On June 8th, local Cowichan Bay residents became aware of a project set to flood 100 hectares of fertile farmland by removing the dikes which protect it.
We had the opportunity to engage with Jack Mcleod, founder of Land Keepers Society, who explains his viewpoint on the project, supported by his neighbours.
According to the Land Keepers Society, the farmland which will be lost is used by local dairy farmers as feed crops. The loss of this land will have a devastating trickle-down effect on multiple family-run farms. Now, pending the removal of the dike, residents are starting to express their concern about what may happen upriver and across Cowichan Bay road once the ocean water is allowed to spill onto their land.
The Land Keepers Society is hosting a Town Hall at the Cowichan Station Hub, August 14th between 7PM and 9PM. Everyone is encouraged to come with concerns, thoughts, and feedback.
The Cowichan Station Hub is located at 2375 Koksilah Rd, Duncan.
You can support Jack and the Land Keepers Society at www.landkeeperssociety.com
The official project can be found via https://www.estuaryresilience.ca/cowichan-estuary-restoration-project/
Watch the video with Jack Mcleod, of the Land Keepers Society.
The above photo shows Dinsdale Farm. The green area on the left is where the dike will be removed, flooding the area.
The area on the left is the existing land protected by the dike. According to locals, the area to the right was flooded years ago after the dike failed. It’s presumable that the lush-green area on the left will be replaced by something similar when/if the land is flooded.
Keep the area of Disdale Farm as farmland! You will not return it to its “natural” state by removing the dikes, and the area will never be “restored” to its original state.
A how to on creating food insecurity and environmental degradation through short sighted ‘climate’ policy. Well done, Cowichan city mayor and council!
A how to on creating food insecurity!!! What are you talking about. Follow the Indigenous way…. When the tide is out the table is set. Don’t be so narrow minded.
The UNs climate policies are destroying farmlands across the globe, don’t follow in their footsteps.
stop them people from Destroying farmers n land VOTE them OUT THX