Eelgrass Anyone?

Historical evidence indicates that there was once a very healthy bed of eelgrass in Mill Bay. Due to a mill and log booms, the eelgrass has dwindled over time. Seachange is working hard with coastal communities to restore damaged or lost eelgrass habitat and saw our site as a potentially successful replant. On a sunny afternoon in September, a group of keen Brentwood students helped to begin the process of restoration of this important sea grass.  Students were first educated on the importance of eelgrass then two divers collected eelgrass from the Mill Bay site and brought them up to the shore. The students were then instructed on how to prepare harvested shoots for replanting. We tied the roots of about 600 eelgrass shoots to metal plates with twist ties. This ensures that the washers are placed into the substrate and will hold the roots in place during currents and other water disturbances. The metal also adds important chemicals into the marine ecosystem.  These prepared roots were then taken by the divers and planted in an area near the original site. The eelgrass will hopefully take root over the winter.  The BEAT hopes that initiatives like this will help our marine ecosystems continue to be healthy. Crabs and other aquatic organisms will soon migrate into their newly established three-dimensional home.  Thank you so much to all the volunteers who offered their labour and boats and support freely, and to the funders (Environment Canada, Recreational Fisheries Conservation Community Program, Sidney Anglers and the Pacific Salmon Foundation). Sites for other transplants have included the communities of Sechelt, Squamish, Brentwood Bay, Salt Spring, Pender and Gabriola Islands and Cowichan Bay. Khalil ES, Rogers ’14 & Ms. Richardson