Wetlands are arguably the most important ecosystems on the planet, providing essential services that sustain healthy wildlife populations, and human communities and economies. Among the many vital ecosystem services provided by wetlands are: water supply, water purification, nutrient cycling, sediment filtration, flood mitigation and abatement, climate regulation, sustenance of plant and animal life, and provision of recreational and tourism opportunities. In North America, 80% of breeding bird populations and half of all threatened and endangered species rely on wetlands for some portion of their life cycle. Unfortunately, many wetlands have been destroyed by human activities. In BC, just 25% of the original wetlands remain.

The Sunshine Coast is recognized for its precious freshwater ecosystems. Sparkling rivers, lakes and ponds, salmon streams, verdant marshes and swamps, and rich estuaries flowing in the Strait of Georgia provide critical fish and wildlife habitat, drinking water and a wide array of ecosystem services to the local population. Unfortunately, these valuable ecosystems are threatened by rapid growth and development. One of the fastest growing regions in the province, the human population of the Sunshine Coast is expected to increase by 65% between 2001 and 2031. As development intensifies, there is an urgent need to take action to preserve, enhance and restore local wetlands. Already, many Sunshine Coast wetlands have been harmed and destroyed by a myriad of forces, including logging, mining, industrial and housing development, road building, pollution and exceptionally high water consumption.

The goal of the Sunshine Coast Wetland Project is to provide the information, education and incentive to bring all segments of the community together to develop and implement a plan to conserve wetlands and maintain their precious ecosystem services on the Sunshine Coast. The project includes three main components: Science, Engagement and Planning. The Science component seeks to identify, classify, map and prioritize all wetlands on the Sunshine Coast. The Engagement component aims to raise public awareness about the indispensable ecosystem services provided by wetlands, to increase public support for wetland protection efforts, and to encourage community members to take personal action to conserve water resources and protect and enhance wetland ecosystems. The Planning component aims to bring stakeholders together to develop a Sunshine Coast Wetland Conservation and Management Action Plan.

SCIENCE

The goal of the Science component is to identify, classify, map and prioritize all wetlands on the Sunshine Coast using sound science as a basis for responsible decision-making. Activities will include: (1) Bringing together existing information from past wildlife and habitat surveys; (2) Conducting field surveys to assess, classify and map wetlands; (3) Building a comprehensive database of all of the wetlands, including entries for type, size, ecosystem services, ecological importance, threats, risk levels, and health; (4) Conducting a meta-analysis to prioritize sites and identify those wetlands of greatest value and at highest risk, as well as those wetlands most in need of restoration; (5) Producing a comprehensive summary report and map identifying top priority wetland sites.

ENGAGEMENT

The goal of the Engagement component is to raise awareness about the essential ecosystem services provided by wetlands, and to educate, encourage and provide tools for community members to take personal actions in their homes and gardens, and in the wider community to prevent water pollution, conserve water resources and protect and enhance wetland ecosystems. Activities will include: (1) Creating interpretive displays, educational signage and a demonstration garden at the Iris Griffith Interpretive Centre; (2) Providing hands-on workshops for adults and educational programs for children; (3) Providing opportunities for community members to participate in hands-on stewardship activities in local watersheds through our Sunshine Coast WAVE Program (Water Action Volunteer Engagement); (4) Organizing special community events throughout the year.

PLANNING

The goal of the Planning component is to bring Sunshine Coast stakeholders together to identify specific aims, objectives and actions required to develop a draft Wetland Conservation and Management Action Plan for the entire Sunshine Coast. We will organize and facilitate a Sunshine Coast Wetland Summit to bring together scientists and land managers to exchange knowledge with local stakeholders and discuss wetland conservation challenges on the Sunshine Coast. The three-day panel meeting will include academic and natural resource experts, public officials, organizations and citizens sharing information, knowledge, and perspectives. The Summit will be scheduled to take place in the spring of 2010.