The Cordova Shore Good Neighbours Project has had a successful launch in Central Saanich this month accompanied by gloriously sunny beach weather. Over the past two weeks, HAT has been at Island View Beach and throughout the neighbourhood working with residents and visitors to better understand and conserve the rare habitats of the Saanich Peninsula. The dune ecosystems around Island View contain many sensitive plants that have been protected and used for food and medicinal purposes by the TSAWOUT First Nation for centuries. Judith Lavoie highlighted the significance of these species under the direction of ethno botanists Lewis Williams and Earl Claxton Jr. in a recent Times Colonist article: "The sand dunes we love to death."
On Sunday, July 11, HAT successfully co-hosted an Eelgrass Mapping Event with Seachange Marine Conservation Society and TSAWOUT. Nikki Wright 
led an informative talk about eelgrass habitats and their importance in the lives of nearly all of our wild salmon on the coast. For this event we also conducted a valuable eelgrass mapping exercise, were led on a dune walk with Lewis Williams, and visited with birds of prey from Pacific Northwest Raptors. We have two more exciting events planned for this summer, for details please click here.
Learning about salt marshes and intertidal plants is essential for a complete understanding of our coastal ecosystems, but the real progress on the project occurs as a result of local landowners who make a personal 
commitment to habitat conservation. Since early July, HAT has been visiting with residents in the Tetayut Creek watershed, Noble Creek watershed, and ocean catchment watersheds throughout
For more information about the Good Neighbours Project, CLICK HERE.
If you have any questions, or would like to book a free and confidential visit on your property with our HAT land care biologist, please contact Todd or Kimberly at 250-995-2428.
