CERCA Presentation at June 2018 CSRT Meeting

At the June 2018 Cowichan Stewardship Round Table meeting I highlighted results of our two major projects from 2017 and 2018 in form of a power point. The power point focused on the methods and approach to our habitat mapping of the estuary and the oyster research associated with ground-truthing habitat polygons delineated on the 1:12 000 base map.

This will shortly be followed by the final report  on the oyster project to be widely distributed amongst agencies and other stakeholders. It is hoped that the findings of the oyster project will raise awareness of the Key ecological role oysters play in the estuary as ecosystem engineers and show their economic value which had not been assessed before for oysters of the Cowichan-Koksilah Estuary. The report will be published on our website. Oysters  were selected as an example to showcase the goods and services provided by the estuary; more specifically goods and services provided by oysters which may be an eye-opener for people who do not see any value in "mudflats" of estuaries. Mudflats  of estuaries are called "cradle of life" for good reasons. If you want to read more about mudflats check out my earlier post on this website "Nature Trail Part III: Mudflats, 2017".

Dr. Goetz Schuerholz, CERCA Chair