Sharing Our Shorelines Booklet
· Islands Trust Area · Reports & Publications · 2021
Original Trust document
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21,723 characters of machine-extracted text. Extraction is automatic and can be wrong; the original governs.
Topics: Aquaculture & shellfish · Climate & environment · Forestry & trees · Marine & foreshore · Transportation & ferries · Fresh water & aquifers — our classification, not the Trust's.
Extracted text (beginning)
1 Islands Trust, 200-1627 Fort Street, Victoria, BC V8R 1H8 Phone: 250-405-5151 www.islandstrust.bc.ca xxxxxxxxxxxx.ca Sharing Our Shorelines W e play an important role in the protection and preservation of the local environment. We share this place with thousands of marine animals. Our choices and stewardship actions can benefit the environment enriching our enjoyment from going fishing, beach combing or watching killer whales. Values and Views Island Trust Communities Marine By Nature The Islands within the Salish Sea have been shaped by ancient glaciers and modern oceanic forces. Whether you visit the islands seasonally or live here year round, Islanders treasure the marine environment. The North Pender Local Trust Committee has developed this brochure to introduce you to where sensitive marine habitats exist, how you can recognize them, and what simple steps you can take to ensure our local waters continue to support a vibrant and abundant marine ecosystem. Above: White Winged Scoter in flight 2 Sharing Our ShOrelineS As long as water moves downhill, the oceans will be the final receiver of pollution. Untreated storm-water pollution, oil and gas from cars and boats, and sewage decreases water quality and harms wildlife. Landscaping and land clearing deposits sediment into the ocean, clogging fish gills and reducing marine vegetation growth. Docks and marinas block sunlight necessary for marine life survival. Excessive nutrient loading from fertilizers and sewage stimulates growth of bacterial mats coating the sea bed and algae that smothers eelgrass. In summer, warm surface waters combined with nutrient loading can decrease oxygen available for fish. Actions we take now can safeguard marine life for next generations. Big Issues, Big Impacts Clean Water Shoreline Stewardship Principles • use eco-friendly cleaners • Maintain shoreline vegetative buffers • use gravel for driveways to reduce storm-water run off • Stop oil/fuel leaks from cars and boats • Keep lawn trimmings off the beach • eliminate or reduce pesticide and fertilizer use • use bilge pads and retire 2-stroke boat engines • Maintain septic systems and use pump-out stations for boat sewage • Support the use of neighbour-shared docks or community docks • use mooring devices located away from sensitive habitats • reduce dock impacts by using light-penetrating panels or open grating 3 Top Left: Rockfish in eelgrass Middle Left:Shrimp in eelgrass Top Right: Dungeness Crab Bottom Right: Kayaker Bottom: View from Medicine Beach Big Issues, Big Impacts Shoreline Erosion Shorelines are constantly changing. Sediment erosion and transport from the land and rivers create the very beaches we cherish. Removing shoreline vegetation and fighting shoreline erosion by armouring beaches disrupts natural shoreline
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