All in all, more than 100 persons eager to learn took a guided tour of the trail.

CERCA volunteers show UVic students why the Cowichan Bay estuary is vital during a tour that is part of their course on coastal geography. (submitted)

By Dr. Goetz Schuerholz

Within the past couple of weeks CERCA’s Cowichan Estuary Nature Trail, which serves as an open air classroom, enjoyed the visit of two groups of Cowichan Secondary students, two groups of University of Victoria students, and one group of the Cowichan Elder College.

All in all, more than 100 persons eager to learn about the history of the estuary, its ecological complexity, and socio-cultural, ecological and economic importance made use of CERCA’s offer of a guided trail walk. It proved to be a great challenge but also a great pleasure lecturing the three distinctively different target groups on the ecology, challenges and opportunities of the Cowichan-Koksilah Estuary during the two hour guided walk along the trail in the heart of the estuary.

Cowichan Secondary’s “land-based learning program” is a new approach by the school to provide Grade 10-12 students with the opportunity to develop connections to our community and natural world and further cultural understanding. This excellent hands-on program currently involves 44 students. When asked how many of them had actually visited the estuary before it turned out to be shockingly few. This reflects the importance of the new initiative by Cowichan Secondary to re-acquaint students with nature and their environment. One of the next targets for the program is the Somenos freshwater marsh, an excellent way to expose the students to two key ecosystems in their backyard.

CERCA’s Estuary Nature Trail, the Somenos Marsh Open-Air classroom and the Nature Centre in Cowichan Bay provide a unique educational opportunity to numerous groups to touch, see, smell, hear, or taste nature. The rationale for CERCA’s Nature Trail Open-Air Classroom is to raise the level of environmental awareness, specifically awareness related to the Cowichan Estuary, its marshes, associated watershed and the Cowichan floodplain.

There is a need for people to understand the ecological, socio-economic and cultural importance of estuaries in order to appreciate the need for restoration efforts. Giving people an opportunity for a “hands-on” experience with nature will assist them in developing respect for the environment. The estuary nature trail also showcases the Cowichan Estuary’s past and current central importance to First Nations and the recreational and educational opportunities.

Hosting and lecturing UVic’s second and third year students as part of a course in coastal geography continues to be a rewarding experience. Topics discussed along the trail focus on a typical coastal landscape and community including fundamentals of coastal oceanography, climate, biodiversity, water quality, fisheries, indigenous people, tourism and implications for management.

The third group comprised of members of the Elder College involving community members over the age of 50 is distinctly different from other educational programs. Members of the Elder College do this on their own accord for a variety of reasons, but mostly due to an interest in deepening their knowledge and learning more about the estuary. Judging by the increasing number of persons registering for the guided trail walks conducted in spring and fall it has stirred up a lot of interest in the community.

Meanwhile CERCA continues to receive inquiries from trail users mostly regarding the lack of trail maintenance. It is true that blackberries and other vegetation are successfully trying to reclaim the trail after CERCA was asked by the lessee of the area (Tidal Harmony Holdings/Western Stevedoring) in October 2016 to stop all work on the trail, including maintenance, due to liability problems. Unfortunately only one third of the trail had been completed at the time although all 20 interpretative trail signs designed jointly by CERCA and the Royal BC Museum were ready to be placed. We are still waiting for permission by the lessee to finalize the last phase of trail construction and to allow CERCA to resume work with trail clearance, all to be done by community volunteers.

Sadly enough, wheelchair access as agreed on by all stakeholders at the start of trail construction is not possible any longer due to the rapid takeover by blackberries and other vegetation. On the positive side, the lessee continues to allow public access of the trail in spite the apparently still unresolved liability issue.

Dr. Goetz Schuerholz is the chairman of CERCA.