Buttertubs Marsh

{{Short description|Bird sanctuary in Canada}} thumb|right|Dusk at Buttertubs Marsh '''Buttertubs Marsh''' is a bird sanctuary in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada.

==Description==

Located in the middle of the city of Nanaimo, and bordering the Millstone River, the marsh covers approximately 100 acres (40 hectares). Within this is the 46 acre (18.7 hectare) Buttertubs Marsh Conservation Area, owned by the Nature Trust of British Columbia.<ref>{{cite web |title=Buttertubs Marsh Conservation Area |url=https://www.nanaimo.ca/green-initiatives/natural-environment-and-ecosystems/buttertubs-marsh-conservation-area |website=nanaimo.ca |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref>

Being surrounded by more urbanized land, the marsh is especially important as a refuge for birds to breed, winter, or rest during migration.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |last1=Simard-Provençal |first1=Samuelle |last2=Demers |first2=Eric |title=Bird Monitoring and Banding Project at Buttertubs West Marsh, Nanaimo, BC |url=https://wordpress.viu.ca/viubirdbanding/files/2021/12/VIU-Buttertubs-Banding-2021-Report-2021-12-16.pdf |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref>

Visitors can explore the marsh using a trail that loops around its area, with observation decks that facilitate birdwatching.<ref>{{cite web |title=Buttertubs Marsh Park |url=https://www.nanaimo.ca/parks-search/parks/177-Buttertubs-Marsh-Park |website=nanaimo.ca |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref>

==Wildlife==

The marsh is man-made and is home to great blue herons, wood ducks, belted kingfishers, mergansers, common yellowthroats<ref name="auto"/> and red-winged blackbirds.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nature Guide to Buttertubs Marsh |url=https://www.nanaimo.ca/docs/default-document-library/buttertubs-nature-guide-(friends-of-buttertubs-marsh).pdf |website=Nanaimo.ca |access-date=8 July 2025}}</ref>

The sanctuary is Vancouver Island's only documented breeding site of American bittern.

Reptiles as well as birds live in the marsh, including western painted turtles, which are endangered, and red-eared slider, which are non-native species.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Engelstoft |first1=Christian |title=Western Painted Turtle Monitoring and Habitat Restoration at Buttertubs Marsh, Nanaimo, BC |url=https://www.nanaimo.ca/docs/recreation-parks/parks-trails/western-painted-turtle_buttertubs-marsh_monitoring-restoration-ce.pdf |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref>

==History== The Buttertubs Marsh area was a shallow lake before the mid-1800s, then it was drained to facilitate European dairy and potato farming. In 1970, the Nature Trust of Canada purchased a section of the area.<ref>{{cite web |title=Management Plan for Buttertubs Marsh West (Nanaimo) |url=https://www.nanaimo.ca/docs/recreation-parks/parks-trails/management-plan-for-buttertubs-marsh-west-july-2012.pdf |website=nanaimo.ca |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref>

==Management==

In 2012, the Buttertubs West Marsh area was purchased by Ducks Unlimited Canada and the City of Nanaimo. Because this land was purchased under Canada's ecological gift program, the land is not permitted to be developed or be significantly altered from its current state.<ref name="auto"/>

Vancouver Island University has operated an avian monitoring program in Buttertubs Marsh since 2013.<ref name="auto"/>

==References== {{Reflist}} *{{BCGNIS|9316|Buttertubs Marsh}} *{{cite web |url=http://www.nalt.bc.ca/buttertubs%20marsh%20integrity.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060906231337/http://www.nalt.bc.ca/buttertubs%20marsh%20integrity.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 September 2006 |title=Buttertubs Marsh Integrity Project |publisher=Nanaimo & Area Land Trust |accessdate=5 August 2008 }} *{{cite web |title=Buttertubs Marsh Conservation Area Management Plan |format=PDF |accessdate=11 September 2011|url=http://www.nanaimo.ca/assets/Departments/Parks~Rec~Culture/Parks/buttertubsmp.pdf |year=2003 |publisher=Buttertubs Marsh Conservation Area Co-Management Steering Committee |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625211001/http://www.nanaimo.ca/assets/Departments/Parks~Rec~Culture/Parks/buttertubsmp.pdf |archive-date=25 June 2012|url-status=dead }}

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Category:Nanaimo Category:Bird sanctuaries of Canada Category:Important Bird Areas of British Columbia