The Kokish River, at the north end of Vancouver Island, is home to a rare population of summer run wild steelhead and four species of salmon.

In fact the Kokish is one of just three streams on the east coast of Vancouver Island that still have healthy runs of wild summer-run steelhead. This wild river rushes through a series of steep canyons, alternating between waterfalls and clear pools, making it an ideal destination for anglers, kayakers and nature lovers alike.

The banks of the river are lined with sword ferns, salal and old-growth forest which are home to the blue-listed western screech owl. At the mouth of the river you can see great blue herons and bald eagles foraging for food and in surrounding hills you will come across Roosevelt elk and Columbian black tailed deer.

But all that is at risk if this private power project goes ahead because they plan to put over 9 km of this 10 km river into a pipe and in the process of building their private power project they will divert 17 important tributaries, changing this wild river forever.

As I am sure you can imagine these plans to build a private power project on the Kokish has caused a lot of concerns, especially about its impact on fish populations. The experience with similar private power projects has been considerable rates of non-compliance with managing flows for fish.

Unfortunately the provincial government is trying to push this project through over those objections and they have already given this project a long term Energy Purchase Agreement and an Environmental Certificate. The last hurdle this project faces is a permit from the DFO.

That is why a growing coalition of outdoors people, conservationists and anglers are coming together to stand up for the Kokish and we need you and your friends and families to join with us.

We have an opportunity to keep the Kokish Wild. In the coming weeks there will be a lot more information about this growing effort but for now please go to the letter writing tool on our website and let local MP John Duncan, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Keith Ashfield and senior conservative BC MP James Moore know you want to keep the Kokish wild.

If you have already written a letter about the Kokish please get at least one friend to do the same.

Stay tuned for more ways to get involved

Gwen Barlee | Policy Director
Wilderness Committee