British western region ( columbia )
volume 30, number 2, 2009
Conservation project improves Fraser River fish and intertidal habitat
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Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and Port Metro Vancouver (PMV) have completed an intertidal enhancement project to increase fish habitat at Rose-Kirkland Island, located in the South Arm of the Fraser River. PMV contributed $1.5 million as part of a multi-year plan to offset loss of wildlife habitat from the development of the Deltaport Third Berth Project (DP3). “Through this innovative partnership, the Rose-Kirkland Island project has created ecologically significant habitat that benefits the Lower Fraser River ecosystem,” says Captain Gordon Houston, president and CEO of Port Metro Vancouver. “This project is the off-site component of the DP3 habitat compensation program which also includes numerous on-site mitigation projects that will benefit the Roberts Bank ecosystem.” “Using $900,000 of Port Metro’s contribution, we were able to breach the dikes along the Fraser River to change the existing freshwater wetland to a more natural tidal environment,” says Les Bogdan, manager of provincial operations in B.C. for DUC. “The remaining funding will be directed towards wildlife habitat improvements at other off-site locations.”
In the fall and winter months, the islands of the South Arm Marsh Wildlife Management Area provide valuable sources of food and migratory habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife. Before construction of the intertidal environment, few fish lived in the freshwater pools. The development of the new intertidal channel provides passage for salmon and other species of fish and will help reduce the amount of purple loosestrife, an invasive plant species, which was growing in the wetland. DUC also raised the elevation of a kilometre of dike to mitigate flooding of the fields on the island, excavated the pool area to facilitate tidal flushing and upgraded 250 metres of rock along the foreshore to protect against erosion due to waves caused by Fraser River boat traffic. Rose-Kirkland Island falls within the Agricultural Land Reserve and is part of the South Arm Marshes Wildlife Management Area. The sources of food and habitat provided by these islands and others located at the mouth of the Fraser River help to reduce the impact of waterfowl grazing on nearby agricultural lands in Delta and Richmond. S
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Adaptive scientific approaches tackle invasive plant infestation Spartina was introduced to the Pacific west coast near California many years ago and has been gradually creeping northward. It is creating havoc, converting mud flat areas to monoculture stands, contributing to the loss of fish and wildlife habitat, increasing sediment deposits and modifying drainage patterns. Since the infestation was first recognized, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and several partner agencies have led removal and control efforts, particularly in two high priority areas in Delta, B.C. – Brunswick Point and Boundary Bay. DUC has always relied on science to guide our conservation efforts and removal of spartina is no exception. Along with a consortium of partners (see sidebar), DUC has been sharing knowledge and exchanging best practices. These collaborative efforts are yielding some unique scientific approaches that are guiding current and future adaptive management planning in the battle to remove spartina from coastal areas. Drift cards guide predictive techniques In 2006, several U.S. and Canadian-based organizations initiated a collaborative drift card study to assess the potential spread of spartina in the Georgia Strait and Puget Sound areas. More than 7,000 drift cards were released from six spartina locations to simulate the current’s effect on the potential movement of seeds and rhizomes. From the start, the public’s participation was critical. Each card included a 1-800 number and the Community Mapping
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Network’s website address, encouraging finders to report the cards’ final destinations. By 2008, approximately 2,900 cards had been reported at 1,800 sites (see map “Distribution of Found Drift Cards”). The maximum distance any reported card had travelled was 913 km (in Alaska), with most of the reported cards originating from a central release point in the Strait of Georgia. Interestingly, cards released in winter tended to drift farther than in any other season. These findings are helping DUC and partners develop strategies for predicting which coastline locations are potential spartina hot zones and should receive more monitoring and focused plant removal efforts in the future. A fabric coverup Sometimes the KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid) principle is a good solution to a complicated problem. Removing spartina from difficult-to-reach areas has posed a problem in the past couple of years. During the summer of 2008, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) joined DUC at Brunswick Point in Delta to demonstrate geotextile covering techniques. Based on WSDA’s experience, covering and shading spartina prevents the plant’s natural photosynthesis processes. Researchers found that it takes about two years to destroy the spartina plant and this technique has far less impact on mud flat areas than current excavating techniques. The geotextile fabric was cut to cover each patch of spartina. Four separate techniques were used to anchor the fabric to the ground: plastic stakes, steel rods, steel pins and burying the edge. In total, eight test plots were strategically chosen and created to represent both low and high intertidal zones and will be monitored over the next two years to determine which anchoring method is most effective around the Fraser River Delta. Airboat reconnaissance Imagine how fun it would be to float across the mud flats and call it work. That’s what DUC’s conservation staff got to do during a recent demonstration by the WSDA on its use of an airboat to efficiently and effectively monitor large areas of spartina that are difficult to access on foot. In some areas – like Brunswick Point, which is ecologically rich with a very sensitive biofilm that is a food source for shorebirds – the airboats have been effective in covering the area while reducing any impacts on the ecosystem. DUC and partners have implemented a comprehensive program including early detection, removal and outreach that is guided by science and evaluation to deal with the growing problem of spartina. Findings over the next few years will guide these unique approaches to improve effectiveness and efficiency. If you are interested in helping with DUC's spartina removal program during the summer of 2009, contact the Surrey office (604-5920987 or du_surrey@ducks.ca). S
western region (british columbia)
Spartina removal partners Environment Canada - Canadian Wildlife Service B.C. Ministry of Environment Metro Vancouver Corporation of Delta Port Metro Vancouver Ducks Unlimited Canada Vancouver Aquarium Community Mapping Network Friends of Semiahmoo Bay G.L. Williams & Associates Washington State Department of Agriculture The Nature Trust of British Columbia
International strategic spartina meeting
A Washington-B.C. cross-border strategic spartina meeting was held at the Peace Arch Border Crossing on Nov. 20, 2008. Thirty individuals from a multitude of government and nongovernmental agencies met to discuss spartina programs, public outreach strategies, drift card findings, results of the West Coast Governors Agreement on Ocean Health meeting and eradication techniques. This meeting provided a great platform for people working with spartina to connect and share ideas as well as identify future opportunities for joint ventures.
Spartina: Taking count
Ducks Unlimited Canada staff took inventory of the magnitude of spartina’s infestation along Boundary Bay and Roberts Bank back in June 2008. From 2004, when monitoring began, to 2008, the overall presence of spartina has shown signs of decreasing from its peak in 2005.
A tribute to Roy Nore: Lifelong conservationist and Ducks supporter
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Roy Nore was a proud Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) supporter and friend of the staff at the office in Kamloops. He passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 26. Nore was part of the DUC committee that organized the inaugural banquet for the Salmon Arm and Chase chapter on Nov. 23, 1985. His apartment was covered with an array of certificates and wildlife prints as a testament to his history of support for wildlife and people. Nore had a keen interest in DUC activities and was proud to be a part of DUC’s work through his donations and personal connection with the staff. He was a regular visitor to the office in Kamloops where he would reminisce with the provincial manager of the day, Ian Barnett. With a great sense of humour Nore told many stories about his work life on the railroad or in the mill, but he was most engaged about his hunting, fishing and conservation efforts. Nore also made the occasional trip to the field, and in 2006 led a tour from Chase through to Sun Peaks Resort. “It was a new route for me,” says King Campbell, head of agriculture programs. “I was confident Roy knew his way but a few wrong turns would have simply meant a longer day with my newly acquired 90-year-old friend. During the trip we stopped to take a photo at a site where Roy and his friends were proudly involved in a habitat project many years ago.” More recently Nore was pleased with DUC efforts to make people aware of the values along Shuswap Lake, and he recalled releasing wood ducks on the lake years ago, and hanging nest boxes in the cottonwoods. He was very supportive of DUC and enthusiastic about the company’s ability to get the job done for the wildlife he loved. “A land fit for wildlife is a land fit for people.” – Roy Nore. Our sincere condolences to Roy Nore’s family and friends. His visits will be missed. S Roy Nore, proud Ducks Unlimited Canada supporter and friend, had a love and respect for nature that is fondly remembered by staff and volunteers.
As spartina appears to be declining in the Fraser River Delta, DUC conservation staff now is shifting some of the focus to the best approach to monitor and control spartina along Vancouver Island and the remainder of B.C.’s 25,000-km coast. The drift card study demonstrates that focus needs to remain along the east coast of Vancouver Island and Fraser River Delta; however, the west coast of Vancouver Island and north coast could be vulnerable to spartina infestations. As the partnership and supports grows for this project, this might be one invasive species that can be controlled before it expands too far.
Crown land designation becomes key conservation tool
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As British Columbia is more than 95 per cent Crown land, developing and implementing tools and programs that protect important habitats on Crown land is a key component of Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) conservation programs. Fortunately, there is provincial legislation that provides opportunities to enhance environmental protection on these lands. It is possible for NGO groups, alongside the B.C. Ministry of Environment, to partner and influence the designation of Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) and Transfers of Administration (TOA). These designations translate into varying degrees of sensitive ecosystem protection, but they all result in wildlife, habitat and ecosystem function being primary considerations in land management planning and decision processes. Based on this opportunity, DUC and partners have been piloting a Crown land designation program for the past few years in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island. One successful example was the culmination of several years of negotiation. On April 19, 2008, a 663-hectare WMA was announced for the Squamish Estuary, known as the Skwelwil’em WMA. This area had long been targeted by DUC as a high priority area because of its important waterfowl, migratory bird and fish habitat values. DUC was involved throughout the land management planning process and provided much of the waterfowl-specific information. DUC is now pursuing the expansion of this program to a provincial scale. In addition to securing five more WMAs in key areas on Vancouver Island and along the Fraser River Delta and Valley, DUC is considering priority areas in northern B.C. The expectation is that this broadened program will span five to 10 years and secure 10,000 to 50,000 hectares of wetlands and uplands across B.C. S As more than 95 per cent of B.C. is Crown land, Ducks Unlimited Canada devotes considerable time and effort to protecting important habitats on these lands.
British western region ( columbia )
The Flyway newsletter is published by Ducks Unlimited Canada Oak Hammock Marsh Conservation Centre P.O. Box 1160, Stonewall, Manitoba R0C 2Z0 tel (204)467-3000 fax (204)467-9028 toll-free 1(800)665-DUCK Please direct your inquiries to the following: Eastern Region Atlantic: Kelly MacDonald Quebec: Bernard Filion Ontario: Lynette Mader Western Region Prairie-Western Boreal: Marci Dube British Columbia: Wendy Fister Flyway production staff Director of Communications and Marketing: Madeleine Arbez Editor: Duncan Morrison Assistant: Deb Menard Art Director: Tye Gregg Graphic Designers: Lindsay Pikta-Marie, Aquila Samson, Jeope Wolfe © Ducks Unlimited Canada, 2009 Printed in Canada on 100% recycled paper including 100% post-consumer fibres
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Area Contacts Director of Regional Operations Ian Barnett, Edmonton (780) 602-3221 Manager of Provincial Operations and Development Manager Les Bogdan, Surrey (604) 592-5000 Manager of Conservation Programs Brad Arner, Kamloops (250) 374-8307 Marketing and Communications Wendy Fister, Surrey (604) 592-5004 Fundraising Rory Brown, Victoria
(250) 652-5090
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