Haig-Brown Symposium on Sustaining
Wild Salmon:
Moving from Words to Action
Campbell River, August 2008
Urbanization of the Strait of
Georgia – Reading the Water
Urbanization of the Strait of
Georgia – Threats to Salmon
SOLD
Sorry this listing
has been
OUT!
$130,000 - $155,000
 Poor development practices
development in urban & near urban
areas – fortunately getting better
 ‘Growing out’ rather than ‘Growing up’
 Looking at the real estate value – not
the natural/green value
 Time to change practices – collective responsibility
Urbanization of the Strait of
Georgia – Steps toward action
Local Government
Initiatives
Provincial Initiatives




Build on conservation
expectations in OCP’s,
zoning & subdivision
bylaws
Establish legal & policy
strategies – move from
‘conventional’ standards
Require watershed
performance standards
Implement ‘better than’
requirements
Urbanization of the Strait of
Georgia – Where do we start?
In OUR backyard
 Remove
impervious cover
 Increase pervious
site areas
 Replace lawns
with
gardens
 Manage rain water
on-site
 Lead by example
Urbanization of the Strait of
Georgia – Multiple Family Site
Creekside Commons –
Courtenay
36 residences; 2 ha walk-in site
3 neighbourhood clusters
Sustainable rainwater and
wetland management swales, gravel paths, ponds
 Enhancement of ‘Tributary 9”
in the Millard-Piercy Creek
watershed
Not a condition of approval
Respect for the environment is
a priority in community decisions.
www.creeksidecommons.ca
Urbanization of the Strait of
Georgia – Rural Resource Site
Beaver Meadow Farms
 250 Ha cattle farm in the
Upper Little River Basin
A productive landscape of
forest, riparian areas, and
grassland
 Farm practices maintain the
native integrity of the landscape
Over 16 km of salmonid habitat
in with coho & pinks as well as
sea-run cutthroats
 Recognised by the TLC, DFO,
MOE, PSF, Little River
Enhancement Society, FRBC &
others
Urbanization of the Strait of
Georgia – Rural Resource Site
Beaver Meadow Farms






Flood control structures
maintain water levels
Vegetation maintains water
temperatures at 8º C - ideal
for salmonids
Beavers naturally maintain
larger habitat ponds
Vegetation provides habitat for
raptors, fur-bearers & other
wildlife
The retained stream habitat
supports the most productive
coho habitat on the east coast
of Vancouver Island
Drainage systems also
enhance farm management
Urbanization of the Strait of
Georgia – Rural Resource Site
Beaver Meadow Farms





Successes are measured locally
& provincially
Two other Heritage rated farms
in the Comox Valley; one in both
the Alberni & Cowichan Valleys
Efforts to protect and enhance
multiple-use riparian zones are
significant to the Little River
Watershed
Results in the highest production
of coho per m² on eastern Island
The future is undetermined
however – threats of urban
development affecting the site
looms heavily
Urbanization of the Strait of
Georgia – Rural Resource Site
Beaver Meadow Farms

“It’s a whole system, and you
have to have it all together to
work. The wildlife, the grazing,
soil nutrition, water cycles, soil –
all this fits together. It’s the
new way of farming in the world.
No longer can you afford to
deplete your soils and add toxins
to the water supply, or degrade
water wildlife or fish habitats. …
That’s the pathway we’ve
chosen to go here”
Edgar Smith, Owner
Urbanization of the Strait of
Georgia – Gibsons Streetscape
 Travel lane 6 m; 2 m gravel
shoulders, flush mount concrete curb
 Grassed boulevard & swale
 Perforated drainage system
 Turf boulevard
Protects Goosebird Creek & Atlee
Beach
Urbanization of the Strait of
Georgia – Actions
How do we effect change?

Public education – make people aware
that more of the same is not good

‘Value’ education – natural capital and
green capital values matter as much as
economic values – in fact they increase
economic value to when protected &
preserved

Political education - exercise change by
making provincial & local politicians make
the right decisions

Individual action – walk the talk; put
your money where your mouth is; make
personal changes