BCIT Ecological Restoration degree program students participated in a 7-day wetland construction course in September 2014 at Logan Lake, BC led by wetland construction expert Tom Biebighauser. Tom is a wildlife biologist and wetland ecologist who has created more than 1650 wetlands across the US and western Canada. BCIT students worked alongside Tom and BCIT instructors learning about the techniques for the first 3 wetlands and then had a chance to apply their knowledge, while Tom supervised, in the construction of 3 additional wetlands. This field program is part of RENR 8106 – Wetland and Estuary Restoration, taught in BCIT’s Ecological Restoration program by Dr. Ken Ashley.

On this day, the public and media were invited to observe the sixth and final wetland being completed. In addition, 247 African boer goats were brought in by Rocky Ridge Vegetation Control to manage the invasive plant species (mainly thistle) that had become established in the disturbed areas from the previous years’ wetland construction. Controlled goat grazing is a cost-effective and environmentally-safe alternative to using herbicides in aquatic environments, which are being increasingly scrutinized due to concerns about the long term environmental and human effects of herbicide use in urban and riparian areas.

Please view the time lapse restoration of Mackay Creek estuary from August 2013 to August 2014.

This project was initiated by the BCIT Rivers Institute and various BCIT students in the Ecological Restoration Program.  This shows the remarkable transformation of the MacKay Creek estuary, which had been in a degraded state for over 50 years.  This demonstrates that ecological restoration is possible on a variety of sites, and new restoration science and techniques are making a difference.  In fact, one of the greatest obstacles to conducting ecological restoration in urban areas is convincing people that restoration is even possible.  BCIT students learn the theory and practice of restoration ecology, so they can make a positive difference in their communities.

Special thanks to Stephen Goobie of Bodwell High School for creating this great photo collection of the transformation of MacKay Creek estuary.

Thanks to a generous $10,000 grant from Rudy North, a summer student intern program was launched by the BCIT Rivers Institute for the summer of 2013.

Rudy’s idea was to provide a meaningful summer work experience for students following completion of their first year of BCIT’s Ecological Restoration Degree Program, so the student would gain valuable experience before heading back to complete their second year term in September.

In this inaugural year, three student intern positions were created, thanks to wonderful collaboration and cost sharing between various NGOs and local governments:

• Intern 1, Christina Perkin, is working with the City of North Vancouver’s Environmental Technician,Angela Negenman (a BCIT FWR graduate) with Engineering, Parks and Environment, developing community education and outreach programs for invasive plant species in the City of North Vancouver;
• Intern 2, Josh Retallick, is working with Edith Tobe, Executive Director of the Squamish Watershed Society, monitoring a variety of estuary, stream channel and wetland restoration projects around Squamish BC;
• Intern 3, Taylor Hunt, is working with Dan Buffet, Head of Conservation – BC Coast, Ducks Unlimited Canada, developing wetland and estuary restoration plans for the recently acquired Grauer Proprety, in Richmond BC.

Thanks to all our great project co-sponsors, and we’re looking forward to hearing some great stories form from our students when they return to BCIT in September.

The BCIT Rivers Institute, in combination with the Ecological Restoration Degree program, has embarked on a large-scale, multi-year ecological restoration program of the residual pocket estuaries in Burrard Inlet.  This initiative was made possible via a Creative Sentencing court award to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.

Estuaries are among the most productive, yet most endangered aquatic habitats in British Columbia and beyond, hence the emphasis of the River Institute is well justified in terms of raising awareness and restoring critical fish and wildlife habitat.

BCIT students in the Ecological Restoration Degree Program, under the guidance of the Rivers Institute and ER Instructors, engaged the community and requested seed funding from HCTF to develop restoration plans for 5 estuaries and tidal stream reaches in Burrard Inlet:

Seymour River estuary, in partnership with Metro Vancouver (Lead Proponent), Living Rivers and the Seymour Salmonid Society;

Lynn Creek estuary, in partnership with the BC Conservation Foundation (Lead proponent) and Living Rivers;

Mosquito Creek estuary, in partnership with the Squamish Nation (Lead proponent), City of North Vancouver and Living Rivers;

Mackay Creek estuary, in partnership with Northwest Hydraulics (Lead Proponent), Seaspan (Primary HADD funding), Squamish Nation, Living Rivers and the City of North Vancouver;

New Brighton Park Creek, in partnership with BCIT (lead proponent) and the City of Vancouver and Vancouver Parks Board.

The BCIT students presented their Burrard Inlet estuary restoration plans at the recent Pacific Estuarine Research Society Conference in Delta, BC:

36th Annual Meeting

Pacific Estuarine Research Society

April 4 – 7th, Delta, British Columbia

Twos of the student teams won Best Presentation awards for their efforts: Julia Alard-Tomalin, Mike Jeffrey and Courtney Lahue for their presentation on “Restoration Plan for MacKay Creek Estuary’ and Michelle Holst and Deanna MacTavish for their presentation on “Restoration Plans for Mosquito Creek Estuary”.