Rivershed Stories is a monthly newsletter that helps people stay connected to watershed work. It brings together updates, shared learning, and opportunities related to land, water, and community care. Each issue includes: Updates and reflections on Rivershed programs and activities. Watershed news, highlighting recent news stories and publications. Upcoming watershed events. Opportunities, including jobs and…
Each year, as summer comes to an end, salmon leave the ocean to make their way up rivers and streams to spawn. Their journey will take a few weeks, on average, and the salmon’s bodies undergo incredible physical changes to function in freshwater and prepare for mating. The fish transform from their silvery ocean bodies…
Despite challenging conditions brought on by snow, ice, permits, and seasonal flooding, we recently completed effectiveness monitoring along the sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm (Salmon River)* Foodlands Corridor! This monitoring happens twice a year—once at the end of winter and again in the summer—providing data to track how restored sites respond to seasonal shifts and ensuring we meet permit…
Join us to reflect on the accomplishments of 2024, preview 2025, and take part in a special screening of the film The Spirit Who Swims. We are honoured to be joined by Bev Sellars, former chief and councillor of the Xatśūll (Soda Creek) First Nation for a virtual screening of her award-winning film, The Spirit…
Mid-August to mid-October are busy months in the world of habitat restoration, and this year the Foodlands sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm (Salmon River)* Corridor has been no exception. The Foodlands Corridor Restoration Program team took on two new ambitious projects to expand the corridor this fall: another bank stabilization project and a marsh connectivity project. “sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm” is the…
Experience the Fraser River like never before—paddle a Voyageur canoe with us! 🛶 We’re bringing together our Watershed CPR Champions for a special day on the water, and we’ve reserved two exclusive seats just for you and a friend! Enter the contest for an opportunity to join us on Saturday, September 21st, as we journey…
Join us to celebrate the accomplishments of 2023 and get a look at what we have planned for 2024. June 6, 2024 7:00 pm (PST) The AGM will feature a compelling presentation by the Nature-Based Solutions Foundation (NBSF). Hania Eve Peper, NBSF’s National Programs Manager, will delve into NBSF’s mission to safeguard Canada’s most endangered…
Rivershed is seeking individuals who share our commitment to connecting a Watershed Movement to protect and restore the Fraser, while understanding and honoring First Nations rights to steward and protect their lands and waters, as enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Our Board of Directors supports passionate staff working…
Keely Weget-Whitney braved the frigid waters and strong currents of the Fraser Canyon as she swam sixty kilometres of the Fraser River from Lillooet to the Stein River in 2017. The story of her swim was captured in the short film ‘For the Love of Salmon’ by Jan Vozenilek of Copper Sky Productions. Keely’s goal…
In August 2021, Rivershed launched the Foodlands Corridor Restoration Program and began work on the first pilot restoration site along the sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm (Salmon River)* in Langley, in the shared territory of the Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo and Matsqui Nations. Two years later, the transformative impact of Foodlands is evident. Seven parcels along the river have undergone…
Rivershed spent the summer connecting people with the Fraser Watershed and each other through in-person and on-the-water programs. As we reflect on all we learned this summer, we are excited to share this small selection of photos to sum up our 2023 River Clinics journey. We are so grateful for the opportunities we have had…
In recognition of the ‘spooky season’ of Autumn, we want to highlight some of the ‘scary species’ that can be found in the Fraser Watershed to help us get in the mood for Halloween! 👻 Little Brown Bat The little brown bat, or little brown myotis, is a small mammal that can catch an astonishing…
Each year as summer comes to an end, salmon leave the ocean to make their way up rivers and streams to spawn. Throughout the province, there are family-friendly events celebrating local rivers and the return of salmon. These are great opportunities to connect with communities and learn about local Watershed CPR efforts. We will be…
Rivershed’s work on Watershed CPR (Connect. Protect. Restore.) is getting global attention. We recently accepted an invitation to become an Actor in the #GenerationRestoration movement, driving positive changes on the ground through ecosystem restoration initiatives! The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (UN Decade) is a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all…
Planting at the new site. Photo courtesy of Langley Environmental Partners Society. Thank you to the knowledge keepers and speakers from the Kwantlen and Katzie Nations for providing the Halkomelem translations used throughout this blog post. The capitalized translations are Halq’eméylem (Upriver dialect of Halkomelem) and the lowercase words are hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (Downriver dialect). The Langley…
Salmon are one of the most well-known species found in the Fraser Watershed. They are anadromous fish, meaning they spend parts of their life in both freshwater and saltwater habitats. Salmon begin life in freshwater rivers, streams and lakes but live their adult lives in the ocean before returning upriver to reproduce. The Fraser River…
The Fraser River is not only one of the largest sockeye salmon-producing rivers in the world, it is also home to several other anadromous and migratory fish species. Here are four migratory fish that can be found in the Fraser Watershed: Sockeye salmon in Adams River. Photo by Kendra Nelson. Salmon Salmon are one of…
Join us for our Annual General Meeting and hear about Watershed CPR efforts to connect a movement to protect and restore the Fraser Watershed. June 3rd, 2023 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm (PST). The meeting is virtual, so you can attend from anywhere you have internet connection. The hour will include a review of 2022…
Thank you to everyone who attended this Foodlands site visit on the sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm. The sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm (Salmon River) in Langley, on the shared territory of the Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo and Matsqui Nations. On October 13, 2022, the Rivershed Team was thrilled to welcome BC Finance Minister, the Honourable Selina Robinson (MLA, Coquitlam-Maillardville) to a Foodlands Corridor…
There is an updated version of this blog post here: https://rivershed.com/blog/spawning-salmon-of-the-fraser/ Each year, as summer comes to an end, salmon leave the ocean to make their way up rivers and streams to spawn. Their journey will take a few weeks, on average, and the salmon’s bodies undergo incredible physical changes to function in freshwater and…
Part of our work with the Foodlands Corridor Restoration Program on the sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm (Salmon River) is conducting wildlife surveys to track the success the habitat restoration efforts. In the beginning of April, we conducted our first survey with Birds Canada through their Marsh Monitoring Program. These multi-year surveys will track the presence of amphibians and…
More Than a Race To help you connect with your watershed, we are providing ideas for routes to explore within your region of the Fraser Watershed that highlight natural and cultural wonders. Jump to routes in the: Fraser Headwaters Region | Nechako Region | Cariboo-Chilcotin Region | Thompson Region | Fraser Canyon Region | Lower…
Mark Your Calendars 2021 was a pivotal year for Rivershed, and we want to share our successes with you! Please join us for our Virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM): June 4th, 2022 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm (PST). Our AGM will include a review of 2021 and a glimpse into our exciting plans for 2022,…
An important part of the restoration work at our pilot Foodlands Corridor on the sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm (Salmon River) in Langley has involved removing invasive Reed Canary grass (phalaris arundinacea) and replacing it with native species. The new plants will shade out the invasive grass while creating habitat for local wildlife. “stɑl̓əw̓” is the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ word for…
About the Foodlands Corridor Restoration Program logo Rivershed is grateful to Kwantlen artist Brandon Gabriel – Kwelexwelsten, who worked with the Rivershed team to design the Foodlands Corridor Restoration Program logo. His artwork reflects the deep connection he has to the land and captures the values Foodlands is working to encompass. We are honoured he…
Watershed Security Fund The Province of BC has released a public discussion paper on the BC Watershed Security Strategy and Fund. The government is accepting feedback on the discussion paper until March 18, 2022. We encourage everyone to provide feedback on the Watershed Security Strategy Discussion Paper, if you can. Here are some great resources to help…
REGISTER NOW! Join us for a webinar and strategy session to begin developing a collaborative conservation strategy for the Heart of the Fraser (the region of the Fraser River between Hope and Mission, BC). January 25th, 2022 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (PST). Currently, there is no collaborative plan to protect the Heart of the…
Drag the circle with the arrows to the right and left to see a section of the pilot site before and during the restoration work. “Before” photo provided by Al Jonsson. “During” photo by Lara Volgyesi. Planting is complete at both of our Foodlands pilot sites along the sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm (Salmon River). Despite the challenges imposed by the…
Rivershed is implementing a pilot project for our Foodlands Corridor Restoration Program (Foodlands) on the sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm (Salmon River) in Langley, on the shared territory of the Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo and Matsqui Nations. The project is in collaboration with səýeḿ Qwantlen (the business subsidiary of the Kwantlen First Nation), Langley Environmental Partners Society, Kerr Wood Leidal,…
June 24, 2021 More Than a Race To help you connect with your watershed, we are providing ideas for routes to explore within your region of the Fraser Watershed that highlight natural and cultural wonders. Jump to routes in the: Fraser Headwaters Region | Nechako Region | Cariboo-Chilcotin Region | Thompson Region | Fraser Canyon…
Expression of Interest for creation of the Foodlands Corridor Restoration Program Logo The Rivershed Society of BC is looking to commission a logo for our Foodlands Corridor Restoration Program (FCRP) from a Kwantlen Nation artist. Please see the Call for Artists document for more information. Deadline for submission: June 18, 2021
Over the past 6 months, RSBC has been working with the BC Watershed Security Coalition calling for an investment in watershed security as a core focus of economic recovery for British Columbia. We want to thank you for supporting our efforts and are happy to report our message was heard. Yesterday, the B.C. government announced…
From the New Westminster Record. Original story here. Former New Westminster MP enters Fraser River Hall of Fame Theresa McManus / New West Record Long before stepping into the House of Commons, Fin Donnelly was advocating on behalf of the Mighty Fraser. The former member of Parliament, who represented New Westminster, Coquitlam and Port Moody…
December 22, 2019 From CBC News. Original story here. Program at Native Education College comes as world looks to Indigenous knowledge to help solve climate crisis Chad Pawson · CBC News · Posted: Oct 14, 2019 8:00 AM PT | Last Updated: October 14 Justin Sidon, a member of the Sto:Lo First Nation, hopes to…
December 22, 2019 Originally published on page 17 in the December 2019 College Matters newsletter from the College of Applied Biology. Download the full newsletter (pdf) here. By Corrie Allen, M.Sc., R.P.Bio. To say that 29 days canoeing and rafting down the Fraser River was intimidating, would be an understatement. Yet, after armouring myself with…
September 22, 2019 Article written about the River Clinic for Empowered Youth, written by Sustainable Living Leadership Program graduates Ella Parker and Riley Brennan. You can see the original article here, on page 13.
Originally posted by the North Shore News: https://www.nsnews.com/community/fraser-river-journey-highlights-watershed-s-importance-1.23941787 Written by Ben Bengtson / North Shore News North Vancouver resident Jeffrey Gibbs is one of a dozen participants in a recent Rivershed Society of BC program on sustainable living leadership. As part of the program, the group spent a month travelling the entire Fraser River. photo…
Before enjoying a FraserFest dinner catered by Bliss, members of the Rivershed Society of B.C. Sustainable Living Leadership Program pose for a photo with local community members who greeted them as they paddled into Ceal Tingley Park Tuesday, July 30. Lindsay Chung photo From the Quesnel Cariboo Observer. Original story here. Program participants are travelling…
From the Williams Lake Tribune. Original story here. Written by: MONICA LAMB-YORSKI Aug. 7, 2019 6:00 a.m. Like the waters they are trying to protect, participants in the Rivershed Society of B.C.’s Sustainable Living Leadership Program journey down the Fraser River continue to have a rippling effect. More than 103 people have gone through since…
Originally from Williams Lake, Bhavna Pooni hopes to raise awareness of the river From the Williams Lake Tribune. Original story here. Written by: MONICA LAMB-YORSKI July 17, 2019 7:00 p.m. As she prepares to embark on this year’s Rivershed Society of British Columbia’s trip down the Fraser River, Bhavna Pooni expects it to be…
April 28, 2019 Myka Kollmann grew up in the Bronx, New York and has lived in Vancouver for the past 13 years. She is currently a fourth-year undergrad at UBC studying social justice and environmental studies. Myka enjoys working in her community and being out in nature. She has been volunteering with a local recovery…
April 17, 2019 Sasha Makhneva’s Rivershed Story Sasha Makhneva is an environmental science student at Simon Fraser University with many creative talents and interests such as singing, art, drawing, and music. She loves to explore and go on epic adventures. Originally from Russia and now living in Burnaby, BC, Sasha was inspired by Fin Donnelly,…
March 12, 2019 For Immediate Release “Stream Monitoring for Change in SD91” to screen on March 15th at the Reel Alternatives Film Event in Vanderhoof Three high-school students from the Nechako Valley Secondary School, working alongside a research assistant from the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) have recently completed a short film documenting their…
March 9, 2019 Ella Parker’s Rivershed Story Ella Parker has always loved rivers, even before participating in the Rivershed Society of BC’s Sustainable Living Leadership Program (SLLP) in the summer of 2018. She grew up in the Yukon and has extensive river experience, including day- and week-long trips in the summer to the Takhini River…
February 3, 2019 The goal of the SLLP is to have alumni in each of the Fraser River Basin’s 34 riversheds within this generation. Since 2002, 103 community leaders have graduated from this amazing program. We want all regions of the Fraser River Basin represented in the SLLP. That’s where we need your help to…
December 11, 2018 Please note that this was originally posted on the Nature Trust BC website, here. On August 2, 2018, I started my 1,400km 27-day journey near Mount Robson in the headwaters of the Fraser River. I travelled downstream by canoe, raft and on foot with eight other community leaders, finishing in Vancouver’s Salish Sea. The purpose of the Rivershed Society of BC’s wilderness education…
November 2, 2018 My name is Ella Parker and I am a research assistant with the University of Northern British Columbia’s Integrated Watershed Research Group. I graduated from the Sustainable Living Leadership Program in 2018. For my community action project, I decided to organize a film project to document the stream-monitoring program that UNBC and…
I’m rafting the Fraser to Vancouver Building eden along the way I have with me 13 others Who have bonded without delay The Fraser is full of surprises Falls of water and pools of blue We see, touch and taste its spirit In the rhythm of our voyageur canoe Our group is a collection of…
October 14, 2018 Young Burnaby woman gets her eyes opened during a trip down the Fraser River Originally published in the Burnaby Now September 16, 2018 After spending 52 days living in the wilderness, I finally came back to my hometown of Burnaby. I was shocked by how different my lifestyle was in the city…
Originally posted on West Coast Environmental Law’s website. Shared with permission. September 19, 2018 “Rivers are the arteries of our planet; they are lifelines in the truest sense.” – Mark Angelo, Founder, World Rivers Day This August I took my environmental values on the river. As a participant in the Rivershed Society of BC’s Sustainable…
Keely Weget-Whitney’s Rivershed Story Under a haze of wildfire smoke and with her ancestors watching from above, Keely Weget-Whitney steps into the frigid and fast-moving waters of the Fraser River with one goal in mind: make people care. Join the 25-year-old St’at’imc and Gitxsan Nation woman as she embarks on a 60 kilometre swim to…
Lisa Bland and Oliver Berger take part in 2018 Sustainable Living Leadership Program
June 17, 2018 Blog post by: Richelle Giberson “I can honestly say that the SLLP has inspired me in all aspects of my life, big and small.” – Colin O’Neil, 2013 SLLP Alumn We recently caught up with Colin O’Neil, an alumn from the 2013 Sustainable Living Leadership Program (SLLP). When he participated in the…
2018 marked the beginning of a new 3-day outdoor educational program for the Rivershed Society of BC. Named the Rivers Clinic for Environmental Leaders (RCEL), the program was developed by Sustainable Living Leadership Program (SLLP) 2016 grads, Megan Rempel and Petra Markova. It was during the SLLP when the two came up with the idea of…
Originally published on the website of Simon Fraser University, in their “Sustainability Stories” section. You can view the original here. SFU’s undergraduate biology student Petra Markova and BCIT project management alumna Megan Rempel were paddling the Fraser River together on a 30-day sustainable leadership program when they created the idea of providing an accessible outdoor…
February 13, 2018 Last summer, myself and Oliver Berger (another 2016 SLLP alumnus) traveled the 48km Goat River Trail across the Cariboo Mountains. We were looking for adventure. But we also had a serious purpose in mind. We wanted to create a video log of our journey to help raise awareness of the trail. The…
The thing that seems the simplest in paddling down a river is that you always know your direction. You dip your paddle and propel yourself, but the river does most of the work. And like paddling down a nicely moving river that carries you where you need to be, it seems almost too easy to…
July 23, 2016 As I write, I sit with half of my River family, staring into the great wilderness of the Cariboo Mountains. My team laughs as they swing back and forth on a cable tray that stretches across the Goat River. Water rushes peacefully across the smooth rocks heading down the valley to a…
June 4, 2016 I wrote an ebook all about my adventures down the Fraser River! It can be found here. For the past four summers I have travelled the length of the Fraser River with the Sustainable Living Leadership Program, first as a participant, and then as a facilitator. It has been an experience that…
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