Imagine taking your child to the beach, not just to play in the sand, but to be part of something bigger—restoring an ancient practice that has sustained families for generations.
Along the West Coast, Indigenous communities have long cared for clam gardens—rock-walled terraces built along shorelines to create the ideal habitat for shellfish. These gardens didn’t just grow food; they nurtured ecosystems, traditions, and community ties.
However, colonization disrupted these practices, leading to environmental decline and a disconnect between people and their traditional food sources. Now, thanks to a partnership between the Hul’q’umi’num’ and WSÁNEC´ First Nations and Parks Canada, families have the chance to be part of restoring these vital ecosystems in Gulf Islands National Park Reserve.
Growing healthy ecosystems: together!
Just like a backyard garden at home, clam gardens require care and attention. Over the last decade, much of the beach habitat has been restored. Indigenous Knowledge working groups led the effort, guiding traditional practices like:
• Rebuilding rock walls to raise the tidal elevation and create prime clam habitat.
• Tending the beach by clearing debris, aerating sediment, and removing predators.
• Monitoring clam populations to track the health of these ecosystems over time.
And the results? Native clam populations began to grow again. Young clams—critical for the future of these habitats—became more abundant, showing that these ancient techniques still work today.
Growing cultural connections
For Indigenous communities, clam gardens are about more than just food. They are places of learning, storytelling, and connection.
Similar to how families pass down recipes, traditions, and values, this project created opportunities for Elders to teach youth, reinforcing cultural identity and strengthening intergenerational bonds.
Coast Salish leaders share teachings on sustainable harvesting, traditional stewardship, and respect for the environment.
Caring for beaches so they can care for us
Beaches, like gardens, need care to remain healthy. When we look after them, they provide for us—offering food, clean water, and safe places for recreation. But when they’re neglected, pollution and habitat destruction can make shellfish unsafe to eat and damage the ecosystem.
For parents, this project is a reminder of how essential it is to teach our children to care for the world around them. Just as we nurture our families, Indigenous knowledge reminds us that when we care for nature, nature provides for us in return.
Many beaches across Canada face threats from:
• Runoff from cities and farms, carrying contaminants that can make shellfish toxic.
• Plastics and waste, which damage ecosystems and harm marine life.
• Climate change, leading to rising sea levels and ocean acidification that affect shellfish growth.
• Invasive species, which disrupt native populations to thrive in their home environment.
Parents can play a key role in protecting local beaches by learning about water quality, supporting conservation efforts, and teaching children how to keep shorelines clean. A simple family trip to the beach can spark conversations about where water flows from our homes, how pollution impacts marine life, and why caring for nature ensures a better future.
By helping kids connect with the land and water, we can inspire the next generation of stewards who will care for these places long after we’re gone. Together, we can care for this place that has been called home by some for many millennia.
Growing a shared future
This work has planted the seeds for lasting change. The success of the project has inspired other communities to explore clam garden restoration to combat climate change, enhance food security, and reconnect with cultural heritage.
By restoring clam gardens, we aren’t just growing shellfish—we’re growing a healthier environment, stronger communities, and a future where past traditions continue to thrive.
If you’d like to learn more or connect about possible volunteer opportunities, reach out to Erich Kelch at [email protected] or by phone at 250-986-1128.
