SPES recently updated our Conservation Corner display at Stanley Park Brewing. This quarter, we are highlighting wetlands and the important role they play in our ecosystem.
Wetlands protect us from flooding and drought by acting like sponges, absorbing excess water in wetter months and slowly releasing it during drier months. Wetlands also filter out pollutants and toxins from the water and are effective climate sinks, thereby acting as a buffer against climate change. Besides their several benefits to humans, wetlands have an inherent, intrinsic value as biodiversity hotspots and highly productive ecosystems, playing home to a wide array of flora and fauna.
Approximately 70% of original wetlands in the Fraser River delta have been lost due to development and coastal armament since colonization, making the remainder extremely valuable.
Since fall of 2022, SPES has been partnering with local businesses in our Working for the Wetlands project to improve ecosystem function and water quality at Lost Lagoon. This is the project that will see the installation of artificial islands in Lost Lagoon this fall and next. “These islands serve as a pilot project for us, as we attempt to work to address water quality issues within the Lagoon including excess nutrient accumulation, anoxic water conditions, and excess pollutants causing harm to the local ecosystem” says SPES Conservation Projects Manager Dacyn Holinda.
This project was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change, the Vancouver Park Board, the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, and the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.