Category: Education Programs

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…
Revitalizing Juliet Creek — Enhancing Fish Habitat and Stream Connectivity

The restoration of the Juliet Creek Side Channel included restoring access to the Coldwater River for fish passage following the flooding of the Coldwater River and restoring and enhancing rearing and refuge habitat, especially coho salmon. The B.C. Wildlife Federation, the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Scw’exmx Tribal Council, and Rock Solid…
Collaborations Yield a Healthier Landscape

Living off the land is fundamental to rural and First Nations communities. Caring for the land is essential to the traditions and practices that encompass hunting, fishing, and foraging. The B.C. Wildlife Federation and Indigenous communities have made considerable progress toward a shared vision of maintaining healthy fish and wildlife populations. By weaving Indigenous values…
Wetlands Institute — 2023 Recap

For over two decades, the B.C. Wildlife Federation’s Wetlands Institute has been essential in empowering participants with the skills necessary to lead watershed projects across BC. In 2023, the Wetlands Institute, facilitated by the BCWF’s Wetlands Education Program, provided a lively foundation for the exchange of knowledge among industry professionals and participants, alike. Held in…
Mapping Our Marshes with the Wetlands Education Program — 2023

The Wetlands Education Program (WEP) runs several workshops throughout the year in order to engage and educate interested participants about wetlands. One of these programs is Map our Marshes (MoM). This is a 1.5 day workshop that focuses on entry-level technical and field skills for mapping smaller wetlands using free software, GPS, and your smartphone!…
The Wetlands Institute Inspires Ongoing Backyard Restoration Efforts

As the B.C. Wildlife Federation prepares for its upcoming 2023 Wetlands Institute, we are inspired to look back on the transformative journeys of past participants. Among them is the heartwarming story of Susan DeBeck, who attended the program in 2021. While many come to the Institute with backgrounds in environmental science, Susan stands out as…
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…
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…
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…