We send out a HUGE Thank you to all the volunteers who assisted in the eelgrass restoration project this week
We had an amazing 4 days of participating in the restoration of eel grass beds. BIG thanks Cheri Ayers and Cowichan Tribes, Sea Change and to all the volunteers including Alistair MacGregor MP and Chief Seymour for their participation and love of the estuary.
Over 5000 eelgrass rhizomes were transplanted
Cowichan Tribes, with support from the Federal Coastal Restoration Fund, teamed up with the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre to re-plant over 5000 eelgrass plants in the Cowichan Estuary. Eelgrass restoration was being overseen by biologist Cheri Ayers and a team of experts from SeaChange Marine Conservation Society who worked with divers and many volunteers to restore eelgrass meadows in the estuary.
“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 re-planted two pilot areas – one on the extreme northern edge of the estuary and one with the Western Stevedoring lease area along the WesCan Terminal Causeway. The pilot areas will be monitored in 6 months and if successful additional planting will take place over the next two years.
Email alicia@cowichanestuary.ca to add your name to the restoration list for future projects