Project Watershed's Current Programs (Overviews)

Sensitive Habitat Stewardship Program

The Regional District of Comox-Strathcona is rapidly urbanizing, and there is a critical need to protect fish and wildlife habitats and other sensitive ecosystems. Between 1991 and 1996, the City of Courtenay grew 48% to a current population of 20,000 residents. From 1992 to 1996, the rural communities of Merville and Royston grew a staggering 74% each. As a result of this rapid growth, fish habitats, sensitive ecosystems, and other watershed values are becoming degraded or are threatened.

There are estimated to be more than 50 salmon streams in the area draining into Georgia Strait. It is estimated that 30% of watercourses in the Comox Valley are unmapped, while others are inaccurately mapped or not inventoried. Wildlife habitats and wetlands have been inadequately inventoried at the municipal planning level, and are not presently protected as sensitive ecosystems at the regional level. Many natural wetlands have been lost through urban development before they were mapped or inventoried.

Much of the land where sensitive habitat and threatened streams are located is held privately. Many landowners are not aware of how their land use decisions affect the health of the watershed as a whole. More....

Baynes Sound Program

In addition to a strong focus on stream stewardship programs, the society worked on remediation and stewardship initiatives designed to improve water quality in Baynes Sound from 1995 to 2000. Collaborating with various Baynes Sound stakeholders, Project Watershed delivered numerous remediation and water quality monitoring projects to identify and clean up non-point source pollution in Baynes Sound. Hundreds of citizen volunteers have participated in recent Baynes Sound stewardship programs.

Baynes Sound, located between Vancouver Island and Denman Island from Comox Harbour to Deep Bay, is one of British Columbia's prime shellfish culture areas. Almost 50 % of the province's total oyster and clam stock culture is grown here. Many of the watersheds of the Comox Valley drain into Baynes Sound.

In the summer of 1994, Environment Canada's water quality test results showed significantly increased levels of pollution in Baynes Sound. Widespread closures in shellfish growing areas of Baynes Sound were immediately imposed, due to bacteriological contamination associated with fecal wastes. Since then, additional growing areas have been closed, resulting in a 20% increase in commercial lease closures and an estimated one million dollar impact on the local economy. Since December 1996, Baynes Sound has been under a Conditional Management Plan, and the water quality of Baynes Sound has been closely monitored by Environment Canada, the shellfish industry, and Project Watershed.

The health of Baynes Sound is impacted environmentally by what is defined as 'non-point source" pollution - pollution from many diverse sources whose place of origin is not easily determined. The primary non-point source pollution sources in Baynes Sound are from failing septic systems, faulty municipal wastewater systems, agricultural run-off, toxic waste from businesses, and boater waste.

Following the successful outcomes of our Baynes Sound Water Quality 'Hot Spots' (1996-98) and 'Down the Drain' (1998-99) programs, and building on our stream stewardship and inventory programs, Project Watershed is currently engaged in a new phase of work to improve the health of the community.

In order to prevent further contamination of marine and freshwater habitats, and to help avoid the high costs of restoration work, new programs have been designed to increase public awareness and understanding of positive steps that can be taken to change how both wastewater and sensitive habitats are managed. Using a community education and development approach, Project Watershed is distributing information about Best Management Practices for water and waste management and sensitive habitat protection, and is providing new stewardship involvement opportunities to the citizens of the Comox Valley.

Project Watershed has piloted numerous important initiatives and is frequently lauded as a role model for community stewardship organizations throughout British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. Our organization has been recognized with several community achievement awards. More...

Wetlandkeepers & Streamkeepers 

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Environmental Information Library

...coming  soon

Stewardship Centre

...coming soon