Volunteer or Join us for a Conversation!
Cowichan Tribes, with support from the federal Coastal Restoration Fund, has teamed up with SeaChange Marine Conservation Society and the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre to transplant and restore eelgrass in the Cowichan Estuary. Eelgrass restoration will be overseen by SeaChange’s team of eelgrass experts, working with SCUBA divers and community volunteers to replant the north side of the estuary. You can be one of those volunteers! If all goes well, salmon will have another eelgrass meadow where they can find shelter and food as they leave the watershed or return home.
“For many years the northern side of the estuary has been lacking eelgrass while the southern side near Hecate Park has continued to thrive” said Chief Seymour of Cowichan Tribes. “In historic times the elders tell of fields of eelgrass across the whole estuary where they raked crabs and harvested seafood. When the tide was out the table was set”.
The team, with the support of volunteers, will re-plant two areas on the Estuary’s northern side to supplement plantings in June 2019. Those transplants from last year did fairly well, considering the big storm in late January 2020. Sites will be monitored every 2 months to see how they fare this coming winter.
Eelgrass planting will take place from Monday August 24th through Saturday August 29th
Volunteers are needed to tie small weights onto the eelgrass transplants to ready them for the divers. Each volunteer will have their own bucket to ensure appropriate distancing and keep everyone safe and comfortable. We will meet at Hecate Park for 2 hour shifts, beginning at 9:30 am – 4pm daily.
For more information and to sign up, contact Nikki Wright (SeaChange): 250 652-1662 or email: seachange@shaw.ca
Or contact the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre at 250-597-2288 or email: info@cowichanestuary.ca
