ISSUE GORGE WATERWAY INITIATIVE 00GWI MONTH GORGE WATERWAY 2010 Annual Report INITIATIVE YEAR Our Vision Promotion of a healthy environment for all life in the Gorge Waterway, Portage Inlet, and their watersheds and communities for the well-being of present and future generations. Interpretive sign in Victoria near the Selkirk Trestle lets people know that the Gorge Waterway is part of a migratory bird sanctuary. Background 2010 Accomplishments Our Goals The Gorge Waterway Initiative (GWI) is a • provide a forum for A highlight for the GWI was the completion and the exchange and collaborative, community-driven group of installation of 12 interpretive signs along the sharing of information organizations working to protect, enhance waterway. Another achievement was receiving regarding the Gorge and restore the natural and cultural the Saanich Environmental Award for volunteer Waterway, Portage Inlet features of the Gorge Waterway, Portage organization. Throughout the year, the GWI and their watersheds Inlet and the surrounding watersheds. continued to: • promote education and • improve community appreciation and awareness programs The GWI provides a unique framework for stewardship for the waterway on appropriate land a coordinated approach to environmental • protect threatened and endangered wildlife on and water use stewardship of the Gorge Waterway, Portage the waterway • establish and encourage Inlet and their watersheds through information • provide input on development projects activities that show care sharing and fostering partnerships. GWI’s • conduct habitat restoration projects and concern for the members include representatives from community natural environment and environmental groups, landowners, local Community Outreach governments, local government advisory The GWI continued to host the popular Gorge committees and recreational users, ensuring Waterway Speakers Series, a free public lecture a broad array of interests are represented. series on waterway and watershed topics. University of British Columbia graduate student Cait Nelson The GWI is led by a consensus-based steering gave a presentation about the ecology, habitat committee that is responsible for guiding the use and contaminant exposure in river otters of implementation of the Gorge Waterway Stewardship the Gorge Waterway and Victoria area. The second strategy. The GWI is facilitated by the Capital Regional event was an evening focused on invasive plants, District (CRD) and a part-time coordinator initiates led by City of Victoria environmental technician and manages projects, seeks funding and provides Fred Hook. Fred led a walk through Cecelia Ravine, administrative support. a riparian area heavily infested with many invasive species. He followed with an illustrated talk focused on life cycles and appropriate eradication Visit us at: and management techniques for each species. www.gorgewaterway.ca The GWI hosted their information display, the interactive Gorge watershed model, and the GWI 2010 Annual Report / 1 GWI Partners Seaquaria marine touch tank key ecological and cultural GWEC houses interactive at community events including features of the waterway. exhibits, including a marine Community Members Vic West Community Fest, aquarium and touch tank with • Burnside Gorge Canada Day on the Gorge, local marine life of the Gorge Four large 3-paneled interpretive Community Association Selkirk Waterfront Festival, Waterway, interactive watershed signs are being installed in • Friends of Cuthbert Connecting for Conservation, model and many other displays. public parks on the Gorge and Holmes Rivers Day and Oceans Day. The centre offers community Portage Inlet, one in each of the and school programming • Gorge Tillicum partnering municipalities. These The GWI continued to promote delivered by local biologists, Community Association uniquely designed signs feature community stewardship of the students and volunteers. Since • Gorge Waterway a large map of the waterway, waterway through the website. opening in 2008, the GWEC has Action Society information about the ecology It provides information about had more than 7,200 visitors and history of the waterway • Portage Inlet GWI projects and initiatives and and program participants. Protection Society and are topped with creative links to detailed information silhouette cutouts of waterway Two innovative new programs • Portage Inlet Sanctuary about the history, ecology wildlife. The eight smaller were initiated in 2010 at the Colquitz Estuary Society and stewardship of the Gorge signs each focus on a particular GWEC. The Care of the Gorge • SeaChange Marine Waterway and Portage Inlet. ecological or cultural aspect Monitoring program provides Conservation Society Interpretive Signage of the waterway. The GWI has training and equipment to • Seaquaria in Schools received an overwhelmingly measure and record basic On June 15th, an unveiling • Victoria Canoe positive response about the parameters such as temperature, ceremony for the GWI and Kayak Club signs from the community. salinity, dissolved oxygen and interpretive signs was held on turbidity on a regular basis at a • Victoria West the Galloping Goose Trail near Community Association variety of locations throughout the Selkirk Trestle. A large crowd Gorge Waterway the Gorge and Portage Inlet. This • World Fisheries Trust of GWI members, community Education Centre data is important in establishing partners and the general public The GWI continued to support a baseline of environmental Local Government was on hand to celebrate as the Gorge Waterway Education information about the Gorge. Members municipal councillors from Centre (GWEC) in Esquimalt School and college groups and • Capital Regional District the Town of View Royal, Gorge Park. This educational community volunteers have Township of Esquimalt, District • City of Victoria amenity on the Gorge is the participated in this program. of Saanich and City of Victoria • District of Saanich result of a partnership that unveiled the signs that were The other new program at includes World Fisheries Trust, • Township of Esquimalt to be installed in parks and GWEC is an inventory and survey Seaquaria in Schools, GWI public spaces along the Gorge of the native Olympia oyster, a • Town of View Royal and Township of Esquimalt Waterway and Portage Inlet. federally designated “species of • View Royal Parks, Parks and Recreation Services. The series of 12 signs highlight special concern”. Research on Recreation and Environment Advisory this species will provide Commission the basic information needed to help conserve and manage this urban population of oysters. Municipal councillors John Despite these successes, Luton, Victoria; Randall Garrison, funding to renovate Esquimalt; Paul Gerrard-Saanich; the GWEC building John Rogers,View Royal; unveiled the GWI interpretive signs at a and continue public celebratory event in June. programming there remains a challenge. 2 / GWI 2010 Annual Report Purple Martin Nest Box Program The GWI completed the project to provide nesting boxes for residents along the waterway to help re-establish nesting colonies of the provincially red-listed Purple Martin. Local community grants supported installation of 20 nest boxes in addition to the existing ones where Purple Martins have successfully raised fledglings. The nest boxes are now located in five locations spread throughout the Gorge Waterway, including a cluster in Esquimalt Harbour. Thank you! Land and Water Use Community Volunteers In 2010, View Royal and Saanich Esquimalt High School volunteers remove ivy from the pocket beach at Point Ellice shoreline. • Esquimalt High School began the planning process • Eves of Destruction for the replacement of the be completed in 2011, and GWI Ellice House. This ecologically roller derby team Craigflower Bridge on Admirals will provide recommendations significant site supports a unique Rd. After consultation with local for compensation for habitat remnant of the native arbutus, • St. Michaels anglers’ groups, GWI members loss due to construction. Douglas-fir and Garry oak forest University School made recommendations ecosystems that once lined the • Numerous local residents regarding provision of “bump shores of the Gorge Waterway. Government and outs” to accommodate fishers Point Ellice Shoreline Located in a heavily industrialized Business Supporters on the bridge, along with raised Restoration part of Victoria’s waterfront, this pedestrian sidewalks and bike The GWI continued working on forested urban oasis is especially • Coca-Cola lanes on both sides of the bridge. a major shoreline restoration critical for wildlife (e.g. river • Ellice Recycling Detailed design drawings will project started in 2008 at Point otters, raptors) that depend • BC Heritage Branch on an increasingly fragmented • Point Ellice House Point Ellice pocket beach heavily landscape for survival. staff and volunteers overgrown with ivy and other invasive species, prior to restoration. Volunteers continued the removal • City of Victoria Parks of invasive plants, primarily • Dave Polster English ivy and periwinkle, Environmental Services and replanting with native Financial Supporters vegetation. To date, more than 2,000 hours of volunteer labour • Evergreen Walmart have gone into removing 15 Green Grant tonnes of invasive plants from • Capital Regional District the site. Over 400 native trees, shrubs and perennials have been planted in the cleared areas, and the soil enhanced with leaf mulch provided by the City of