Convening for Action in British Columbia

DOWNLOAD A COPY OF: “Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Shelly Creek in Parksville is a “living laboratory” – released by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in April 2023

April 25, 2023 - Posted in ...2023, PUBLICATIONS & DOWNLOADS

Note to Reader:

Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on on April 25, 2023 featured Peter Law, Past-President of the Mid Vancouver Habitat Enhancement Society. Under his leadership, MVIHES has established a series of provincially significant precedents on a wide front, from community-based social marketing to water balance analysis. This sets a high bar for “citizen science in action”.

Shelly Creek in Parksville is a “living laboratory”

Shelly Creek is representative of small streams along the east coast of Vancouver Island. An important tributary of the Englishman River, Shelly Creek is the City of Parksville’s last fish-bearing stream.

Shelly Creek is of interest to the Partnership for Water Sustainability because we support the applied research spearheaded by the Mid Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society (MVIHES). The leadership of Peter Law sets a high bar for “citizen science in action” and points the way forward for local governments to better manage land use change.

Over the past decade, MVIHES has established a series of provincially significant precedents on a wide front, from community-based social marketing to water balance analysis. These precedents inform science-based understanding of consequences and solutions for stream health.

The latest MVIHES initiative is new research on the movement of Coastal Cutthroat Trout. This is the native freshwater species commonly found in coastal BC’s lakes, rivers, and streams. In recent years they have declined dramatically in both numbers and distribution.

Coastal Cutthroat Trout have been listed as a Species of Concern by the Province. The research by MVIHES led to unexpected findings which reinforce the case for enhanced riparian area protection and restoration along streams.

Shelly Creek Park and the “package of ecological services”
it provides

“Based on our observations over the past six years, the bigger the riparian area, the more stable it will be. And the more ecological value to fish and fish habitat is brought to the table. It is in your face,” reports Peter Law, MVHES Past-President and project leader.

“An enhanced riparian area sustains flows, especially during critical low flow periods. The only reason the Shelly Creek system is still able to support a small, viable resident population of probably 200 trout is because the City of Parksville created a greenway, Shelly Creek Park, when the surrounding area was subdivided.”

“Shelly Creek Park is a valuable community amenity and a popular destination for Parksville residents. It provides a package of ecological services – drainage, habitat, recreation and enjoyment of property.”

TO LEARN MORE:

To read the complete story, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Shelly Creek in Parksville is a “living laboratory”