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About Us

River Works is a Vancouver Aquarium conservation program that inspires the stewardship of aquatic habitats through public involvement, monitoring activities, habitat restoration, educational experiences and community connections.

River Works has been a Vancouver Aquarium initiative since 1996.  It first began as Rivers Alive, then became River Works!, River Works 2000, and is now simply River Works. 

The program is instrumental in developing environmentally active citizens in the Fraser River estuary through workshops and field activities designed to promote direct action and natural environment enhancement.  Each year, hundreds of volunteer hours are contributed towards the inventory, monitoring, and restoration of vital wetland habitats through school and community members who become engaged in positive environmental action. 

Activities such as bird, vegetation, invertebrate, fish and amphibian surveys, industrial wood clean-ups, storm drain marking, water quality testing, native vegetation plantings, and bird and bat box installation and monitoring ensure the long-term health of River Works’ wetland sites.

River Works Objectives

To maintain or increase biodiversity
River Works restores sites along the Fraser River by removing industrial wood debris and non-native plants  that can be harmful to estuary habitats. Volunteers enhance River Works sites by planting native vegetation, installing bird boxes and helping in the construction of shearbooms, which help to prevent the accumulation of wood debris along the shoreline. These sites are regularly monitored through bird, fish, vegetation and debris surveys.

To prepare volunteers to become environmentally active.
River Works provides training workshops, field experience and equipment to prepare volunteers for direct environmental action.

To motivate community stewardship
Through our public presence at field activities and attendance at various launches and festivals, River Works promotes community awareness and hands-on environmental involvement. Many community members have become committed stewards of River Works sites.

To foster environmental partnerships
River Works liases with community groups, businesses, government, schools and environmental organizations to establish partnerships that benefit both the community and the environment.