Save Muir Creek
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 9:37 pm
Got the message below on an Alpine Club mailing list. There is an organized effort to make Muir Creek a park before it gets clearcut and destroyed. Maybe if Muir Crk became a CRD park access for windsurfing could be improved?
Here's the message:
>Subject: Muir Creek
>
> There is a group of us who are trying to get the lower part of
>Muir Creek saved as a park. Muir Creek (about 15 minutes past Sooke)
>is a salmon stream with a considerable amount of giant old growth
>fir, cedar, Sitka spruce. The area is already being used as a park
>by locals- for hiking, rock-hounding, windsurfing, kayaking. The CRD
>has already shown interest in the idea - they have been sending
>people there for some time now- what they need now is a strong
>show of interest from the public. A 'deluge' of letters would
>apparently be a good thing. They define a 'deluge' as fifty or more.
>I am hoping some [or all!] of you would find time to send letters
>supporting a park, to the addresses below. The letters do not need
>to be long - it is numbers more than content that counts. "I would
>like to see a park at Muir Creek" would do it if you don't feel
>inspired to rave on about otters, eagles, salmon etc.
> If you would like to see the area first, I would be very happy
>to show you around. Just e-mail me and we can set a time.
> Or join me on the New Years hike mentioned
>below. It really is an incredibly beautiful area. There is a
>fairly easy, accessible trail through giant Sitka spruce, near the
>mouth of the creek, and some more challenging hikes further
>upstream. And it even boasts a pretty waterfall.
>
> The 2nd largest yew tree on the big tree registry [a registry
>of the ten largest trees of each species in B.C.] is on Muir Creek,
>and a couple of the
>Sitka spruce may qualify for the registry. Some of the douglas firs
>are about 6' 5' in diameter and one cedar snag we measured is 10' 6"
>and because it is hollow you can fit 3 people across inside it.
>This is also where the cedar for the world's tallest free standing
>totem at Beacon Hill Park is from. This area is also unique
>because bears drag partially eaten salmon, some 3 ' long, into the
>forest to rot and thereby fertilize the forest, a recently
>discovered occurance. To go hiking a hundred feet away from the
>creek and nearly step on the salmon is amazing and to find this so
>close to the city makes it even more valuable.
>
> The new park would provide formal ocean access to a section of
>beach known for it's 20+ million year old fossils.
>
> We also need to increase the membership of the Muir Creek
>Protection Society. The bigger the Society, the more seriously the
>government will take
>our request for a park. So - if you are willing to become a member -
>it only costs $2. You can give the money to Murrough O'Brien, ACC
>in Victoria and he will foward the money and names to the Muir Creek
>protection Society. Receipts will be issued. Or you can send it to
>the address below.
>
>This area is currently owned by a logging company, which is starting
>a new round of logging, so there is some urgency to act on this, or
>we may be trying to protect a clear-cut. Feel free to forward this
>e-mail to friends who might be willing to help.
>
>( We have hiked part of this area with Kate and was amazed by the
>grandeur of some of the giants we measured there and we have not
>even been to the area on the air photo maps that show even bigger
>giants. Murrough)
>
> I will be leading a hike to the giants on New years Day. Meet
>at the 'Muir Creek parking lot' approximately 15 minutes beyond
>Sooke at 1 pm. Muir creek is past Gordon's Beach and the next
>bridged creek beyond Tugwell Creek.
>
>contacts are:
>
>and e-mail: Muir Creek
>Protection Society,
>
> 27455 Anderson Rd
>website: www.muircreekprotectionsociety.org
>Sooke, V0S 1N0
>
> 642-0984
>
>
>
>The most important addresses are:
>
>CRD Parks
>490 Atkin Ave.,
>Victoria, B.C.
>V9B 2Z8
>
>Ian Atherton - Supervisor, Land Acquisitions
>Ministry of the Environment
>P.O. Box 9398,
>Stn. Prov. Govt.
>Victoria, B.C.
>V8W 9M9
>
>If you can spare the stamps also send copies to;
>
>The Honourable Barry Penner,
>Minister of the Environment,
>P.O. Box 9047, Stn. Prov. Govt.,
>Rm.112, Parliament Buildings,
>Victoria, B.C.
>V8W 9E2
>
>Erik Lund,
>CRD Director,
>524 Yates ST.,
>Victoria, B.C.,
>V8W 2S6
>
>and anyone else you can think of.
>
>Thanks, everybody,
>Kate
Here's the message:
>Subject: Muir Creek
>
> There is a group of us who are trying to get the lower part of
>Muir Creek saved as a park. Muir Creek (about 15 minutes past Sooke)
>is a salmon stream with a considerable amount of giant old growth
>fir, cedar, Sitka spruce. The area is already being used as a park
>by locals- for hiking, rock-hounding, windsurfing, kayaking. The CRD
>has already shown interest in the idea - they have been sending
>people there for some time now- what they need now is a strong
>show of interest from the public. A 'deluge' of letters would
>apparently be a good thing. They define a 'deluge' as fifty or more.
>I am hoping some [or all!] of you would find time to send letters
>supporting a park, to the addresses below. The letters do not need
>to be long - it is numbers more than content that counts. "I would
>like to see a park at Muir Creek" would do it if you don't feel
>inspired to rave on about otters, eagles, salmon etc.
> If you would like to see the area first, I would be very happy
>to show you around. Just e-mail me and we can set a time.
> Or join me on the New Years hike mentioned
>below. It really is an incredibly beautiful area. There is a
>fairly easy, accessible trail through giant Sitka spruce, near the
>mouth of the creek, and some more challenging hikes further
>upstream. And it even boasts a pretty waterfall.
>
> The 2nd largest yew tree on the big tree registry [a registry
>of the ten largest trees of each species in B.C.] is on Muir Creek,
>and a couple of the
>Sitka spruce may qualify for the registry. Some of the douglas firs
>are about 6' 5' in diameter and one cedar snag we measured is 10' 6"
>and because it is hollow you can fit 3 people across inside it.
>This is also where the cedar for the world's tallest free standing
>totem at Beacon Hill Park is from. This area is also unique
>because bears drag partially eaten salmon, some 3 ' long, into the
>forest to rot and thereby fertilize the forest, a recently
>discovered occurance. To go hiking a hundred feet away from the
>creek and nearly step on the salmon is amazing and to find this so
>close to the city makes it even more valuable.
>
> The new park would provide formal ocean access to a section of
>beach known for it's 20+ million year old fossils.
>
> We also need to increase the membership of the Muir Creek
>Protection Society. The bigger the Society, the more seriously the
>government will take
>our request for a park. So - if you are willing to become a member -
>it only costs $2. You can give the money to Murrough O'Brien, ACC
>in Victoria and he will foward the money and names to the Muir Creek
>protection Society. Receipts will be issued. Or you can send it to
>the address below.
>
>This area is currently owned by a logging company, which is starting
>a new round of logging, so there is some urgency to act on this, or
>we may be trying to protect a clear-cut. Feel free to forward this
>e-mail to friends who might be willing to help.
>
>( We have hiked part of this area with Kate and was amazed by the
>grandeur of some of the giants we measured there and we have not
>even been to the area on the air photo maps that show even bigger
>giants. Murrough)
>
> I will be leading a hike to the giants on New years Day. Meet
>at the 'Muir Creek parking lot' approximately 15 minutes beyond
>Sooke at 1 pm. Muir creek is past Gordon's Beach and the next
>bridged creek beyond Tugwell Creek.
>
>contacts are:
>
>and e-mail: Muir Creek
>Protection Society,
>
> 27455 Anderson Rd
>website: www.muircreekprotectionsociety.org
>Sooke, V0S 1N0
>
> 642-0984
>
>
>
>The most important addresses are:
>
>CRD Parks
>490 Atkin Ave.,
>Victoria, B.C.
>V9B 2Z8
>
>Ian Atherton - Supervisor, Land Acquisitions
>Ministry of the Environment
>P.O. Box 9398,
>Stn. Prov. Govt.
>Victoria, B.C.
>V8W 9M9
>
>If you can spare the stamps also send copies to;
>
>The Honourable Barry Penner,
>Minister of the Environment,
>P.O. Box 9047, Stn. Prov. Govt.,
>Rm.112, Parliament Buildings,
>Victoria, B.C.
>V8W 9E2
>
>Erik Lund,
>CRD Director,
>524 Yates ST.,
>Victoria, B.C.,
>V8W 2S6
>
>and anyone else you can think of.
>
>Thanks, everybody,
>Kate
