The byline of a lead story from the Record on March 19th of this year announced “Group Wants Sawmill Site Green.” Efforts of this type have been going on for over 30 years. With few exceptions political will has been leaning towards community development, leaving the protection of sensitive environments under appreciated by political bodies. On February 25th, 1974, an 8-page document was presented to the Regional Board. One of the recommendations made by the environmental group seeking to protect the estuary at that time was: "That the attempt be made to procure as much land as possible along the Dyke Road between the road and the river, from below Field's Sawmill to the Indian Reserve, thus creating a marine-drive recreational green strip and thereby ensuring that no further pollution of the river be created by landfill or otherwise."

In an intergovernmental document in 1976, Ted Burns wrote "The total Courtenay River Watershed and Estuary is one of the richest biological environments in Canada and it would be a very major loss if this were not recognized and used as the governing standard for land care." (Statement revealed in the Comox District Free Press, April 6th, 1977).

In this document Ted Burns clearly felt that the sawmill should be moved to a site where it could not cause as much environmental damage. In his report, he mentions a number of other industrial operations along the Dyke Road all having profoundly negative effects on the health of the estuary.

His efforts failed. Now over 30 years have passed; all of the industry that developed along the estuary and contributed to the Comox Valley of today is gone. The Field Saw Mill site, once an ancient First Nations burial ground is unsuitable for urban development. Water spilled over the hardened wall (see photograph of metal wall) at the site during the flooding in January of this year. Predictions state these floods will continue.

In a March 23rd editorial, the editor of the Record asked where the money would come from to restore this site. Project Watershed Scientists would submit grants to competitive granting agencies to find the restoration funding. Perhaps the owners of the Field Sawmill site would consider donating the property to the city of Courtenay with appropriate governmental tax incentives. This gesture would acknowledge the profits they enjoyed over its many years of operation? And would demonstrate a commitment to environmental protection and restoration by the parent company. During that period of sawmill operation according to the Burns report, dredging had to occur yearly to remove the waste material dumped into the estuary by the mill.

One positive environmental effort that occurred in 1974 with respect to a property adjacent to the sawmill site (24.3 acres) was the establishment of an area along the shoreline of the estuary known as “Hollyhock Flats". The local chapter of the environmental group known as SPEC, (Society for Preservation and Environmental Conservation), encouraged the local MLA to approach the Provincial Government of the day to acquire this property through the BC Land Commission Green Belt Fund. On July 24th, 1974 the deed was signed transferring "Hollyhock Flats" from Crown Zellerbach to Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of British Columbia, in consideration of the sum of $95, 850.00.

This property has been left undisturbed for the most part and the shores of the estuary have been left to adapt to the ever-changing conditions that are characteristic of this natural river delta system. Adult and juvenile fish that transit through the waters of the estuary use the natural channels formed by the forces of the river and tides for protection and nourishment. The kind of shoreline shown in the photograph of Hollyhock Flats also provides protection for the fish from seals. Just look at the two photographs and decide for yourself which shoreline you would prefer if you were a fish attempting to hide from the voracious seals.

Project Watershed in their presentation to the Courtenay Council offered to partner with the city and other groups and provide expertise through the Estuary Working Group to help restore the shoreline. Considerable change has occurred along the Dyke Road in the last 30 years. Governments have acknowledged the importance of preserving, protecting and in our case restoring sensitive natural systems to achieve the return of abundance. Lets “Keep it Living” – to comment on this article or to find out more visit www.keepingitliving.ca .

Paul A. Horgen, Project Watershed, Estuary Working Group

Paul Horgen is a retired microbial geneticist and environmental microbiologist from the University of Toronto; He is a member of the Estuary Working Group and a Board Member of Project Watershed