Some days, Monday for instance, are bordering on hopeless. Some days, not so much.
One Cool Island — Freshwater is Life: Reconciliation and Restoring Island Wetlands
The Burgoyne watershed — now known by its original Cowichan name, Xwaaqw’um — is one of the only places on the island where an entire stream system is protected parkland. Despite the changes wrought by early loggers and farmers, the valley’s waterways continue to provide homes for trout, salamanders, tree frogs, iridescent swallows and great blue herons. So, when the opportunity arose to use her expertise in wetlands restoration as part of a larger ecological and cultural revitalization in the park, Annschild jumped at the chance.
In 2019, a partnership sprang up between BC Wildlife Federation, BC Parks and Stqeeye’ Learning Society, which leads an ecosystem and education project at Xwaaqw’um in collaboration with Cowichan Nation.
As a focus for cultural “re-presencing” and a return to Indigenous land management practices, we can see Xwaaqw’um as a microcosm of the shifting human geography of British Columbia. Countless generations of Indigenous stewardship delivered thriving biodiversity. That balance altered when settlers brought land-use patterns centred around field agriculture and deforested pasture-land. Yet, the Xwaaqw’um watershed provides an example of the resilience and adaptability of species. Despite being crisscrossed by eight logging roads, streams in the watershed still have coastal cutthroat trout and coho salmon running through them.
Guess what else they have? Go ahead, guess.
Annschild’s work is informed first by developing an understanding of the disturbance history of a site. According to Annschild, the surprising, single most significant hydrological modification at Xwaaqw’um was the near-total eradication of beavers from the landscape. She remarks, “The presence of beaver in streams not only allows streams to flow year-round but buffers those streams against drought and wildfire.”
“Settlers in B.C. came after beaver populations had already been decimated; what is fascinating is that there is still active ongoing suppression of beaver in B.C., which is not acknowledged. It’s having a significant impact on our watersheds.”
I so appreciate having the dramatic loss of beavers acknowledged. But I must admit that I for one don’t find their continued suppression “fascinating”?
“When I read about climate change, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the words ‘wetland drainage’ together with ‘wildfires and deforestation,’” says Annschild. “To me, we’re missing an ingredient in those models: we fail to calculate how we’ve already dramatically reduced the resilience of our watersheds.”
Annschild is no fool. Well done.
Oh and happy birthday to this “wildchild” who has been my partner longer than I’ve been alive. And let me just say now the answer to this question is “Yes”.
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