PSF invests $1.1 million to boost community-led salmon conservation efforts

In spring of 2022, the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s (PSF’s) Community Salmon Program distributed more than $1.1 million in funding to 116 community-led salmon conservation, enhancement, and habitat restoration projects across British Columbia. Combined, this consortium of projects represents $5.9 million in total value of salmon stewardship work.

The Community Salmon Program (CSP), launched in 1989, empowers volunteers, local streamkeepers, Indigenous communities, and schools to take action to conserve and rehabilitate Pacific salmon and their habitats. Successful projects have included salmon habitat restoration, aquatic monitoring and research, emergency flood rescue initiatives, conservation hatchery operations, educational programming and outreach, and citizen science initiatives.

One successful project funded by the Community Salmon Program is the restoration of Still Creek, which flows across Central Burnaby.

Still Creek, part of the Brunette River watershed, is one of the last remaining salmon-bearing creeks in Vancouver.

Salmon disappeared from the creek for 80 years, largely attributed to industrialization and urbanization throughout the 20^th century. As a result, 90 per cent of the stream went underground.

However, in 2012, chum salmon returned to the creek for the first time since 1932 thanks to collaborative efforts by streamkeepers, biologists, and community volunteers to restore the stream and its inhabitants. Hundreds of salmon successfully spawned in Still Creek between 2012 and 2016!

Since 2016, salmon returns to Still Creek have been poor, yet volunteers, streamkeepers, and biologists continue their vital restoration efforts.

Thanks in part to funding from the Community Salmon Program, the Still Moon Arts Society led 13 hands-on restoration events at Still Creek in 2021, including invasive species removals, native vegetation plantings, and garbage removal clean-up events. The Society, which has catalyzed a network of more than 400 volunteers to support salmon habitat at Still Creek, also installed eight informational signs near the stream to advance community awareness about local salmon habitat.

Earlier this year, Still Creek streamkeepers released 5,000 juvenile chum salmon into the stream in hopes of building up the natural population.

“Slowly but surely, this stream has been coming back to life,” said Mark Angelo, Chair Emeritus, Rivers Institute at BCIT.

 

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“The Community Salmon Program has been at the core of the Pacific Salmon Foundation since the beginning,” says Michael Meneer, CEO and President, Pacific Salmon Foundation.

“We depend upon the grassroots work of passionate people for salmon. Community members are essential in leading the way and protecting endangered salmon stocks. Historically low salmon runs in recent years — coupled with climate change — means that salmon populations, many of which are in decline, need our help now more than ever. We are incredibly thankful to the people for salmon who leverage Community Salmon Program funds to uplift their grassroots conservation efforts.”

The Community Salmon Program accepts new applications each spring and fall. It is primarily supported by the federal Salmon Conservation Stamp, a decal which anglers purchase with their fishing licence. All generated proceeds support PSF’s salmon restoration, stewardship, education, and enhancement efforts.

Purchase a Salmon Conservation Stamp online to support the Community Salmon Program. Alternatively, make a donation directly to PSF.

The next funding application cycle for the Community Salmon Program opens on September 1 and will close October 15. Click here for the latest updates.

See below to learn about two community-led projects currently receiving CSP funding.

CSP dollars in action

Visualizing a resilient Fraser Watershed

The Fraser River, the longest river in B.C., is an integral part of a complex and vibrant ecosystem that supports more than 60 fish species— including Pacific salmon. In recent years, salmon returns to the Fraser Watershed have reached remarkable lows. Historically, 50 million sockeye salmon returned to the Fraser River annually, but in 2020, only 288,000 returned.

Canada has pledged to protect 30 per cent of land and seas by 2030 to prevent “catastrophic biodiversity loss.” Currently, 17 per cent of the Fraser Watershed is protected. The Rivershed Society of BC is developing a visualization tool that will identify another 13 per cent that can be protected to achieve the goal of protecting 30 per cent of the Fraser Watershed by 2030.

Rivershed will collaborate with others across the watershed to develop a tool that demonstrates a coordinated vision of protection and restoration projects across the Fraser Watershed. This tool will be used to elevate and support regional campaigns and encourage public support and capital investments.

Building a fishway in Jacobsen Creek

Jacobsen Creek, a tributary to the Little Campbell/Tatalu River in South Surrey, could provide excellent streamside habitat and cover for spawning and rearing salmonids, but is currently inaccessible to fish due to a perched culvert with an impassable one-metre drop. Streamkeepers have observed Chinook and coho attempting to jump into the culvert to reach the stream but not being able to reach the full distance.

With CSP funding, non-profit A Rocha Canada will build a fishway to enable coho, Chinook, and chum salmon, and cutthroat and steelhead trout to access nearly four kilometres of intact spawning and rearing habitat that is currently disconnected. Additionally, the project will enhance 40 metres of suitable spawning and rearing habitat by planting native plants and removing invasive vegetation.

With new industrial developments recently approved near the salmon-bearing Little Campbell River, this project is crucial to support local salmon populations.

 

Donations can be made online. The Community Salmon Program also benefits from corporations with sustainability goals. Trans Mountain, Mosaic Forest Management, BC Hydro, Methanex, Seaspan, Paper Excellence, Secure Energy, Neptune Terminals, ENCORP PACIFIC, Sutherland Foundation Inc., and Pembina Pipeline are all corporate supporters of the Program. Interested businesses can contact PSF’s Senior Business Development Manager Cory Matheson at cmatheson@psf.ca.

A full list of recipients for the spring 2022 Community Salmon Program funding cohort includes:

Applicant	Project Title	Funding confirmed $	Project Value $
A Rocha	Jacobsen Creek Salmon Passage Enhancement	57,989	230,000
A Rocha	Upper Bulkley River Salmon Rearing Habitat Assessment	3,745	30,005
Agassiz Christian School	Salmonids in the Classroom	232	1,932
AJ McLellan Elementary School	Salmonids in the Classroom	600	2,100
Alexander Elementary School	Salmonids in the Classroom	475	2,375
Alouette River Management Society	ALLCO Fish Hatchery Egg and Alevin Care	2,500	5,441
Alouette River Management Society	Morse Creek Restoration	5,508	60,201
Baker Creek Enhancement Society	Ocean Tank Refreshment – Scout Island Nature Centre	3,960	24,880
BC Conservation Foundation	Bonaparte River Habitat Restoration Project	55,096	256,708
BC Conservation Foundation	Englishman River Claybank Assessment and Mitigation	8,172	67,859
BC Conservation Foundation	Guichon Creek Habitat Restoration Project	29,474	424,915
BC Conservation Foundation	Louis Creek Habitat Restoration Project	19,898	288,543
BC Conservation Foundation	Louis Creek TRU Study Habitat Restoration Project	35,585	278,482
Beach Grove Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,720
Boundary Elementary	Stream of Dreams at Boundary Elementary	4,242	13,820
Bridge River Indian Band	Development of a salmonid outmigrant program to inform population rebuilding in the Middle Fraser River	9,300	29,300
Brooklyn Creek Watershed Society	Birkdale Farm Enhancement Project 2022	20,853	47,020
Brooklyn Creek Watershed Society	Brooklyn Creek Fish Ladder Repairs and Riparian Enhancements 2022	20,827	49,931
Canada Wild Arts Society	Uninterrupted-VR at the Adams	6,000	14,725
Carnarvon Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	280	580
Cat Stream Stewards	Pine Street Riparian Restoration project	2,497	6,887
Central Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	280	580
Central Westcoast Forest Society	Atleo River Restoration Project	28,350	155,900
Cheakamus Foundation for Environmental Learning	Cheakamus Teaching Hatchery Upgrades	18,000	40,000
Chicago Creek Community Environmental Enhancement Society	Mission Creek Fish Fence Construction and Installation Project	62,950	130,480
Chilliwack River Valley Resident’s Association	Wingfield Creek Habitat Restoration 2022	1,900	5,000
Cougar Creek Streamkeepers	Water Quality Long Term Monitoring	2,100	6,200
Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre Society	Engaging Youth in Riparian Restoration to Support Salmon in the Cowichan	2,500	34,200
Cowichan Lake Salmonid Enhancement Society	Nixon Creek Log Jam Removal	5,000	39,048
Dasmesh Punjabi School	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,420
Discovery Passage Aquarium Society	Campbell River Shoreline Cleanup Project	2,459	9,593
Dr. Thomas A Swift Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,570
Dufferin Elementary	Stream of Dreams at Dufferin Elementary	3,850	11,057
Ecole Anne-Hebert	Salmonids in the Classroom	280	580
Ecole Gabrielle-Roy	Stream of Dreams at Ecole Gabrielle-Roy Elementary	4,287	13,853
Ecole Lloyd George Elementary	Stream of Dreams at Ecole Llyod George Elementary	5,745	20,658
Ecole Norval-Morrisseau	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,550
Elsie Roy School	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,450
ESR Elementary School	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,720
Fraser Basin Council Society	Horsefly Watershed Salmon Habitat Restoration	84,748	259,096
Galiano Conservancy Association	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,800	10,200
General Gordon Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	280	580
General Wolfe Elementary School	Salmonids in the Classroom	500	2,400
Gitanyow Fisheries Authority	Kitwanga River Salmon Enumeration Facility Trap Box Improvements	11,250	45,900
Greendale Elementary Community School	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,550
Hastings Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,570
Heiltsuk Integrated Resource Management Department	Quantifying survival and harvest rates for wild Central Coast coho	31,804	417,838
Homalco First Nation	Homalco-Taggares Hatchery Groundwater Supply	26,795	103,772
Horsefly River Roundtable	Horsefly Salmon Viewing	1,400	4,800
Juan de Fuca Salmon Restoration Society	Gravel Restoration	2,500	5,375
Kingfisher Interpretive Centre Society	Conservation Through Education	6,725	106,875
Lakelse Watershed Stewards Society	Watershed Water Quality Sampling	2,500	17,514
Little River Enhancement Society	Counting Fence Relocation & Improvements	7,928	19,579
Lord Nelson Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,550
Lord Roberts Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,550
Lord Selkirk Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	280	580
Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance	Kw’atset te sthe’qi – Corbold Creek South Floodplain Restoration – Phase 2	54,000	191,400
Mainland Enhancement of Salmonoid Species Society	Stream Survey and Enumeration	2,500	15,600
Margaret Stenerson Elementary School	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,550
Mid Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society	Restoration, Conservation & Protection of Englishman River Riparian Habitat	20,714	70,455
Mid Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society	Shelly Creek Coho Smolt Rearing Habitat Restoration – Phase 3	15,368	34,570
Millard Piercy Watershed Stewards	Piercy Creek Trib 1 Habitat Restoration Project	48,983	109,935
Millard Piercy Watershed Stewards	Tributary 1 of Piercy Creek Streamside Vegetation Improvement	1,302	3,842
Moberley Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	280	580
Mount Slesse Middle School	MSMS Testing Equipment	2,371	7,721
Mountain Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,510
Mt Lehman Elementary SD 34	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,650
NatureKids BC	NatureKids BC Salmon Toolkit for Families & Educators	6,000	13,000
Nechako Valley Secondary School	Aerial Stream Habitat Assessment & Education	2,349	10,498
Nelson Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	280	580
Nootka Elementary School	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,570
Northridge Elementary	Stream of Dreams at Northridge Elementary	3,103	10,068
Oona River Resources Association Associaion	Improvement to Hatchery Water System	1,840	5,620
Pacific Parklands Foundation	Kanaka Creek Fish Fence Bank Remediation	20,000	64,478
Pear Tree Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	600	280
Peninsula Streams Society	Beach Education and Conservation of Habitat (BEACH)	4,000	113,000
Peninsula Streams Society	Colquitz Mainstem Restoration Project (Phase 3)	24,300	114,100
Peninsula Streams Society	Millstream Creek Restoration and Stewardship	24,750	78,300
Peninsula Streams Society	Portage Inlet Shoreline Restoration	11,700	66,200
Peninsula Streams Society	Water Quality Monitoring and Stewardship Program	9,900	60,000
Powell River Salmon Society	Improving Accessibity to the Alex Dobler Salmon Centre	10,830	72,470
Quadra Island Salmon Enhancement Society	Stream Drought Proofing Quadra Island	6,818	19,475
Rivershed Society of BC	A Visualization Tool for a Resilient Fraser Watershed	25,000	440,000
Salmon Coast Field Station Society	Sea Lice Monitoring Training Workshop	2,500	39,760
Sandy Hill Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,650
Sargeant Bay Society	Fish Ladder Replacement	18,000	84,000
Serpentine Enhancement Society	Tynehead Hatchery Winter 2022 Project Funding	9,945	19,080
Seymour Salmonid Society	Hatchery Infrastructure & Equipment Project	12,015	26,990
Silvern Trail Society	Toboggan Creek Trail Rehabilitation	4,505	29,020
Simon Cunningham Elementary	Stream of Dreams at Simon Cunningham Elementary	6,553	21,308
Sir Alexander Mackenzie School	Boardwalk Restoration and Habitat protection	10,000	45,800
SkeenaWild Conservation Trust	SkeenaWild Adopt-a-Stream Program	2,500	13,392
Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society	Somenos Creek Water Quality Monitoring	2,500	6,450
Squamish River Watershed Society	Salmon Heroes Outreach Program	2,500	27,500
St’át’imc Government Services	Hatchery Rearing Tanks	13,905	31,950
St’at’imc Government Services	Horseshoe Bend Coho Off-channel Habitat	37,350	199,000
Stoney Creek Community School	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,150
Sunshine Coast Salmonid Enhancement Society	Hatchery Upgrade 2022	18,500	40,000
Sunshine Coast Salmonid Enhancement Society	Net Project	1,200	2,450
Sunshine Coast Streamkeepers Society	Restoration of Creek’s Riparian Zones with Native Plants	1,200	2,400
Sunshine Hills Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,550
Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary	Stream Assessment & Stewardship	2,500	6,230
Tahsis Salmon Enhancement Society	Emergency Fuel Supply Tank	1,870	12,450
Thornton Creek Enhancement Society	Streamkeepers Program Support	2,400	4,900
Toboggan Creek Salmon & Steelhead Enhancement Society	Toboggan Creek – Johnson Farm Creek Restoration	16,200	37,030
Toboggan Creek Salmon & Steelhead Enhancement Society	Toboggan Creek Field Trip Funding	2,200	4,840
Tsolum River Restoration Society	Portuguese Creek Instream Rearing Pond Enhancement	7,690	18,845
Tyee Elementary	Salmonids in the Classroom	280	580
UNBC	Using environmental DNA (eDNA) to assess the distribution of  juvenile salmonids in the Nechako Basin, Phase 3	29,880	139,020
Vancouver Christian School	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,470
Vancouver Christian School	Salmonids in the Classroom	1,650	3,470
Walley Creek Streamkeepers	Walley Creek In-Stream Restoration Reach 2	26,100	75,970
WaterWealth Project Society	Chilliwack Vedder Watershed Water Monitoring Program	1,021	12,941
West Vancouver Streamkeeeper Society	Nelson Creek Fish Ladder Repair	6,454	33,300
Williams Lake Field Naturalists	Stream of Dreams at Scout Island Nature Centre	2,500	33,550
World Fisheries Trust	Craigflower Creek riparian restoration and water monitoring	7,700	77,724
		1,136,476	5,913,233