Migratory birds, resident bald eagles, and river otters are some of the wildlife that will benefit from a series of new stewardship initiatives in Stanley Park.
Patricia Thomson, Executive Director of Stanley Park Ecology Society (SPES), today announced at an event by Lost Lagoon that HSBC Bank Canada will be the year-long title sponsor of the “HSBC Freshwater Initiatives in Stanley Park” through a $50,000 donation.
The HSBC Freshwater Initiatives in Stanley Park are a series of important conservation and stewardship projects that will make a difference for wildlife in Stanley Park by contributing to the restoration of the Park’s aquatic ecosystems and enhancing wildlife habitat through community stewardship.
Thomson said: “HSBC’s contribution to improving wildlife habitats in Stanley Park is an outstanding example of corporate social responsibility in action. This new initiative will help many at-risk wildlife species, including birds such as wood ducks and swallows that depend on freshwater habitats for food and shelter, and we look forward to delivering this important initiative.”
Aaron Jasper, Vice Chair of the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and liaison to the Society, said: “Stanley Park Ecology Society works tirelessly alongside the Park Board to ensure the Park is a place where wildlife and people can co-exist, and we are very pleased to count HSBC Bank Canada among the stewards of our park system.”
The funding from HSBC will allow SPES to undertake needed aquatic stewardship initiatives, including habitat restoration by removing invasive plant species from riparian (lake and creek edge) habitats, restoring the shoreline vegetation by planting native shrubs and trees, enhancing fish habitat by improving the water-flow for Beaver Creek, and installing nest boxes in Lost Lagoon and Beaver Lake for riparian bird species.