Spring has finally started to poke its head out as the days get longer and warmer. Some of the best spots to enjoy BC's sparkling waters are thriving in the springtime. So grab a few cozy layers, sturdy shoes, some snacks and head out for an adventure! If you're at a loss of where to start, here are six ways you can get out on the water near Vancouver this spring.
The 12th annual river cleanup is March 23 and the goal is attracting more youth
The Progress, Jennifer Feinberg
Getting young people out to the annual Fraser River cleanup has always been considered as crucial by cleanup organizers Fraser Riverkeeper and Woodtone.
The long-standing tradition of gathering every spring to clean up the Fraser River began back in 2007, with a small group of volunteers and a big love for our salmon and rivers. Fraser Riverkeeper hosted the first cleanup along the Fraser River in Chilliwack, BC and in the 12 years since, they have partnered with local company Woodtone to organize the event
It was a busy year out on the water and thanks to your generous support, here are some of our 2018 achievements.
Before we dive in, we want to extend a huge thank you to all of our incredible volunteers for the 2018 year. We could not have achieved all that we did without you, and we can't wait to see what we accomplish together next year!
If you followed our work with the False Creek Water Monitoring Program this summer you know that we dove a bit deeper into how the water quality in False Creek stands up to Canadian Recreational Water Quality Guidelines. And if you checked out our First Season Report, you saw that we were surprised—and relieved—by how often our samples from False Creek West and False Creek Central met the guidelines. Our curiosity was piqued in the fall when we spotted something fishy on November 1stin Stamps Landing.
This summer (2018) we launched the False Creek Water Monitoring Program, a new citizen science initiative by Fraser Riverkeeper and Swim Drink Fish Canada. The program built on our previous Burrard Inlet and False Creek monitoring in 2017and established a robust monitoring hub, equipped with an in-house lab on Granville Island.
If someone asked you what watershed you live in, would you be able to tell them? How about if someone asked where your drinking water is sourced from? Or, if someone asked you where your nearest waterbody is located and the fish species you might find swimming in it?