The S’amunu / Somenos Conservation Area (SCA) began life in 1988 as the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Refuge before becoming the Somenos Marsh Conservation Area in 2000. The SCA encompasses 200 ha of diverse and sensitive ecosystems. including Somenos Lake and associated wetlands, Bings Creek, Averill Creek, Richards Creek, Somenos Creek, agricultural lands,
Garry Oak woodlands and meadows containing three federally listed endangered plants,
Ye’yumnuts ancient cultural site, and the
Somenos Marsh Open Air Classroom off the S’amunu (dike) Trail. The SCA is comprised of multiple parcels of land owned by the Province of BC- Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations; Municipality of North Cowichan; Nature Trust of BC; Ducks Unlimited Canada, and the BC Forest Discovery Centre. Somenos Lake is considered part of the Conservation Area with the lake bottom owned by Ducks Unlimited. Somenos Marsh was the first Important Bird and Biodiversity Area recognized in BC by Bird Life International in 2001 due to its large overwintering population of Trumpeter Swans and special sub-species of Great Blue Heron. The importance of the SCA’s habitat, was recognized in 2018, when all the crown lands were designated as the S’amunu Wildlife Management Area.
