Posts Tagged ‘#keepingitliving’
Celebrate our Estuary – Sunday, 4 September 2011
Posted By: Pieter
Join the K'omoks First Nation and Project Watershed Society in celebrating our Estuary
Sponsored by the K’όmoks First Nation and Project Watershed Society
The K’όmoks First Nation (KFN) and the National Historic Site Committee (NHSC) would like to extend an invitation to all Comox Valley residents to take part in an historic signing ceremony. The signing is a celebration between KFN and the NHSC to launch a community bid for National Historic Site Status for the ancient Aboriginal fish trap systems in the Estuary. In addition, the Board of Directors of the Comox Valley Project Watershed Society and the KFN have reached a Memorandum of Agreement to work together for the protection and preservation of the Courtenay River Estuary.
The event will be held on Sunday, September 4th at the Puntledge RV Campground located on Condensory Road, at the upland end of the Estuary. The event will start at 3 PM with a welcome and traditional dancing by Kumugwe Dancers. This will be followed by the signing ceremony at 3:30pm.
Emily Spiller, Vancouver Island Music Awards 2011 female vocalist of the year, will perform at 4 PM and again at 5 PM. The announcement of the official bid for National Historic Site Status for the Estuary Fish Trap Systems will be made at 4:30pm.
In addition, the afternoon will feature Aboriginal art venders, traditional first nation’s food, Project Watershed Displays on the Estuary, the KFN I-Hos canoe and more.
“We hope the entire community can join us for this historic celebration,” says Paul Horgen, Chair of the Historic Site Committee and of the Board of Directors of Project Watershed, and Melissa Quocksister, KFN member on the Historic Site Committee.
Look for the signs!
2011 Annual General Meeting
Posted By: admin
You are invited to Project Watershed Society’s
2011 Annual General Meeting
Tuesday, April 26th, 2011
Time: 6:30 pm Registration for 7:00 pm Meeting
Location: The Evergreen Room,Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Avenue, Courtenay
Guest Speaker: Mel Sheng – DFO Resource Restoration Biologist
Seafood Hors d'oeuvres provided by Cory Frank
Keeping It Living Silent Auction
Posted By: admin
Time is running out for you to bid on estuary inspired art. Once again artists from around the Comox Valley and beyond are supporting the protection and restoration of the Courtenay River Estuary by submitting their art to the Keeping It Living Campaign.
Keeping It Living is an awareness and fundraising campaign to give everyone the opportunity to contribute to the preservation and restoration of the Courtenay River Estuary. The goal is to bring about the return of abundance to this beautiful and productive natural feature which truly is the jewel in the crown of the Comox Valley.
Forty three pieces have been submitted from renowned artists such as Ken Kirkby, Bev Byerley, Richard Mravik, Sofie Skapski, Brian Buckrell and more. Their art encompasses a variety of styles, mediums, sizes and subjects.
The pieces, beautiful and alluring, are up at www.keepingitliving.ca and will be on display at Zocalo Cafe, Crown Isle, The Coastal Community Credit Union, and the Royal Bank from March 1st to 31st. Remember these pieces not only have value as amazing art but also as symbols of the quality of life you are protecting, you can go online to www.keepingitliving.ca to place your bids.
The Grand Finale of the auction and competition will be the Day of the Estuary event held at K'omoks Band Hall on April 2nd. All art as well as interactive multimedia displays will be showcased and open to the public 1pm to 5:30pm. There will also be an evening session featuring presentations by Nancy Greene on Estuary Archeology aka Sticks in the Mud and Ken Kirkby on Restoration Success. This will be the last chance for bids and will be an event to remember. For more information visit www.keepingitliving.ca.
March 17th – Estuary Movie Night – 7-9pm
Posted By: admin
You are invited to Estuary Movie Night at the Stan Hagen Theater, North Island College, admission by donation.
Project Watershed in conjunction with World Community will be presenting estuary focused movies and a short presentation on our own Courtenay River Estuary. The two movies that will be shown are a 5 min short on the Courtenay River Estuary and an hour segment on the fight to save the San Fransisco Estuary. The San Fransisco Estuary is the largest estuary in North America and was highly impacted by rapid development; much of the estuary was "lost" or severely degraded. Then a small group of dedicated people got together and changed its fate (savingthebay.org). With less obstacles in our way the Courtenay River Estuary can also become a shining example of people living in harmony with an important natural feature.
The Courtenay River Estuary is the heart of our community both physically, as it resembles a heart, and spiritually, as our beautiful geographic center. Along with the impressive Comox Glacier it frames our world. Come out for a movie night to be inspired and motivated to protect and restore it. If California can do the Comox Valley can do it!
CVRD Initiative on a Courtenay River Estuary Management Plan
Posted By: admin
Kent Leontowich of the Comox Valley Regional District’s Planning Department is coordinating a steering committee that includes members of Project Watershed’s Estuary Working Group. In 2000, a Courtenay River Management Plan (CREMP) was released but never adopted by any of the local governments. In 2009, when the Regional Directors of the Comox Valley Regional District put a moratorium on development along the Dyke Road and other parts of the Estuary in the Regional District, they also directed CVRD staff to update the 2000 CREMP to reflect the situation as we enter the second decade of the 21st century. Times have changed and local governments are cooperating. The Courtenay River Estuary plays an important role in the Regional Growth Strategy soon to be adopted for the Comox Valley and Management Plan updating is underway.
The Courtenay River Estuary Management Plan Steering Committee was put together including representatives from the relevant provincial and federal ministries, BC Nature Trust, Ducks Unlimited, Courtenay Fish and Game Association and Project Watershed. Planning Manager Tom Knight often joins the group at its sessions as the team reworks the original sections of the 2000 document and adds important new sections like Archeology and Climate Change. The group has been meeting every 5 or 6 weeks for over the past year and the draft document is anticipated to be completed by March of 2011. It then will go to the governments of Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland, the CVRD and K’omoks First Nation and the public for consideration and final approval.
You can see the original CREMP here on the Regional District's website. Watch Project Watershed’s News Bulletin or the CREMP page on our Keeping It Living website for updates as this important local government-community initiative moves forward.
Project Watershed thanks community way businesses
Posted By: admin
Project Watershed would like to extend a big thanks to Fluid Bar & Grill, Mike Toulmin Construction, and Good Karma Delivery for their donation of community way dollars (cw$).
These dollars will help us promote stewardship of Comox Valley Watersheds through education, information and action. Currently we are focusing much of our work on the Courtenay River Estuary. The Courtenay River Estuary is the heart of our watershed, not to mention a unique and special feature of the Comox Valley. We are concerned about its health, and through our Estuary Working Group are striving for increased protection and restoration. The Estuary Committee has estimated it to cost over $100,000/year to protect and restore the estuary – we need every dollar we can get. To learn more about Project Watershed’s programs and initiatives visit www.projectwatershed.ca. You can also find us on facebook.
Project Watershed is a registered charity and funding for our activities depends on governments, foundations, memberships and local businesses. Community way gives charities like Project Watershed a new avenue for fund generation that everyone in the community can be a part of.
If you own a business please consider joining community way and donate to Project Watershed. It is an excellent way to promote your business. Since Project Watershed is a registered charity we will also issue a charitable tax receipt.
The community way dollars you donate to Project Watershed will go towards protection and restoration of the beautiful and highly cherished natural environment of the Comox Valley. To find out more about joining community way visit www.communityway.ca
Another way to support your community is to buy cw$. Buying cw$ from Project Watershed is similar to donating but better as you get to use your money twice; first by supporting Project Watershed and again by purchasing from local businesses. Visit our offices at 2356a Rosewall Cres in Tin Town or call (250) 703-2871.
Report on the Estuary Gala Campaign
Posted By: Pieter
(Click the box icon in the top right corner of the document to view full size.)
You can view more media from the Estuary Gala Gathering held in 2010 on KeepingItLiving.ca
Thank You to our Sponsors & Funders!
Posted By: Pieter
(Click the box icon in the top right corner of the document to view full size.)
Visit our sponsors' websites:
- Courtenay and District Fish and Game Association
- Pacific Salmon Foundation
- The Real Estate Foundation of BC
- The Vancouver Foundation
- Comox Valley Regional District
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada
The Big Chill
Posted By: Pieter
(Click the box icon in the top right corner of the document to view full size.)
Call to Artists and Creative Writers
Posted By: admin
Join us to inspire the vision and open the dialogue for creating the return of abundance by perserving the Courtenay River Estuary.
Project Watershed and the Estuary Working Group are holding an art and creating writing competition and silent auction for Keeping It Living. For further details, click here
