Restoring fish habitat in Hiłsyaqƛis (Tranquil Creek), north of Tofino, might seem straightforward at first glance. However, beneath the river’s calm surface lies a complex story of environmental damage and extensive efforts to recover local salmon.
Photos: Ross Reid, Redd Fish Restoration Society
Restoring fish habitat in Hiłsyaqƛis (Tranquil Creek), north of Tofino, might seem straightforward at first glance. However, beneath the river’s calm surface lies a complex story of environmental damage and extensive efforts to recover local salmon.
From the 1960s onwards, the area suffered heavy logging with minimal regard for fish habitat. In just a few decades, logging devastated the riparian corridor and surrounding hill slopes, removing nearly all old-growth trees from the lower valley. Despite replanting efforts in the watershed, habitat conditions for fish and wildlife have continued to degrade.
Monumental old-growth trees were fundamental to the natural process that drive healthy rivers in coastal B.C. Mature trees and their dense understories can absorb and slowly release large amounts of rain, while their vast root networks hold soil in place on slopes and riverbanks. The removal of these forests led to landslides and erosion, and as a result, Tranquil Creek has become wide, shallow, and inhospitable for salmon.
Nearly a decade ago, ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht) First Nation, in partnership with Redd Fish Restoration Society, launched efforts to restore the watershed and recover local chum, coho, and Chinook salmon populations. Tranquil Creek is located on hahuułi (traditional territory) of the Tla-o-qui-aht, and support from the local community and Tribal Parks Guardians program were key in driving this project.
“The Tla-o-qui-aht vision for this watershed was developed through open house engagements in Tofino and in our communities, crystallizing our understanding of what the watershed was once like and where we want to go,” says Saya Masso, Natural Resources Manager, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation.
With the goal of moving beyond previous restoration projects and bringing back abundance, the focus has been on setting the watershed up for success.
“We tried to focus on a holistic and process-based approach to restoration, which means addressing the root causes of the watershed’s issues, not just the symptoms,” says Tom Balfour, Restoration Biologist at Redd Fish.
This approach involves restoring 44 hectares of riparian forest to support long-term recovery in tandem with channel restoration efforts.
“The natural processes that create fish habitat here have been disrupted. So, for every habitat feature we aimed to create, we asked ourselves: How can we work with the river, not against it?”
One answer emerged: Build massive wood structures, replicating the scale of the natural log jams that once shaped the river before logging.
Leveraging $171,500 in grants from PSF’s Community Salmon Program, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and Redd Fish implemented a unique restoration design in the heart of Tranquil Creek. Known as ‘self-ballasting’ log jams, these heavy structures are engineered to stay in place without using unnatural materials like cables or boulders, which are common in traditional restoration structures.
Between 2020 and 2023, the team began testing pilot log jams in the river each summer to enhance fish habitat in Tranquil Creek. However, local wildfires postponed some restoration work, as specialized helicopters needed for the project were redirected to support firefighting efforts.
In the summer of 2024, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and Redd Fish installed 13 additional engineered log jams using nearly 400 full-sized trees. The largest of these structures measures 40 feet wide and 12 feet tall. The log jams were designed to create long-term fish habitat and support natural watershed processes, such as sorting sediment, slowing down rushing water, engaging the floodplain, narrowing the river channel, and helping to store groundwater during drier summer months.
Eight years into these restoration efforts, Balfour is optimistic about the results.
“The river’s response to these new structures has been promising so far. Our long-term goal is for the forest to recover enough to supply its own large wood, but until then, we hope our log jams will fulfill that role,” says Balfour.
Climate change has exacerbated habitat pressures in Tranquil Creek, with erratic weather patterns causing prolonged droughts and intense rainfall. These changes have led to rapid water flows, unreliable spawning habitats, and increased fish strandings. Over the years, the project has focused on not only recovering from past degradation but also making the habitat more resilient to climate change.
“We’re helping the river create pools that protect the fish from predators and in drought, even when it hasn’t rained in a long time. That’s the new reality we’re in,” says Masso.
“This partnership has enhanced the traditional role and principles we’ve held for millennia: it’s only through consistent, annual effort in these rivers that we can return to a system of abundance. The Tla-o-qui-aht will not abandon these watersheds.”
By working in harmony with natural systems and committing to community stewardship in the long-term, the Tranquil Creek restoration project offers a model for how degraded watersheds can be revitalized for generations.
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SALMON PROGRAM
In the 35 years since its inception, PSF’s Community Salmon Program has distributed $28.8 million in grants to more than 3,300 projects across B.C. and the Yukon and engaged thousands of volunteers.
The application portal for the Community Salmon Program Fall 2024 funding round is now open through October 15, 2024. Apply today and help make a positive difference for Pacific salmon and their habitats.
