Working with the K’ómoks Nation towards Q’waq’wala7owkw on their unceded territory.

Working with the K’ómoks Nation towards Q’waq’wala7owkw on their unceded territory.

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

Sign of the times, garbed in face masks and gathered around the Keeping it Living Award are (from left to right) Don Castleden – Project Watershed Board member, Kathryn Clouston – Morrison Creek Streamkeepers, Piet Rutgers – Comox Valley Land Trust and Jennifer Sutherst – Project Watershed Estuary Coordinator.

Photo by: Isadora Datt

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.

Related Posts

Kus-kus-sum Site History

Pre-European Contact there was a First Nation village located roughly where the present-day Courtenay Airpark is now. The village was called Kus-kus-sum and is the namesake for the present day Kus-kus-sum site. The term Kus-sum means slippery and Kus-kus-sum, means...

Forage Fish Surveying Summary

Wow 40 plus amazing, citizen scientists supported the forage fish project this season. They covered almost 30 beaches between Hornby Island, the Comox Valley, Campbell River, and Cortes Island.

Kus-kus-sum Project History

Below is an interactive timeline of the events regarding the gensis of Project Watershed's Kus-kus-sum Project. Hover over each salmon icon to learn more about what happened that year.Related Posts

Citizen Science Seal Monitoring for Kus-kus-sum

Your contribution is greatly appreciated, thank you for participating!Make a donation to celebrate a special someone and they receive a gift card.Welcome to our pinniped observation guide and data submission page! "Pinniped" is a Latin word meaning "fin-footed," and...

Kus-kus-sum Underwater

We got a first look at how a restored Kus-kus-sum will operate during storms and king tides this winter. It was exciting to see the high tides move over the steel wall and inundate the site.