Morrison Creek Streamkeepers and Comox Valley Land Trust Recognized for Efforts to Protect Morrison Creek Headwaters

The Morrison Creek Streamkeepers and Comox Valley Land Trust were recently honoured as recipients of Project Watershed’s annual ‘Keeping it Living’ award. The award, an original painting by local artist Bev Byerley, is presented to an organization in the Comox Valley that has made a significant contribution to the restoration and protection of the K’ómoks Estuary and its watersheds.

In the past year, the Morrison Creek Streamkeepers and Comox Valley Land Trust worked together to fundraise and acquire a private land parcel in the Morrison Creek Headwaters. The purchase of the property was a first step toward protecting the entire Morrison Creek Headwaters Area. The Morrison Creek Headwaters is a wilderness oasis that provides habitat for a remarkable diversity of wildlife including wide-ranging carnivores, robust salmon runs and the endangered Morrison Creek Lamprey – a population found only in the Morrison Creek and no other place on earth.

The preservation of the Morrison Creek headwaters, one of the last undeveloped areas of wilderness in the Valley, will contribute greatly to the long-term health of the K’ómoks Estuary, as it is one of the major river systems that drains into the Puntledge River and then into the Estuary

“Morrison Creek Streamkeepers are honoured to be the co-recipients of the 2019 Keeping It Living Award,” said

Morrison Creek Streamkeepers are honoured to be the co-recipients of the 2019 Keeping It Living Award. We are very fortunate to have worked with the Comox Valley Land Trust to secure the Morrison creek Headwaters Nature Preserve. Together with Comox Valley Regional District and other funders, both large and small, a vital section of Morrison Creek, and the land surrounding it will continue to provide a natural bounty.” Piet Rutgers, President of the Comox Valley Land Trust further noted that “the effort to protect and restore the remaining parts of our natural heritage has been led by numerous individuals and environmentally-minded community groups. The partnership of the Comox Valley Land Trust and Morrison Streamkeepers Society in securing Phase 1 of the Morrison Headwaters Nature Preserve is a great example of the cooperative spirit that permeates the environmental community.

Jan Gemmell, President of the Morrison Creek Streamkeepers.

Since 2010, the Keeping it Living Award has been given to an individual or organization that has provided a significant direct or indirect tangible contribution to the restoration and protection of the Estuary.