Parksville beaches within the Parksville-Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management Area will be temporarily closed to dogs for the annual Brant geese migration. Rathtrevor Beach will closed to dogs from Feb. 15 to April 30 and Parksville Bay Beach will close to dogs from March 1 to April 30, the City of Parksville advised in a news release. The Black Brant geese along Parksville’s shores are on a difficult journey of migration from California and Mexico to northern nesting grounds. The area’s beaches provide an abundant food source for Brant, which need to gain weight and strength before making another non-stop flight. A disturbance caused by something as simple as a child or dog running on the beach can have drastic effects on the geese while feeding. For this reason, Parksville beaches are closed to dogs on-leash and off-leash during the same time each year. Please note, the Parksville-Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management Area has regulations in place that dogs must always be leashed within the wildlife management area. Permanent and seasonal beach closures exist for pets along the shores of Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park to protect migratory birds. The beach is closed to dogs from Feb. 15 to April 30. The sandy day-use beach along the east shore of the park is closed to pets year-round. Leashed pets are only permitted on the rocky north shore of the park from May 1 to Feb. 14. Questions should be directed to Report All Poachers and Polluters online , by phone 1-877-952-7277 and #7277 on the Telus mobility network. RELATED: Regional District of Nanaimo offers stewardship funding for watershed projects
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