Working with the K’ómoks Nation towards Q’waq’wala7owkw on their unceded territory.
One of our wonderful supporters is sewing face masks and donating the proceeds to Kus-kus-sum. They are quality hand made cotton masks with a filter pocket and non-woven filter provided, pleated front, and a wire inserted over the nose piece for a better fit.
On June 17-19, 2020 Project Watershed organized a planting session to restore the vulnerable coastline in the Fanny Bay area. During the three days, our staff and 19 volunteers helped plant almost 2500 individual plants, comprised of Salicornia, Distichilis and dune grass species. This planting compliments another coastal restoration project where the shoreline was revegetated to protect the area from erosion.
On June 30, the students and instructors of Toshikan Traditional Karate and Kobudo, in Courtenay, completed 108 kata (kata is a series of self-defence techniques combined in a traditional form) as fundraiser for the Kus-Kus-Sum project, in appreciation of Project Watershed’s good work for natural habitat of the valley and the estuary.
A variety of native plants, shrubs and trees will be established at Kus-kus-sum as part of the restoration process. This will not only provide food, shelter and habitat for fish and wildlife but also help mitigate climate change. Check out this video to find out more.
Project Watershed’s Kus-kus-sum project is important for supporting the broader Salish Sea Ecosystem. The project will restore habitat for fish and wildlife, attenuate flooding, and create habitat connectivity to adjacent conservation lands in the estuary. Kus-kus-sum provides habitat for mobile species, such as salmon, that utilize the broader Salish Sea ecosystem in their lives.
The Society is offering a contract for a two-year, part-time term opportunity, with the possibility of extension, to perform as a Biological Assistant and Program Coordinator.
The B.C. government has set aside $1.5 billion for COVID-19 economic recovery. Dogwood BC recently surveyed supporters and allies to ask how that stimulus money should be spent in ways that will put people back to work, advance our climate goals and build stronger communities.
The Comox Valley Monarch Lions Club donated $600 to Project Watershed as part of its mandate to serve local charitable organizations. The funds will be applied to the on-going land purchase for Kus-kus-sum.
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.
This year is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. It started in 1970 amid Vietnam war protests and scary, diverse and numerous environmental issues in the USA. As the environmental movement grew, so did the general public’s desire for change. Earth Day was first celebrated in Canada by a small yet influential group in 1990, leading to the establishment of Earth Day Canada (EDC), a national environmental charity which overlooks Earth Day events and supports Canadians in celebrating the largest environmental event worldwide across 196 countries.
If you haven’t already seen it, CBC did a radio interview and a post about our Kus-kus-sum project. Thank you, CBC! We’d also like to acknowledge the importance of the collaboration of the City of Courtenay and K’ómoks First Nation in moving toward our vision for this spot!
Some of you may be asking what effect COVID-19 will have on the Kus-kus-sum project. Even though we do not know the full extent of the effects of this pandemic, we remain committed to unpaving paradise at Kus-kus-sum and confident of success.