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Marine parks activity outlined for qathet Regional District reps

Presentation for directors highlights efforts to acquire and enhance coastal areas
Paul Galinski
Paul Galinski
2742_qathet_regional_district
ACHIEVE CONSERVATION: qathet Regional District directors were updated on activities of the BC Marine Parks Forever Society, which has done extensive work in procuring property and installing stern ties through the region.Peak photo

qathet Regional District (qRD) directors were recently given an overview of BC Marine Parks Forever Society activities.

At the March 26 committee of the whole meeting, two BC Marine Parks Forever Society (BCMPFS) executive members appeared to discuss ways the organization and regional district can work together to achieve conservation and recreation goals.

Society president Jim Phillips said his group has worked with the BC Parks Foundation and is branching out and speaking to regional districts.

“We contributed over $2 million to improve 20-plus marine parks by land acquisition, and install stern ties and moorings,” said Phillips. “This year, we donated $200,000 to the BC Parks Foundation to acquire 372 acres on Saturna Island in the Gulf Islands National Reserve. This was Parks Canada territory, but organized by ourselves through the parks foundation. We were very pleased to see the outcome.”

Micheal Ernst, a BCMPFS director, said he wanted to outline activities in the qathet region, including $749,000 toward the purchase of Harmony Islands Marine Provincial Park. Ernst said it was one of the society’s bigger contributions.

“We normally contribute on the scale of $200,000 but this opportunity came along, so we were able to purchase the island and pass it along to BC Parks to incorporate it into the Harmony Islands Provincial Park,” added Ernst. “Jedediah Island is also in your part of the world and we contributed $100,000 to the acquisition of this very popular park.”

Phillips said BCMPFS has been promoting stern ties. He said boats going into an anchorage will typically put down a bow anchor, and people will often put a line ashore so the boat doesn’t swing. He said it is a safety feature to keep boats from swinging into each other. The line ashore is typically tied around a tree or a rock, involving someone going ashore in a dinghy, scrambling up on the rocks. He said having shore ties allows the boat to be moored safely.

He added that it is a bad idea to put lines around trees ashore, so the pins provide for less impact on the environment.

“Desolation Sound has seen a lot of this work over the years,” said Phillips. “It is a very popular cruising destination.”

Phillips said shore ties in Desolation Sound have been installed in the Copeland Islands, Galley Bay, Grace Harbour, Laura Cove, Melanie Cove, Prideaux Haven, Tenedos Bay and Scobell Island. He added that shore ties have been upgraded at Deep Bay on Jedediah Island and the society is investigating installing shore ties as Harmony Islands with BC Parks and First Nations.

Phillips said the society provides the materials and prefers to have contractors install them. He said for shore ties in this region, ownership passes to qRD or another entity, once they are installed.

Ernst said the society’s request was for the committee to discuss the possibility of partnerships in the district. The committee unanimously carried a motion that it recommends the regional board directs staff to engage with BCMPFS and develop a report that evaluates potential impacts and benefits to qRD.

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