Photo by Jeff Gibbs.

Wildwood

Wildwood is located in the Yellow Point/Cedar area of eastern Vancouver Island near the communities of Nanaimo and Ladysmith. The landscape has been influenced by glacial scouring as indicated by the ridges and wetlands oriented roughly north to south. The property is 77 acres (32 hectares) in size and is bisected by the southern arm of Quennell Lake. The property is diverse, with areas of steep and undulating slopes, marshy areas as well as dry ridges. As a result of this diversity there are several vegetation communities. The tree species include Douglas-fir, western redcedar, grand fir, Arbutus, bigleaf maple, red alder, western hemlock, bitter cherry, cascara and the tree which provides British Columbia’s floral emblem, Pacific dogwood. The forest is a mix of old growth and second growth trees.

A few properties adjacent to Wildwood are similar in topography and vegetation communities and have been managed in a similar fashion to Wildwood. But much of the surrounding area is being developed as rural residential. Wildwood and the larger wooded properties in the area are important as an ecological reserve for the entire Yellow Point area.