By Anne Parkinson, Published in The Driftwood, June 2, 2021
https://pages.pagesuite.com/0/6/063f2a15-9d0f-4e1c-b29a-300a404f38e2/page.pdf
“…in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth.” Rachel Carson
How true this phrase is when exploring the coastline around xʷənen̕əč, Salt Spring Island. From rock to sand to shell, shallow bays to steep cliffs and many streams cutting into the intertidal, Salt Spring has 183 km of coastline telling the tales of glaciers up to 2 km thick carving the shape of the island, lifting and lowering the land and ocean over millions of years. First Nations put their hands to work for thousands of years shaping the shoreline – lining up rocks into clam gardens, clearing canoe launches and creating middens. Today this shoreline has been a relief to many of us during the past year of pandemic living – a place to explore, plenty of room for all, full of peaceful energy surrounded by the Salish Sea.
Time to celebrate! June is UN World Ocean Month (including June 8 designated World Ocean Day). Here is a summary of the issues and what we can do to celebrate.
Our Superhero
Some wonder why we call our planet earth when 70% of its surface is ocean. The salt waters of the earth absorb over 90% of the heat and approximately 30% of carbon dioxide emissions produced by human activities, distributing heat across the globe, regulating temperature and weather. The oceans are our rain cycle, food, recreation and they stitch land and freshwater together into one whole earth. The Salish Sea is a spectacular bioregion of inland marine waterways of British Columbia and Washington State, a myriad of watersheds, 419 islands and 8 million people. But even superheroes struggle sometimes. The Salish Sea needs help … a lot of help … now.
CLIMATE. EMERGENCY. DECLARED. THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE!
The Deep, Dark Side
There is a storm raging in the Salish Sea. For-profit resource extractors are removing populations one by one … going, going … herring, rockfish, salmon, orca … gone … Stellar sea cow, sea otter, forage fish (eulachons, anchovies, sardines), eelgrass and kelp beds. Freighters anchor and scar the bottom, leaking oil, invasive species, and noise throughout. Every day, humans add more effluent, plastics, lost fishnets, derelicts, private docks, and breakwaters. The oceans work hard to absorb the CO2 from fossil fuels that humans dig up and burn, but can’t keep up and are becoming more acidic.
Rays of Light
A tsunami of non-profits, citizen science and education groups are working around the clock to sound the alarm. Literally hundreds are based in the Salish Sea, throwing lifelines across borders in unprecedented transboundary cooperation. From Friends of Cortes Island to the University of Washington report State of the Salish Sea, from Discovery Aquarium in Campbell River (re-opening on World Ocean Day) to the Mosquito Fleet kayaktivists blocking oil tankers, the wave of energy is impressive. Some whale populations are rebuilding, marine protected areas and parks are established, and threatened species such as the rockfish are being protected in conservation areas. Federal governments on both sides of the border are researching, listening and acting – slowly. The Tribal Canoe Journey traverses the length of the Salish Sea each year, affirming the deep connection First Nations have with this spectacular bioregion through their ancestral highway. The Salish Sea Marine Trail for non-motorized ‘blue’ travel loops 27 km from Victoria to Jericho Beach. On Salt Spring Island, both the Salt Spring Marina and Sailing Club are voluntarily achieving eco-certification in the Georgia Strait Alliance Clean Marine BC program, including no longer using uncontained EPS (styrofoam) flotation. Schools are participating with SeaAquaria to learn about local flora and fauna in classroom aquaria giving the next generation better knowledge of the environment they see every day.
How We Can Celebrate World Ocean Day June 8
Although Salt Spring Island is but a drop in the total area of the Salish Sea (180 km2 vs 118,000 km2), there is still so much we can do to celebrate, enjoy and ensure the healthiest marine waters possible. For the love of the Salish Sea, here are some steps to contemplate:
- Live Blue. Take every little and big step to lower your carbon footprint. Monitor how you move about, consume, shelter and interact with your environment. Every impact we make on land and freshwater increases the weight on the Salish Sea. Join the circular economy.
- Participate. Learn about local efforts to mitigate and adapt to Climate Change. Join Transition Salt Spring and review the Climate Action Plan. Read the State of the Salish Sea report. Sign petitions and contact our MPs, MLAs and Islands Trust folks about issues of concern.
- Donate. Support organizations in the Salish Sea working towards ensuring long-term health. Some notables are West Coast Environmental Law, Georgia Strait Alliance (June is Orca Month!), Raincoast Conservation Foundation. Help protect the Fraser River that feeds the Salish Sea. Support your neighbours – International, First Nations, Washington State, your Emergency POD, those on your street.
- Adopt. Visit your favourite corner of the Salish Sea regularly in whatever way you can. Breathe. Enjoy a lungful of clean air generated by the Salish Sea and surrounding forests. Take a bag and pick up trash. Join a clean-up day put on by the Dead Boat Disposal Society. Be the eyes and ears of a guardian angel – report infractions.
On June 8, take a moment to send some love to the Salish Sea. Give future generations the gift of walking the shoreline of Salt Spring Island so they too may understand that in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth.
Anne Parkinson
Transition Salt Spring Marine Stewardship Group
info@transitionsaltspring.com
UN World Ocean Day www.worldoceanday.org
Send photos of your day loving the Salish Sea #worldoceanday and fb
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SALISH SEA FACTS
https://www.seadocsociety.org/about-the-salish-sea
- Coastline length, including islands: 7,470 km
- Total number of islands: 419
- Total land area of islands: 3,660 square kilometres
- Sea surface area: 16,925 square kilometres
- Maximum depth: 650 meters
- Total population: more than 8 million.
- Number of different marine animals species estimated: 37 species of mammals, 172 species of birds, 253 species of fish, and more than 3,000 species of invertebrates (See Gaydos & Pearson 2011 and Brown and Gaydos, 2011.)
- Number of species listed as threatened, endangered or are candidates for listing: 113 (See Brown and Gaydos, 2011.)
- Check out some of the biggest and oldest species in the Salish Sea