Volunteer Opportunities
There are several ways that visitors and residents can get help with projects at Esquimalt Lagoon. Please contact the ELSI Coordinator for more information on how to get involved with any of the initiatives below.
Outreach and Education
ELSI attends several public events each year with our display and information about the initiative and ways to help improve environmental health of the lagoon. Volunteers are always welcome to help at these events to provide outreach and education to the public.
Broom Bash
ELSI volunteers conduct an annual work party to remove Scotch broom and other invasive plants from Coburg Peninsula. The Broom Bash is usually held in April or May, contact the coordinator or check the home page for details.
Fish Monitoring
ELSI volunteers have conducted fish monitoring in a number of the creeks that flow into Esquimalt Lagoon since 2004. The goal is to determine the types of fish that use the creeks and to assess the restoration potential for the creeks. Join our volunteer group and learn how to identify, measure and record fish that inhabit the creeks around the lagoon. Learn more about volunteer fish monitoring efforts at Bee Creek.
European Green Crab Monitoring
Under the direction of the DFO, volunteers have been helping monitor the lagoon for the highly invasive European Green Crab. This work involves monthly crab trapping and identification, between April and October each year. For more information contact the ELSI coordinator.
Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
Every year, ELSI volunteers pitch in to help clean up the shoreline of Esquimalt Lagoon. This Canada-wide initiative is held in September each year. Watch the ELSI home page for postings.
Beached Bird Surveys
Volunteers from the community regularly survey the beaches at the lagoon for stranded birds. The surveys are part of a coast-wide initiative to observe and record beached birds. These surveys are done through Birds Studies Canada, for more information and to sign up please contact the ELSI coordinator.