The SCCA is very pleased to announce receipt of a $2330 grant from the Sunshine Coast Regional District for completion of the Eelgrass mapping project.
Eelgrass beds are crucial rearing and feeding grounds for a myriad of marine species, including salmonids as they migrate from the rivers to the sea environment.
Dianne Sanford, local educator, started mapping eelgrass beds on the Sunshine Coast in 2001. In 2006 she covered the area from Port Stalashen to the pier in Roberts Creek, and under this new grant she and other volunteers will continue mapping eelgrass bed locations and polygons from the Roberts Creek pier east to Bonniebrook.
Mapping of this habitat is important for future planning decisions, since foreshore development can directly affect the eelgrass beds just offshore. Data will be entered on the Community Mapping Network website and maps will be freely available for public and government reference.
Dianne Sanford specializes in working with groups from kindergarten to seniors. She graduated from the BCIT Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program and studied Environmental Conservation at Lethbridge College, Alberta. She does environmental education for the general public and the local school district, under the aegis of her own company, Moonstone Enterprise. She is also a Streamkeepers trainer and facilitator for Wild BC Environmental Education programs.