Ẁaẁaƛ/Seymour Estuary Conservancy
Ẁaẁaƛ/Seymour Estuary Conservancy is located on the South-Central Coast in the traditional territory of the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Nations. The conservancy was created in 2007 and covers 326 hectares.
Ẁaẁaƛ/Seymour Estuary Conservancy is a protected area located on BC’s South-Central Coast.
Ẁaẁaƛ/Seymour Estuary Conservancy
The Ẁaẁaƛ/Seymour Estuary Conservancy is a former village site of the Gwa’sala-’Nakwaxda’xw First Nation. The conservancy protects Gwa’sala-‘Nakwada’xw culturally significant sites and traditional use areas, including a former Ẁaẁaƛ village site, seasonal resource harvesting area, salmon fishing and processing sites, and estuarine gardens cultivated by ‘Nakwaxda’xw families.
Ẁaẁaƛ was one of many village sites that provided key food, trade and sustenance resources for the entire Gwa’sala-’Nakwaxda’xw community. These resources were used for survival during the winter, for trade, and for participation in potlatch ceremonies. The clans were responsible for harvesting different resources in specific areas within the territory during different seasons.
The conservancy protects a major coastal estuary and associated wetlands. Estuaries are among the most productive of all ecosystems, supporting large populations of fish and wildlife in a small area. Offering a diversity of food sources and habitats, estuaries are used by approximately 80% of coastal wildlife species at some point in their life cycles. Estuaries are naturally rare ecosystems, comprising less than 3% of British Columbia’s coastline. Ẁaẁaƛ/Seymour Estuary Conservancy makes an important contribution to the representation of B.C.’s coastal estuaries in the provincial protected area system.
Overview provided by BC Parks