Tag: Restoration

Reviving the Land — The Yaqan Nukiy Wetland Renaturalization Project

What happens when you let the land lead? On Yaqan Nukiy territory, millennia of Indigenous knowledge is guiding one of the most ambitious wetland projects in Canada—transforming not only ecosystems, but the broader understanding of how restoration can be approached. The Yaqan Nukiy Wetland Project, located on 517 hectares of Lower Kootenay Band reserve lands…
Upcoming Event — Virtual Tour of Canada’s Largest Indigenous-Led Wetland Restoration

Event Cancelled — Please check Norman Allard’s LinkedIn profile for rescheduling updates in the coming weeks. Inside Canada’s Largest Indigenous-Led Wetland Project Virtual Live Tour and Q&A with Norman Allard, Community Planner for Yaqan Nukiy (Lower Kootenay Band) Date: June 20, 2025Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. PSTWhere to watch: www.youtube.com/@ReconnectExperience Join Norman Allard, Community Planner…
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…
Maggie’s Journey — A ‘Nuisance’ Beaver Gets a Second Chance

When the door of her enclosure swung open, Maggie the beaver wasted no time getting acquainted with her new home. After months of rehabilitation at the Interior Wildlife Rehabilitation Society, she finally returned to the wild. Maggie’s solitary rehabilitation journey was unusual because beavers typically live in pairs or in established colonies. “Normally, we would…
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…
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…
Wetlandkeepers 2022 — The Kootenays

From June 1st to 12th, the Wetlands Education Program (WEP) team ventured to the Kootenays for the first Wetlandkeepers workshops of the summer. The focus of these workshops was to provide participants with a working knowledge of wetlands and to understand their undeniable value. Our first stop on the trip was in Slocan, B.C, where the Slocan…
Conservation in the Kootenays: Restoring Wetlands for Wildlife

This past autumn, the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) had the unique opportunity to provide additional support at two previously restored wetlands and assist with the construction of a new wetland complex. On a whirlwind journey of close to 2,500 km, the Wetlands Education Program (WEP) team, along with two volunteer interns from the Canadian Wildlife…
Update on KLO Middle School: Painted Turtles and Fish Will Soon Settle Into a New naturalized Creek and Wetland Complex

In 2010, students at K.L.O. Middle School in Kelowna discovered nesting Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) in their long jump sandbox. Michelle—a science teacher, the school’s Eco Club leader, and a past participant of the Wetlands Institute in Kamloops 2010—recognized the importance of protecting and enhancing this habitat, as Painted Turtles are a blue-listed species at…