Author: Jamie Long

Beavers as Bioengineers

The B.C. Wildlife Federation is turning to expert engineers—otherwise known as beavers—to help protect our province’s precious land and water resources. Our 10,000 Wetlands project aims to use beaver-based restoration to enhance watershed resilience by harnessing the industrious skills of beavers, a species that has faced near eradication. The project aims to build dozens of…
Restoring the Fraser River Estuary — Doubling Targets and Conservation Efforts

“When you’re looking at the tidal marsh islands from a distance from across the South Arm, they look like they’re non-impacted. As soon as you step foot on the islands, however, you’ve collected a garbage bag worth of debris within two steps.” – Haiden MacDonald, BCWF Fish Habitat Restoration Coordinator. In the age of readily…
First Set of Beaver Dam Analogues (BDAs) Built

In mid-July, our team under the leadership of Jen Rogers, BCWF’s Beaver Restoration Assessment Lead, embarked on the first few of 100 BDAs set to be built across the province over the next two years. To date, our beaver and fish habitat restoration teams have installed baseline monitoring equipment at 7 project locations across the…
Beaver-Based Restoration — From Oregon to B.C.

Advancing Watershed Security Through Training Investment in watershed security training is vital to the future of our province. The B.C. Wildlife Federation’s Watershed Team is continuously learning and improving our knowledge and skills base so that we can lead innovative, effective projects that restore habitat and prevent or mitigate the impacts of drought, fire, and…
Wetland Ecosystem Services Protocol — A Powerful Tool For Assessing Wetlands

A new assessment tool for wetlands offers a practical way to view these critical habitats, quantify the services they provide, and identify high-value wetlands for restoration and enhancement. “The Wetland Ecosystem Services Protocol (WESP) will shape wetland policy in B.C. by providing decision-makers with information about the natural ecosystem benefits provided by wetlands,” said Kyla…
Who is The B.C. Wildlife Federation’s Watershed Team?

The Watershed Team is the B.C. Wildlife Federation’s most impactful boots-on-the-ground conservation initiative. The B.C. Wildlife Federation’s Watershed Team began with a simple but powerful idea: Education leads to action. In 1996, the BCWF launched the Wetlands Education Program (WEP) in response to the rapid loss of wetlands in British Columbia. The goal was to…
BCIT students cut their teeth on beaver-based restoration

For the first time, BCIT Master of Ecological Restoration students took instruction in beaver-inspired wetland restoration techniques with the goal of combating escalating droughts, floods, and wildfires. BCIT alumna and the B.C. Wildlife Federation’s Beaver Restoration Assessment Lead, Jen Rogers, led the new beaver-inspired workshops at Logan Lake last September. The BCIT training session included…
City of Vancouver Staff Plunge Into the Wetlands Institute

Members of the City of Vancouver’s engineering department will spend the next several years building and rehabilitating urban wetlands in the Still Creek Watershed, using skills they acquired from a Wetlands Institute workshop last year. Sophie Warren and Julie McManus collaborate with the City of Vancouver Parks Board on improving stormwater management and on rainwater…
Quadra Island Wetland Restored

The rejuvenated wetland surrounding Quadra Island Elementary has transformed the way students learn by turning the school’s backyard into a vibrant classroom of native flora and fauna. Last year’s efforts converted a soggy segment of a sports field back to its original state. Nestled in the north-west corner of the schoolyard, this restored wetland serves…
10,000 Wetlands — Using Beaver-based Restoration to Enhance Watershed Resilience

In early 2023, the B.C. Wildlife Federation launched 10,000 Wetlands, an ambitious project focused on beaver-based restoration. The 10,000 Wetlands project is designed to confront environmental challenges through installing 100 Beaver Dam Analogues (BDAs) across the province. By partnering with First Nations and conservation organizations, our overall aim is to kickstart the creation and restoration…