Sections of the old Highway 99 near Squamish are being transformed into wetlands.
The initiative is part of an eight-day workshop on wetland stewardship run by the B.C. Wildlife Federation. Last weekend, participants rehabilitated one and created two wetlands throughout the Sea to Sky Corridor. The two new habitats were placed on an old piece of highway near West Brohm Creek, said Neil Fletcher, the federation's wetlands education coordinator.
The Squamish River Watershed Society pitched in on the effort. The society has already created a successful wetland habitat in that area, Fletcher noted, which is attracting red-legged frogs and bass.
"For their size they have disproportionately more species using them than any other eco-system," Fletcher said of wetlands.
In B.C., 144 bird species rely on wetlands and 44 different mammals, he noted, a lot of which are either on the blue or red list of animals at risk. Fifty to 85 per cent of wetlands have been developed throughout the province, Fletcher noted.
"We are just part of a movement trying to reverse that trend," he said.
Last week in Squamish, the federation held a municipal planner workshop on bylaws and policies that can help protect wetlands. Municipal employees from the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast attended the meeting, including three District of Squamish officials.
People are starting to recognize the importance of these areas, Fletcher said. The Squamish River Watershed Society has been creating habitat in the community's flood control lands, he noted. The organization has placed 11 interpretive signs in the Britannia Slough area and two at West Brohm Creek. The notices aim to make residents aware of the value of wetlands.
The federation's wetlands education program started in 1996. It's funded by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation. For more information on workshops and how to get involved visit www.bcwf.net.
