Assessing Resilience, Enhancing Restoration, Building Partnerships

The Estuary Resilience project is built on strong partnerships between Coastal First Nations, non-governmental organizations, provincial and federal governments, and academic groups.

In 2019, The Nature Trust of British Columbia launched this multi-year project through the West Coast Conservation Land Management Program to improve estuary habitat and enhance the long-term sustainability and health of wild B.C. Pacific salmon fish stocks.

The project will monitor and research resilience to sea-level rise and climate change using the Marsh Resiliency to Sea-Level rise (MARS) tool at 20 estuaries on Vancouver Island, the central coast and Haida Gwaii. With a combination of science and cultural knowledge and heritage, this project will facilitate several major, transformative restoration projects across the coast. These projects will increase marsh resilience to sea-level rise, restore estuarine ecosystem functions, and revitalize Indigenous food systems.

Three field workers wade across a stream in an estuary to conduct research.

Estuaries: the Heart of our Coastlines

Estuaries have been called the heart of coastal ecosystems, connecting rivers, the ocean and upland environments. This mixing of habitats fosters an incredible biodiversity, with delicate but productive ecosystems for plants and animals from the land and the water. Estuaries are especially critical for the health of wild B.C. fish like Pacific salmon, as they act as nurseries for juvenile salmon, providing a place for them to rest and adjust to saltwater before they swim out to sea. Increasing the resilience of these coastal ecosystems in important to the long-term survival of these species.

The 20 estuaries sites included in the Estuary Resilience project include:

Asiixw (Aseek)
Bella Coola
Chemainus
Conuma
Cowichan
Dɫa̠xsiwè (Cluxewe)
Gámdas (Kamdis)
Glendale
Gwa’dzi (Quatse)
Kaouk

Kw’a’luxw (Englishman)
Kvai (Koeye)
Little Qualicum
Malksope
Muuyah̥i (Moyeha)
⁠Nalaxdlala (Hoeya) Creek
Néedan (Naden-Davidson
Snuneymuxw (Nanaimo)
X̠wésam (Salmon

Nine of these estuaries are on land protected by The Nature Trust of British Columbia.

Top down view of an estuary with rivers spreading out like veins across the landscape

Restoring the Quw’utsun/Xwulqw’selu Estuary

As a part of the Estuary Resilience project, The Nature Trust of British Columbia, Cowichan Tribes, Ducks Unlimited Canada, UBC Indigenous Ecology Lab, and several funding and community partners are leading a large-scale restoration and food systems revitalization project within the Quw’utsun/Xwulqw’selu (Cowichan/Koksilah) Estuary on Vancouver Island.

The Quw’utsun/Xwulqw’selu (Cowichan/Koksilah) Estuary Restoration and Food System Revitalization Project is one of the largest restoration/revitalization projects ever to be completed on the coast of British Columbia. The project will restore 70 hectares of salt marsh habitat and re-establish natural estuarine processes by removing human-made barriers to marsh development and reconnecting freshwater channels to tidally influenced areas.

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Estuary Quick Facts

Estuaries are where a river meets the ocean. They are a transition zone at the tidal mouth of a river where freshwater and saltwater mix.

3% of Coastline, 80% of Wildlife

Coastal wetlands are 3% of B.C.’s coastline, but support more than 80% of B.C.’s coastal wildlife.

Home to Many Species

Some of B.C.’s coastal estuaries support multiple species of salmon and dozens of bird species.

Provide Ecosystem Services

Estuaries filter sediment, trap carbon dioxide, and stabilize shorelines from erosion.

Sensitive to Climate Change

Climate change is expected to highly impact estuaries from rising sea-levels, ocean acidification, temperature and salinity changes and more.

Our Partners

A key facet of this project is the development of meaningful and lasting partnerships between Coastal First Nations, The Nature Trust of BC, and other project partners.

Ahousaht First Nation

Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance

Council of Haida Nation

Cowichan Tribes

Da'naxda'xw-Awaetlala First Nation

Halalt First Nation

Heiltsuk First Nation

Ka:'yu:'k't'h'/Che:k'tles7et'h' First Nation

K'omoks First Nation

Kwakiutl First Nation

Mamalilikulla First Nation

Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations

Nanwakolas Tribal Council

Nuxalk First Nation

Qualicum First Nation

Snuneymuxw First Nation

Tlowitsis First Nation

Uu-a-thluk, Nuu-chah-nuulth Fisheries

Ducks Unlimited Canada

Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation

Hakai Institute

Indigenous Ecology Lab

The Nature Trust of BC

Salmon Watersheds Lab

British Columbia

Canada

UN Ocean Decade

The ocean, climate change, and the resilience of coastal communities are closely intertwined. The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development recently endorsed the Enhancing Estuary Resilience project as an action that will help unlock ocean-based climate soluions and support coastal communities, under Ocean Decade Challenge Six, Increase community resilience to ocean hazards.

Learn more about our project’s endorsement and the UN Ocean Decade here.