Somenos Marsh

Wildlife Society

Stewards of the S’amunu|Somenos Watershed

 
 

 Video footage by Andrew (2020)

Thank you for visiting the SMWS site

The Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society (SMWS) is a 35-year-old charitable society made up of people who care deeply about the S’amunu (Somenos) Watershed. This biodiversity-rich watershed is the traditional home of the Quw’utsun People, a nursery for salmon, a resting place and winter home for migratory waterfowl, and a sanctuary for many other endangered and common species. The work of the SMWS is both restorative and educational. Our GreenStreams Project is about restoring the watershed to improve water quality and help bring salmon numbers back to historical levels, as well as complete green corridors from mountain tops to the sea. Our Community Stewardship Program encourages volunteerism and ensures participants are well-informed and safe while volunteering with us. Another element of our work is the stewardship of the S'amunu/Somenos Conservation Area, an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area on the Pacific Migratory Flyway, where we have built wildlife viewing facilities and installed interpretive messaging. We partner with Cowichan Tribes for guidance within our GreenStreams Strategy as well as when we host our annual WildWings Nature & Arts Festival.


 

How can you help?

Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society members provide core funding support for our work and objectives. Membership numbers are also very valuable when advocating for the S’amunu Watershed and, most importantly, a large membership base provides moral support to the volunteers and staff who drive our programs. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit our become a member page.

We have a place in our Community Stewardship Program for every type of skill, or for people just wanting to learn new skills and meet like-minded new people. Volunteer events usually involve some manual labour, from planting native trees to pulling invasive plants, or building things to clipping things. Lunch breaks usually feature a speaker and cookies are sometimes seen. To learn more about the different volunteer opportunities that we offer, please visit our volunteer page.

Donations and in-kind support from individuals and local businesses is critical. Locally raised funds support our contribution to grant applications that require a community investment. These grants support our S’amunu Watershed ecological restoration efforts, as well as our aquatic & terrestrial research work. Donations also provide the materials & services for improvements, repairs, and maintenance of our wildlife viewing infrastructure at the S’amunu Conservation Area. We are a registered charitable society and will provide a charitable tax receipt for all donations. To learn more about the rewards of donating, please visit our donate page.

“My time with them has expanded my appreciation for nature and has inspired me to take up biology in my future studies.” (Teresa Melchior, 2020)


 

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