The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) has received $354,960.60 for various projects relating to Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Projects.
The funding comes through Intake #5 of the Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Adaptation grant funding stream. It will be used to undertake risk assessments, install tsunami education signs and undertake a beaver coexistence flood mitigation project for the Kw’as Bay Road area on Cortes Island.
“This grant demonstrates the value of regional collaboration,” said SRD chair, Mark Baker. “Beaver dams and blocked culverts have caused flooding along Kw’as Bay Road on Cortes Island, posing risks to residents and impacting emergency and recreational park access. Aligned with the board's focus on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Adaptation, our project involves installing three pond levellers and a culvert protection fence to mitigate flooding, reduce risks, and restore wetlands to coexist with beavers, a vital keystone species.”
Beaver coexistence techniques such as pond levellers and culvert protection fencing provide non-lethal solutions to beaver management, supporting beaver-maintained wetlands on the landscape. Wetlands provide critical ecosystem services for disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, such as:
- Cleaning and storing water & groundwater recharge
- Mitigating floods and erosional precipitation events
- Sequestering and storing carbon
- Moderating climate extremes (heat waves and droughts)
- Mitigating wildfire
This grant will also fund the following projects:
Risk Assessments:
- Undertake a stability assessment of the slope adjacent to Wickaninnish Road between Gold River Road and Tsa'xana
- Provide Funding to Port McNeill to undertake climate change infrastructure impact assessment.
Education:
- Install Tsunami Evacuation and Boater Safety signs in Ahaminaquus, Ehatis, Holberg, Oclucje, Quatsino, Tahsis, Winter Harbour, Yuquot, and Zeballos.
- Produce a documentary about the Kw'as Bay Road Beaver Coexistence/Flood Mitigation Project.
