Sooke's Glenairley Centre for Earth and Spirit wanted to create an organic vegetable garden on the land it leases from the Sisters of St. Ann. But in recent years, there has been a severe water shortage on southern Vancouver Island. The solution? BC Wildlife Federation's Wetlands Institute event built them a wetland in just six days.
Sometimes a plant from another ecosystem finds just what it needs in your area. As it flourishes and spreads, it can crowd out native plants. To humans, one green thing may seem as good as the next, but a caterpillar or chickadee may have food or habitat needs that only native plants can supply.
Oceans Day is aimed at increasing awareness of our oceans and their vital role in support of life on earth. It’s also an opportunity to teach people about marine life, encourage safe boating practices, and have some fun.
Did he know what he was setting in motion? Mark Angelo started BC Rivers Day in 1980. Twenty-five years later, it’s gone global, with the announcement last June of World Rivers Day (WRD).
Work has begun to try to restore salmon stocks in the Cheakamus River after damage resulting from a large spill of caustic soda. The spill occurred on August 5, 2005 when a CN train derailed 30 km north of Squamish and the contents of a rail car entered the river.
Recognizing the importance of community involvement in the protection of Canada’s fisheries resources, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has set up a website to help Canadians form and operate community and stewardship groups.
The Centre for Sustainable Watersheds, a registered charity, is developing a web-based information sharing resource that will help foster better communication between Canada’s water stakeholders. It is hoped that “Water Connections” will help the country’s various jurisdictions and other stakeholders make sound decisions concerning water management and protection.
Over the centuries, judges have recognized that the public has rights not to be exposed to toxins, and to have clean water and air: that’s the conclusion of a recently published paper written by West Coast Environmental Law (WCEL) staff counsel, Andrew Gage. Re-establishing these rights has the potential to significantly shift how governments make decisions that affect people’s health and environment.
