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[clarki]

To end off 2022, this is a good news story

https://globalnews.ca/news/9378597/bc-parks-foundation-purchases-land-heart-fraser-river/

(Interestingly enough, I can’t corroborate this announcement with anything from BCParks Foundation press releases or social media)

Now back to the regular programming of assaults and fraud!

[chardeemacdenis]

I know its important but I think they coined 'the heart' so that they wouldn't have to do anything about the lower river...

[clarki]

Perhaps…

Or maybe it’s because the islands, backwaters and gravel bars of the Mission-Hope reach of the river provide critical spawning habitat for white sturgeon and salmon, particularly pinks.

For reference: https://www.heartofthefraser.ca/local-ecology/

[chardeemacdenis]

I've seen the property in question and it's nothing special. It'll be just another plot of alder and cottonwood eventually. If they had bought Herrling Isl and a few of the others I'd be impressed. Its my honest salmon loving nature oriented opinion that the money should have gone into dyke and flood gate mitigation in the lower river. There's a huge habitat gap for smolts as they leave the Fraser Valley.

[sumasriver]

Any fish habitat in the lower fraser permanently protected is fantastic news.

Now  on to next piece of property , quicker the better as our salmon for future generations are counting on us for protection.

[clarki]

I've seen the property in question and it's nothing special. It'll be just another plot of alder and cottonwood eventually. If they had bought Herrling Isl and a few of the others I'd be impressed. Its my honest salmon loving nature oriented opinion that the money should have gone into dyke and flood gate mitigation in the lower river. There's a huge habitat gap for smolts as they leave the Fraser Valley.

Agreed. The lower Fraser is definitely not hospitable to outward migrating fry.

There are some innovative projects (ie breaching the Steveston and North Arm jetties, or removing the Squamish Spit) to open up more habitat for smolts but, yes, our flood protection infrastructure is devastating for fish.

[clarki]

Yeah, to hijack my own thread…

Some of the more personally egregious flood protection structures are the sea dams on the Nicomekl and Serpentine Rivers.

Good news on both fronts!

https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/surrey-awards-1-million-contract-for-serpentine-sea-dam-design/
https://bcwf.bc.ca/conservation-groups-demand-improved-fish-passage-on-nicomekl-sea-dam/

[RalphH]

Most of the lower Fraser floodplain ...say below Fort Langley, is far removed from it's natural state. Remediation and recovery something approaching that state will be very expensive and painful. That's not true of the floodplain above Mission. So whatever part of that can be saved from development is low hanging fruit and should be grabbed while it is available.