Cedar Coast Field Station

As you read this StoryMap, remember that Reconciliation awareness and efforts have only just begun and there is much work for Canadians to do. A small part of this work includes the protection of Indigenous languages. As an organization operating within Indigenous territories and as part of the work in progress, we have incorporated Nuu-chah-nulth place names and animals names wherever possible. The names are in the Nuu-chah-nulth alphabet (IPA), and include an ‘easy speak’ pronunciations guide in brackets ().  

*Clayoquot Sound: The territories of the Hesquiaht, Ahousaht, and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations encompass Clayoquot Sound. The name Clayoqout itself is an anglicization of the name ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht).  This is because the first European and Japanese settlers in the area were hosted by Tla-o-qui-aht, where there was a community called Clayoquot. Č̓ač̓atic (Cha-cha-tits), the island that the trade post and settler community were located on became known to them as Clayoquot Island /Stubbs Island. The settler town of Tofino evolved out of this Clayoquot settlement and trade post. Č̓ač̓atic (Cha-cha-tits)/ Clayoquot Island /Stubbs Island was not uninhabited previous to this, but was an offshoot of the large Tla-o-qui-aht village site at Opitsaht, on Wanačas Hiłḥuuʔis (Wa-na-chas-Hilth-huu-is)/Meares Island across the water.

**Vargas Island: the island in Ahousaht Territory known colonially as Vargas Island, named after colonizer of Diego de Vargas who executed many Pueblo warriors and sent their families (about 400 women and children) into slavery to serve the Spanish. He colonized in New Mexico and Arizona, following colonizer Onate who forced servitude and mandated that Indigenous men over the age of 25 have a foot cut off. The name Vargas Island does not serve reconciliation.

When Cedar Coast first opened its doors in 2017, it was the newest member of a coastal community already rich in environmental conservation history and local indigenous and non-indigenous stewardship of the land. 

A number of conservation organizations already existed within Clayoquot Sound*, each specializing in their own niche of research, education, activism, and/or restoration. 

So what would be the role of Cedar Coast? How could we contribute to the scientific community in a meaningful way? 

In its own time, Cedar Coast has carved out a specific area of ecological monitoring within Clayoquot Sound* through our staff’s expertise and collaboration with First Nations rights holders and governments, Canadian local & federal organizations, Canadian governments and their stakeholders in the traditional territories of the Ahousaht & Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations.

By building relationships and continuing to work alongside local community members, CCFS has become a scientific resource within Clayoquot Sound*, conducting objective research and providing publicly available data.

An overview of past and present contributions

Qasqiip. (qas-qiip) Monitoring with SIMRS: 2019 & 2020

In the summers of 2019 and 2020, Cedar Coast monitored Qasqiip. (qas-qiip) (Sea Stars) in collaboration with Strawberry Isle Marine Research Station. Our surveys contributed to monitoring the return of Sunflower and Ochre Stars within Clayoquot Sound*. Sunflower Stars are listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation in Nature) as their global population has not recovered after Sea Star Wasting Disease moved through their entire range beginning in 2013. Over 99% of the Sunflower Stars were wiped out in some areas.

During the two summers we particiapted in the project, researchers from Cedar Coast surveyed two sites near our field station using kayaks. Any visible Qasqiip. (qas-qiip) (Sea Stars) were measured and checked for signs of wasting disease. Data collected by organizations in Clayoquot Sound* contributes to Sea Star Wasting Disease research compiled at the University of California Santa Cruz, USA. It is highly important that we monitor this population as further loss of this marine predator could lead to major ecosystem changes.

Qʷayac̓iik. (qwa-ya-tsiik) Monitoring with Parks Canada: 2019-Present

It is no secret that Vargas Island** is home to a small population of Qʷayac̓iik. (qwa-ya-tsiik) (coastal wolves). Though we do not flaunt their existence, people have been arriving on the island for years to photograph their unique and admired way of life. We are honoured to share this place with them and adapt the ways in which we live in order to peacefully coexist with one another. In 2017, we set up the first wildlife camera on our property. Our intention was to learn more about the Qʷayac̓iik. (qwa-ya-tsiik) (coastal wolves) population inhabiting the island without causing discomfort or confrontation. Three years later and a few more wildlife cameras in place, Cedar Coast has collaborated with Parks Canada, BC Parks, The Nature Conservancy of Canada, Maaqtusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society, and the Wildlife Restoration Ecology Lab (University of Northern British Columbia) to try and understand how the island's wolves connect with those of Clayoquot Sound*.

To learn more about the wolf monitoring taking place in Clayoquot Sound*, visit Parks Canada’s “ Wild About Wolves ” Research Project website.

Juvenile Suuḥa (suu-ha) Early Marine Survival with DFO: 2020-Present

Suuḥa (suu-ha) (Chinook salmon) within Clayoquot Sound* are in severe decline and there are many people investigating why that is. A lot of effort goes into understanding the lives of adult fish, but most of this research is focused on stages when salmon are out at sea or in the river. Very little is known about what happens to a juvenile salmon once it leaves the river, but before it heads out to the open ocean. Where do these salmon go? How close to their home streams do they stay? Are they healthy? 

In 2019, we began a partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and in conjunction with Uu-a-thluk Fisheries, Ha'oom Fisheries, Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society, and others to start answering some of these questions. Four times a month between October and March, we go by boat and catch juvenile Suuḥa (suu-ha) (Chinook salmon) using a method called trolling, with equipment used by recreational anglers for catching small fish. Once we catch a fish, we take a small tissue sample before releasing it alive back into the water.

Analyzing this small sample can give us an insight into the lives of one-year-old salmon, and help us to begin understanding what threats they face, and how we can help mitigate these problems in order to slow down this decline of Suuḥa (suu-ha) (Chinook salmon).

Hakai Integrated Coastal Observatory: 2019 & 2020

This is one of our collaborative projects where Cedar Coast is one of 15 partner organizations that collects & contributes data to the Hakai Institute’s Integrated Coastal Observatory (ICO) program.

The aim of their project is to monitor marine diversity by using environmental DNA, known as eDNA. These samples are taken by collecting seawater. 

We might not realize it, but animals, plants, and humans all naturally slough off cells. Since each species has their own distinct DNA sequences, it is possible to detect species that were recently present in the water.

During the two years we participated in the project, Cedar Coast staff would collect seawater once a month & follow Hakai’s methodology of isolating the eDNA, then ship it to Quadra Island for analysis.

Ultimately this work is important to help us measure ecosystem health and track the impacts of climate change and other disturbances in marine biodiversity over time.

An overview of past and present projects

Juvenile Suuḥa (suu-ha) Sea Lice Monitoring: 2018-Present

Since 2018, Cedar Coast has been monitoring juvenile Suuḥa (suu-ha) (salmon) in Clayoquot Sound* to assess their external health and abundance as they migrate through the marine corridors of our region. A prominent threat to Clayoquot Sound* Suuḥa (suu-ha) (salmon) is high sea louse abundances from fish farms in the area. Due to management faults since 2017, salmon farms in the region have had issues controlling sea lice abundance on farm, impacting wild out-migrating juvenile Suuḥa (suu-ha) (salmon).

Each week between March and June, Cedar Coast researchers capture juvenile Hinik̓uuʔas (hi-ni-kuu-as) (Chum salmon) and Suuḥa (suu-ha) (Chinook salmon) using a seine net. Each fish is measured and examined for lice infestations and other health markers. Each fish is then released back into the marine environment. 

Each year we are expanding our juvenile salmon monitoring and collaborating with other community organizations to broaden our understanding of the distribution, health, and abundance of these fish.

Counting Hinik̓uuʔas (hi-ni-kuu-as) with Drones: 2020-2022

As of August 2020, we started a research project to test the efficacy of remotely piloted aircraft systems (drones) to count Hinik̓uuʔas (hi-ni-kuu-as) (Chum salmon) while they spawn in-river. Hinik̓uuʔas (hi-ni-kuu-as) (Chum salmon) salmon are ecologically, commercially and socially important but do not receive the same attention as other Pacific salmon species. This means many Hinik̓uuʔas (hi-ni-kuu-as) (Chum salmon) runs go either uncounted or are only counted during the peak spawn of target species, like Suuḥa (suu-ha) (Chinook salmon) or miʕaat (mi-aat) (Sockeye salmon). Due to past funding restrictions, less salmon rivers are counted than ever before, leaving gaps in our understanding of salmon populations.

Are the salmon stocks doing well this year? Are they being impacted by a specific threat?

If we do not have the basic information of how many salmon are returning each year we cannot further assess how they are doing. We are looking at the potential for drones to offer an efficient, cost effective and data rich way to count Hinik̓uuʔas (hi-ni-kuu-as) (Chum salmon) salmon.

Suuḥa (suu-ha) Population Analysis: 2021

This next project does not include any fieldwork….just a lot of working with data!

Suuḥa (suu-ha) (salmon) populations on the West Coast of Vancouver Island are at, or near, historically low levels. And hatchery fish make up a large component of the returning populations. 

Counting efforts have declined, and currently Suuḥa (suu-ha) (salmon) stocks are assessed by large geographic regions opposed to individual salmon-bearing rivers. 

We wanted to find out and understand the current state of Suuḥa (suu-ha) (salmon) in our watersheds.

Over the past two years we have collaborated with the Salmon Coast Field Station and used their assessment framework to develop stream-level population assessments for all salmon species in the territories of the Hesquiaht, Ahousaht, and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations (Clayoquot Sound) and the entire West Coast of Vancouver Island. 

Understanding the status of individual salmon populations can lead to better management of and policies to protect wild salmon.

Restoration of Husmin (kelp) has been put forth as a resolution for losses due to climate change. Knowing the distribution of the different species of Husmin (kelp) would have the additional benefit of giving restoration initiatives an understanding of which populations need to be banked and restored.

Not all of the learning opportunities for groups at Cedar Coast are connected with a research project. Visitors to the island also get the opportunity to give free reign to their curiosity and interest. The following education projects encourage communication, connection to place, and an overall understanding that one’s actions within any ecosystem matter.

Cedar Coast Field Station respectfully acknowledges that we are located and work within the traditional unceded territories of the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations.

Cedar Coast Field Station is an independent, not-for-profit society with a mission to preserve ecological health through place-based research and education that celebrates the cultural and biological diversity of Clayoquot Sound.

For more information please visit our   website  .

All Cedar Coast Field Station projects and programs would not be possible without the support from our collaborators, donors, and community. This StoryMap was made possible by funding through the NSERC PromoScience program in partnership with Royal Roads University, and West Coast NEST, a program of the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust.

To view the entire NSERC PromoScience StoryMap Catalogue, visit the website  here .