The Stewardship Centre for BC is delighted to announce a new Green Shores Demonstration Project at Colquitz Park in partnership with the District of Saanich and with financial assistance from the Province of BC’s Community Emergency Preparedness Fund.
Colquitz Park Green Shores Demonstration Project Site
The Colquitz River is home to at-risk species, such as cutthroat trout and coho salmon. Its estuary features mud flats and eelgrass beds and is a sensitive ecosystem significantly compromised by urban development. This project will address a small portion of the estuary’s bank and follow up on important restoration work conducted along approximately 200 meters of Colquitz River shoreline by Peninsula Streams Society and the District of Saanich in cooperation with Friends of the Colquitz Mainstem in 2019 and 2020.
Green Shores – a framework for nature-based shoreline restoration
Using Green Shores nature-based techniques, this project will restore natural shoreline processes, improve water quality, revitalize critical habitat for birds, fish, and other wildlife, and stabilize this small portion of the estuary, enhancing the community’s resilience to the detrimental effects of climate change, such as flooding and erosion.
Project Objectives
The goal is to create an attractive site that contributes to the estuary’s ecological health while enhancing the community’s resilience to the effects of climate change, including erosion and flooding. The project will apply Green Shores principles and methods, which seek to preserve or restore natural physical processes such as the natural actions of water and sediment movement that maintain healthy shorelines, enhance habitat function and diversity, and prevent or reduce pollutants entering the waterway.
Ultimately, the Colquitz Park Green Shores Demonstration project will:
- Rehabilitate shoreline habitat by establishing native vegetation and organic materials;
- Identify climate-related risks and solutions;
- Address shoreline stabilization;
- Accommodate or remediate existing stormwater drainage infrastructure;
- Provide public access;
- Include opportunities for engagement and education.
Next Steps
The Colquitz Park Green Shores Demonstration Project is still in its planning stages. A design workshop to conceptualize the project is scheduled for January 17, 2024, with approximately 20 participants, which may include representatives of Songhees Nation, Esquimalt Nation, the District of Saanich, marine ecologists, and shoreline professionals.
District of Saanich Parks staff will work with SCBC to schedule events and communications to engage partners and community members, sharing Green Shores principles, nature-based practices, planned project activities, and timelines for the site. You can stay up-to-date and learn more about the Colquitz Park Green Shores Demonstration Site by visiting the District of Saanich website and SCBC’s News page.
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