Author: BCWF Watershed Team

Final Report 2022

We’re proud to share this final report from the B.C. Wildlife Federation’s Wetlands Workforce project, showcasing the accomplishments of our dedicated crews and the meaningful partnerships formed and strengthened throughout 2022.
Communities Come Together to Revitalize Ginty’s Pond

After years of planning, work is finally underway to restore Ginty’s Pond to an open-water ecosystem. An essential wetland habitat in B.C.’s Interior, conservation efforts at this wetland will protect several federally listed species at risk, such as the Yellow-breasted Chat, Western Screech Owl, Interior Snakes, Great Basin Spadefoot, and Western Painted Turtles. Although this…
Fishing Forever Projects Make the Outdoors Accessible

Imagine the potential obstacles you might face traversing the outdoors as a person with physical disabilities. Is that curb too high? Can I cross that sand or wade through that mud? People with limited mobility and those who use wheelchairs face these obstacles engaging in ordinary outdoor activities. One in seven British Columbians live with…
Ephemeral Wetlands

It’s July and you are thinking of building a cabin somewhere far away from civilization. You come across this beautiful, relatively flat area full of sedges and grasses. The best part is the large pond just a few meters away. You take several photos of the area and plan all the logistics for building the…
Bonaparte channel restoration is a win for coho and the people who love them

The Bonaparte River coho channel is a unique and potentially productive coho salmon rearing habitat again, thanks to the efforts of the Bonaparte First Nation and the B.C. Wildlife Federation (BCWF). The original 500-metre channel has been restored, renewed and doubled in length, according to Bonaparte CEO Sean Bennett. “The fencing was basically rotten, the…
Planting Seeds for Long-term Change

What comes to mind when you think of salmonberries? Do you think about how their flowers nurture pollinators, and their berries feed creatures of every size? Perhaps you pondered how fallen fruit attracts insects to nestle into the soil and among the fallen leaves. Indeed, salmonberry is a potent force for diversity and abundance. A…
Ginty’s Pond Restoration Supports Community & Wildlife

After many years of planning, work is finally underway to restore Ginty’s Pond to an open-water ecosystem. An essential wetland habitat in the B.C. Interior, restoration efforts at this site will help protect several federally listed species at risk, including the yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens), western screech-owl (Megascops kennicottii), Great Basin gophersnake (Pituophis catenifer deserticola),…
BCWF Celebrates 20 Years of the Wetlands Institute — 2022

This year marked the 20th annual Wetlands Institute – a world-class, immersive watershed restoration training for British Columbians. Since 2002, this program has engaged British Columbian ecological professionals in restoration techniques, impacting a variety of wetlands across the province in multi-phase and continual projects. From September 19 to 25th, participants from across the province joined…
Quadra Island community comes together to install 500 native plants at new B.C. wetland

When COVID-19 hit, elementary school teacher Sheldon Etheridge shifted to outdoor learning, guiding his students to a nearby forested area for immersive education. But as the weather turned wet, he noticed that a muddy, unused section of the sports field was trying to return to its former life as a functioning wetland. He decided to…
Wetlands, Knowledge, and Community — 2022 Wetlandkeepers Workshops on Stó:lō and Ktunaxa Territories

Throughout the spring and summer, the Wetlands Education Program partnered with the Stó:lō Research and Resource Management Centre, Chawathil First Nation, ʔaq’am First Nation, and members of the Ktunaxa Nation to deliver two Wetlandkeepers workshops rooted in place-based learning and cultural exchange. As with all Wetlandkeepers workshops, the sessions began with classroom instruction on wetland…