Local wildlife will get a higher profile thanks to a signage initiative.
Krista Englund, Important Bird Area caretaker coordinator for BC Nature, spoke to Sidney council about the importance of local bird populations and increasing awareness of the local shores and birds that make Sidney their home.
“If you want to protect these birds then you have to protect their habitat all across their entire range and that is exactly what the Important Bird Area program does,” said Englund.
She explained that BC Nature and Bird Studies Canada are interested in developing interpretative signs for the Sidney Channel Important Bird Area.
“The nice thing about bird watching is you don’t have to go out on a boat to do it, you can do it right here from the waterfront in Sidney,” she said.
“This council, previous councils, have focussed on developing, I think, one of the finest walkways along the waterfront in western Canada. With this particular initiative … we’ll have some interest, I suspect,” said mayor Larry Cross.
“I support an initiative like this and I’d like to make a motion to refer to staff to work with the presenters tonight to make it happen,” said councillor Cliff McNeil-Smith.
There are 600 important bird areas across the country. “We’re moving on to protection and monitoring,” Englund said. “When I say protection, I don’t mean drawing a circle around an important bird area and saying that’s it, nothing happens in there. What it means is finding a way, within those areas, for people and birds to coexist. And that’s where the monitoring comes in. We need to monitor the birds so we know how they’re reacting to human activities and how they’re responding to conservation initiatives as well.”
The signage is a part of a larger initiative to raise awareness about the importance of these areas for birds.
North Saanich council confirmed its commitment to addressing stewardship initiatives in the Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary.
“I think it is a very important project,” said councillor Cairine Green. “It is heart-warming to see we are reaffirming our commitment. I think it will be important for us to be really assertive on this project and to convince other communities nearby that this is a very important issue.”
Regardless of the fact that Shoal Harbour is primarily in the North Saanich boundary, It does affect the whole Tsehum Harbour area and therefore involves Sidney. And in terms of just marine health and environment on the Peninsula it also involves Central Saanich indirectly.”
Councillor Peter Chandler agreed that collaboration as critical.
“The larger challenge and the larger success is going to be in working together with all those who use the harbour and use the sanctuary and use the waterway including the animals and all the life that is found there,” said Chandler. “The only way we’re going to accomplish something remarkable is if we work together. And if it takes some difficulties to get over then we must get over those difficulties.”
