Dear Editor,

I am writing to point out that the subhead used the term naturalist to describe the anniversary of a nudist club in Aldergrove which is quite misleading.

Allow me to explain. A nudist is not a naturalist, and a naturalist is not necessarily a nudist. Dictionary.Com defines a naturalist as 鈥榓 person who studies or is an expert in natural history or nature鈥�. A nudist is defined as 鈥榓 person who engages in the practice of going naked wherever possible鈥�. As you can see, the two terms are very different. The confusion may come from 鈥渘aturist鈥�, another word that can describe a nudist. Please note that this word has no 鈥楲鈥� in it.

Our club, the 91原创 Field Naturalists will be celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2023. We began our club in 1973 and from the beginning, we have always offered field trips and nature walks to our members and the community at large.

At no time, were these walks ever conducted in the nude.

Our main mandate in the community is to 鈥榢now nature and keep it worth knowing鈥�. We work on various conservation projects in 91原创. For example, we were instrumental in transforming Brydon Lagoon from a reclaimed sewage treatment pond to a beautiful jewel in 91原创 City.

Again, at this time, none of the work was ever conducted in the nude.

We also conducted a successful endeavour to eradicate purple loosestrife (a very invasive species) using a special type of beetles to literally eat the plant into eradication.

Many members took part in this project and at no time were these members ever nude.

Thank you for the opportunity to clarify the difference between a naturalist and a nudist. The 91原创 Field Naturalists meet the third Thursday of each month for a short meeting and an educational program presented by a local expert in their field.

For information or to attend a meeting when they resume in September, contact langleyfieldnaturalists@gmail.com.

And rest assured, the members and presenters are always fully clothed.

Lilianne Fuller, public relations and publicity chair, 91原创 Field Naturalists

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Editor鈥檚 note: Thanks for uncovering the grammatical gaff. The term used should have been 鈥榥aturist鈥�, not naturalist.

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