Robin's Bay Blog: Dredging in the Cowichan Estuary

Dredging in the Estuary

I am not a professional biologist as so many are in this Valley, but I was exposed to Nature from a very young age by our father who embraced every aspect of what nature and varied life on the planet has to offer. We were educated very young and it made a huge difference. After living in the suburban and eventual reach of metropolitan Toronto's sprawl for decades, I began to perceive the source of so many environmental problems. Awareness. We know not what we do, and as an educator I am committed to attempting to alter that environmental perception and outlook before it is too late for my new grand-daughter's generation.

 There is a huge disconnect with planning for sustainable ecological health of the landscape and the usual economic, environmental disregard. It is a big learning curve. We all have day jobs, families to feed, and pressing daily concerns that sometimes preclude and interfere with longer term planning for creatures who have no voice at our table. Those people trapped with the increasingly urban concerns of our busy, "rat racing" world cannot always see what the concerns of "tree huggers" and "touchy-feely" nature lovers are about. Of course the problem here is most people reading this already sympathize - and I am left preaching to the Choir and the converted? But CERCA is not just about words. We are acting, and as quickly as we can where appropriate - most often with words and pictures, because that is what it takes to bridge the chasm. A chasm of understanding and seeing the "lowly" sea slime and such as important players in this world's biohealth. None of this is immediately obvious in a modern society that has gained so much "advantage" by exploiting all that does not defend itself. But it’s been a perilous progression - and we are seeing the timeline running out. Ironically it is now we who need to defend ourselves.

Many will be somewhat aware of the protest recently staged against the massive Dredging project by the Western Forest Products’ Cowichan saw mill and several interviews with the media. Some information continues to come to light in the aftermath. It is the frustration of getting at that data and info for the public that greatly concerns us. Transparency will make for greater accountability but not too many big players truly want that, for reasons of expediency and retaining a "free hand". The days of harvesting the bounty of nature indiscriminately are already past, as we do see some of the consequences now.

Issues

The provision for issuing a dredging permit requires ministerial approval in accordance with the Cowichan Estuary Management Plan established under Order in Council. The means of implementing the process are poorly defined and there are those who may feel this 'grants licence' to run slipshod over the obvious intent of current rules and regulations. CERCA continues to oppose taking such liberties with the Estuary's health, particularly where previous planning has taken the needed environmental considerations into account. Formally the Department of Fisheries have been consulted, as has the Ministry of Environment, albeit the First Nations not so much it seems - but rubber stamping a process that was placed on hold last year is not reassuring for a number of reasons and direct concerns, especially with the size of the operation. Concerns exist with altering water flow in river channels, roiling up and disturbing historically documented heavy metal toxins in the Bay sludge, and tearing up the thin green biofilm in the intertidal zone  - "microbenthic organisms" composed of, and supported by diatomic unicellular creatures vital to enriching life here. Disposal of massive tonnes of toxic sludge seems to be very cavalierly handled. The shell fishing was shut down in the 1970s with ongoing concerns of heavy metal and coliform contamination. The toxic metals will be re-stirred by the dredging and the sludge dumped in places to seep such pollution to the bay and shore surface for consumption again. Not good. Intertidal pools are a vital source of nourishment in the interweaving pyramids of life and disturbing river channels will uproot and kill off many of these cardinal micro-organisms which form the nourishment base of so much life here. The Estuary's strength as a rich energy supplier is based on the important mixing of the sea’s saline with the Cowichan and Koksilah's fresh water to create the brackish mix that richly supports the powerhouse green factories (with a predominance of the microbenthos at the daily changing, tidal shore) - capturing solar energy to distribute to all of us reportedly higher on the chain of life. All life energy comes from that nuclear generator in the sky, but it is almost exclusively available through the microscopic creatures which we, in turn, depend on totally for our continued existence. So we have their best interests at heart.

Such a series of "battles" as the dredging issue would be relatively meaningless if they were only one offs.  We hope to continue to open the channels of communication and are heartened that many Cowichan players appear receptive to combining efforts that facilitate improved effectiveness in a unified vision. Our lives depend on such acting locally to achieve global results, and we also hope the “efficiencies” of modern industry and big government can appreciate the importance of such a view. We are not the enemy.

Robin