Illegal harvesting of vegetation in the wildlife management area at the Squamish estuary is becoming a problem and local conservation groups are asking residents to help clamp down.
"It's rampant, it's wrong and we only have one estuary, so we need to be vigilant and protect it," said Mary Mitchell, Squamish Estuary Society director.
"The community fought hard to preserve this important area for wildlife and it is very upsetting to witness the removal of valuable habitat."
The most recent incident was Nov. 14, when Environmental Conservation Society members Marcia Danielson and Heather Baines were out for their monthly estuary bird count in the wildlife management area.
The women noticed a truck parked when they arrived, but didn't think anything of it until Danielson noticed a man heading across the meadow with an armful of sweet gale. The attractive plant is often used in flower bouquets and sometimes as a natural insect repellent.
Danielson said the truck was parked for two hours and two men loaded substantial quantities of sweet gale before she finally approached the truck and spoke with the two men.
She said the first man claimed they "weren't cutting very much, just a little bit for Christmas decorations" and the second man claimed the two had permission from a conservation officer and were selling it to the florist industry.
Conservation officer Sgt. Chris Doyle said no harvesting permits have been issued.
"It's unlawful for someone to alter wildlife habitat in a wildlife management area," said Doyle, "especially if it's on a large scale."
He said there have been a few incidents over the years but no one has been caught and charged since the area became a wildlife management area.
"A couple years ago, we did catch some people harvesting in the provincial park protected area across the river," Doyle said.
People caught harvesting could face charges under the Wildlife Protection Act and Doyle recommends anyone who witnesses environmental violations should get as much information as possible and call 1-877-952-7277 to report them.
Danielson said everyone should be on the lookout because there aren't enough conservation officers in the Sea to Sky Corridor to monitor all the protected areas.
Mitchell is hoping someone will be caught and charged.
"It's an absolute disregard for any kind of natural connection to the area," she said. "It would be great if we could have people charged so it might set an example."
She said sweet gale isn't the only plant being harvested illegally - horsetail, reeds and alder branches are all valuable and can be found in the estuary.
"The area harvested was originally dredge spoils and there was a huge effort by the Squamish River and Watershed Society and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to replant the area with native plants," Mitchell said.
"These are the same plants people now feel they have the right to harvest."
Danielson added that every plant is important to area wildlife.
"If it's a protected area, it should be protected - all the plants out there are valuable to wildlife in one way or another whether it's food or shelter," she said. "Even ploughing through the meadows is disruptive."
