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Port Moody

Environmental

Almanac

A C E L E B R A T I O N OF OU R N A T U RA L E N V I R O N M E N T

DRAFT COPY

Port Moody

Environmental

Almanac

A C E L E B R A T I O N OF OU R N A T U R A L E N V I R O N M E N T

iv

Copyright © 2001 by the City of Port MoodyThis book may be reproduced for ••••••

ISBN 0-9686460-1-8

Printed by ••••• in ••••••, BC, Canada on •••••••••• 100%recycled paper

v

A community publication such as this could not come to fruition without

the assistance of numerous people. These people took time out of their busy

schedules to provide information, clarify facts, answer questions, provide

feedback and assist in many other ways.

Many people were instrumental in the organization and administration

of the project. Val Schaefer of Douglas College initiated and funded the

project and together with Michael McPhee, coordinated the student contri-

butions. Mia Gordon also of Douglas College provided additional financial

support for the project. Julie Pavey, Rick Saunier, Ariann Hillman and

Tim Savoie with the City of Port Moody were extremely helpful with pro-

viding resource material, advice, and editing. Layout and design was done

by Barb Pocock of the City of Port Moody. Kelly Fujibayashi contributed

to the initial editing and organization of student contributions. Elaine

Golds, Jamie Vala and Hillary Rudd assisted with final editing.

There were many members of the community who contributed infor-

mation for various sections of the almanac, namely: Jennifer Atcheson,

Stoney Creek Environmental Committee; Ron Bolton and Hart Seale,

Imperial Oil; Sharon Faust, Reichhold Ltd.; Ruth Foster, Centennial School

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

vi

Salmon Project; Elaine Golds, Burke Mountain Naturalists; Lexa

Hobenshield, BC Hydro; Ann and Peter Hulbert; John Jordan, Port of

Vancouver; Orland Lee, Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society; Jim

Millar, Port Moody Heritage Society; Kirk Seggie, Andres Wines (B.C.)

Ltd; Rick Simpson, Port Moody Ecological Society; Kent Smith, Pacific

Coast Terminals; Joe Stott, Burrard Inlet Environmental Action

Program; and Bob Wingrove, Flavelle Sawmill Company Ltd.

Many students of the Habitat Restoration Program at Douglas College

contributed feature articles that are located throughout the publication.

These students are Rosalie Aquilar, Ewan Ballantyne, Lee Edmonson,

Greg Ferguson, Natalie Hall, Gabrielle Kosmider, Lance Lilley, Mike

Lutner, Jason Macnair, Brent Mutis, Julie Sigurdson, Craig Simons,

Susanne Sloboda, Michael Strain, and Dustin VanLeeuwen.

Local government agencies also provided information for use in the

almanac. These included: Kimberly Flick, City of Burnaby; Sandie

Hollick-Kenyon, Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Julia Chandler, City of

Coquitlam; and Brian Farquhar, Greater Vancouver Regional District.

List of Student Contributions viii

Introduction 1

History of Port Moody 2

Foreshore Habitat 5

Original Ecosystems 8

Parks, Green Space and Recreation 10

Wildlife 12

Life Cycle of the Pacific Salmon 14

Environmental Concerns 17

Creek Profiles 20

Stewardship Groups 28

Partners in Industry 33

Major Restoration Projects 40

Port Moody Environmental Initiatives 41

Other Government Initiatives 45

Community Directory 49

References 52

vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(final page numbering on last proof)

viii

History of Port Moody 2Natalie Hall

An Overview of Foreshore Habitat 5Jason Macnair

Original Ecosystems Prior to Development 8Greg Ferguson

Parks, Green Space, and Recreation 10Lee Edmonson

Life Cycle of Pacific Salmon 14Mike Lutner and Craig Simons

Environmental Concerns 17Ewan Ballantyne and Lance Lilley

Mossom Creek 21Dustin VanLeeuwen and Michael Strain

Schoolhouse Creek North 22Dustin VanLeeuwen and Michael Strain

Stoney Creek 22Brent Mutis

Suter Brook 23Rosalie Aquilar

Hutchinson, Turner Wilkes and Hett Creeks 24Gabrielle Kosmider

Schoolhouse Creek South 26Brent Mutis

Industry’s Commitment to the Environment 33Introduction by Julie Sigurdson

Pacific Coast Terminals 37Susanne Sloboda

L I S T O F S TUDENT CONTR IBUT IONS

1

As we enter a new millen-nium, environmental concernsare becoming increasinglyimportant. People are movingto the Greater VancouverRegional District and cities, likePort Moody, are faced with thedemands of population growthwhile trying to maintain ahealthy environment.

The City of Port Moody isideally situated on BurrardInlet where lush green forests,diverse riparian areas, theocean, the lakes, and wildlifeare a part of everyday life.Residents are proud to live in acity that still captures a countryfeeling and has nature at theirdoorsteps.

While the majority of sensi-tive habitats are currently pro-tected, the increasing popula-tion and developmental pres-sures will undoubtedly result

in a loss of some of the greenareas. These are the realities ofprivate property ownershipand urban development.

We are fortunate to includein this almanac some featurearticles written by students ofthe Douglas College HabitatRestoration Program. Thesewere completed as a servicelearning project that enablesstudents to be involved in aproject that extends into thecommunity.

The main purpose of thisalmanac is to highlight and cel-ebrate some of the major envi-ronmental areas around PortMoody, in addition to being aneducational and resource tool.It also addresses how each indi-vidual can have an impact onour surroundings and everyonecan help to preserve the naturalbeauty of this city.

INTRODUCT ION

Historically, Port Moodywas a land of riches and pros-perity. Two Salish First Nationstribes, the Squamish and the

Musqwiam spent their sum-mers in the area now known asPort Moody. During thesemonths, they collected shellfish,fished, gathered berries andhunted a variety of animals.Middens discovered alongShoreline Park near NoonsCreek provide evidence of thisearly diet. In the wintermonths, the tribes moved backto their winter camps and per-manent villages, such asBelcarra.

Port Moody provided allthe resources necessary for sur-vival. The land providedberries, meat, and materials forclothes and shelter; the inletand creeks provided fish; andthe climate allowed for long,warm summers and wet, mildwinters.

In the late 1780’s, JoseMaria Narvaez led a smallSpanish expedition intoBurrard Inlet. During his voy-age he charted the Inlet andIndian Arm. Despite being thefirst European explorer to navi-gate the area, Narvaez’s chart-ing was brief and unfinished.

In 1792, a British navigatorsailed into Burrard Inlet. Hisarrival to the area had a fargreater impact. Captain GeorgeVancouver commanded theH.M.S. Discovery through anextensive survey of the coastfrom Washington to Alaska.Along his journey, CaptainVancouver kept accuraterecords about the geography ofthe region and the names hedesignated for various land-marks.

2

HISTORY OF PORT MOODY

Natalie Hall

Clarke Street in 1907, looking west (Port Moody Station Museum #971.36.8)

After these two Europeancontacts, the First Nations peo-ple did not have contact withEuropeans for another 60 years.However, it did not take longfor British colonial authoritiesto realize the economic poten-tial of the Lower Mainlandfrom the information recordedin Captain Vancouver’s maps.With the promise of gold, tim-ber and furs, Europeans flockedto the area and permanentlychanged the southwest regionof British Columbia.

By the summer of 1858,30,000 gold prospectors hadarrived in BC with hopes ofclaiming their fortunes. ColonelRichard Moody, after whomPort Moody is named, com-manded the Royal Engineers toconstruct a trail. This trail,today known as North Road,was used to transport suppliesfrom Burrard Inlet to the capi-tal city of New Westminster. Atthe terminus of this trail, a clus-ter of tents and shacks estab-lished itself at the head ofBurrard Inlet.

Port Moody received littleattention again until it wasnamed the official terminus ofthe transcontinental railway in1879. With the anticipation of

the arrival of the railway, PortMoody boomed. More houses,accommodations, stores, trans-portation routes and lawenforcement were needed.Along with this growth camethe demand for better methodsof communication. Telephonelines were connected and in

1883 Port Moody’s local paper,the “Gazette,” began circulation.

On July 4th, 1886, the firsttranscontinental train arrived atPort Moody. However, theexcitement and celebration sur-rounding this historical eventwas short lived as the CanadianPacific Railway had alreadyplanned to move the officialterminus 20km west intoVancouver. The shallow watersat the eastern end of BurrardInlet were decidedly inferior tothose just inside Burrard Inlet’s

3

H ISTORY OF PORT MOODY

Imperial Oil Refinery(Port Moody Station Museum #983.42.1)

“first narrows.” This destroyedthe community’s dreams ofgreatness. Instead of becomingthe biggest town in the West,Port Moody’s populationremained static at 250 for near-ly 20 years.

The lumber industry keptPort Moody from becoming aghost town throughout the 20thcentury. Several lumber millsopened which brought thearrival of other industries aswell. The first of these wasBuntzen Power Project fol-lowed by the ColumbiaRefining Company Ltd. PortMoody was thriving and inMarch 1913 was granted citystatus.

4

H ISTORY OF PORT MOODY

this space for info panel or map

Port Moody’s shoreline andthe outlying marine environ-ment are among the mostdiverse and productive ecosys-tems in the Lower Mainland.Over 20 km in length andencompassing a wide variety ofhabitats, the Port Moody shore-line is beginning to gain a repu-tation as an exceptional place toexperience the fascinating com-bination of the marine and ter-restrial environments.Numerous unique habitats canbe found along the shoreline,among them, intertidal mud-flats, saltwater marshes,crabapple thickets, shell beach-es and coastal bluffs.

Shoreline Park is the center-piece of Port Moody’s shorelineand marine environment. Itoccupies 3 km of the foreshoreand contains ten distinct habitattypes, making it a good locationto view wildlife, especially birds.The extensive tidal flats at thehead of the inlet, surrounded byShoreline Park, total over 95hectares and are important feed-ing ground for over wintering ortransient birds that migrate

along the Pacific flyway.In the late fall, several of the

creeks that enter into the inletthrough Shoreline Park becomethe staging ground for the end of

the Pacific Salmon’s lifecycle.Noons and SlaughterhouseCreeks, along with Suter Brookall support spawning salmon.Gulls and crows, in particular,congregate at the stream mouthsduring this season.

To provide a closer look atthe variety of plant and animallife dependent on the shores, itis useful to divide the area intothree zones: marine subtidal,intertidal, foreshore. Each areahas its own specialized groupsof plants and animals, but there

5

AN OVERV I EW OF FORESHORE HAB I TAT

Jason Macnair

Many of Port Moody’s creeks are the staging ground forPacific Salmon

is constant overlap, whichincreases survival for mostspecies.

Marine Subtidal

This is the largest zone. It isalways covered in water and ishome to the largest animalsseen in Port Moody. Harbourseals are common and evenwhale species have been docu-mented near Port Moody.

During late autumn andwinter, large numbers of water-fowl begin to arrive and con-gregate offshore. Diving ducks,such as Surf Scoters,Goldeneyes, and Buffleheadscan be seen further offshorewhile the dabbling ducks,including Pintails, Wigeons andGadwalls stay closer to theshoreline and often feed in theintertidal flats.

The majority of life in theopen water goes unseen.Lurking in the depths is a fan-tastic array of strange andbeautiful creatures. The watersoff Belcarra Park are the idealplace to discover this underwa-ter environment. The rockycliffs and bluffs found in thepark are ideal for divers whomay wish to encounter some ofthe nearly 50 species of fishfound in the Port Moody Arm.

Countless invertebrates canalso be seen in the depths,including coon-stripe shrimp,dungeness crab, sea cucumbers,jellyfish, sea squirts and featherduster worms.

Intertidal

For sheer variety, nothingcompares to the intertidal zone.Completely immersed in waterat high tide, and an openexposed landscape at low tide,this environment literallychanges by the hour. Some ofthis habitat is accessible and itis easy to experience some fas-cinating creatures up close. PortMoody is blessed with a rangeof intertidal habitats, and eachone performs some very dis-tinct functions depending onwhether the tide is in or out.

Tidal mudflats are well rep-resented along Port Moody’sshore. These vast areas mayappear barren, but have a veryproductive ecosystem. Thesmall organisms that birds preyon flourish here. They form inflat intertidal areas where thereis little wave action, allowingfor the accumulation of veryfine organic and inorganic sedi-ments to build up. At low tides,the distinctive “rotten egg”smell is due to the decomposi-

6


Wildlife RescueAssociation of BC

The Wildlife RescueAssociation (604-5526-7275) provides leader-

ship in the care andrehabilitation of injured,orphaned and pollutiondamaged wildlife, prima-rily in the lower mainland

of British Columbia,Canada. It is also com-mitted to raising public

awareness of, andrespect for, wildlife andthe issues affecting them

in the urban environment.

tion of the organic sediments. As the tide rises, many fish

move into the shallow watersto escape from predators or tofeed. The dense plant growthprovides excellent shelter and areadily available source of foodin the form of small aquaticinsects and invertebrates thatlive on various grasses, sedgesand rushes.

In contrast to the tidal flatsare the rocky shores, shellbeaches and bluffs more com-monly found on the north sideof Port Moody Arm in BelcarraPark. Rocky outcrops are thepreferred habitats for aquaticplants such as algae and sea-weed, and limpets, barnaclesand mussels. These rocky areasare also home to fascinatingtide pools where one may findanemones and sculpins.Terrestrial animals such as rac-coons and garter snakes some-times use tidepools in search offood.

Foreshore

The foreshore area repre-sents the boundary between themarine and terrestrial environ-ments. It provides a vital con-nection to both habitats formany species. Coniferousforests can provide excellent

nesting and roosting spots forbirds of prey. Ospreys andeagles take advantage of thesetall trees to scan the water forfood. Great blue herons alsouse the foreshore as feedinggrounds.

Port Moody’s foreshore ishome to regionally uniqueplant communities. Crabapplethickets occurring near thewater’s edge in Pigeon Cove isan example of a plant commu-nity that was once quite com-mon along many natural leveesin the Lower Mainland, howev-er due to habitat loss, is nowquite rare in the region.

The coastal bluff plant com-munities found in Belcarra Parkalso have a very limited rangein the Lower Mainland. TheConservation Data Centre ofBritish Columbia considers theplant communities that occuron these exposed bluffs to bethreatened in the province.They are subject to various con-servation initiatives by the fed-eral, provincial and municipalgovernments.

7


Factors involved in theFormation of Port Moody

Many of Port Moody’s nat-ural features are a result of geo-logical processes that haveoccurred over the earth’s sur-face. Many of the features ofPort Moody are best describedby looking at the FraserGlaciation, and the movementof plate tectonics.

The Fraser Glaciationoccurred from 25 000 to 10 000years ago due to a disruption inthe climate causing decreasedtemperatures for thousands ofyears. Moving with greatweight and force, the resultingice masses scoured the sur-rounding landmass and formedthe valleys and fjords presenttoday.

Some landforms in PortMoody are made up of glacialtill, the material pushed or car-ried along by the ice andreleased when the climatewarmed.

After the recession of theglaciers, vegetation started col-onizing the area. Grasses,shrubs and deciduous trees

such as red alder and black cot-tonwood began growing.Through plant succession in thearea, conifers such as westernhemlock, Douglas fir and west-ern red cedar became the cli-max vegetation. These speciesdominated the Port Moodyarea until human contact.

Ecosystems

The area of Port Moody hasmany different ecosystems as aresult of geological land forma-tion processes.

Rocky Inter-tidal Ecosystem

This ecosystem, composedof hard granite rock, is foundalong the northern shorelines ofPort Moody Arm. The tidalchanges, currents, and waveaction are crucial forces in theecosystem. They create steepshorelines, deep and shallowpools, providing habitat for anabundance of marine plant, andanimal species.

Mudflat Ecosystem

This ecosystem is found inthe southeastern end of Port

8

O R IG INAL ECOSYSTEMS PR IO R TO DEVELOPMENT

Greg Ferguson

Ecosystems

An ecosystem is definedas a system formed bythe interaction of com-munities of organisms

with their physical envi-ronment.

Plate Tectonics

Plate tectonics, themovement and collision

of continental plates,caused the formation of

many of the mountainousregions in the Port

Moody area, includingour local Coast

Mountain Range.

Moody Arm and was formedfrom a combination of glacialdeposition and limited glacialscouring. The debris and sedi-ment that is carried downstream and deposited into theshallow bay created the mud-flat ecosystem, home to manymarine species that live withinthe mud and sand.

Marshes and Tidal Flats

The large amount of detritus,created by the dying eelgrass andmarsh plants on the shallowocean floor, forms the basis of thefood chain in the brackish marsh-es. Numerous crabs, clams, juve-nile and adult salmon, Pacificherring, and birds flourish here.Tidal flats, when covered withwater, are home to the Pacificstaghorn sculpin, starry founderand dungeness crab. They pro-vide food for great blue heronsand diving ducks such as greaterscaup and surf scoter. Whenexposed at low tide, the tidal flatsare the feeding grounds of gullsand the northwestern crow.Sandpipers, plovers, yellowlegsand other shorebirds invade theflats looking for amphipods,ghost shrimp, mud shrimp, lug-worms, other polychaete wormsand soft-bodied invertebratesburied in the sediments.

Coniferous Forest Ecosystem

Coniferous forest is foundon the northern slopes of PortMoody Arm, also part of thesouthern Coast RangeMountains. The land is mainlycomposed of quartz diorite,which creates poor soil.Western hemlock and westernred cedar have adapted well tothe conditions and are the cli-max species in this ecosystem.

Forests

Upland forests of Douglas-fir, western hemlock, westernred cedar and big leaf mapleplay a vital role in maintainingthe water quality of the manyurban streams, which arespawning grounds for cohoand chinook salmon. Theforests reduce water tempera-tures, increase dissolved oxy-gen levels, and provide food inthe form of insect life for thegrowing fry.

9

OR IG INAL ECOSYSTEMS PR IOR TO DEVE LOPMENT

Did you know that theofficial tree emblem ofBritish Columbia is the

western red cedar?The dogwood is the offi-

cial flower.Abies sp. (fir trees) havebeen around since terti-ary times. They have anattractive conical shapeand are often used for

Christmas trees.Acer sp. (maple trees)are an abundant hard-wood species. The bigleaf maple is a tall tree

and is often used asornamental tree. It cangrow 30m and can live

to 300 years.Alnus rubra (alder trees)grow along the banks ofstreams and rivers andare very important for

supporting wildlife.Alders grow rapidly to35m and live 60–80

years. Alders have nitro-gen-fixing nodules on

their roots and are use-ful for planting in areas

that require soilenhancement.

Cornus nuttallii (Pacificdogwood) is native to the

Pacific coast and cangrow up to 25 metrestall. It is the provincial

flower of BC.

Port Moody’s parks andgreen spaces offer many recre-ational opportunities within thecommunity’s borders. Localparks in the area represent awide diversity of habitat typesand ecosystems. Rocky Point,Shoreline and Belcarra RegionalParks are on the ocean, in con-trast to Sasamat Forest, whichsurrounds a freshwater lakeand has a very different ecolo-gy. In all, there are 33 naturalareas identified in Port Moodycovering a total of 1835 hectaresor 53% of the total land base.Ranging in size from 1.23hectares (Stoney Creek) to 1116hectares (Belcarra RegionalPark) the size between thesenatural areas differs greatly.

Rocky Point Park is the cen-terpiece of Port Moody’s parksystem and is used by moreresidents then any other ameni-ty in Port Moody. Locatednorth of St. Johns Street nearthe Port Moody StationMuseum, Rocky Point Park is abeautiful place to enjoy thescenery, picnic, rollerblade,cycle, run, swim, boat, or take

the kids to the playground.This park is at the southern ter-minus of Shoreline Park andshares many of the views andspectacles of Shoreline Park.The pier offers a panoramic360-degree view of the sur-rounding mountains, forests,and mudflats.

Shoreline Park wrapsaround the head of BurrardInlet, connecting Rocky PointPark on the south side of theinlet to Old Orchard Park onthe north. Shoreline Park, pass-ing through numerous differentecosystems, is very popularamong Port Moody residents.East from Rocky Point Parkalong either the bike or walkingpath is a coniferous forest.From here, the park follows aboardwalk trail, spanning themudflats and a feeding andrearing area for young salmonand trout. This is the end ofBurrard Inlet and is one of thelast remnants of natural habitatfound on Burrard Inlet. Thevegetation types change as thetrail passes over Suter Brookand deciduous trees begin to

10

PARK S , GREEN SPACE , AND RECREAT ION

Lee Edmonson

In all, there are 33 natu-ral areas identified inPort Moody ranging insize from 1.23 hectares(Stoney Creek) to 1116hectares (Belcarra). Arecent survey indicatedthat 96% of local resi-

dents use at least one ofthe parks regularly.

Parks, open space andnatural areas are essen-tial to ecological survival.

Green spaces protecthabitat, biodiversity, and

ecological integrity.Trails and pathway sys-

tems save fossil fuelenergy and protect airquality by encouraging

non-motorized transport.To make sure that future

residents are able toexperience similar things,please treat our natural

areas with respect.Please ttake oonly ppictures

and mmemories; lleaveonly ffootprints.

replace the conifers. The foot-path narrows while offeringframed views of the shorelineand the inlet. This part ofShoreline Park offers evidenceof the industrial heritage of thearea. Scattered brickwork alongthe shoreline and out to themudflats is indicative of a his-toric brick factory. In addition,there are the remains of an oldlumber mill standing in themudflats. At the end of theShoreline Park trail, OldOrchard Park boasts a sandybeach with exceptional views ofthe inlet.

Belcarra Regional Park cov-ers a total of 1,116 hectares andboasts an array of geographicfeatures including marineshoreline, rocky outcrops andnatural freshwater lake whichsupport a wide variety ofnative plant and animalspecies. The majority of thepark is blanketed with coastalrainforest with hiking trailsextending to oceanside beaches,Woodhaven swamp andBuntzen ridge. Nestled withinthe central valley of the park isSasamat Lake and Sasamat for-est, a contrast to the marineenvironment so prevalent inPort Moody. The warm lake isa very popular swimming loca-

tion and is a favourite destina-tion of residents of the LowerMainland during the summermonths.

This highlights just a few ofPort Moody’s many parks andgreen spaces, the diversity inthe area is quite apparent.These areas offer an abundanceof wildlife, flora and fauna, aswell as a variety of recreationactivities to choose from. We

are all privileged to be able tovisit these incredible parks andenjoy the breath-taking scenery,explore the seashore and theforests and realize how luckywe are.

11

PARKS , GREEN SPACE , AND RECREAT ION

12

There is a vast array ofwildlife residing in the commu-nity, in part due to the abun-dance of remaining naturalareas in Port Moody.

An inventory by the BurkeMountain Naturalists in 1992identified 120 species of birds,50 species of fish, 20 species ofmammals, reptiles and amphib-ians and nearly 270 species ofplants, and this was only with-in the Shoreline Park system.

Birds

There are many species ofbirds, which make this areatheir home, especially in therich mudflats of the PortMoody Inlet. As the city is partof the Pacific Flyway, a greatnumber of species also use thisarea on their migration routesin spring and fall. The GreatBlue Heron, a vulnerablespecies, utilizes Port Moody asan important feeding area.

Mammals

Black-tailed deer, riverotter, coyotes, squirrels, andoccasionally black bears are a

few of the mammals that wemay come across in the area.These animals depend on thefood found in our naturalspaces. River otter eat fish,aquatic invertebrates, smallmammals and birds – very wellsuited to the Port Moodyregion. Black bears typicallystay in the forested hillsides onthe north side of the inlet. Asdevelopment encroaches ontheir habitat and they search forfood, they may wander downtowards the water.

Marine

The various streams andcreeks that run through thecommunity in addition to thewaters of the inlet providehabitat for an incredible num-ber of fish and other wildlife.Residents of Port Moody oftensee seals and occasionally,whales can be observed. Thereare many fish species thatinhabit these waters. There aresalmonid species who spendthe early stages of their lives inour local creeks and travel tothe ocean to mature. Many

WILDL I F E IN PORT MOODY

Critter Care

The purpose of CritterCare Wildlife Society isto provide in-home carefor injured or orphaned

wildlife, particularly smallnative mammals and toraise them for eventual

release into the wild. Thesociety also aims to help

prevent suffering ofinjured or orphaned

wildlife through rehabili-tation and public educa-tion. If you have foundan orphaned or injured

animal, you can call Critter Care

at 604-5530-22064.

other fish species live in theinlet, including dogfish, cod,hake, stickleback, perch, andsole.

13

WILDL I F E IN PORT MOODY

To ward off bears inyour neighborhood:don’t leave food out-side, and keep yourbarbecue clean.

Unwanted Pets

Please do not releaseyour unwanted pets intoCity parks. The releasedanimals are not adaptedfor life in the wild and

will likely suffer anuntimely and painfuldeath. There is also a

danger to the native ani-mals who already callthe same space theirhome. Instead, bringunwanted pets to the

SPCA or exotic animalsto Rainforest Reptile

Refuge, which was estab-lished to meet the grow-ing need for permanentshelter for abused and

unwanted exotic reptilesand amphibians:

Rainforest Reptile Refuge1395 - 176 Street,

Surrey, BC.Tel: 604-538-1711,fax: 604-536-1791

SPCA1414 Pipeline Road,

Coquitlam, BCTel: 604-942-4510


There are five species ofPacific salmon found along thecoast of BC. These are chinook,chum, coho, pink and sockeye.These five species all begintheir lives and spend someamount of time in freshwaterstreams before heading to theocean. Once the salmon have

matured in theocean, they returnto the rivers againto spawn.

The life cycle ofsalmon begins inthe same area thatit ends. In the cold,shallow gravel beds

of rivers and creeks lie nestsmade by the female salmonknown as redds. Multipleredds scattered about theriverbed can contain thousandsof eggs.

In the early spring, theseeggs transform. The eye in thecenter bulges and the shadowof a developing mouth appears.Within a week the young fish,known as alevins, begin tomove around the nooks andcrannies of the redds. While

doing so, the yolk sac remainsattached to these tiny life formsto provide them with food andnourishment.

As three or four weekspass, the alevins begin to movedown the current of the river inschools. To avoid predators,these young salmon usuallyremain in hiding during theday and move down the riverat night. With their yolk sacsnow absorbed, these young frybegin to look more like fish.Throughout the spring, theyfeed on small larval insects andbenthic invertebrates, and soonthe juveniles develop scalesand parr marks. These markscan help differentiate betweendifferent species of salmon, aseach is unique.

Predators such as trout andbirds prey heavily on youngsalmon as they make their wayto the estuary. In fact, over 50%of all alevins are eaten beforethey even reach the fry stage.

As the juveniles near thebrackish waters of the riverestuary, they adapt to the salineenvironment of the sea. The

14

L I F E CYCLE OF THE PAC I F IC SALMON

Mike Lutner and Craig Simons

These alevins obtain nourishmentfrom their attached yolk sac.

smolts enter the ocean at thetime in the year when the wateris warm enough to support abloom of plankton, their princi-ple food. From the estuary, thesalmon move north along thecoast of BC towards Alaska andthen return south. Dependingon the species, maturing salmoncan spend anywhere from 16months to 4 years at sea beforereturning home to the estuaries.

After salmon spend theirrespective times in the oceanstage, they retrace their stepsback to the same estuary theyleft as smolts. Movement uptheir native river systems isaided by a combination of evo-lutionary adaptations. Usingtheir super-precise sense ofsmell, salmon can distinguishthe odor of their home riverfrom others.

Salmon also go through dis-tinctive physiological changeswhen spawning. Once in theriver, they stop eating com-pletely as they have enough fatstored in their bodies to sustainthem through the remainder oftheir journey.The males in par-ticular undergo colorationchanges and may alter theirshape slightly.

Once a spawning femaleselects a site, she prepares a nest,

or redd, by digging up the grav-el with her tail. When themoment of spawning occurs, thefemale lowers herself into theredd and releases anywherefrom 3 to 4 thousands eggs intoeach of up to six nests. Almostimmediately, a male floods theredd with his milt and fertilizesthe eggs. Up to 6 individualmales might fertilize the eggs asthey release milt into the multi-ple redds. The female then cov-ers the eggs with sand and grav-el. The composition of the reddmust be the right mixture of sed-iment sizes for the eggs to incu-bate and survive. There must bea relatively small amount ofsmall sediments and silts. Thesilts tend to limit the amount ofdissolved oxygen that reach theeggs. Increased sediment loadsinto the creek after the spawning

period has negative effects onthe eggs as they risk being suffo-cated.

For every species of Pacificsalmon, this is the first and lasttime they will be able to spawn.

15

A spawning chum salmon

L I F E CYCLE OF THE PAC I F IC SA LMON

Bedwell Bay Barnacle Club

At the seapen site, locat-ed in Bedwell Bay on

Indian Arm, communitymembers combine effortseach spring to rear chi-

nook and coho inseapens before releaseto the ocean. As well, a

few coho fry are released to

Windemere Creek inearly summer.

16

They spend the last week of theirshort lives protecting theirprized redds. As the rest of theirlimited energy supplies aredepleted and their bodies aretotally exhausted, they die.

Salmon corpses provide

nutrients into the surroundingecosystem. Land animals con-sume the decomposing fleshand the remainder enters theaquatic ecosystem, nourishingthe area throughout.

L I F E CYCLE OF THE PAC I F IC SA LMON

Salmon FriendlyGardening

The principles ofNaturescape help to

keep clean water in lakesand creeks for salmon.

Choose plants that needlittle or no irrigation.

Group plants with simil-iar watering needs and

water appropriately.Use native species that

do not require the use ofchemicals or pesticides.Water deeply but infre-quently to grow deeproots and prevent dis-

ease.Use soaker hoses and

drip irrigation.For more information onNaturescape and WaterConservation, visit the

City's website www.cityofportmoody.com


Human impacts on ourenvironment are inevitable, as aresult of increasing populationsand their demands on the parksand green spaces within andsurrounding the city. However,it is often possible to reduce theimpact that we have on our sur-roundings and if we take ade-quate precautions, we may evenhave the opportunity to enhancethese natural spaces.

Habitat Loss

Habitat loss is the primaryreason for the threat of extinc-tion to a species. Humanencroachment upon naturalareas causes fragmentation anddegradation of habitat leavingspecies rare or fragile, and sen-sitive to human activities.Protection for these species andtheir habitat is limited: At pres-ent there is no federal endan-gered species legislation forCanada.

Recreation and Parks

With the expected popula-tion increase in the years tocome, our natural areas and

parks will experience higherfoot traffic on trails and fore-shore areas, trampling of vege-tation and creation of undesig-nated trails.

Air quality

Air quality for the City ofPort Moody is monitored bythe GVRD. Emissions frommotor vehicles are the majorcause of air pollution in theGreater Vancouver Region.Currently, the GVRD is work-ing to find alternative methodsof transportation to replacethose that cause pollution andencourage local governmentssuch as Port Moody to imple-ment air quality programs oftheir own.

Industry

Currently, about 20% ofPort Moody’s land base iszoned as heavy industry withthe majority of these areas at ornear the waterfront. In recentyears, many local industrieshave undergone, or will beundergoing, environmentalupgrade programs.

17

CO NCERNS FOR THE ENV IRONMENT

Ewan Ballantyne and Lance Lilley

Impervious Areas

With the growing popula-tion of Port Moody, urbaniza-tion is of definite concern to theecological health of the region.One of the most damaging con-sequences of urbanization is theincreasing amount of impervi-ous ground cover. Surfacessuch as asphalt and pavementdo not permit water infiltration,and therefore rainfall is notabsorbed into the soil. Instead,rainfall, along with road debrisand motor oil, is channeled

immediately throughstorm drains into creekswhich may have some ofthe following effects:• increasing the numberand severity of erosion-causing events,• increasing peak flowimpacts on channel andbenthic habitat stability,• increasing streamwidth and depth,• increasing toxins inthe water column from

runoff from parking lots androads,

• decreasing habitat complexity,• decreasing baseflows within

streams,• decreasing biodiversity; and,• changing species composition

within streams to moreurbanized-adapted speciessuch as worms and leeches.

It is quite obvious thatthese are not the desired quali-ties of an area valued for itsenvironmental integrity.

Physical Alteration andEncroachment to Watercourses

A healthy watercourse hasa number of features, many ofwhich are jeopardized bydeveloping and altering thelandscape. Riparian cover, amix of habitat types, goodwater quality, streambank sta-bility, access for fish and suffi-cient water quantity are amongthe features threatened throughsuch human activities asremoving vegetation and ripar-ian cover, culverting and chan-nelization, pollution, andincreasing impervious cover.

Water Quality

Water quality is very impor-tant for a number of reasons,including fisheries, wildlife,drinking water, irrigation, recre-ation, and aesthetic and socialvalue of an area. A large part ofPort Moody’s natural beauty isderived from healthy streams,and water quality is imperativefor this beauty to be sustained.

18

CONCERNS FOR THE ENV I RONMENT

Storm drains often carry pollutants into local creeks

19

Given the value of water qualitywithin Port Moody for bothwildlife and humans, and thenumerous water systems withinthe area, it is important that thepublic is involved in water qual-ity issues. By being aware ofwater quality issues, reducing

their own contributions, andproviding a monitoringapproach of possible polluters,the public can definitely make adifference and can help to main-tain and improve the valuablewater resources we currentlyenjoy in Port Moody.

CONCERNS FOR THE ENV I RONMENT

What can I do??

There are lots of things that we can do in our own yards to reduce our impacts on the environ-ment and wildlife habitat around us. Here are a few suggestions:

Wash car on grass instead of road — allows soap suds and dirty runoff to be filtered through theground, instead of washing straight into storm drains and creeks

Don't pour motor oil or any other toxic material down storm drains.

Leave natural vegetation near streams - this protects the stream

Repair automotive leaks immediately

Recycle, reduce, reuse — prevent material from entering landfill

Take transit or carpool, one less car = less air pollution, less concrete/asphalt

Report possible polluters — we are all responsible for the health of our waters

Only water your lawn when necessary — preferably in early morning or late evening to preventevaporation… and don’t water the driveway!

Because of Port Moody’sunique location surroundingthe Burrard Inlet, we are fortu-nate to have many creeks passthrough the community dis-charging onto estuarine mud-flats or the tidewater of Burrard

Inlet. These creeks provide acomplex ecosystem in whichmany organisms are able tothrive. Most of these water-ways are fish-bearing and somesupport spawning salmon pop-ulations.

All of Port Moody’s streamshave been affected in some wayby urban development. Somereaches are culverted beneathroadways, others have experi-enced bank erosion, riparianvegetation removal or pollu-tion. Fortunately, Port Moody’sresidents have joined together

as stewards of these creeks andare protecting and restoringmany of these creeks.

Noons Creek

The origins of Noons Creeklie at the Cypress Lake, on theslopes of Eagle Mountain, fromthe border of the Village ofAnmore through Noons CreekRavine Park to the Port Moodyarm of the Burrard Inlet. Muchof the area surrounding thelower reaches of the creek havebeen developed for residentialpurposes, leaving the uppercreek and forested areas in asemi-natural state. The creekprovides natural drainage forthe northeast corner of themunicipality.

This creek is richly diversein its wide range of habitattypes along its length, includ-ing estuary and tidal flats,riparian edges, freshwaterstream and forest. Spawningpopulations of chum and cohosalmon are found in the creek.

In 1979, a fish hatchery wasstarted with two rearing pondsand in 1993 a new hatchery

20

CREEK PROF I L ES

Port Moody creeks contribute to habitat complexity

building was built in the lowerreaches of the creek adjacent tothe Port Moody SocialRecreation Centre. The fishhatchery, operated by the PortMoody Ecological Society con-ducts educational programsand raises salmonids to stockNoons and other local streams.

Mossom Creek

Dustin VanLeeuwen and Michael Strain

Mossom Creek watershed,on the north shore of theBurrard Inlet, has its headwa-ters located near the top ofEagle Mountain. Wetlands anda small lake on the south slopeof Eagle Mountain feed theseheadwaters. The waterwayflows approximately 800 metersdown Eagle Mountain, throughthe communities of Anmoreand Port Moody. Finally, thecreek flows into the PortMoody Arm of the BurrardInlet, forming an estuary that isvery valuable habitat for manyspecies of wildlife. Recent stud-ies have found Mossom Creekto be home to over 30 species ofbirds and many other wildlifespecies. Mossom also supportspopulations of chum and cohosalmon, in addition to cutthroat

trout and the tailed frog. Stream crossings are a con-

cern to Mossom Creek, not onlyby roads, but also by rail,hydro and gas line corridors. Inaddition, the eastern slope ofthe creek is bordered by a resi-dential subdivision. The imper-vious areas, created by roadsand developed lands, increaseflow from heavy rainfall events,causing erosion in the creek. Itis possible to see evidence ofslope failure on some of thebanks of Mossom as a result ofremoval of vegetation on theslopes, undercutting banks andin some cases, from past land-slides.

In 1976, a hatchery wasdeveloped on a lower reach ofMossom Creek by theCentennial School Salmon Cluband has been producingsalmonids for almost twodecades. These efforts havecontributed to returningsalmon spawning in numbersthought to be close to historiclevels. The hatchery is runjointly by Burrard Inlet MarineEnhancement Society (BIMES)and by the Centennial SchoolSalmon Club.

21

CREEK PROF I L ES

Clean water is goodfor people and fish

As Canadians, we oftentake the abundance andquality of clean water forgranted. There are everincreasing challenges topreserving and protectingthe water quality in ourlakes, creeks, marine

water and groundwater.Our wild salmon and allliving creatures, including

ourselves, depend onclean water. To make

sure that this happens,we must all be willing to

take responsibility forand take actions to pro-

tect our water. Helpclean up a beach, plant

streamside trees, or mon-itor the health of your

watershed. Please con-tact a local stewardshipgroup or check the City'swebsite for opportunities.www.cityofportmoody.com

Schoolhouse Creek North

Dustin VanLeeuwen and Michael Strain

Similar to other north shorecreeks, Schoolhouse CreekNorth is located within theCoastal Western Hemlock bio-geoclimatic zone. TheSchoolhouse Creek Northwatershed is approximately25.82 hectares in size and flowsin a southerly direction fromnorth of Sunnyside Road, inAnmore, past Ioco Road anddrains into the Burrard Inlet.

There are several culverts atroad and railway crossings inSchoolhouse North as it travelsthrough both Anmore and PortMoody. These culverts increasethe flow of creeks and do notprovide pools for resting thushindering fish passage. Alsothe creek is subject to runofffrom these roadways whichmay include silt, oils and otherhazardous substances.

Restoration efforts atSchoolhouse North include alarge cement fish ladder lead-ing up to the culvert at IocoRoad. This fish ladder aidsspawning salmon to enter theculvert on their migrationupsteam.

The estuary of Schoolhouse

Creek North is well used bywildlife and birds.

There are no amphibiansreported in Schoolhouse CreekNorth. This is most likely aresult of the lack on informa-tion and research onSchoolhouse Creek North.

Stoney Creek

Brent Mutis

The Stoney Creek sub-watershed supports an ecosys-tem that is vital to the fish andwildlife resources of the entireBrunette watershed. This creekflows through three municipali-ties and is the only creek in PortMoody that eventually connectswith the Fraser River system.Stoney Creek is comprised of amain stem, plus three tributarychannels that originate onBurnaby Mountain to the west.

The dense hardwood-conif-erous forest of BurnabyMountain dominates the upperwatershed, whereas the lowerreaches support a rich anddiverse riparian swamplandand small wetlands. Theseremaining densely vegetatedareas provide an importantriparian corridor that effectivelyprotects and conserves many ofthe aquatic components and

22

CREEK PROF I L ES

The Importance ofSmall Streams

Small coast streamsserve as important rear-ing habitat for juvenile

cutthroat trout and cohosalmon. A number of

small streams are oftenmissed on topographicmaps. A recent study

found that 31-100% offish-bearing length in low

gradient streams wasmissing on both

1:20,000 and 1:50,000scale topographic maps.

Unfortunately, smallstreams are often viewedas not having substantial

fisheries value.

functions that are vital to ahealthy stream ecosystem. Thiscorridor serves as an importantwildlife refuge for many indige-nous urban wildlife species. TheStoney Creek EnvironmentCommittee has recently record-ed a total of 79 different birdspecies.

Among the aquatic compo-nents of the Stoney Creekecosystem, the salmon are themost significant. The creek sup-ports populations of coho andsteelhead, as well as cutthroattrout. A fish ladder allowsaccess for coho salmon as farupstream as BroadwayAvenue.

Threats to Stoney Creek aretypical of an urban stream thatruns through various areas ofresidential and commercialdevelopment. These includedevelopment close to thestream’s edge, point-source andnon-point source pollution,invasive vegetation, and cul-verts that are barriers to fishpassage. In addition, theincrease in impervious areadecreases the area’s natural abil-ity to regulate stream flow. As aresult, heavy and weak flowsare not compensated for andhave a drastic effect on thestream’s physical characteristics.

Storm drain markers andstream crossing signs alert thecommunity to the fact thatStoney Creek is a salmon-bear-ing stream. The Stoney CreekEnvironment Committee islocal steward of the area andare working to increase aware-ness of this valuable creek.

Suter Brook

Rosalie Aquilar

The Suter Brook Watershedoriginates in Coquitlam andcovers an area of 311 hectares.This creek provides naturaldrainage for the southeast cor-ner of Port Moody. The creekflows northunder theBarnetHighwaynear the PortMoody FireHall, through30 meters ofculvert,across theCPR right-of-way, and intoBurrard Inlet.

There are many differenthabitat types along the lengthof the creek, including the richmudflat and estuary, forestedriparian areas, wet meadows,

23

CREEK PROF I L ES

Suter Brook contains resident populations of cutthroat trout

disturbed areas, and marshwetland habitats. This variationin types of habitat providesfood and shelter for many dif-ferent species of wildlife, suchas dozens of bird speciesincluding the green heron andthe great blue heron.

Some of the more commonanimals found around the SuterBrook area include the commonraccoon and coyote. As well,the area is home to little brownbats. The combination of richvegetation and fish from thestream provide good feedinghabitat for these various ani-mals. Reptiles and amphibianssuch as the western toad andthe common garter snake alsomake their home here.

There is a resident popula-tion of cutthroat trout in SuterBrook. The creek has beenstocked with coho from NoonsCreek Hatchery and chum fromMossom Creek Hatchery toestablish these populations inthis creek.

Enhancement projects inSuter Brook should focus onfish access and water quality.Revegetating areas along thecreek that show signs of ero-sion may help to keep thewater clear and the streambedsuitable for spawning.

Hutchinson, Turner, Wilkes andHett Creeks

Gabrielle Kosmider

The relatively small water-sheds of Hutchinson, Turner,Wilkes and Hett Creeks arelocated on the north shore ofBurrard Inlet. They are situatedbetween Mossom and NoonsCreek watersheds. Becausethese four watersheds are locat-ed in such close proximity, theyexhibit similar physical charac-teristics, flora and fauna. Inaddition, the same types of eco-logical impacts have affectedthese watersheds. These fourstreams all flow in a southwest-erly direction and empty intoBurrard Inlet.

These streams can all beephemeral, indicating thatoccasionally, sections of thestreams might dry up, isolatingother sections from the mainbody of the stream.

Like other Port Moodystreams, these four water-sheds—Hutchinson, Turner,Wilkes, and Hett—have beenheavily impacted by humanactivities. Most of these impactsare related to urban develop-ment.

Alterations to the stream’shydrology include culverts,

24

CREEK PROF I L ES

creek bed relocation, ripraparmoring, gabion banks, chan-nelization, and storm drainscarrying runoff from the sur-rounding residential areas. Inaddition to altering the abilityof animal species to access allareas of the stream, suchhydrological changes couldseriously impact water qualityand quantity; erosion may becaused in some areas, whileother sections of stream maydry up.

Encroachment into theriparian zones by residentialdevelopment is another sourceof disturbance within thesewatersheds. Although bufferzones do exist, in some areasthey are not very wide, and asa result, stream blockages couldoccur due to extensive wind-throw. This encroachment alsoincreases erosion of the stream-bank, and increases the proba-bility of pollution getting intothe stream.

The riparian zones that areadjacent to these four streamsvary in width considerably, butare all classified as forestedriparian ecosystems. As a resultof several different distur-bances, including logging andfire early in the last century, theforest on Port Moody’s north

shore is all second growthcoastal western hemlock forests.

Although these fourstreams may have supportedsalmon in the past, presentlythere are not believed to besalmon species utilizing any ofthe streams with the exceptionof Hutchinson Creek.

There is a small coho incu-bator located on HutchinsonCreek, operated by a local resi-dent. Coho eggs are suppliedby the Noons Creek hatchery,raised to fry in the incubatorand released into the creek. ThePort Moody Ecological Societyperforms water quality testingat a number of sites within eachof these watersheds.

The riparian corridorsenable wildlife to travelbetween various habitat typesat the headwaters of thestreams to Burrard Inlet. Thiscorridor could provide a safemeans of passage for a numberof mammals known to inhabitthe area, including Colombianblack-tailed deer, black bear,raccoons, Douglas squirrels,deer mouse, bats, moles, andshrews. The species found inthese riparian corridors wouldinclude birds such as thebushtit, black-capped chick-adee, chestnut-backed chick-

25

CREEK PROF I L ES

adee, pine siskin, dark-eyedjunco, song sparrow, great blueheron, northwestern crow, var-ied thrush, ruby-crownedkinglet, golden-crownedkinglet, American robin, browncreeper, band-tailed pigeon,European starling, hairy wood-pecker, Benwick’s wren, andthe winter wren. Frogs andsalamanders are also present inthese watersheds.

Schoolhouse Creek South

Brent Mutis

Schoolhouse Creek Southoriginates in Coquitlam nearBanting Middle School and

travels north near PortMoody SecondarySchool to its outlet atBurrard Inlet.Travelling alongsidethe creek, one mightobserve many interest-ing sights, includingsitka spruce, amongmany large trees. Youmay have an opportu-nity to see coyote ordeer drinking from thestream, or see chum or

coho salmon as they make theirway to their spawninggrounds. Living silently belowthe surface of the waters, cut-

throat or rainbow trout oftengo unnoticed. Threats to thestream are also evident, asScotch broom is attempting togain a foothold on the sloping,unstable banks. With communi-ty involvement and efforts,such as the fish ladder con-structed near Clarke Street,local creeks like SchoolhouseSouth remain viable habitat.

Additional Streams in PortMoody

Because of Port Moody’slocation surrounding the tip ofthe Burrard Inlet, there are morestreams flowing through theregion than can be described ina small booklet such as this.Some of these creeks areSlaughterhouse, Imperial,Pigeon and Kyle Creeks. Thesestreams are important for thehabitat, wildlife and aestheticvalues that they bring to thecommunity. Some are fish bear-ing, some are not; but all thecreeks provide a home, shelter,or food source for other speciesof wildlife. They may serve as arefuge for local birds, a greatdining out spot for small mam-mals, or a home to dozens ofamphibians, invertebrates andunseen creatures. Almost allthese creeks have someone who

26

CREEK PROF I L ES

Signage alerts the community that salmon spawn in Schoolhouse Creek South

27

watches over them. It may be aneighbour that picks upgarbage or a curious childinvestigating the creatures thatlie within. Regardless, they areall valuable in a community,such as Port Moody, that holdsenvironmental values high.

CREEK PROF I L ES

Schoolhouse Creek South


The health of Port Moody’snatural environment is depend-ent on the work of local stew-ardship groups. These volunteer

run organizations devote end-less hours to the preservationand/or enhancement of a greenspace in the community. Theseorganizations are involved inmany different activities; includ-ing fish hatcheries, habitatenhancement, public education,community events, research anddata collection, lobbying forenvironmental causes, and con-ducting monitoring surveys. Thefollowing is a list of a few of thegroups in Port Moody. To findout how to contact them, lookthem up in the communitydirectory in the back of thisbooklet.

Burke Mountain Naturalists

The Burke MountainNaturalists Society formed in1989 and is affiliated with theFederation of BC Naturalists.The objectives of the society areto promote the enjoyment ofnature; to foster an interest in,and an appreciation of ourenvironment; to actively pursuethe conservation and preserva-tion of the natural world; andto promote the accessibility andmaintenance of natural areas,particularly local areas.

In 1994, the BurkeMountain Naturalists complet-ed an in depth inventory of thewildlife of the Shoreline Parksystem in Port Moody. Thissurvey documented 116 speciesof birds, nearly 270 species ofplants, 48 species of fish, andsmaller numbers of reptiles,amphibians and mammals.Other wildlife inventories havebeen conducted by members inMiller Ravine, Suter Brook, andthe north shore wetlands. Inaddition, the Burke MountainNaturalists lead public walks,maintain nest boxes in

28

STEWARDSH IP GROUPS

Several local community groups are involved in water quality sampling and biophysical inventories.

Shoreline Park, conduct wet-land enhancement projects,plant trees and shrubs, andproduce educational materials.

Stoney Creek EnvironmentCommittee

The Stoney CreekEnvironment Committee,based in Burnaby, is a citizen-driven volunteer group com-mitted to raising awareness ofStoney Creek. They aim to edu-cate the public on their impacton urban streams and promotestream stewardship among themany users of the StoneyCreek corridor.

Burrard Inlet EnvironmentalAction Program

The Burrard InletEnvironmental Action Program(BIEAP) is a partnershipthrough which federal, provin-cial and local governmentscoordinate environmental plan-ning and decision making inthe Inlet. The BIEAP vision is athriving port and urban com-munity co-existing with ahealthy urban environment.BIEAP is not a separate agencybut operates through a cooper-ative agreement managedthrough a jointly funded part-nership. The BIEAP partners

are Environment Canada,Fisheries and Oceans Canada,B.C. Ministry of Water, Landsand Air Protection, GreaterVancouver Regional Districtand the Vancouver PortAuthority. The program wasfirst established in 1991. BIEAPhas been linked with the FraserRiver Estuary ManagementProgram (FREMP) since 1996.

The BIEAP boundariesencompass 190 kilometers ofmarine foreshore and all thetidal waters east of a linebetween the southernmostpoint of Point Atkinson and thewesternmost point of PointGrey, including False Creekand all of Indian Arm and PortMoody Arm, and extending tothe upstream tidal influence ofall watercourses feeding intoBurrard Inlet.

The main activities of theprogram for 2000-2001 are thepreparation of a ConsolidatedEnvironmental ManagementPlan (CEMP) and the on-goingCoordinated Project Review(CPR) Process. The purpose ofthe CEMP is to assist the BIEAPpartners to achieve their visionfor the Inlet by consolidatingexisting plans and managementtools around common goals andshared commitments. The CPR

29

STEWARDSH I P GROUPS

The Institute oof UUrbanEcology is a non-profit

environmental organiza-tion. Their current project

is called Green Links,which works to connectgreen spaces in cities inan attempt to create awildlife corridor link

between separate greenspaces.

Call 604-5527-55522for more information.

process ensures that proposeddevelopment along the fore-shore is appropriate and doesnot negatively impact habitat.

Schoolhouse North Project

The primary focus to datehas been the cleaning, repairand maintenance of an old fishladder that allows fish passageup to the culvert passing underIoco Road. Salmon appear to beutilizing the productive habitatthat is found above the culvert.

Port Moody Ecological Society

The foundations of the PortMoody Ecological Society were

first laid in 1977 – 1978. Brian,Margaret and Gavin Waitehand dug two small rearingponds in their backyard,installed feeding troughs andraised and released thousandsof young coho yearly intoNoons Creek. When the Waite’s

moved out of the area in 1990,local residents continued theirefforts, forming the Port MoodyEcological Society.

In preparation for the open-ing of the new hatchery build-ing, volunteers dug an over-win-tering pond for coho, obtainedstock from the nearby MossomCreek Hatchery and constructedthe new building - all in time forthe opening celebration in June1993. B.C.’s first volunteer-oper-ated water quality testing lab islocated on the west side of thePort Moody Social RecreationCentre, downstream of the oldWaite’s hatchery.

The members of the PortMoody Ecological Society areconcerned with the protectionand enhancement of salmonhabitat. In addition, volunteersare also involved in water qualityanalysis, public education, com-munity events, and salmonidstock enhancement projects.

Today, Noons CreekHatchery is the first home ofthousands of young coho andchum salmon, plus provides anactive learning centre for schoolchildren, community groupsand thousands of visitors, fromnear and far, that pass throughannually.

30


PMES volunteers operate Noons Creek hatchery, a water quality lab, and an educational centre.

Port Moody EcologicalSociety was the first win-

ner of the City of PortMoody Environmental

Award, granted in 1999.

Port Moody Heritage Society

Since 1967, the Port MoodyHeritage Society members havebeen collecting artifacts andeducating the community inthe history of Port Moody. Thesociety operates the PortMoody Station Museum atRocky Point Park, featuring the1920 Canadian Pacific Railwaysleeping car “Venosta.”

The historic Port MoodyStation, which was built by theCanadian Pacific Railway in1905, was moved to its currentlocation in Rocky Point Park in1975 and opened as a museum in1983. The museum telegraphoffice has changed very littlesince 1905 and features an opera-tional telegraph system.

Currently the society is con-ducting an oral history projectby interviewing long time resi-dents of the area, creates a her-itage garden located at themuseum site and planning awalking tour brochure.

Burrard Inlet MarineEnhancement Society andCentennial School Salmon Club

A few students and theirteachers at CentennialSecondary School established

the Mossom Creek SalmonEnhancement Project in 1976.They chose Mossom Creek asthe most promising stream fortheir project as few, if any,salmon remained in the creekas a result of overfishing. Forthe last 25 years, they havebeen focussing on salmonidenhancement in Mossom Creekand adjacent creeks.

The hatchery and sea penare run entirely by volunteers,including students and mem-bers of Burrard Inlet MarineEnhancement Society (BIMES).BIMES is a group of formerCentennial students and com-munity members, interested inmaintaining the hatchery.Students are able to gainhands-on experience as theyparticipate in raising andreleasing salmon. In addition,these students educate elemen-tary students and the public onsalmon biology and ecology.The hatchery is also an impor-tant field site for Centennial’sWildlife 11 and FisheriesEcology 12 classes.

The Mossom Creek hatch-ery raises coho, chum and chi-nook totalling 200-230,000salmonids each year. Currently,Mossom Creek sustains areturning chum population of

31


2000 RecipientPort Moody

Environmental Award

Burrard Inlet MarineEnhancement Society,

Centennial SalmonClub

32

3000, thought to be close to his-toric levels. The hatchery hasalso witnessed an ever-increas-ing coho return. They are nowable to provide stock for othercreeks including SchoolhouseNorth, Suter Brook andSchoolhouse Creek South.

This year they are hopingto add to their enhancementprojects by creating a sidechannel habitat and restingponds in which the coho mayspend the winter.

Hutchinson Creek Project

In a private yard, an innova-tive barrel incubator and a smallrearing trough are used for incu-bation and short term rearing ofcoho and chum at this uniqueproject. Fry are released into thestream to populate the under-utilized rearing habitat in theupper reaches of HutchinsonCreek.



The beginning of industryin Port Moody came in the late1800’s with the influx of goldminers and the arrival of thefirst transcontinental train.Sawmills and oil refinerieswere the major industries of thetime, and continued to be theheartbeat of the community formany years.

Even today, industry is amajor component of the city’seconomy. Port Moody has madea commitment to balance themany diverse interests of allstakeholders. These include theneeds of residents, local busi-ness, social, historical, industry,government, and environment.

Continually new partner-ships are being formed amongpartners such as industry andthe environment. Business andindustry are getting involvedwith local environmentalgroups and issues by cleaningup past pollution problems,providing funding, and creat-ing new habitats. In addition,many companies participate ontheir own properties, reducingtheir impact on the environ-

ment, while others form part-nerships with local communitygroups and assist the work ofthese volunteers.

It is encouraging that localindustries in the communityhave taken steps towardsreducing their impacts on ourlocal environment, and are con-ducting business in a more sus-tainable manner. We are confi-dent that these companies arecontributing to making PortMoody a better community inwhich to live.

Imperial Oil

For 80 years, Imperial OilLimited operations have beenlocated on the north shore ofBurrard Inlet in Port Moody.From 1915 through to 1995, thecompany manufactured a vari-ety of petroleum products at itsIoco Refinery, employingapproximately 250 people.Currently, Imperial operates amajor petroleum products stor-age, distribution and marineloading terminal employing 20or more people.

Originally there was not a

33

PARTNERS IN INDUSTRY

Julie Sigurdson

road from the town of PortMoody to the refinery. Thecompany built a small villageon the property and manyemployees lived there. Otheremployees had to walk fromtown or hitch a ride on a train,headed for the refinery. IocoRoad, named for the ImperialOil Company, was built totransport employees into thetown centre.

Imperial shut down itsrefining operation at Ioco in1995. Some of the old refineryequipment and buildings wereused for the terminal; theremainder will be decommis-sioned or sold. A land-use plan,including comprehensive envi-ronmental assessments andremediation plans, will guidethe company in determininghow best to manage the 670acres of land it owns in thearea.

The terminal is typicallysupplied with its petroleumproducts, such as propane,lubricants, asphalt, and variousfuels by rail car from Albertaor, occasionally, by marinebarge. These products are thendistributed to a variety ofindustrial, commercial andretail customers in the LowerMainland.

The company, through theImperial Oil CharitableFoundation, continues to con-tribute to worthwhile causes inthe area. More recently,Imperial has made donations tothe Triad Concert Society andthe Eagle Ridge HospitalFoundation.

Trans Mountain PipelineCompany

Trans Mountain’sWestridge Terminal on BurrardInlet has a small seapen at itswharf for acclimating coho andchinook smolts to saltwaterbefore release. Smolt releasesare routinely celebrated withlocal school groups who cometo help out. The group is gener-ous in providing resources forother activities in Burrard Inletand Indian Arm. TransMountain’s work boat and vol-unteer crew have transportedcrews to Indian River, assistingin chum egg-takes and trans-porting chinook and cohosmolts to the Bedwell Bay Iocoseapen site.

Andres Wines (BC) Ltd.

Since 1961, Andres Wineshave been a familiar sight onthe Port Moody Inlet.Currently, they produce one

34


million gallons of wine peryear, including several winesthat are bottled in Port Moody.

Andres Wines has beenproactive in their approach toensuring that their wastewateris within the acceptable limitsfor marine organisms. The com-pany has a wastewater treat-ment system to adjust the pHof water entering the G.V.R.D.sewage system, which has beenrecently upgraded to ensurenone of the caustic soda used toneutralize the acidic effluentcan enter the environment. Aspart of Andres ongoing com-mitment to the environment,they investigated and replacedall suspect drains.

Flavelle Sawmill Company

Flavelle Sawmill Companyhas been active in the commu-nity throughout their long his-tory. Recently, the mill hasbeen involved in several habitatrestoration projects along theirwaterfront property. As part ofupgrading the saw mill facili-ties, they created a marsh habi-tat complete with plantings ofaquatic vegetation in an effortto increase the wildlife use ofthis area. The mill has also beeninvolved in local communitygroup stewardship initiatives,

such as cleaning up the mudflats and a planting projectalong the Shoreline Park trailsystem.

The new, privately ownedcompany looks forward to con-tinuing Flavelle’s long historyas a good corporate citizen.

Reed Point Marina

The Reed Point Marina hasa seapen site located off IocoBoat Club, which is managedby the Burrard Inlet MarineEnhancement Society. Thegroups share responsibility forseapen rearing, acclimating chi-nook and coho juveniles to saltwater before release to theocean. The marina providesvaluable support, storingequipment, and mooring thegovernment boat. Chinook arereared in fresh water beforetransfer to Ioco and TransMountain seapen sites in thespring.

BC Hydro’s BurrardGenerating Station

BC Hydro is committed toproviding electricity to its cus-tomers in an environmentallyand socially responsible manner.

Located on the north shoreof Burrard Inlet in Port Moody,the Burrard Generating Station

35


is BC Hydro’s largest naturalgas fired generating plant. Thisfacility is capable of generating12% of the province’s firm ener-gy supply and can meet theenergy needs of 700,000 homes.Burrard burns natural gas toproduce high-pressure steam.The steam passes through tur-bines that drive generators toproduce electricity.

To address environmentalconcerns and modernize theplant, the Burrard Upgrade

Project (BUP) was launched inMay 1993. In May 2000, theproject achieved a major mile-stone by completing installationof emissions reduction technol-ogy on all six generating units.This translates to a 90% reduc-tion of Nitrogen Oxide emis-sions from previous levels.Many other environmental

upgrades have been completedas part of the BUP, includingthe installation of a new coolingwater ‘dechlorination system’and the joint development (withthe Burrard EnvironmentalReview Committee) and com-pletion (with the federalDepartment of Fisheries andOceans) of a two year coolingwater impact study.

In 1998, Burrard GeneratingStation was proud to be onlythe second thermal generatingstation in Canada to receive theInternational Organization forStandards certification (ISO14001) for its EnvironmentalManagement System. Thisinternationally recognized cer-tification means that Burrardhas prescribed and implement-ed a framework to continuallyimprove its environmental per-formance.

BC Hydro supports manycommunity and environmentalprojects. For example, in 1997Burrard provided funding totwo Centennial School teachersto develop a high school sci-ence education module inoceanology, allowing studentsto physically experience activi-ty in Burrard Inlet. Over thepast few years, generating sta-tion staff and two local hatch-

36


Burrard Thermal Generating Station

eries have worked closelytogether for mutual benefit. Forexample, hatchery student vol-unteers accompanied BCHydro environmental staff dur-ing field work counting salmonreturning to local streams, andthe hatcheries provided salmonfor growth studies at the gener-ating station. In its ongoingeffort to contribute to educa-tion, in 1999 Burrard beganoffering tours through the gen-erating station to school chil-dren, allowing them the oppor-tunity to see how electricity isgenerated using natural gas.The tours have provedextremely popular, as morethan 2500 children have beenthrough the facility since theybegan.

Port of Vancouver

In Port Moody, the Port ofVancouver has made greatstrides in their concern for theenvironment and have won anumber of awards for theirefforts. Recently, the Port hasbeen involved in shoaling apreviously overdredged area.This was done with a customdesigned diffuser head allow-ing hydraulic movement ofsediment without impactingthe shallow waters where juve-

nile salmonids were present.This project had a number ofbenefits including the creationof a retention dyke that pro-vides suitable substrate foralgae and blennie habitat. Andthe shoaled area provides anelevation suitable for juvenilesalmonids. As a result, the areareceives more energy and hasthe temporary benefit of freeingsequestered nutrients (like till-ing a field). It is also creating arare habitat type, which repre-sents less than 3% of BC’scoastline.

Pacific Coast Terminals Co. Ltd.

Susanne Sloboda

Pacific Coast Terminals(PCT) is located on 108 acres ofwaterfront property along themost southeastern point ofBurrard Inlet. They haveevolved in their commitment toconducting sound, environmen-tally sustainable business as asulphur and liquid chemicaltransporting company.Annually, PCT handles approxi-mately four million tons of solidsulphur commodities, and sixhundred thousand tons of liq-uid chemicals. Approximatelytwo hundred cargo ships world-wide are loaded at the PCT site,

37


with an average of fifty thou-sand railcars transporting theirproduct each year.

PCT takes pride in theircontinual commitment to the

environment. The companyaddresses all scopes of environ-mental stewardship: air quality,water quality, soil quality,noise reduction, and communi-ty involvement.

The company has reducedthe diesel-powered machineryon site, installed dust suppres-sion mechanisms, and imple-mented an air scrubber systemall of which are aimed atimproving air quality. PCT col-

lects and diverts all rainwaterand sulphur effluents into aprimary, followed by a second-ary settling pond. This allowsthe solids to settle out of thesolution, before the water istested for pH levels andpumped to GVRD’s sanitarysources. Other water qualityefforts include the recent instal-lation of a new shiploader,designed to reduce or eliminatespillage incidents.

To preserve the soil integri-ty of the site, PCT has placedan impermeable layer beneathall tanks and storage sites, andhave installed boulders on theshoreline to prevent erosion.Planting vegetation not onlyimproves the aesthetic value ofthe site, but it also serves toreduce sound pollution, work-ing in conjunction with theinstallation of silencers andmutes on machinery. They areable to preserve their presencein the community by beinginvolved in events like “Adopta Shoreline” and “Voices forChoices,” and by staying intouch with various environ-mental agencies. They havealso been involved in a marsh-land creation project near themouth of Schoolhouse CreekSouth.

38


Pacific Coast Terminals

PCT’s EnvironmentalConservation Policy focuses onfixing the environmental asso-ciated problems from the pastand creating a sustainable andsound facility for the presentand future generations.

Reichhold Limited

Reichhold Limited has beena member of the Port Moodycommunity since 1950. Thiscompany produces solvent andwater based resins used in themanufacture of paint, adhesives,polyesters, and water basedproducts used in the construc-tion, paper, hygiene and rein-forced composites industries.

Reichhold Limited is a par-ticipant in the Canadian Chem-ical Producers Association’sResponsible Care Program andhas made a public commitmentto continuous improvement toperformance in health, safety,and environmental quality. Inaddition, continual improve-ments are made to the environ-mental protection equipmentand manufacturing processesfor removal of waste generatingpractices and procedures.

Schoolhouse Creek Southruns through the operation atPort Moody and the companyhas taken on a partnership role

in stream stewardship in thisarea. In 2000, the Port MoodyEcological Society released34,000 chum into SchoolhouseCreek South at Reichhold’s site.It is hoped that with care anddiligence in ensuring a naturalenvironment, these chum willbe able to return back to natu-ral conditions for spawning.

Reichhold is committed toconduct business responsibly toprotect the environment as wellas the health and safety ofemployees and the community.

39


40

In Port Moody there are someexcellent examples of localrestoration projects including thefollowing:

Port Moody EcologicalSociety has been restoring habi-tat in Noons Creek by creatinga new side channel for cohorearing and new spawningareas for salmonids. They arealso involved with wildlifehabitat enhancements throughplanting of native plants andinstallation of nesting boxes.

Habitat enhancement hasalso been the focus of a projectat Glenayre Elementary School.Students, parents and teachersworked together to construct aNaturescape garden on theirschool grounds in order toattract butterflies and birds.

The Burke MountainNaturalists have installed birdnesting boxes in local greenareas, and have rescued nativevegetation from developmentsites to replant in a more suit-able location.

When publishing wildlifeinventories, the naturalistsoften identify critical wildlife

habitat and areas that are suit-able for restoration projects.

The City of Port Moody isinvolved in restoring areas ofvalue to wildlife. They havedaylighted a portion of SuterBrook, thus eliminating a barri-er to fish traveling furtherupstream. Recent projectsinclude riparian replanting,relocation of a small wetlandinto Shoreline Park and theplanned daylighting of thelower reach of Turner’s Creek.

Concert Properties Ltd.have proposed a series of fishhabitat enhancement projectsfor the upcoming Suter BrookDevelopment.

College Park ElementarySchool has created wildlife habi-tat by planting native plants ontheir school ground. They alsoconduct clean ups of the naturalareas around their school.

RESTORAT ION PROJECTS IN PORTMOODY

Port Moody has a numberof policies, bylaws and guide-lines to ensure that environ-mentally sensitive practices areobserved throughout the com-munity. The OfficialCommunity Plan includes com-munity values for the protec-tion of the natural environ-ment. It provides guiding prin-ciples from an ecosystem per-spective on watercourses,wildlife corridors, and tree pro-tection. The stream anddrainage system protectionbylaw protects our streamsfrom runoff, pollution, erosion,and sedimentation. The Cityencourages and supports itsresidents to practice environ-mental citizenship at home.

Naturescape

The natural environment ofBritish Columbia boasts morebiodiversity than any other partof Canada. In response to a del-egation from the BurkeMountain Naturalists andNaturescape BC, the City for-mally adopted the NaturescapeBC policy, which encourages

the community to provide habi-tat for wildlife by plantingnative vegetation. Native plantsalso require less water or chem-ical additives, as they areadapted to our local climate.

Urban Water Quality

Non-point source pollutionis the accumulated effect ofurban activities and is the mostcommon source of water pollu-tion. In residential areas, fertil-izers, pesticides and car washsoaps are common contributorsto non-point source pollution.The community is encouragedto eliminate chemicals in thegarden and to wash cars ongrassed areas or at a commer-cial car wash facility.

Power Smart

The BC Hydro Power SmartProgram was developed to con-serve energy for both environ-mental and financial benefits.The program covers windows,lighting, appliances, etc. TheCity has updated a number offacilities to reduce energy con-sumption. Consider what you

41

PORT MOODY ENV IRONMENTAL IN I T IAT IVES

can do to make your homemore Power Smart.

Water Conservation

Although we live in aregion that receives abundantrainfall, 70% of the rain falls inthe autumn and winter, whilethe greatest proportion of ourconsumption occurs in thesummer. As our populationgrows so does our demand forwater. In addition, the infra-structure requirements to deliv-er peak flows to all householdsis costly. Lawn and gardenwatering can make up almost35% of total household wateruse during the summer.

The City of Port Moodysubsidizes a rain barrel pro-gram. Residents can use thespecially- designed barrels tocollect water from drainspoutsfor lawn and garden irrigationduring dry summer conditions.It is expected that each barrelwill save about 1300 gallons ofwater during the peak summermonths when demand forwater is high and precipitationis low.

Recycling

The average NorthAmerican family of threethrows out 18 kg of garbage per

week, about half of which isrecyclable materials. In PortMoody, curbside recycling isavailable to all residents on thesame day as garbage collection.The City’s contractor, CanadianWaste, will accept glass, metals,plastics (#1, 2, 4 and 5), newspa-per, and mixed paper. Pleasepick up a pick-up schedule andinformation from City Hall orcall Canadian Waste at 520-7830.

Garbage

Garbage pick-up in PortMoody is once per week and islimited to two cans or bags perhousehold. Stickers for extracans may be purchased at CityHall or Kyle Centre.

Composting

Allowing your kitchenscraps and garden waste todecompose may reduce yourhousehold waste by 30%. This“black gold” soil is a nutrientrich soil to add to your garden.The City of Port Moody has aprogram to subsidize residentialcomposters, complete withinstructions.

Greenhouse Gas Inventory

Port Moody is a member ofa local government groupcalled Partners for Climate

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Sprinkling Regulations

GVRD has twice-weeklysprinkling regulations in

effect from June 1 toSeptember 30.

When you can sprinkledepends on where

you live.

Even numbered houses can sprinkle

Wednesday and Saturdayfrom 4 aam tto 99 aam andfrom 7 pp.m. tto 110 pp.m.

Odd numbered address-es can sprinkle on

Thursday and Sundayfrom 4 aam tto 99 aam andfrom 7 pp.m. tto 110 pp.m.

These regulations applyonly to lawn sprinkling.

PORT MOODY ENV I RONMENTAL IN I T I AT I VES

Protection. Efforts of the groupinclude developing a green-house gas reduction plan thatwill implement five target mile-stones. Port Moody has com-pleted the first milestone, aninventory of greenhouse gasemissions for municipal opera-tions and community wideemissions.Future milestones include:• Setting reduction targets of up

to 20 percent from municipaloperations and 6 percent fromcommunity wide emissionswithin 10 years;

• Developing a local action planincorporating public aware-ness and education;

• Implementating the localaction plan; and

• Monitor, verify and reportgreenhouse gas reductions.

Storm Drain Marking Program

(Fisheries and Oceans Canada/City of Port Moody Partnership)

Storm drains collect rain-water that runs off roads, park-ing lots and driveways. Therainwater collects litter, oil, gas,fertilizer, pesticides and any-thing else that will float or dis-solve. Sometimes people mis-takenly dump paint, antifreezeand other harmful chemicalsdirectly into storm drains. All

these untreated pollutants flowthrough the storm drains andinto our local streams.

Storm drains throughoutPort Moody are being paintedwith the familiar yellow fish.

They are there to remind usthat storm drains empty direct-ly into nearby streams. Weneed to keep harmful thingsout of storm drains. Localgroups, residents and childrenwho care about our localstreams are painting these yel-low fish on our stormdrains. You canhelp by:• Disposing

of house-hold hazardouswastes correctly;

• Emptying hot tub and poolwater slowly into the ground;and

• Recycling products wheneverpossible.

Environmentally SensitiveAreas Management Strategy(ESA)

The City of Port Moody ini-tiated the ESA ManagementStrategy in 1997. The purposeof the Strategy is to help bal-ance the pressures of popula-tion growth with the protectionof its natural environment.

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The organic breakdownof kitchen and yard

wastes result in a dark,nutrient rich compost,otherwise known as

“black ggold”!Use it in your garden or

as a potting soil.

“Yellow fish” storm drainmarker

TheStrategy is divided intothree phases:

Phase 1 – An Inventory ofNatural Areas. This study pro-vided the first comprehensiveinventory of 33 natural areasand was completed in 1999.

Phase 2 – Development ofManagement Recommendations.This project saw the develop-ment of management recom-mendations for conserving thenatural areas identified in Phase1. It included further inventoryand refinement of ESA criteria todetermine high, medium andlow ratings and was completedin 2001.

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We're in the "Mood" to Recycle

Put your full blue box and bags at the curb for collection by 7 am on your collection day. The followingacceptable items must be separated into the appropriate bag or box:

Blue bag:• Newspapers and newspaper inserts

Yellow bag:• School and office paper, envelopes• Flyers, brochures• Catalogs, magazines, phone books• Flattened cereal boxes, paper egg cartons• Corrugated cardboard,• Any 100% paper fiber

Blue box:Please rinse and flatten

containers when possible• Glass bottles and jars• Tin and aluminum cans• Plastic bags• Milk jugs• Any plastic with codes 1,2,4,5 on the bottom

You can pick up a copy of the Curbside Collection Calendar at City Hall, Port Moody Library or Kyle Centre or view it on our website.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

In the Burrard Inlet/Vancouver region, Fisheriesand Oceans Canada is involvedin numerous community proj-ects, including many in PortMoody. Apart from the regula-tory and enforcement role,Fisheries and Oceans Canadafacilitates the SalmonidEnhancement Program.Through this program, theCommunity Advisor supportscommunity involvementthrough the Public InvolvementProgram, CommunityEconomic DevelopmentProgram, Salmonids in theClassroom, Storm DrainMarking and StreamKeepers.

There is a very diverse rangeof habitat types in the BurrardInlet region, and the variety ofcommunity projects reflects thisdiversity. Some groups focus onrestoring habitat values in manyof the small creeks, some pro-vide the local streams with fryand smolts for release, and othergroups focus on education andpublic awareness.

These programs are vital to

the health of our waterwaysand ecosystem functions. Thecurrent health of many of ourlocal waterways can be attrib-uted to the work of dedicatedvolunteers, often working inconjunction with our local com-munity advisor.

Neighbouring Municipalities

Natural features rarelyadhere to the limits of politicalboundaries and it is importantfor neighboring municipalitiesto be aware of and worktogether on issues that mayaffect all communities. Forexample, Noons Creek travelsthrough Coquitlam as well asPort Moody, and MossomCreek originates in Anmore.Often these regions have simi-lar issues and could join forcesand share information andsolutions to problems. For thisreason, the municipalities ofAnmore, Belcarra, Coquitlam,Port Coquitlam and PortMoody have formed the NorthEast Sector Stream StewardshipCommittee which includes acouncil representative from

45

OTHER GOVERNMENT IN I T IAT IVES

The Coast MountainRange

The Coast MountainRange extends 1,700 kmnorth from Vancouver tothe Yukon. It is mainly

composed of granite andother igneous rocksknown as the Coast

Plutonic Complex. Thesehardened solidified areasof rock were eventually

exposed through the ero-sion of the overlying soft-

er rock and this rockstructure forms the

majority of the NorthShore Mountains.

each municipality.

City of CoquitlamEnvironmental Involvement

The City of Coquitlam isinvolved in a number of proj-ects, programs, and partner-ships relating to the environ-ment. One primary program inplace is the Stream StewardshipProgram, which focuses onrecruitment and support ofcommunity volunteers for spe-cific stream stewardship andcommunity awareness opportu-nities. The City of Coquitlam isalso continuing to develop out-door environmental programsoffered to the community suchas the Spring Clean Up pro-gram, an interpretive hikingprogram, and educational &awareness programs such asthe Bear Aware program.

The City of Coquitlamsponsors environmental specialevents within the communitysuch as the EnvironmentFestival, Salmon Come Home,and Treefest. Any one of theseevents is enjoyed by at least3,000 people while promotingenvironmental awareness andeducation.

The City of Coquitlam’sStream Classification project isinitiating a process of classify-

ing the biological and physicalvalues associated with theCity’s streams. This classifica-tion will signify the relativehabitat sensitivity based onpresence of salmonid and foodand nutrient values to assist indeveloping streamside protec-tion planning goals and objec-tives and best managementpractices related to “instream”work and “streamside” works.The City of Coquitlam is also inthe process of developing anenvironmental policy frame-work to examine existing poli-cies and address the gaps thatmay lie within.

With a relatively youngenvironment division, the Cityof Coquitlam is striving toenhance the existing opportuni-ty for knowledge and involve-ment of the community andpartners in these and subse-quent environmental activities.

Village of Belcarra

Epitomizing the relaxedWest Coast lifestyle, this wellwooded residential communityoverlooks the magnificentNorth Shore mountains and thepicturesque waters of IndianArm. The Village, in somerespects, can be described as an“island community” in that it is

46

OTHER GOVERNMENT IN I T I AT I VES

surrounded by either water orBelcarra Regional Park.

The current population is700, and has been growingsteadily at a rate of about 4.5percent per year since 1976. Thepopulation is expected to peakat approximately 800. Mosthomes are oriented to the waterand mountain views and natu-ral settings characteristic of thearea.

Belcarra Regional Park is amajor attraction for residentsand visitors alike, offering arare combination of oceanshore, inland lake and forestedhills. Much of the park lieswithin the boundaries of theVillage of Belcarra.Administered by the GVRDParks Department, BelcarraRegional Park is one of thelargest (twice the size ofStanley Park) and most visitedparks (900,000 visitors in 1996)in the GVRD park system.

Except for the CommunityHall, there are no recreationalfacilities owned or operated bythe village, although theCommunity & RecreationAssociation of Belcarra (CRAB)owns and operates tenniscourts located near the head ofBedwell Bay. Community vol-unteers operate both CRAB and

the Sasamat Volunteer FireDepartment (SVFD).

Belcarra’s future vision is tomaintain a high quality, ruralresidential environment with aslittle disturbance as possible tothe rich, natural setting whichmakes this unique area one ofthe Lower Mainland’s mostdesirable communities.

City of Burnaby

The City of Burnaby islocated west of Port Moodyand the two cities share a bor-der along the BurnabyMountain Conservation Area.24% of Burnaby is parks andpublic open space. Burnaby ischaracterized by a wealth ofnatural features and a varietyof ecosystems that includeBurnaby Mountain, Deer Lake,Burnaby Lake, natural ravinesand streams, and the foreshoreof both the Fraser River andBurrard Inlet. Initiatives areunderway to link these areas bya trail and greenway network.In addition, a variety of neigh-bourhood and district parksoffer rest and respite fromurban life.

Environmental protection isa priority, and Burnaby hasmany ongoing environmentalinitiatives. The City’s

47


Belcarra Beachkeepers

In an attempt to minimizethe impacts to Belcarra

Regional Park, volunteersof this unique program

talk to park visitorsregarding marine regula-

tions, beach etiquetteand natural history.

They have also recentlyconstructed a new trail atBelcarra Park around the

Woodhaven swamp.

Environment and WasteManagement Committee, acommittee of Council with citi-zen representation, functions toaddress environmental matters.The active stewardship pro-gram includes the BurnabyStreamkeepers program andcoordination of regular envi-ronmental events forEnvironment Week and BCRivers Day. In addition, initia-tives such as watershed plan-ning, park acquisitions, sensi-tive areas management plans,habitat enhancement andrestoration, a chemical-freevegetation and pest manage-ment program, private-publicpartnerships, and a comprehen-sive recycling program are allexamples of projects that arecurrently underway.

Village of Anmore

North of Port Moody is theVillage of Anmore, a communi-ty of 1200 people. Within thevillage, three parks provide avariety of recreational andwilderness opportunities:Buntzen Lake Recreation Area,Indian Arm Provincial Parkand portions of BelcarraRegional Park. The Village, setamongst beautiful natural sur-roundings, supports

Naturescape BC, and promoteswildlife habitat utilizing nativeplant species in landscapingschemes. Watercourses are alsoprotected with buffer zones ofstreamside vegetation and thevillage works in conjunctionwith neighbouring municipali-ties to achieve consistent pro-tection of watercourses thatcross municipal boundaries.

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49

ANDRES WINES (BC) LTD.Kirk Seggie2120 Vintner, Port Moody, BCTel: 604-937-3411Fax: 604-937-5487

BEDWELL BAY BARNACLE CLUB

Gary Bradley3530 Marine Avenue, Belcarra, BC V3H 4R8Tel: 604-937-3702

BELCARRA BEACHKEEPERS

Lynn Castagner, GVRDTel: 604-520-6442Fax: 604-520-3520

BC CONSERVATION DATA CENTRE

http://www.elp.gov.bc.ca/rib/wis/cdc

BC FROGWATCH PROGRAM

Ministry of Water, Land and Air ProtectionWildlife BranchPO Box 9374, Stn Prov GovVictoria BC V8W 9M4Tel: 250-387-9755Fax: 250-356-9145Web: www.elp.gov.bc.ca/wld/frogwatch/index

BC HYDRO

Lexa HobenshieldCorporate Communications333 Dunsmuir St. Vancouver, BC V6B 5R3Tel: 604-623-4154Fax: 604-623-3937Web: www.bchydro.bc.ca

BC MINISTRY OF WATER, LAND AND AIR

PROTECTION

10470 - 152 Street, Surrey, BC V3R 0Y3Tel: 604-582-5200Fax: 604-930-7119Web: www.gov.bc.ca/elp/

BURKE MOUNTAIN NATURALISTS

Elaine Golds, President Box 52540, RPO Coquitlam CentreCoqutlam, BC V3B 7J4Tel: 604-937-3483Fax: 604-937-3483

BURRARD INLET ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION

PROGRAM

Joe Stott, Program Manager501-5945 Kathleen AvenueBurnaby, B.C. V5H 4J7Tel: 604-775-5756Fax: 604-775-5198Email: [email protected]: www.bieapfremp.org

BURRARD INLET MARINE ENHANCEMENT SOCIETY

Orland LeeTel: 604-461-0975Fax: 604-461-0985Email: [email protected]: www.pbsco.com/nonprofit/mossom.html

CANADIAN NATURE FEDERATION

http://www.cnf.ca

COMMUNITY D I RECTORY

50

CENTENNIAL SALMON CLUB

Ruth FosterTel: 604-936-7205Fax: 604-937-5933Web: www.canfisco.com/mossom.html

CITY OF BURNABY

4949 Canada Way, Burnaby BC V5G 1M2Tel: 604-294-7944Web: www.city.burnaby.bc.ca

CITY OF COQUITLAM

Parks and Environmental Services3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam BC V3B 7N2Tel: 604-927-3000Web: www.city.coquitlam.bc.ca

CITY OF PORT MOODY

Parks and Environmental Services Division100 Newport Drive, Port Moody, BC V3H 3E1Tel: 604-469-4676Fax: 604-469-4533Web: www.cityofportmoody.com

CRITTER CARE WILDLIFE SOCIETY

481-216th Street, Langley, BC V2Z 1R5Tel: 604-530-2064Fax: 604-532-2009Email: [email protected]: www.bc-alter.net/critter

DOUGLAS COLLEGE

Centre for Environmental Studies & UrbanEcology700 Royal AvenuePO Box 2503New Westminster, BC V3L 5B2Tel: 604-527-5522Fax: 604-527-5095Email: [email protected]: www.douglas.bc.ca/envcentre

FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA

300-555 West Hastings, Vancouver, BC V6B 5G3Tel: 604-666-0384Fax: 604-666-1847Web: www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/English/default.htm

FLAVELLE SAWMILL COMPANY

Bob Wingrove2400 Murray St., Port Moody V3H 4H6Tel: 604-939-1141Fax: 604-937-2240

GVRD PARKS DEPARTMENT

4330 KingswayBurnaby, BC V5H 4G8Tel: 604-432-6200Fax: 604-432-6251Web: www.gvrd.bc.ca

IMPERIAL OIL LIMITED

Carl Anderson2225 Ioco Road, Port MoodyTel: 604-469-8300Fax: 604-469-8298Web: www.imperialoil.com

LAND CONSERVANCY OF BChttp://conservancy.bc.ca/

NATURESCAPE BC300-1005 Broad Street, Vicoria BC V8W 2A1Tel: 250-387-9369Tel: 1-800-387-9853http://www.plantnative.org

ORPHANED WILDLIFE REHABILITATION SOCIETY –O.W.L.Bev Day3800 - 72nd Street, Delta BC V4K 3N2Tel: 604-946-3171Fax: 604-946-3172Web: www.realm.ca/owl/


51

PACIFIC COAST TERMINALS

Kent Smith2701 Esplanade St, Port Moody, V3H 3P4Tel: 604-931-9201Fax: 604-936-6850Email: [email protected]: www.sultran.com

PORT MOODY ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Rick Simpson, President300 Ioco Road, Port Moody, BC V3H Tel: 604-469-9106Fax: 604-469-9106Email: [email protected]: www.vcn.bc.ca/pmes

PORT MOODY HERITAGE SOCIETY

Jim Millar 2734 Murray St, Port Moody, BC V3H 1X2Tel: 604-939-1648Fax: 604-939-1647

PORT OF VANCOUVER

John JordanTel: 604-665-9078Fax: 604-665-9007Web: www.portvancouver.com

POWER SMART PROGRAM

Tel: 604-431-9463Web: www.bchydro.bc.ca/powersmart

RECYCLING INFO LINE

Tel: 604-732-9253 (R-E-C-Y-C-L-E) Web: www.rcbc.bc.ca

REICHHOLD LIMITED

Port Moody Plant50 Douglas Street, Port Moody, BC V3H 3L9Tel: 604-939-1181Fax: 604-931-3944Web: www.reichhold.com

STONEY CREEK ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

Jennifer Atcheson2625 Noel Drive, Burnaby, BC V3J 1J2Tel: 604-420-9132Fax: 604-420-9105

TRANS-MOUNTAIN PIPELINE COMPANY

Ken Koscielski7815 Shellmont Street, Burnaby V5A 4S9Tel: 604-298-3612

VANCOUVER NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

http://www.naturalhistory.bc.ca/VNHS/

VILLAGE OF ANMORE

2697 Sunnyside, Anmore BC V3H 3C8Tel: 604-469-9877Fax: 604-469-0537Email: [email protected] Web: www.anmore.com

VILLAGE OF BELCARRA

Moira McGregor, Village Administrator4084 Bedwell Bay Road, Belcarra BCTel: 604-937-4100Fax: 604-939-5034Web: www.vob.belcarra.bc.ca

WILDLIFE RESCUE ASSOCIATION OF BC5216 Glencarin Drive, Burnaby, BC V5B 3C1Tel: 604-526-7275Fax: 604-524-2890Email: [email protected]: www.wildliferescue.bc.ca


52

BC Hydro. 1999. BC Hydro Triple Bottom LineReport.

BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks.1996. British Columbia Water Quality Status Report.Victoria, BC.

Bright, Chris. 1998. Life Out of Bounds: bioinva-sion in a borderless world. W.W. Norton andCompany.

Burrard Inlet Environmental Action Program. 1995.Burrard News. Summer 1995 Edition

Campbell, S. 1995. Naturescape British ColumbiaNative Plant and Animal Booklet, Georgia Basin.Victoria, BC

City of Port Moody. 2000. Official Community Plan:Port Moody, BCCity of Port Moody. 2001.www.cityofportmoody.com

City of Port Moody. 2000. Stream and DrainageSystem Bylaw, No. 2470. Port Moody, BC.

Dunster, Katherine and Julian Dunster. 1999. PortMoody Environmentally Sensitive AreasManagement Strategy – Phase 1: An Inventory ofNatural Areas. Port Moody, BC unpublished con-sulting report prepared for the City of Port Moody

Groot, C. and L. Margolis. 1991. Pacific SalmonLife Histories. UBC Press.

Hanrahan, Christine. 1994. Wildlife Inventory ofthe Shoreline Park System – Port Moody, BC. BurkeMountain Naturalists.

Ingram, L. Hutchinson Creek Stream Survey, Port

Moody, BC. Unpublished BCIT Report for PortMoody Ecological Society.

Kerr Wood Leidal-CH2M Hill Inc. 1998. IntegratedStormwater Management Strategy for Stoney CreekWatershed. Prepared for the Stoney CreekStormwater Steering Committee.

Lamb, Andy. 1986. Coastal Fishes of the Pacific.Harbour Publishing.

National Research Council. 1996. Upstream:Salmon and Society in the Pacific Northwest.National Academy of the Sciences Press.

Norton, D.M. 1987. Early History of Port Moody.Handcock House Publishers Ltd. Surrey, BC.

Olson, Cari, Sarah Weber, Roarke Coombs, EmilyFirth and Barb Ford. 1998. Ecological andEducational Plan for Shoreline Park AquaticEcosystems Master Plan. Unpublished UBC stu-dents’ project report.

Pearce, K. 1994. A Stream Survey of Turner Creek.Unpublished BCIT Report for Port Moody EcologicalSociety.

Robertson Environmental Services. 2001. City of PortMoody Environmentally Sensitive Areas ManagementStrategy. Phase Two: Development of ManagementRecommendations. Draft Report. Unpublished con-sulting report prepared for the City of Port Moody.

REFERENCES

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