Buttertubs Marsh - more than just a pretty place!

Feb 22, 2019

Buttertubs Marsh is a hidden gem in the heart of Nanaimo. Step foot onto its trail and you will immediately be transported from the hustle and bustle of your surroundings into a serene sanctuary.

Buttertubs Marsh 1

Buttertubs

Located just a short distance from the Nanaimo Ice Centre and Nanaimo Aquatic Centre, Buttertubs is a birdwatcher’s paradise. The two-kilometer loop trail is easily accessible and there are observation decks and a tower for taking in the views. It is also home to the famous Miner’s Cottage, which was built sometime around 1910-1912 and relocated to its current site in the late 1990’s.

Miners cottage

Buttertubs trees

A bird and wildlife sanctuary, Buttertubs is a perfect place to go for a stroll, take in the sights and enjoy one of our city’s greatest natural assets. But there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the role it plays in our community.

A study completed in 2018 reveals that this 55-hectare wetland plays an important and extremely beneficial role in moderating the downstream flow of the Millstone River. In fact, if the marsh did not exist it would cost the City anywhere from $4.7 to $8.3 million dollars to build a system to do the same job that the Buttertubs does just by being there! Other benefits to a natural stormwater storage system like this one is that there are no up-front or replacement costs and no depreciation. Not to mention, it eliminates the need to buy land and build on it.

Buttertubs Marsh (2)

Among some of the world’s most productive environments, wetlands like Buttertubs are Mother Nature’s water filtration system and are vital for human survival. They serve to mitigate climate change, control flooding and are home to countless species of plants and animals that depend on them for survival. Want to learn more? You can read the full report here.

Buttertubs

The Municipal Natural Assets Initiative pilot study was organized through the David Suzuki Foundation, the Town of Gibsons, Sustainable Prosperity, Asset Management BC and Brooke and Associates. Nanaimo was one of five communities across the country invited to take part in the study, which looked at ways to apply measurement and management methods used in asset and financial practices to conserve and enhance natural capital.

Buttertubs Marsh is co-owned and managed by the City of Nanaimo, The Nature Trust of British Columbia and Ducks Unlimited Canada.

Buttertubs Marsh (3)


Give feedback on accessibility. Submit your feedback through our online accessibility feedback form. Help us understand barriers people face when accessing City services.

You can attach files to help explain the barrier you faced in the form, like: a video, voice recording or photos. If American Sign Language (ASL) is the best way for you to communicate, upload a video of yourself using ASL into the form.

Please include: what you were trying to access, where the barrier happened, what the barrier was and any recommendations you might have.


Thank you for your assistance. One of our website team will look into the reported issue shortly. Loading animation

Help us improve our website

Don't include private or financial information in this form.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PRIVACY AND YOUR PRESENTATION

  • Information collected on this form is done so under the general authority of the Community Charter and Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act (FOIPPA), and is protected in accordance with FOIPPA. Personal information will only be used by authorized staff to fulfill the purpose for which it was originally collected, or for a use consistent with that purpose.
  • Regular Council and Committee meetings that are open to the public are webcast using live-streaming video technology and may be recorded for video-on-demand access for subsequent viewing. By speaking at these meetings, you are consenting to disclosure of any personal information made evident through your speech or presentation materials, and acknowledging that this information may be disclosed and/or accessed outside of Canada. Personal information may include your image, name, address, and personal opinions. You are also asserting that your presentation is in compliance with the Federal Copyright Act, and grant the City of Nanaimo license to publish these materials. Individuals presenting to Council or Committees are requested to not disclose third-party information or it may be redacted.
For further information regarding the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information, please contact the Legislative Services Office at 250-755-4405 or at foi@nanaimo.ca