Environment

Residents of the Cowichan Valley interact with the environment every day, whether this be through the water we drink, air we breathe, trails we walk, or in ways we don’t notice at all. Biodiversity preservation, climate action, watershed protection, human health, and so much more, are all aspects of environmental wellness. As population growth, land use, and climate change progress, it is more important than ever to protect the natural environment, and the functions it provides in our every day lives. 

About Environmental Services

The Environmental Services Division aims to protect the natural environment of the Cowichan Valley Region. We are responsible for a variety of programs and initiatives including:

• Development of watershed management plans and other long range plans, such as watershed planning and liquid waste planning, with the goal of protecting water resources;
• Response to climate change impacts including risk assessments, adaptation strategies, and mitigation strategies;
• Hazard analysis projects, including flood management (diking, sediment removal, flood preparation), steep slopes assessments, and other changing attributes of our region’s landscape affecting communities; and
• Working with a wide variety of partners to protect environmental resources and values in the Cowichan Valley such as air quality, ecosystems, and the health of species at risk.