Goward Springs Watershed Stewards

Working in the Goward Springs Watershed.

1) Who are you?

2) What does your group do?

We are an informal volunteer conservation group working in the Goward Springs Watershed. Since 2013, we partner with the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific (HCP), Vancouver Island Technology Park (VITP) and the Peninsula Stream Society (PSS) to restore riparian habitat for fish and wildlife; and monitor water quality.

3) When does your group meet? Please include board meetings.

Our group meets every second Saturday morning throughout the year to do field work. Planning meetings are held every 4-6 months.

4) What is your geographical jurisdiction with respect to the Colquitz watershed?

Goward Springs Watershed

5) What projects have you accomplished with respect to the Colquitz watershed?

In 2014, we planted over 500 trees in a riparian area identified as a high priority for restoration in the 2009 AquaTex report “Colquitz River Watershed Proper Functioning Condition Assessment”. This report was prepared for the District of Saanich. In this report, the area we are restoring is called Viaduct Reach 2b. As part of the project, we also establishing two forested corridors between the riparian area and adjacent older second growth Douglas fir forests.

6) What are your current projects with respect to the Colquitz watershed?

This year we planted 60 more trees and decided to focus our field work on maintaining these and the 2014 trees through a dry summer; invasive plant removal in healthy patches of older second growth Douglasfir and setting up a water quality monitoring program.

7) How can others participate in your groups’ projects? Are there any requirements?

All are welcome, including those who might not be able or interested in field work. It would be great to have volunteers interested in communication (e.g. setting up a website and facebook page, outreach to community) and researching the natural and human history of the Goward Springs Watershed.

8) How is your group funded?

We receive inkind support from VITP and HCP. For our first restoration project in 2014, we partnered with the Peninsula Stream Society to receive a grant from the Pacific Salmon Foundation and VITP. We also received a SPARK grant from the District of Saanich to purchase tools.