BCWF Watershed Team

Wetlands are an integral part of British Columbia’s landscape. These ecosystems have countless benefits; they can purify water, control floods, mitigate climate change, provide wildlife habitat, and more. Unfortunately, wetlands are disappearing from our landscape. Over the last century, many wetlands across Canada have been degraded or entirely destroyed, especially in populated areas.

Since much wetland habitat is under private ownership, landowners have a unique opportunity to steward the province’s natural spaces and maintain their value for future generations.

Think you have a wetland site that is in need of restoration or enhancement? Please carefully consider the following questions and send us an email at wep@bcwf.bc.ca with your answers.

1. Please clearly list what your concerns are about the current state of existing wetlands, if applicable.
   • If there is no existing wetland(s), please detail why you believe this is a candidate site for restoration.
2. Were there wetlands on your site previously?
3. What are your goals and specific objectives for the potential wetland project?
4. What is the size of the area to improve?
5. Confirm the location (with a pin or a map).
6. Are there risks to neighbours or infrastructure on your property if you create a wetland?
7. Are you the land owner of this parcel? If not, who is?
   • If you are the landowner, are you willing to sign a stewardship agreement for the property?
8. Do you have any resources you can contribute to this project? (e.g., time, funding, supplies)
9. Are you a current BCWF member or club member?

If your site is a candidate, then you should be able to create a natural-looking, low-cost wetland with one of the following techniques:

Groundwater: Exposing groundwater by removing or shifting soils. This technique does not require clay soils.

Surface Water: By creating groundwater barriers (underground dams with clay), you can hold water back to create a wetland slope.

Liner: If your water table is too deep, you may need to use a liner. If there is clay on site, you can make a natural liner to retain water. Otherwise, you will need to use an artificial liner.

How do we know if our conservation efforts are working? How do we determine the impact we are having on our wetlands and riparian habitats?

Wetland monitoring is just as important as the initial restoration projects taking place across the province. Monitoring, maintenance, and data collection help us evaluate the effectiveness of restoration techniques and improve the performance and function of future projects.

Some of the wetland monitoring activities that can be conducted include bird monitoring, amphibian monitoring, wildlife surveys, plant surveys, photo point monitoring, and water quality monitoring.

Ongoing maintenance also helps ensure restored wetlands continue to function as intended—this may include managing invasive species, reinforcing restoration structures, or adapting to changing site conditions.

Through these efforts, our teams assess restoration outcomes, track overall wetland health, and identify opportunities for improvement. These activities are carried out when funding allows.