By Marcel Tetrault, Comox Valley Echo, November 17, 2009

Non-profit group has already saved rare bird habitats

From the Filberg Marsh near Merville all the way south to Rosewall and Coal creeks in Fanny Bay, the Nature Trust of B.C. has helped to protect more than 300 hectares of land in the Comox Valley over the last 35 years.

The first piece of land the Nature Trust acquired was a 0.4-hectare portion of the Comox Slough, a tidal slough adjacent to the estuary that was purchased in 1975. Twenty-one years later an additional nine-hectares of land in the slough was protected.

"That slough is one of the last pieces of this kind of brackish wetlands that we have here," said Art Martell, chair of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society birders group.

A Courtenay resident, Martell is also a member of Nature Trust, a retired wildlife research scientist and former regional director for the Canadian Wildlife Service.

The slough, he said, provides habitat for several species of songbird that would otherwise not be present in the area as well as migrating shore birds and ducks.

"Particularly under storm conditions, that slough fills up," said Martell. "It's nice protected habitat for the waterfowl. It also has some fish in it.

"And of course the fact that it's kind of a brackish slough now helps the farmers keep the salt water from intruding and keeps the farmland good."

The Nature Trust owns a total of 140 hectares of land in the Valley and has been involved in protecting about 160 hectares of additional land, including Farquharson Farms, in conjunction with Ducks Unlimited, and existing wildlife management areas.

But that 300 hectares of protected land pales in comparison to the current goal --Nature Trust is currently involved with an initiative to establish a 1,200-hectare wildlife management area over the Courtenay estuary and Comox Harbour.

"This would be the largest coastal wildlife management area on Vancouver Island," said Nature Trust land securement coordinator Tim Clermont.

"It would include some of our Nature Trust properties and the Crown intertidal foreshore from Gartley Point across to Goose Spit, and everything on the inside that's not tenured right now."

A wildlife management area, under the provincial Ministry of Environment, allows for regulation of activities within the area.

"It simply says that as we're looking at human activities, we're also looking at balancing that with the wildlife needs in the area," said Martell.

The area is also the top site, said Clermont, for Coast Salish cultural values.

Bird Life International considers the area, which supports up to 20,000 waterfowl, including 3,000 trumpeter swans and about 100 great blue heron, a globally important bird area.

The group classifies important bird habitat as national, continental or international importance.

"We have a global area in Baynes Sound, we have a global area in Lambert Channel and Hornby Island waters," said Martell.

"That really makes the place special. Development is good that happens, but we need to balance it because of the importance to the birds -- they don't have many other options."

Other Nature Trust properties in the Valley include the Lazo Marsh (51 hectares), Millard Creek (five hectares), the Filberg Marsh (10 hectares), Morrison Nature Park (13 hectares) and about 47 hectares in Baynes Sound around Fanny Bay, Rosewall Creek and Cook Creek.

PUBLIC TALK THURSDAY NIGHT

Nature Trust is hosting a discussion on Thursday at the Blackfin Pub featuring Martell, Clermont and Ralph Shaw, who will discuss conservation efforts in the region.

The event gets underway at 6:30 p.m. with the presentation and discussion starting at 7. For more information, or to register for the event, call toll free 1-866-288-7878. More information can also be found at www.naturetrust.bc.ca.

mtetrault@comoxvalleyecho.com

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service