PKOLS-Mount Douglas Conservancy are wild about salmon and are making a splash about it.
The organization will be joining people across Canada to “raise the flag” for Wild Salmon Day – a call for action to restore wild salmon and their habitats.
“Wild salmon connect us across waters, cultures and generations,” said the group in a news release. “But they’re in crisis, and they need our help to survive.”
To mark Wild Salmon Day the team of volunteers is encouraging visitors to come to the park to find out more about how salmon habitat is being restored in Douglas Creek and learn about the conservancy’s ongoing efforts to protect the vital ecosystem.
The group will be stationed at the Churchill Drive parking lot from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, June 1.
“Enjoy educational displays, connect with others who care about the future of wild salmon and learn how you can get involved,” said the group.
Members will also walk through the park wearing “chest banners” announcing the event, encouraging visitors to find out more.
The organization has been working since 1988 to protect and preserve the natural environment of the park, including the restoration of Douglas Creek for spawning coho and chum salmon.
Once home to large annual salmon spawning returns up until the 1960s, the salmon population severely declined when Gordon Head was urbanized.
Over the years, numbers have improved thanks to the group's efforts, which include the annual salmon carcass transplant. Volunteers gather on a cold January morning every year to toss over 100 dead salmon into the creek to help restore its ecological balance.
Future plans include a new bridge for the lower creek to discourage visitors from disturbing a “major chum salmon spawning area.”
Wild Salmon Day was first launched in 2019 by the B.C. government to celebrate wild salmon and raise awareness about the threats they face.
This year, the Atlantic Salmon Trust and the Atlantic Salmon Federation are joining the Pacific Salmon Foundation and First Nations Fisheries Council of BC to help build international momentum for wild salmon recovery.
For more information about Wild Salmon Day visit the website: https://wildsalmonday.com.
