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An Estuary Ecology Experience
The Environmental Science 11 class travelled to the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre in Cowichan Bay on Tuesday, April 9, to get a first-hand look at a significant and sensitive ecosystem as part of their wetland ecology unit.
“The focus of this field trip was on human impacts to the estuary, and using quadrats to investigate the estuary,” science teacher Ms. Alexandra Ballantyne explained. “A main focus of the quadrat study was to identify species living in the tidal zone and to compare invasive and non-invasive species. We primarily looked at varnish clams and the potential threat of European green crabs.”
A quadrat is a frame used in ecology and other sciences to isolate a standard unit of area (a square metre, for example) for study of the distribution over a large area (such as a square kilometre).
The Cowichan Estuary is a 400-hectare ecosystem located where the Cowichan and Koksilah rivers empty into Cowichan Bay (part of the larger Salish Sea), creating a hotbed for biological diversity as the fresh water mixes with salt water. It is home to an abundance of marine life, from fish and invertebrates to seals and sea lions, and a colony of hundreds of great blue herons.
The program the Shawnigan students attended at the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre is dedicated to understanding how we can study things in nature that we can’t directly observe. Students learned about the natural and human history of the estuary and the ecological importance of estuaries in general, then applied their knowledge in an outdoor classroom setting.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
