The fabled wood ducks spent most of their day at the far end of Ruby Lake Lagoon, but their presence reminded visitors of what the seventh annual Wood Duck and Wilderness Festival was all about - a place to appreciate the environment and what can be done by a handful of dedicated people: the Cogrossi family, who first tackled wood duck conservation in the area, and the group that currently forms the Ruby Lake Lagoon Nature Reserve Society.The festival has a homespun feel; it is primarily a community event that showcases local clubs such as astronomy buffs or conservation organizations such as the Pender Harbour Wildlife Society. And each year it grows into a bigger attraction that pulls out-of-town visitors and locals from all over the Coast. Well over 1,000 visitors gathered May 7 to enjoy the music and crafts, chow down on Chef Aldo's barbecued salmon, burgers and homemade sausage and wander the trails that push further than before into the 20-acre reserve of land set aside for nature.
At the lagoon, the stained glass artisans, native stone carver and woodworkers looked on in amusement as familiar local bands took the stage. Soup Bean Katie and the Cornpones enjoyed a foot stomping set. This group of fiddlers, who began under the tutelage of violin instructor Katie Angermeyer, play only at this type of community event and will next appear at the Hip Hip Hooray orthopedic medicine fundraiser on May 28. Four members of the Balkan vocal group Sokole, favourites at this festival, sang songs of love and agriculture followed by the lively sounds of Gut Bucket Thunder, the banjo presence of the Billy Hillpicker Band and some ballads from Roberts Creek rocker Robert Hubele.In among last year's construction of a spa and amphitheatre, the trails lead to a dramatic West Coast style log building, the Iris Griffith Interpretive Centre. Opened last July, the resource centre is a gathering place for students of all ages for workshops or guided hikes through wetlands, mushroom areas or bird habitat.
The guide at the Centre last Sunday explained to visitors that this was the building's re-opening. Using a generous grant, the Centre had been retrofitted with several key elements of a green building, including a water catchment system, solar and hydroelectric power and a green roof. The goal is to feature a highly visible, sustainable building as part of the education process. More information is at www.lagoonsociety.com.
