RODERICK HAIG-BROWN --

THE CONSERVATIONIST

Roderick Haig-Brown was a pioneer conservationist and author who lived on the banks of the Campbell River from 1936 to 1976. His writing on conservation from the 1930's, 40's and 50's is still relevant today. Through his writing, he was able to reach many people with his ideas about nature, rivers and streams, and about salmon and other fish. Roderick devoted precious time to preserving the rivers and streams of the West Coast. His devotion rings clear in his writing. He also studied what he wrote about, so his writing is very true to life.

Roderick Haig-Brown wrote in 1950:
"I have been, all my life, what is known as a conservationist. It seems clear beyond possibility of argument that any given generation of men can have only a lease, not ownership, of the earth; and one essential term of the lease is that the earth be handed down on to the next generation with unimpaired potentialities. This is the conservationist's concern."
(Roderick Haig-Brown. Measure of the Year. p. 26).

Many of Haig-Brown's novels and natural resource studies were concerned with salmon conservation. He assures us that preserving salmon populations is simple when they are managed properly.

"...fish within their rather specific requirements for clean waters, good flows, clean gravels and productive estuaries, have a resilience and adaptability that will reward any serious attention."
(Roderick Haig-Brown. Measure of the Year. p. 108).

Roderick Haig-Brown was determined to keep salmon habitat as intact as possible, to allow for the greatest amount of spawning salmon.

Roderick was also interested in restoring the Kingfisher Creek watershed, which ran through a part of his property. Sadly, Haig-Brown wasn't able to do much with the creek before his death in 1976. The Haig-Brown King Fisher Creek Society was formed to carry out the preservation and restoration of the creek.

The Haig-Brown Kingfisher Creek Society completed the first phase of their creek restoration project in 1984, with a new above-ground channel for the creek running through the Haig-Brown farmlands. In 1996, renewed interest was shown in the creek because of a plan for a housing development and a new highway in the watershed. After two years of planning with the owners of the neighbouring property and the highways department, as well as with fisheries officials from the B.C. and Canadian governments, in 1998, the Society was able to continue with the restoration.

See the results of this work, in our webzine, the Creekside News.