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.