Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary
Encyclopedia
Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is a nature reserve
located in Saanich, British Columbia
. The sanctuary includes a lake
, adjacent marsh
y lowlands, and a nature centre
, as well as a good part of the summit regions of Christmas Hill.
. Fish
were dying, and the water was so toxic that farmers were warned to ensure their cattle did not drink from it. In 1963, however, the Municipality of Saanich
announced plans to clean up the lake. In 1973, the Municipality purchased 115 acre (0.4653889 km²) of land covering Swan Lake and Christmas Hill; they would join the two parcels to create a nature sanctuary. In 1973, they bought a further 54 acres (218,530.4 m²) at a cost of $230,000. It was estimated that the project could take as long as 25 years to finish. In 1975, the nature sanctuary was opened, but it was still far from completion. Between 1975 and 1990, the municipality contributed approximately $1 million to the project. In 1977, work began on additional boardwalk
s and trails, and in 1979 a wheelchair trail from the nature house to a viewpoint over the lake was completed.
between local residents' properties and the nature sanctuary (see Fence Controversy section for more details). Also in 1984, a nearby oil spill
threatened to escape into the lake (see Oil Spill section for more details). In September 1988, the new nature centre was completed and opened to visitors.
The lake is now home to many species, including turtle
s, muskrat
, mink
, river otter
, beaver
and 50 species of bird
s, including Great Blue Heron
, Mallard
, and swan
.
This period also saw some expansion of the Christmas Hill lands - with the assistance of The Land Conservancy of British Columbia, and a major commitment to trail building on the Hill. Though development pressure keeps encroaching on the hill, it is still a good place to see Red-tailed hawks and, in the summer, turkey vultures, as well as numerous songbirds.
administrator gave slideshows, kept records, did research, and showed movies. On September 18, 1988, the new nature centre opened and, as of 2006, it is still in operation. It contains a library, a bee colony, offices, a classroom, nature exhibits, two snakes, and two turtles. It is open seven days a week, year round.
The wharves and floating boardwalk were built by members of the Canadian Military.
, and includes stone steps leading up to the nature house, a drip fountain, several benches, and a hidden area with bird feeders. The native plant garden was specially designed to keep the plant species hydrated.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
located in Saanich, British Columbia
Saanich, British Columbia
The District of Saanich is a municipality on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. It is located north of the provincial capital, Victoria. It has a population of 108,265 people, making it the most populous municipality on Vancouver Island, and the seventh most populous in the province...
. The sanctuary includes a lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
, adjacent marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
y lowlands, and a nature centre
Nature center
A nature center is an organization with a visitor center or interpretive center designed to educate people about nature and the environment. Usually located within a protected open space, nature centers often have trails through their property. Some are located within a state or city park, and...
, as well as a good part of the summit regions of Christmas Hill.
1960-1980
In the 1960s, Swan Lake was a polluted swampSwamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
. Fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
were dying, and the water was so toxic that farmers were warned to ensure their cattle did not drink from it. In 1963, however, the Municipality of Saanich
Saanich, British Columbia
The District of Saanich is a municipality on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. It is located north of the provincial capital, Victoria. It has a population of 108,265 people, making it the most populous municipality on Vancouver Island, and the seventh most populous in the province...
announced plans to clean up the lake. In 1973, the Municipality purchased 115 acre (0.4653889 km²) of land covering Swan Lake and Christmas Hill; they would join the two parcels to create a nature sanctuary. In 1973, they bought a further 54 acres (218,530.4 m²) at a cost of $230,000. It was estimated that the project could take as long as 25 years to finish. In 1975, the nature sanctuary was opened, but it was still far from completion. Between 1975 and 1990, the municipality contributed approximately $1 million to the project. In 1977, work began on additional boardwalk
Boardwalk
A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments....
s and trails, and in 1979 a wheelchair trail from the nature house to a viewpoint over the lake was completed.
1980-1990
Between 1980 and 1990, neighbours, students, and Saanich residents contributed over 14,000 hours of volunteer work to building the park. In 1981, work on the boardwalks and trails was completed. In 1981, a 7500 square feet (696.8 m²) building was designed to replace the existing nature house facility. In 1984, plans were unveiled to build a 170-metre long chain link fenceChain link fencing
A chain-link fence is a type of woven fence usually made from galvanized or LLDPE-coated steel wire...
between local residents' properties and the nature sanctuary (see Fence Controversy section for more details). Also in 1984, a nearby oil spill
Oil spill
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is mostly used to describe marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters...
threatened to escape into the lake (see Oil Spill section for more details). In September 1988, the new nature centre was completed and opened to visitors.
1990-2006
The nature centre was a success, drawing 20,000 visitors in 1990 and 60,000 in 1995. In 1994, work began on a native plant garden, and is ongoing as of 2006.The lake is now home to many species, including turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s, muskrat
Muskrat
The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...
, mink
Mink
There are two living species referred to as "mink": the European Mink and the American Mink. The extinct Sea Mink is related to the American Mink, but was much larger. All three species are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and...
, river otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
, beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
and 50 species of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, including Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
, Mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
, and swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
.
This period also saw some expansion of the Christmas Hill lands - with the assistance of The Land Conservancy of British Columbia, and a major commitment to trail building on the Hill. Though development pressure keeps encroaching on the hill, it is still a good place to see Red-tailed hawks and, in the summer, turkey vultures, as well as numerous songbirds.
Nature Centre
The original facility was opened in 1975 in a house at 3873 Swan Lake Rd. It featured exhibits, maps, charts, photographs, and a telescope, and was staffed five days a week, ten months a year. A naturalistNatural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
administrator gave slideshows, kept records, did research, and showed movies. On September 18, 1988, the new nature centre opened and, as of 2006, it is still in operation. It contains a library, a bee colony, offices, a classroom, nature exhibits, two snakes, and two turtles. It is open seven days a week, year round.
Boardwalks and Trails
The sanctuary has a total of 3.75 km of trails, consisting of 2.5 kilometres of gravel-surfaced loop trail around Swan Lake and 1.25 km in the Christmas Hill portion of the sanctuary. There are two wharves, several wooden bridges, and a boardwalk across one end of the lake.The wharves and floating boardwalk were built by members of the Canadian Military.
Native Plant Garden
A native plant garden was completed near the nature house in 1998, after four years of work. The garden houses 70 types of flowers and shrubs, all native to Southern Vancouver IslandVancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, and includes stone steps leading up to the nature house, a drip fountain, several benches, and a hidden area with bird feeders. The native plant garden was specially designed to keep the plant species hydrated.