Cowichan Estuary Beach Cleanup with the Seastars!
Event Details
September 25th, 2016, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Cowichan Bay Estuary, British Columbia
Infrastructure / Site Cleanup
The Cowichan Estuary is one of the most significant birding areas of Vancouver Island and features three species of salmon. Join us and the Cowichan Land Trust at the beach on Hecate Park to clean up plastics after the summer activities. Afterwards we’ll visit the Nature Centre to hang out with some of the wonderful sea creatures that live in the Salish Sea, including seastars.
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More Information
Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems in BC. The Cowichan Bay Estuary provides much habitat to juvenile salmon and other important small marine species, with its lush eelgrass beds and dynamic tidal waters. After a causeway was developed in the estuary roughly 50 years ago, many restoration projects have been underway to restore the natural flows of the Cowichan and Koksilah Rivers to the estuary, providing further habitat for juvenile salmon. NCC is proud to join other conservation organizations working in the area and to contribute to the ongoing habitat restoration work through volunteer events.
What you will be doingThe group of volunteers will work together with the Cowichan Land Trust to clean up the shoreline at Cowichan Bay from trash and plastics that are harmful to various marine birds, salmon, and other small marine species. Keeping the shoreline clean is a very simple task that goes a long way in maintaining functioning habitats.
Why you will love it
Volunteers will get to spend an afternoon in beautiful Cowichan Bay, carrying out important and rewarding habitat stewardship work. After the cleanup, volunteers will have the opportunity to head to the Nature Centre to meet some of the sea creatures that live in the Salish Sea and depend on these clean shorelines for survival!
Make an afternoon of it and consider having lunch on the quaint docks of Cowichan Bay beforehand, or visit the Maritime Centre.
Contact Todd Carnahan : foxtoad@gmail.com
To sign up after 6pm on Friday, Sept. 23rd, please contact Todd Carnahan (event orgnizer) directly, at foxtoad@gmail.com
We will meet at the Nature Centre (1845 Cowichan Bay Rd) in Cowichan Bay Village. Exit off Hwy 1 south of Duncan, at either Koksilah Rd or Cowichan Bay Rd.
While we do our best to provide you with the tools you need to participate, please bring the following items if you have them:
- Boots for muddy shore
- Dress for weather
(eg. rain jacket or pants)
- Gardening gloves, if you have them
(NCC to provide all other tools)