PKOLS – Mount Douglas Conservancy

Saanich is proposing that the following areas be leash optional for Dogs. To prevent further damage to this area of the park, fencing will be installed to deter off-trail damage and the spread of invasive plants carried on dogs’ fur.

One hundred thirty individuals, including children and elected representatives, gathered today at PKOLS-Mount Douglas for the 24th annual Salmon Carcass Transplant event. After coffee and hot chocolate, Tom Rutherford explained the importance of this keystone species. This was followed by a welcome from Hereditary Chief WEC’KINEM (Eric Pelkey) of SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout), signalling that the public could begin placing salmon carcasses in the creek.

Transplanting salmon carcasses into Douglas Creek simulates the ecological process that occurs naturally in a healthy stream ecosystem when salmon return to their natal creeks to spawn en masse, complete their life cycle, and die, leaving behind carcasses that are highly nutrient-rich. This natural process is how marine nutrients return to terrestrial ecosystems through the breakdown of returning salmon carcasses that have spent years feeding in the Pacific Ocean.

Although Douglas Creek has seen returns of salmon each year since restoration work began, including a record-breaking return in the fall of 2024, the numbers have not (yet!) reached their full potential, so the annual Douglas Creek Salmon Carcass Transplant continues. The transplanted carcasses also attract scavengers such as river otters, raccoons, eagles, and ravens, which help distribute nutrients more widely across PKOLS (Mount Douglas Park), further enriching the ecosystem.

A notable study* published last year by researchers at Simon Fraser University examined the impact of nutrients from salmon carcasses on the growth of native coastal plants. The research showed that wildflowers (including Douglas’ aster, Common red paintbrush, Common yarrow, and Silverweed) in areas where salmon carcasses had been dispersed grew larger leaves and larger flowers, directly benefiting pollinators that depend on these plant species.

Western science is beginning to recognize the insights of Traditional Ecological Knowledge that Coast Salish Nations have held for millennia. These findings underscore the vital connection between marine and terrestrial ecosystems, reminding us that salmon are a keystone species working to bridge the gap between land and sea even after death.cal systems with the creek and park.

*[Dennert, A.M., Elle, E. and Reynolds, J.D. (2023) ‘Experimental addition of marine-derived nutrients affects wildflower traits in a coastal meta-ecosystem’, Royal Society Open Science, 10(1). doi:10.1098/rsos.221008. ]

The authors mapped the degradation of the south end of PKOLS – Mount Douglas during a two-hour walking tour on February 8, 2023. They each estimated that only 30 to 40 percent of this area is in good condition.

Bear notices have been posted at Mt. Douglas Beach and on Churchill Drive, in PKOLS – Mount Douglas Park.

The following article highlights the struggle to be a responsible dog owner.

A journal dedicated to wildlife conservation in the Pacific Region has published the following research about the impact of dog ownership on wildlife. This information is essential to responsible dog owners, who are also concerned about the wildlife in our fragile ecological system. The key findings are that the dogs within waterways or on beaches, even on leash, are disruptive to shore birds, and if they leave any urine or faeces behind, they continue to have a detrimental impact. Responsible dog owners or people considering pets will want to understand these things.

A second article published by the Guardian addresses the need for dog owners to understand their pets’ impact on the environment. Current studies indicate that “the environmental impact of owned dogs is far greater, more insidious, and more concerning than is generally recognized.”

Reference Materials

• Gone to the Dogs Man’s best friend is a shorebird’s worst enemy. What will it take to control beach dogs—and, more importantly, their owners? 
•  FMDPS Holistic Dog Review Request.pdf
• Saanich Pound Report.pdf
• Animal Control Complaint Form
• Dogs as agents of disturbance, study by Weston and Stankowich. (The median distance for flight response of wild animals, including all wildlife in the park, is 100m when walking a dog, on or off leash)
• Role of Pets in Human Disease, HealthLink BC, role of feces and urine in outbreaks of E. Coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Yersinia, Toxoplasma, etc. 
• Understanding the Ecological Impacts of Dogs in Natural Areas. 
• Environmental Protection Tribunal of Canada ruling on dogs of leash in Cadboro Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary.