Protect Roberts Creek Watershed
A very beat up male chum in xwesam/stelk’aya (Roberts Creek) at the end of days – a real example of tenacious, resolve and strength! What we are standing up to protect!! #SaveOurSalmon
Video Credit: Dolf Vermeulin
Hello everyone:
SC Streamkeepers wants to let you know that here on the Sunshine Coast, plans and decisions are being made by BCTS that will affect important ecosystems and this needs our attention. One of those is the wild salmon of xwesam (Roberts Creek)!
BCTS still has extremely sensitive areas of forest in the headwaters of Roberts Creek on the auction schedule for next year.
SC Streamkeepers have been researching the planned harvest plans and believe that removing 38.4 hectares of forest will cause changes to the hydrology of xwesam (Roberts Creek) that could adversely affect the wild salmon habitat in the lower reaches.
We are letting you know about an important ACTION that we are hoping you could do!:
SC Streamkeepers Society launched “Protect xwesam/stelk’aya (Roberts Creek) Wild Salmon” postcard campaign at ROBERTS CREEK at Earth Day on Sunday, April 27, 2025!
These are the four postcards we launched!
Original Artwork by Kelly Paddock, Secretary, SC Streamkeepers Society
WHAT IS THE THREAT?
The xwesam/stelk’aya (Roberts Creek) Wild Salmon are under threat from logging in the headwaters of the creek. It is important to realize that xwesam (Roberts Creek) has the last significant and wholly wild salmon run on the southern Sunshine Coast. It is precious!
BC Timbers Sales (BCTS) has proposed logging three cut blocks (#A94817) that would mean 35.8 hectares of valuable forest gone in the headwaters of xwesam (Roberts Creek) The anticipated auction date is in 2026.
WHAT DO WE WANT?
The Sunshine Coast Streamkeepers Society (SCSS) oppose logging in the xwesam (Roberts Creek) watershed. We want BCTS to reconsider logging our watershed as the risks identified in the Polar Geoscience Watershed Assessment report (2023) are too great for Roberts Creek wild salmon. The full effects of climate change that includes the increasing number of unprecedented weather events are not known. A comprehensive study needs to be done with new forestry legislation that considers new scientific research.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
- Removing trees will affect slope stability due to loss of the extensive root systems.
- Erosion of creek banks causes silt and mud to enter the creek. This is a death sentence to salmon redds (nests) in the lower reaches of creek.
- Removing forest canopy can increase the temperature of the water, which cannot exceed 19C before fish mortality. (See Dr. Alila, UBC Professor, Research papers and articles on reverse side.)
- The lower reaches of the stream are vital for spawning and rearing salmon. Many vital salmon habitats have already suffered severe and harmful alteration through the “death by a thousand cuts” from modern urban growth, industrial activities, and climate change.
- The diverse DNA of the wild salmon of Roberts Creek must be preserved since it will enable them to make necessary adaptations to survive the challenges of climate change.
The world we now live in is substantially different due to climate change. Therefore, the status quo of “business as usual” is over. We must consider what harsh new reality will result if we disturb a healthy, fully functioning eco-system. Also, Roberts Creek provides a wildlife corridor for thousands of tiny to big living creatures, from invertebrates to black bears and wild salmon, a keystone species.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Since we need a coordinated effort to help preserve our precious salmon, we are asking the Sunshine Coast community to join our “Protect Roberts Creek Wild Salmon” campaign through the following actions:
- Send postcards to government decision makers at all levels.(Address list included with postcards).
- Follow up with an email that expands on the details of your concerns. Reference cut block #A94817
- Telephone to check that postcard and email were received.
- Watch our website and/or add your name to our email list for next steps! THANK YOU!!
PLEASE JOIN US TO HELP PROTECT WILD SALMON AND ADVOCATE FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL CREEK!
In Solidarity, Sunshine Coast Streamkeeperssunshinecoaststreamkeepers.com
Articles, research and Public Comment Links! Thank you for speaking up for salmon!
Links to BCTS maps and the full Polar Geoscience Watershed Assessments including Roberts Creek & Stephens Creek 2023 can be found below.
More in-depth research by a well-recognized hydrologist, Dr Younes Alila, UBC Professor, Department of Forestry Resources Management https://forestry.ubc.ca/faculty-profile/younes-alila/
UBC researchers advocate for sustainable logging to safeguard against global flood risks https://news.ubc.ca/2024/01/sustainable-logging-advocacy-flood-risks/
Clearcut logging leads to more frequent flooding, including extreme floods – UBC News, Aug 2, 2023 https://news.ubc.ca/2023/08/clearcut-logging-leads-to-more-frequent-flooding-including-extreme-floods/
UBC research blames bigger floods on clear-cutting, calls for more selective logging – CTV News, Aug 3, 2022 https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/ubc-research-blames-bgger-floods-on-clear-cutting-calls-for-more-selective-logging/
Nonstationary stochastic paired watershed approach: Investigating Forest harvesting effects on floods in two large, nested, and snow-dominated watersheds in British Columbia, Canada – Journal of Hydrology, 2023 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022169423009125?via%3Dihub
B.C. timber industry in throes of change, as premier warns of ‘exhausted forests’ – CBC News, Dec 26, 2022 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-timber-industry-change-exhausted-forests-1.6693769
Science of forests and floods: The quantum leap forward needed, literally and metaphorically – Science of Total Environment, 2023
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723082761
Helpful resources:
The link to find Polar reports
BCTS website for maps and reports HERE For ROBERTS CREEK reports, please go to CHINOOK link.
BCTS 5-year Operating Plan Map of Sunshine Coast Natural Resource District
BCTS Chinook Business Area Watershed Assessment Report – Roberts Creek and Stephens Creek Watershed Assessment: Phases ! & 2 (Volume 1) – Dec. 2023
BCTS Roberts Creek and Stephens Creek Watershed Assessment: Phase 3 – Dec. 2023
Mt. Elphinstone South Watershed Assessment April 6, 2023
Peer Review of Mt. Elphinstone South Watershed Assessment August 23, 2023 by Dr. Younes Alila – Aug 21, 2023
Ministry of Environment – Fisheries Sensitive Watersheds
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Here is an example of an email you could write!
To Whom It May Concern:
I oppose logging in the cut block #A94817 in the watershed of xwesam/stelk’aya (Roberts Creek). We want BCTS to stop logging in our watershed as the risks identified in the Polar Geoscience Watershed Assessment report (2023) are too great for Roberts Creek wild salmon. The full effects of climate change that includes the increasing number of unprecedented weather events are not known. A comprehensive study needs to be done with new forestry legislation that considers new scientific research.
· Removing trees will affect slope stability due to loss of the extensive root systems.
· Erosion of creek banks causes silt and mud to enter the creek. This is a death sentence to salmon redds (nests) in the lower reaches of the creek.
· Removing forest canopy can increase the temperature of the water, which cannot exceed 19C before fish mortality.
· The lower reaches of the stream are vital for spawning and rearing salmon. Many vital salmon habitats have already suffered severe and harmful alteration through the “death by a thousand cuts” from modern urban growth, industrial activities, and climate change.
· The diverse DNA of the wild salmon of Roberts Creek must be preserved since it will enable them to make necessary adaptations to survive the challenges of climate change.
The world we now live in is substantially different due to climate change. Therefore, the status quo of “business as usual” is over. We must consider what harsh new reality will result if we disturb a healthy, fully functioning ecosystem. Also, Roberts Creek provides a wildlife corridor for thousands of tiny to big living creatures, from invertebrates to black bears and wild salmon, a keystone species.
I call on BCTS to:
Cancel all logging in salmon-bearing watersheds and aquifer recharge zones.
No timber sales should proceed until a comprehensive, science-based plan is in place with community consent.
Sincerely,
(YOUR NAME and ADDRESS)
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If you want to get a package of postcards with original water colour art, please send an email to: scstreamkeepers@gmail.com
Thank you for speaking up for wild salmon!
We will also be at Roberts Creek Daze on August 10, 2025 – drop by to see us and get your postcards!