SHAWNIGAN BASIN SOCIETY

Working To Protect Shawnigan Watershed

Mission Statement

Working to protect and secure the long-term health and safety of the Shawnigan Lake Community Watershed and the drinking water it provides.

We work to promote a holistic approach toward environmental solutions, community engagement, and local stewardship.

Meet our 2020 - 2021
Board of Directors

The SBS is responsible for the financial administration and accounting of an annual tax levy provided by Shawnigan Lake residents.

Who We Are

2020 Board of Directors

Dave Munday
President

Dave (B.Sc., MBA.) is a Senior Environmental Specialist with over 30 years of experience, he has participated as Project Director, Project Manager and Environmental Coordinator for a diverse range of domestic and international projects. He is a registered professional biologist (RPBio.) in British Columbia, and specializes in marine biology, environmental impact assessment, and permitting for aquatic and terrestrial developments.

Directors

Shirley Astleford

A fourth generation Shawnigan resident, business owner and mother of two.
Shirley has been engaged in labour and volunteer advocacy for the past 30 years with a focus on organizational and contract analysis and interpretation.
An ardent supporter of long-term planning and the inclusion of all stakeholders as participants in holistic watershed management, she looks forward to contributing toward the sustainability of our watershed for future generations

Shelagh Bell-Irving

Shelagh's legacy brings 77 years in Shawnigan and 20 years as a year-round resident, which makes her local knowledge significant. Shelagh takes pride in adopting innovative ways to bioremediate her foreshore, specifically making biochar burlap sacks, suspending them below the surface, and observing the immediate changes that occur including algae and heavy metal removal. Her floating gardens not only produce food, the roots from her plants clean the water and create a source of shade to reduce the growth of Eurasian Milfoil. Shelagh values the SBS for its diversity of knowledge, forestry walks, and foreshore remediation efforts.

Susanne Darby

Susanne (BSc., GN.) has been a resident of Shawnigan for approximately eight years. Her activism surrounding the contaminated soil facility furthered her interest in the state of our basin. Susanne is a nurse by former trade and studied geology in her second degree. She is concerned about the legacy we leave for future generations and is a valuable member of the SBS.

Paul Doherty

Carolyn Dowell

Kelly Loch

Although Paul is relatively new to Shawnigan Lake, he was immediately interested in becoming a volunteer with the purpose of learning about his community and chosen home. Paul is an Environmental Consultant with a specialty in contamination and regularly travels outside of the province to work.

Carolyn is a certified herbalist and horticulturalist as well as organic master gardener. Carolyn is the founder of the Shawnigan Bioremediation Society, which works to convey the necessity of holistic thinking and actions, specifically regarding remediation of contaminated soils using fungi mycelium.

Kelly is also a long term resident of Shawnigan Lake. She holds a M.Sc. and is a Registered Professional Forester. Kelly currently works for the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations and Rural Development in the Forest Analysis and Inventory Branch as a Timber Supply Review Forester.

Rod Garbutt

Rod holds a B.Sc. in marine biology and a diploma in Forest Resource Technology. Rod formerly worked for the Canadian Forest Service between 1989 and 2009 as a forest health specialist and then for the Yukon Territorial Government as a forest health assessor, mentor, and instructor. Now retired, Rod maintains a particular interest in the long-term planning of the Shawnigan community watershed to secure drinking water long into the future for coming generations.

Bill Savage

Bill has been a Shawnigan resident for many years and sat on the Parks and Recreation Commission from 2005 to 2015. He estimates spending at least 300 days of the calendar year on the lake itself and consequently, is an expert local scientist with both a broad and specific knowledge of the health and well-being of Shawnigan Lake.

Bernhard H.J. Juurlink

Bernhard H.J. Juurlink has a PhD in Medical Sciences and has spent almost 40 years teaching medical, dental, science and graduate students as well as carrying out research. His research focussed on basic mechanisms of oxidative stress and inflammation as well as the anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory effects of Nrf2 activators, i.e certain phytochemicals found in our diet. Both cell culture models and animal models of cancer, stroke, spinal cord and brain trauma, multiple sclerosis as well cardiovascular disease were investigated. The techniques used were light microscopical, electron microscopical, immunocytochemical, biochemical, cell biological, molecular biological as well as synchrotron-generated x-rays and infrared radiation. His publications can be found on Google Scholar. Since 2015 he has been active in the Shawnigan Research Group’s efforts to obtain removal of the contaminated soil on Cobble Hill Holding’s contaminated soil landfill at 460 Stebbings Road.

How We Work

Functional Core Capabilities of the Society

Development of a Watershed Master Plan based on ecological, physiographic and socioeconomic information that is assembled and catalogued from a variety of governments, research programs, and private sector sources.

Systematic engagement and integration of local watershed management efforts with private sector land owners, the CVRD, agencies of senior governments, and similar civic watershed initiatives arising elsewhere.

Preparation of grant requests to foundations and government infrastructure and environmental improvement programs for projects intended to improve the ecological status and function of the Shawnigan Watershed.

Core Administrative Functions of the Society

Provisions of a watershed planning office in Shawnigan Village, cost-shared with other public and private sector partners, where the Society and the Authority can keep records, display maps and models, meet with interested parties, hold public planning sessions, and provide access to Basin Authority and Society members and staff.

Provision of a core staff of Executive Director and Administration Officer to organize the day-to-day work of the Society and the Authority in public communication and involvement, engagement and support of volunteers, research assembly, planning, fund raising, record keeping, and project reporting.