Provincial funding has been announced for two projects that will restore ecosystems, wildlife and habitats in the Abbotsford area.
About $10 million in funding through B.C.’s Economic Recovery Plan has been dedicated to support 60 projects across B.C. for species conservation and ecosytem restoration.
One of the two local projects is the Nature Stewards Program: Habitat Restoration and Nature Based Solutions to Climate Change. This will enable the Fraser Valley Conservancy to support an increased number of nature stewards improving habitat on their land, while employing two new staff members.
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The second project is the Sumas/LFFA (Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance) Bank Stabilization Fish and Fish Habitat Survey. The project aims to understand and monitor changes in fish abundance before, during and after bank-armouring initiatives with an ARIS Explorer 1800 hydro-acoustic sonar.
Abbotsford-Mission NDP MLA Pam Alexis said the funding will support “important conservation for our local wildlife and habitats.”
“The efforts of locals to preserve and protect our environment is inspiring. B.C. is beautiful and biodiverse, and this area along the Fraser River is no exception,” she said.
The projects across B.C. are being completed through partnerships with Indigenous communities, environmental groups, universities and stewardship organizations.
Scheduled for completion by December 2021, the projects were identified by provincial government biologists, non-government partners and regional staff with local knowledge of priority needs.
The initiative is part of the province’s COVID-19 response, which includes StrongerBC – a plan that protects people’s health and livelihoods while supporting businesses and communities.
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