听
VANCOUVER 鈥� Juvenile salmon are getting a new tidal wetland where they can rest and feed as they head into the open ocean every spring.
The wetland is in New Brighton Park in East Vancouver. As recently as last September, it was a grassy area that covered industrial fill dumped there in the 1960s and 1970s.
Now, the area has been transformed.
Two outlets to Burrard Inlet have been carved into the landscape so the wetland can be flushed out by the changing tides. It has been planted with an estimated 25,000 salt marsh plugs and grasses, 4,000 coastal shrubs such as salmonberry and Nootka roses, and 800 trees.
The $3.5-million tidal wetland was officially opened Thursday at a ceremony in the park.
The waterways in the wetland are ringed with orange fencing, which some might regard as an eyesore.
The fencing is a temporary measure to protect a small plant called pickleweed that was being eaten by sa国际传媒 geese when it was planted in late spring. Once the pickleweed establishes itself after a full growing season, the fencing will be removed.
Vancouver Park Board and the Port of Vancouver worked with Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations on creating the wetland.
John Konovsky, a biologist for Tsleil-waututh, said the natural shoreline was originally located a short walk to the south by the railroad tracks.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 re-creating what used to be here,鈥� he said.
鈥淭his is taking advantage of a situation to create a new habitat that will restore some of the lost functions.鈥�
The wetland isn鈥檛 meant to become a spawning area for salmon, he said. The New Brighton Park wetland is designed to be one of a series of habitat islands around Burrard Inlet so juvenile chum and pink salmon can rest and feed as they swim into the open ocean.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been working to create a series of habitat islands from the entrance to Burrard Inlet up Indian Arm,鈥� he said.
Habitat islands have been created on the North Shore at spots that include Lynn and Seymour creeks. Another is being created on Maplewood Flats.
But because the waterfront along the south shore of the inlet is heavily developed, there are few opportunities to create the same kind of wetland that young salmon need in Vancouver.
鈥淭his is one of the great opportunities,鈥� Konovsky said. 鈥淲ith good planning, they can go hand-in-hand 鈥� a healthy Burrard Inlet and sa国际传媒鈥檚 largest port.鈥�
The creation of the wetlands is also part of the restoration of Hastings Creek through Hastings Park. The wetlands project includes new picnic tables, viewing decks and gravel pathways.
Chris Lewis, a councillor for the Squamish Nation, said the tidal wetlands area is known as Kna-Nah-Moot, which means to appear from the creek water. Its Squamish
origin story is that two herons were fishing in the area and decided to stay because it was such a rich spot.
They took off their heron cloaks and transformed into humans, who lived in a village on the site.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so enlightening and empowering that we鈥檙e revitalizing the creek,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he Squamish Nation has been supportive of bringing salmon back so that it becomes a vibrant and rich area again.鈥�
A similar Vancouver Park Board biodiversity project is the restoration of a stream through Volunteer and Tatlow parks.
