Cowichan Estuary Cowichan Estuary Key Issues of Concern CERCA - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Cowichan Estuary Cowichan Estuary Key Issues of Concern CERCA Presentation CEEMC Meeting January 30 th 2014 CVRD Board Room Presented by Goetz Schuerholz (Chair CERCA)

Issues to be Addressed 1: Lease 103103 6+ 7 2: Breaching Causeway 10 5 8 3: Lease 103107 4: Licence of Occupation 4 9 Grounding Log Booms 5: Free Use of Mill Pond? 2 3 6+ 7: access road, rip rap DFO dredging permit 1 8: Logs on Mariners Island 9: Causeway invasive species 10: Administrative boundary North Cowichan/ CVRD

Issue 1: Lease 103103 a) CEEMP: “ those portions of industrial Leases not used for industrial purposes any longer will be transferred to the Ministry of Environment for estuary management and conservation ”. b) Agreement signed between BC Environment and BC Lands (transfer of areas for administration within Lot 160- July18, 1991) stating that it is: “… the ultimate intent of transferring all those portions no longer used for industrial purposes to BC Environment for estuary management and conservation .” c) Letter by the BC Ministry of Environment Lands and Parks from July 29, 1994: “…will request the Licensees of 103103 that regular reports are provided by both companies (i.e. at the time MacMillan Bloedel Ltd., Carson Bulldozing Ltd., and Doman Forest Products Limited) on the amount of use of the Licence areas to determine the companies’ need for the area. If it can be shown that the areas are not used and/or have been abandoned, the license(s)/Leases will be terminated .” Request to re-zone Lease 103103 for conservation management

Issue 2: Breaching Causeway Two preferred options for proposed bridge construction

Issue 3: Lease 103107 Information Received from FoI on Lease Status  Lease 103107 covers Westcan Terminal; Registered Lessee: Tidal Harmony Holdings Allocated Use: lumber storage and shipment Length of Lease: 50 years, 25 years left  Registered Sub-Lease to Western Stevedoring for dock facilities expired in 2009 Current use: Marine Industrial (according to FOI without registered Lease or Sub-Lease) Request for re-zoning of 103107 for conservation management (step-by-step development)

Issue 4: Monthly Licence of Occupation- Grounding of log booms (WFP) on Lot 160 Lease 13107 Monthly Licences of Occupation WFP Lease 103103

WFP (monthly) Licence of Occupation 113327  Article 4-Covenants:  4.1.(s) undertake clean-up and removal of debris and materials including partially submerged logs…on an annual basis.  4.1. (u) store all log bundles in water of sufficient depth to prevent grounding.  4.1. (v) contain all logs placed on the licence area in such manner as to prevent any logs from blocking the river channels

CERCA Action regarding Grounding of Bundled Hemlock Log Booms Grounding of bundled log booms a daily occurance at low tide  First reported to Lands Branch Port Alberni Office in August 2012.  Repeatedly reported ever since by telephone and e- mail correspondence to Lands Branch, CEEMC, Ministers of Environment, FLNR and DFO.  No visible action taken to date.  Request by CEEMC for WFP to provide sustainable solution to prevent grounding of log booms not complied with by WFP ( to be provided by January 2013).

Impacts of grounding log booms on microphytobentos and carbon sequestration  Intertidal mudflats contribute up to 50% of the primary production of estuaries.  Diatoms (unicellular alga) form the base of the food web.  Microphytobenthos critical food source for micro-, meio- and macrobenthic organisms and bacteria.  Biofilm high value for carbon sequestration.

WFP Grounding log booms (daily at low tide) 4.2 ha daily taken out of primary production 4.2 ha daily destroying microphytobenthic biofilm 4.2 ha daily lost for carbon sequestration

Inter-tidal Log Storage Leases and Licenses of Occupation (Cowichan Estuary Environmental Management Plan ratified under Order in Council in 1989 by MoE) Past Leases M = MacBlo (now Tidal Harmony Holdings D = Doman (expired) B = BCFP (expired) F = Falt Doman Leases converted to monthly Licenses of Occupation held by WFP .

Prime Eel Grass Habitat in the Cowichan Bay Estuary and Inter-tidal Log Storage Leases Past log storage Leases Prime Eel Grass Habitat Historic Distribution? Historical Eel Grass Channels?

Issue 5: Free Use of Mill Pond? • 3 ha(?) of prime estuary destroyed; • No user fees paid for 38 years until to date?

Issues 6 and 7: Dredging

Widening road access to estuary Impacts on intertidal pools Vital for feeder fish (high biodiversity)

Temporary road, bridge and rip-rap

Aftermath: a) Rip rap not removed on completion of dredging as required by DFO Permit. b) Berm from temporary road not removed as required by DFO Permit.

Issue 8: Logs on Mariners Island Estimated 1000 logs

Salt Marshes and Carbon Sequestration Area covered by decomposing logs

Carbon Sequestration

Issue 9: Invasive Species on Westcan Causeway

Issue 10: Administrative Boundaries in Cowichan Bay • Two OCPs • Un-synchronized policies • Different base maps and scales • Un-synchronized thematic maps • Etc.etc.

Key Pillars of Cowichan Estuary Ecological Governance Integrity Social Participation Sustainability And Empowerment Checks and Balances