BCWF Watershed Team

Sabine Rankin – Junior Restoration Technician 

Welcome to the team, Sabine! Sabine Rankin holds a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences from Simon Fraser University with a minor in Resource and Environmental Management. She brings hands-on experience from an aquatic taxonomy lab, where she specialized in freshwater zooplankton, and has participated in a variety of freshwater and marine monitoring projects.

This summer, Sabine will be joining our “stream team”—the part of our team who is focused on low-tech, process-based restoration, including the construction of structures like beaver dam analogues (BDAs) and post-assisted log structures (PALS) that help restore stream function and build climate resilience. She’s passionate about ecosystem health and will be starting her M.Sc. in Ecological Restoration at BCIT this fall, where she hopes to build on BCWF’s restoration work through her thesis.

When she’s not in the field, Sabine enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, creating art, and exploring the unique wildlife of Vancouver Island.

April Blumberg – Junior Restoration Technician 

Welcome back to April Blumberg, returning for her second season with the Watershed Team! April holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Trent University and has worked in conservation since 2019. With experience in invasive species management, environmental education, and hands-on fieldwork, she brings a well-rounded skillset to the team.

This summer, April is rejoining our “stream team”, where she’ll continue working on low-tech, process-based restoration projects like building BDAs and PALS to improve watershed function and resilience. A key contributor to the 10,000 Wetlands Project, she’s passionate about creating healthier ecosystems across B.C.

Originally from Ontario, April now calls B.C. home and loves to explore its natural landscapes through hiking, camping, and paddleboarding.

Kyra Stephens – Wetlands Education Program Assistant 

We’re thrilled to have Kyra Stephens back on the Wetlands Education Program (WEP) team this summer. A recent graduate from SFU with a B.Sc. in ecology, evolution, and conservation, Kyra brings field experience from insect population research and stable fly studies. This summer, she’ll be traveling across the province delivering educational workshops that inspire conservation action. Whether leading a session or scaling a bouldering wall, Kyra brings energy and curiosity to everything she does. 

Haiden MacDonald – Restoration Project Manager

Haiden MacDonald is a dedicated Fish and Aquatic Biologist with over five years of experience in fisheries science. He holds a B.Sc. in Natural Resource Conservation and returns to BCWF to support our growing restoration work across B.C. With a strong foundation in aquatic ecosystems and field-based conservation, Haiden plays a key role in designing and managing restoration projects that support fish habitat health and watershed resilience. 

Cassie Friesen (Stam) – Riparian Ecologist

Returning to BCWF is Cassie Friesen (Stam), a riparian ecologist with an M.Sc. in Ecological Restoration and more than six years of seasonal field experience. Cassie has spent four seasons working in wetlands with BCWF and is well-versed in classification, functional assessments, restoration design, and implementation. She also teaches wetland and climate-related courses at BCIT. When she’s not in the field or the classroom, Cassie enjoys exploring nature with her husband and two dogs, Flora and Otis. Camping, hiking, foraging, and fishing along the Vedder River are just a few of their favorite family pastimes.