April 26, 2010 - 7:20am
Students, academics and professionals interested in
research and management of ecosystems in regions where rivers meet the Pacific
Coast of North America are gathering at Vancouver Island University April 29 to
May 1.
The 33rd Annual Pacific Estuarine Research
Society (PERS) Conference will explore past and
present human interactions within the estuarine environments of the Salish Sea
and beyond.
“This
is an academic and professionally focused conference, with graduate and
undergrad students among the presenters on research ranging from the
practicalities of planting eel grass to the impacts of climate change on
fragile estuarine environments,” said Pamela Shaw, a Geography Professor at VIU
and one of the conference organizers.
The conference, entitled Sustainable use of Estuarine
Environments, begins Thursday with keynote speakers Dee Cullon,
an instructor in VIU’s Anthropology Department, and Heather Pratt, of Baseline Archaeological Services
Ltd. in Comox. They will describe
their research into the Nanaimo River Estuary which has played an important
role in supporting First Nations settlement for thousands of years.
Their two-year research project on
behalf of the Snuneymuxw First Nation was the first comprehensive survey of the
Nanaimo River Estuary. Together, they and their crew recorded numerous, newly
documented, archaeological sites including one feature with more than 1,000
wooden stakes used in fish weirs – a traditional method of catching fish.
Friday’s keynote speaker Neil Dawe will
outline environmental problems surrounding estuaries. In the synopsis of his
presentation, the Vancouver Island biologist writes that he “will offer an
explanation as to why, despite concerted efforts by dedicated conservationists,
ecologists, and biologists around the world to reduce these environmental
impacts, many ecosystems and their biodiversity continue on a downward spiral.”
“I suggest it’s because most of
our efforts, to date, have focused on the myriad symptoms of environmental
degradation rather than the root cause: economic growth and its fundamental
conflict with biodiversity conservation.”
Dawe, retired from the Canadian
Wildlife Service and now president of the Qualicum Institute, is an advocate of
a sustainable, steady state economy to protect the environment.
Conference themes include First
Nations interactions with estuarine environments, restoration of estuarine
environments, food systems, ongoing Salish Sea research initiatives, ecosystem
function, including shellfish and eelgrass, governance, including regulatory
frameworks and management tools, and estuary and water stewardship.
Sponsored by VIU’s Institute for
Coastal Research, Centre for Shellfish Research and Geography Department as
well as the BC Conservation Foundation and Department of Fisheries and Oceans,
the conference is expected to attract between 80 and 100 delegates from
BC, Washington State, Oregon and Mississippi.
-30-
For more information, visit pers-erf.org
or contact: VIU Geography Professor Pamela Shaw 250-753-3245 (Local 2620),
email Pam.Shaw@viu.ca
Tags: In the Community
