Salmon Steward

16 2016 psf.ca EmErgEncy ProjEcts Last summer, boulders the size of houses tumbled into the North Shore's Seymour River. The behemoths completely blocked fish passage, creating an impromptu lake. But the stranded fish were still able to reach their spawning grounds thanks to support from the Community Salmon Program and several partners, including volunteers with the Seymour Salmonid Society, Tsleil-Waututh Nation and North Shore firemen who carried fish past the blockade one-at-a-time in backpacks. A new five-year, $1.2-million plan for dealing with the blockade has now been approved by all levels of government, including the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. To learn more, visit: seymoursalmon.com/rockslide-2/. salmon Education "Salmonids in the Classroom" is the education program created by Fisheries and Oceans Canada supported with Pacific Salmon Foundation grants. Students raise salmon while learning about their ecosystems and how all humans are linked to these complex environments. In 2015, the Foundation was proud to support schools in Abbotsford, Agassiz, Brackendale, Burnaby, Chilliwack, Delta, Prince George, Richmond, Surrey, Terrace, Vancouver, Westbank and Whistler. Since 1991, the Foundation has provided $436,716 in grants to more than 360 classrooms. raingardEns Stormwater (rainwater) runo› can be devastating for urban and suburban creeks. When it rains, a flood of stormwater rushes into the creek carrying tailpipe toxins, road salt and grit, excess fertilizers and pesticides, cigarette butts, plastic, paper and more. This strange brew sweeps through creeks, into the Fraser River and out to the ocean. Since 2005, the Pacific Salmon Foundation has supported the Cougar Creek Streamkeepers' e›orts to build raingardens across Delta. The program engages students in creating native plant systems that naturally filter toxins from stormwater before it enters salmon habitat. By Elayne Sun i n 2015, the total value of projects funded by the Pacific Salmon Foundation's Community Salmon Program since 1989 surpassed $100 million. The Community Salmon Program is the heart of the Pacific Salmon Foundation's work, supporting more than 35,000 volunteer streamkeepers across British Columbia and the Yukon. For every dollar the Foundation grants, streamkeeping groups generate an additional seven at the community level. The Foundation is proud to support these community volunteers financially and technically, but the success of this program is due to the continuous e›orts of local organizations and the generosity of their communities. Here are some highlights: $100 Million for Salmon! Community Salmon Program reaches major milestone

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