As the city continues to grow each year more and more pressure is put on local urban watersheds.
With the knowledge that healthy, sustainable communities are dependent upon sustainable ecosystems and healthy watersheds, protection of our local watersheds needs to be a top priority.
On Earth Day this April 22, a local conservation organization, Millard Piercy Watershed Stewards (MPWS), is hosting an event in Courtenay called Walk For Watershed Sustainability. The group is encouraging people to come out for the walk to show their support for local watershed protection.
Two one-hour walks will be held on Saturday morning, the first starting at 9 a.m. and the second at 11 a.m. The walks will begin on the Courtenay Riverway trail at 31st Street near the salmon statue. MPWS biologists and volunteers will lead participants through a series of trail stops along Lower Millard Creek. There will be trail-side discussions about challenges to maintaining healthy watersheds in the urban setting, why maintaining a healthy riparian zone is critical, what individuals can do to help on their own properties or by volunteering, how we can help fish and fish habitat be sustained into the future and how monitoring water quality in our watersheds is a helpful tool.
Organizers say that attending this Earth Day event will likely change your perspectives on our local watersheds.
Parking at the start location for the walks is limited so participants are advised to plan to arrive early and walk the trail over to 31 Street from the parking located on Mansfield Road. FMI: Millard Piercy on Facebook.
