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French Creek Estuary
(Canada)

Region North America

Land and habitat protection

Age of Union has made a gift of $2 million towards a crowdfunding campaign led by BC Parks Foundation to purchase 23 acres of an eagle reserve in a biodiversity-rich estuary. This area, which has been under significant development pressure, is important to thousands of eagles — both migratory and resident — and protects 150-year-old coastal douglas fir and western red cedars, salmon and trout-bearing creeks, and 19 at-risk species.

British Columbia (B.C.) is home to the richest diversity of plants and animals in Canada. It is the country's most biologically diverse province, with 14 ecological zones and a wide range of ecosystems, including coastal rain forests, dry interior grasslands, alpine tundra, and northern boreal forest.

French Creek Estuary

Estuaries are making up roughly 2% of B.C.’s coastline, yet, they are highly productive and diverse, bridging land, and ocean as a place for species to come for food and shelter. They also play a key role against climate change, acting as protective buffers, absorbing floodwaters, and dissipating storm surges.

Located between Qualicum Beach and Parksville on Vancouver Island, the French Creek Estuary is a critical gathering place for thousands of eagles who rely on tall mature trees buffered from human activity to feed on clams dislodged by surf and tides, and other nutrients. It is also the habitat for key at risk species, including herons, marbled murrelets, northern red-legged frogs, western toads, and Townsend big-eared bats, among other wildlife like beavers, owls, and cougars.

Partnership Impact

  • 9.22 ha (22.8 acres) French Creek Estuary Nature Preserve (FCENP) was created, adjacent with the adjacent 0.84 ha Community Drive Community Park managed by the RDN
  • 291 species have been recorded on iNaturalist in the FCENP, including 22 species observed in the French Creek Estuary and immediate surrounding area that are classified as species at risk
  • Protection of 150-year-old coastal Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedars
  • A community driven project with multiple partnerships including indigenous communities
  • Successful finalization of a 10 year management plan for the The French Creek Estuary Nature Preserve (FCENP) co-developed with extensive input from local conservation groups, non-governmental organizations and residents of the Electoral Area.

 

Mission

With the support of Age of Union, BC Parks Foundation and the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) jointly acquired 8.4 ha of land from a developer at French Creek in 2022. BCPF then leased our portion of the property to the RDN for long-term management. Combined with the adjacent 0.84 ha Community Drive Community Park managed by the RDN, the 9.22 ha French Creek Estuary Nature Preserve (FCENP) was created. Under the lease agreement, the RDN is responsible for managing the FCENP as a nature preserve where the protection of its ecological values takes precedence over recreation.

 

Iconic Species

Bold Eagles and Great blue heron nests are being monitored at the French Creek Estuary by dedicated volunteers in a citizen science initiative led by Save Estuary Land Society as part of BC Parks foundation 25×25 conservation target program. Both these species are an excellent indicators of the health of the ecosystem they live in. 

 

Check out all the species recorded at French Creek Estuary on iNaturalist

People () The
change
makers

Denise Foster
Co-founder and Chair, Save Estuary Land Society
Canada

Denise Foster witnessed the power people hold to protect nature at a 1974 protest at Skagit Valley Provincial Park. When a potential development at the French Creek estuary on Vancouver Island threatened the Bald eagle habitat, she co-founded the Save Estuary Land Society and mobilized the greater community to protect it. With a background in human kinetics, Denise admits she isn’t the usual face of conservation but believes anyone with determination and passion can make a difference.

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