How are you Celebrating Earth Day, April 24?

What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day on April 24? Last year, on Earth Day, I paid a visit to the Capilano Suspension Bridge.  It had been some time since my previous visit so I looked forward to my day of adventure in this beautiful canyon park.

There’s a lot to see and do in the Capilano Suspension Bridge area — not just the thrill of walking over the swaying bridge high over the white water of the Capilano River below. There are nature trails and Native carvings and many things to explore in the park.

As you enter, there is an interesting pictorial history of the Canyon and Suspension Bridge, which dates to 1889.   You can browse among the totem poles and other carvings which are the legacy of the First Nations people. Then you step on to the bridge, swaying 230 feet above the floor of the Canyon.  At the midpoint of the span, you are 450 feet looking down into the rushing stream far below.  You step off the bridge into the forest of cedar, Douglas Fir and hemlock.  These towering giants began growing long before the first European settlers every stepped foot in North America.

Treetop Adventures

I wandered along the Cliffhanger Walk first, taking in the sweet scents of the forest and the quiet beauty at the canyon edge.  There are ponds teeming with trout and wild flower blooming in mossy glades.  I spent a pleasant  hour or two wandering the paths and enjoying the views of the Canyon.  One of the biggest thrills was ascending the wooden steps to the Treetop Adventure, built in 2003,  where an elevated timber frame suspension bridge is strung between the tall Cedars in a series of cable bridges suspended between platforms that reach as high as 10 stories giving  you a unique birds-eye view of the forest below.

I enjoyed the whole day wandering around the grounds and forest. I took a picnic lunch and rested at one of the tables provided by the forest trail, but there’s a restaurant and snacks available on site.  It was a wonderful day’s adventure and a great way to celebrate Planet Earth.

CAPILANO CANYON AND SUSPENSION BRIDGE (map)

1735 Capilano Road. North Vancouver.

Admission: Adults $29.95;  Senior/Student 17+ $23.75; Youth 13-16 $18.75; Children 6 – 12 $10.00  Children under 6 free.

Here’s Some Other Things You Can Do On April 24, Earth Day:

Fun for all the Family!

I Love Planet Earth: Take  your kids to celebrate Earth day at the VanDusen Botanical Garden, 10.30 am – 12.30 pm or 1.30 pm – 3.30 pm .  There is a pre-Plant Sale scheduled to coincide with the day’s programs. One adult can go on the Planet Tour while another enjoys Earth Day activities with the kids, age 5 to 11 yrs. Price:Member Family $10, Non-member Family $15 (includes admission to the Garden) Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please pre-register.

VanDusen Botanical Garden (map) 5251 Oak Street. TEL: 604-718-5898

(By transit, take the #17 Oak Street bus from downtown.)

Bugs, Snails & Spider Trails: Explore the world of insects, spiders and other creepy-crawlies at Minnekhada Regional Park.   1 – 3 pm.Join a bug hunt.  Hands-on introduction to invertebrates. $12/child,adult pair. Registration required.

Minnekhada Regional Park (map) Coquitlam, BC.  TEL: 604-927-4386

Planet Earth Day: Surrey Museum, from 1 – 3 pm. Find out how to turn trash into treasures that you can reuse.  Free and appropriate for all ages.

Surrey Museum (Map) 17710 – 56 A Ave, Surrey BC  604-592-6956

Earth Day at the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, 10am – 2pm. Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day by participating in the annual watershed stewardship activities in the LSCR.  Help the natural ecosystem by puling invasive plants and help establish habitat for native wildlife.  All ages welcome.  Meet at Rice Lake Gate picnic site.

Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve (map) (Mountain Hwy). See here for park trails.  604-451-6506

PHOTOS by W. Ruth Kozak