Welcome to Island Spirit, the Cowichan Valley's first Mega Event. With many activities from Wineries and Artisans to Beaches and Tubing the River, walking the Cowichan Valley Trail to hiking up our mountains there is something to keep everyone entertained. There are many places to explore in the Cowichan Valley and we hope you discover some of the plants and animals and some of our history as you find the geocaches we've hidden for you. From the Island Spirit Team, we hope you enjoy your time in the Cowichan Valley.
All the Island Spirit Legacy Caches are within a 2 steps of the trail, unless otherwise noted. There is no need to bushwack or trample the vegetation.
Western Hemlock
Western Hemlock, Tsuga heterophylla, is a species of hemlock native to Vancouver Island. The Western Hemlock is a large evergreen coniferous tree growing to 270 ft (82 m) in height and with a trunk diameter of up to 9 ft (2.7 m). It is the largest species of hemlock. The bark is brown, thin and furrowed. It is readily distinguished from other evergreens by the pendulous branchlet tips. The cones are small, pendulous, slender and cylindrical. The edible cambium can be collected by scraping slabs of removed bark. The resulting shavings can be eaten immediately, or can be dried and pressed into cakes for preservation. The bark also serves as a source of tannin for tanning. Tender new growth needles (leaves) can be chewed directly or made into a bitter tea, rich in vitamin C (similar to some other hemlock and pine species).