Local groups are using ancient First Nations techniques to protect erosion and habitat along the Nanaimo esturary, largely caused by the Canada goose. (submitted/Tim Clermont)

By Alex Rawnsley

ANCIENT EXCLOSURES

First Nations techniques leading conservation fight against iconic Canadian bird in Nanaimo

Nov 7, 2020 | 7:47 AM

NANAIMO — Local conservationists are leaning on traditional First Nations techniques to stop an iconic Canadian bird from destroying local fish habitat.

Non-migratory Canada geese are feeding year-round on carex sedge grass along the Nanaimo estuary, causing issues for local salmon populations and triggering accelerated erosion.

Tim Clermont, executive director of the Guardians of Mid Island Estuaries Society, told NanaimoNewsNOW, they’re building crude fences from alder and willow using techniques perfected by First Nations over hundreds of years.

“As long as we build them with enough interference for Canada geese, which need quite a large flight path to land and take off, they’ll avoid those areas. They don’t like being in and around wooden structures where they can’t see (predators).

The fences don’t interfere with other animals such as ducks or smaller birds who don’t need the unobstructed runway to take off and land.

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Carex grass in the estuary is a crucial final pit stop for local wild salmon before heading out to the ocean.

Clermont said the Nanaimo estuary has lost around 90 per cent of this habitat over the years, thanks in large part to the resident geese.

“Typically a chinook fry will want to be in the estuary from anywhere between two to four months. If they don’t have the cover and habitat…they end up going out to sea too early and a lot of them aren’t surviving.”

To counter erosion and re-establish the grass across more the Nanaimo estuary, the society invented a device to help transplant grass from one area to another in the same manner a golf course creates holes on the putting green.

The Pacific Salmon Foundation recently provided a grant of $19,250 to the society to help their work.

Around $5,000 was also granted to other groups tackling projects focused on habitat rehabilitation, education and fish stock enhancement in the Nanaimo and Oceanside area

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley