About 56 people came out for Community Planting Day Nov. 22 at the Tii Tiic Tsu restoration site in Zeballos. The day was a great success and a lot of fun.
Tii Tiic Tsu means in Nuu-chah-nulth "bringing life to the pond". The site is located within a cut block on the Zeballos River flood plain at Tigore Flats about three kilometres up river from the communities of Ehatis and Zeballos.
A huge amount of gravel was extracted from the site in order to raise the Zeballos Forest Service Road to prevent it from flooding. M.C. Wright and Associates Ltd. Biological Consultants designed the site to include a pond, wetland and stream channel connecting to the Zeballos River.
Zeballos Elementary Secondary School and the communities of Ehatis, Ocluje and Zeballos are assisting to restore Tii Tiic Tsu so it will support fish and wildlife habitat into the future. Trout and Dolly Varden fry have already moved in.
Tuesday's tree planting event and lunch was attending by most of the school's 40 students and their hard working teachers and support staff, village residents Diane Anderson and Doug Ante, Mayor Donnie Cox, Councillors Barb Lewis and Candace Faulkner, Charles John of Ehattesaht Fisheries, North Island MLA Claire Trevena, Mike Wright of M.C. Wright and Associates and Stacey Larsen from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Thank you for your efforts to rebuild habitat for fish and wildlife. And thanks to Fanny Bay Salmonid Enhancement Society for providing the trees.
Zeballos Elementary Secondary School recognizes the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation and anglers, hunters, trappers and guides who contribute to the Trust, for making a significant financial contribution to support the Tii Tiic Tsu (Alcove Pond) Habitat Restoration Project. Without the support, the Community Planting Day would not have been possible.
