Fraser River Park

Non-Native Vegetation Removal
Fish Surveys
Water Quality Testing
Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup

Non-Native Vegetation Removal
The Richmond Environmental Youth Corps, the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House Dream Green Team and Vancouver Aquarium volunteers gathered several times throughout July and August to remove both purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicera) and scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) from Fraser River Park. In total, 12 bags of purple loosestrife and 15 m3 of scotch broom were removed from the park.

Above: Close up of the seed pods of Scotch broom. Right: Saisha, Krista and Alec removing invasive Scotch broom.

Fish Surveys and Water Quality Testing
A group of dedicated Vancouver Aquarium volunteers have committed themselves to early Sunday mornings of rain and mud. This hardworking team is continuing the baseline data collection that the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre's Waterway Enhancement Team began in the summer of 2001. This data will be vital in assessing changes in the health of the Fraser River Estuary over a long term basis. To see the results click here.

Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-Up
In September of 2001, the Taiwanese Green Society cleaned up one kilometer of Fraser River Park's shoreline. They collected a total of 200 kilograms of trash, with the most unusual item being a laptop computer!

Clean Ups
River Works volunteers conducted four clean ups this year at Fraser River Park, removing a total of 110y³of wood debris. That is equal to almost three full dumpsters of wood! Removing 20y³ resulted in a 10% increase in marsh vegetation in our June clean up. The plants will definitely have plenty room to grow after all the clean ups this past year! A great big thank-you to BC Regiment Cadets, The Young Biologist's Club, and Vancouver Aquarium volunteers for all your hard work.

Plant Survivability

River Works volunteers headed out to determine the survivability of the native plant species that we planted in November of 1998. The majority of the plants are in fair to excellent condition. The survey was done on a hot, dry, summer day, which potentially effected the condition of the plants. Come autumn the plants may appear healthier.

Non-native Plant Species Removal
River Works volunteers worked relentlessly at removing non-native plant species from Fraser River Park this summer. Scratches from blackberry, heat and the famous Fraser River Park fire ants weren't enough to stop this group. This summer 7 large garbage bags of purple loosestrife were removed from this site. Susan Heaslip, seasoned River Works volunteer, noticed there was much less purple loosestrife at the site this year. An area equal to 0.6m³ scotch broom and himalayan black berry was removed.

Vegetation Surveys
Conducting a plant survey requires lots of patience, especially on a hot summer day, but thanks to a small groupof hard-working volunteers the plants growing in the marsh were all identified. Grasses were found to dominate at FraserRiver Park. The common rush was the second most abundant plant. Plants in the other category included:lyngby's sedge, meadow barley,lesserspearmint, commonhorsetail, spring bank clover, large headed sedge, purselane, hairy cat's ear, american vetch, and curved wood rush.