16, 2007 at 7:00 pm at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Avenue, Courtenay. The featured speaker will be Dr. Charmaine Enns, the Medical Health Officer for the North Island, who will give a presentation "Drinking Water and the Comox Valley". This is a very important topic which should concern all of us, and which also has important implications for the future development of urban and rural parts of the Comox Valley. The concept of protection of water catchment areas for small municipalities and parts of Regional Districts via the Provincial Health Act has recently been in the news.

This subject is of great interest and concern to Dr. Enns, as sustainable drinking water in quality and quantity is fundamental to both our health as individuals and as a community. Prior to specializing in public health Charmaine was a family physician and has worked in Kenya and South Africa and spent 3 years on our rugged West Coast living at Esperanza. In addition to being Medical Health Officer she also enjoys the position of VIHA Medical Director for Aboriginal Health. Charmaine, her husband John and their two sons have called the Comox Valley home for 4 years.

Meetings of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society are held on the third Sunday of most months at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton, Courtenay. Meetings are open to the public, including youth. A donation of $2.00 is suggested for non-members and new memberships are always welcomed. Meetings are not held in December, July, and August. The February meeting is a "Members Night" with a variety of presentations. Future presentations will be: October 21, Mr. Mike Yip, "Rare, Uncommon, and Interesting Birds of Vancouver Island."; November 18, Father Charles Brandt, "The Tsolum River, It's decline; It's renewal."; and Jan. 20, 2008, Mr. Arthur Caldicott, "Coal Bed Methane Extraction, Environmental Effects."

Please come out and join us for these important environmental topics. For more information on CVNS please visit the website at www.comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca .