A research survey seeking folks’ thoughts about the Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary Wildlife Management Area that launched earlier this year is relaunching to attract more respondents.
Sḵwx̱wú7mesh/Squamish Estuary’s Socio-Cultural Values Survey is anonymous and takes about 20 minutes to complete.
Quest University research assistant Sacha Roland and his mentor, professor Marjorie Wonham aim to “identify what kind of benefits provided by the estuary are the most or the least valued, by whom, and why.”
One example of a question is: “Please indicate how important you consider each of the following services provided by Squamish estuary to be.”
Then there are different uses or services to rank from “not important” to “extremely important.”
An example of an estuary service is “fisheries: commercial, recreational, and subsistence fishing, for consumption in the estuary.”
The survey was initially launched last spring and closed in July.
About 100 respondents answered that initial survey.
Roland said to make the data more reliable, the team is reopening it so more respondents can weigh in.
The online survey is meant for those who have yet to fill it out, he said, not those who already did.
It is open to adults who have or have not visited the region.
The survey will now remain open until June.
This project is meant to build on Squamish River Watershed Society’s valuation of the estuary, Roland said.
The society commissioned the Natural Capital Assets Assessment, which valued the estuary between $8.6 and $12.6 million for its natural assets and ecological services.
The idea is that the data from this survey could help formulate policy management recommendations for levels of government.
Roland said feedback from the first survey was that it is much easier to complete the survey on a desktop rather than on a cellphone.
Click here to take the survey.
For more information, email [email protected].
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