A number of dedicated stewardship groups are working tirelessly to help the environment in Port Coquitlam and nearby regions.

• Burke Mountain Naturalists
• Coquitlam Riverwatch
• CRWS
• Hyde Creek Watershed Society
• Maple Creek Streamkeepers
• PoCo & District Hunting & Fishing Club
• Rivershed Society of BC

Burke Mountain Naturalists
Who We Are

The Burke Mountain Naturalists are a group of people mainly from the Tri-Cities who enjoy many aspects of nature - bird watching, botany, hiking, owling, bat-watching, etc. We also have an interest in preserving important local natural areas and in providing public education. We are present at several community events throughout the year with informative displays. We are affiliated with the Federation of BC Naturalists.

Volunteer Opportunities

• We have installed and maintain bird nest boxes in several local parks
• We have produced several bird and plant check lists as well as natural history brochures on local areas. These brochures are available in local libraries where space permits.
• We hold nature walks at local areas such as Riverview Hospital and the Coquitlam River corridor at various times throughout the year. These are advertised in the local papers.
• We organize the local Audubon Christmas Bird Count.
• We occasionally do trail work.

Events

• BMN holds monthly hikes and nature walks to local areas...the times and dates of these events are published in our club newsletter which is distributed to local libraries.
• We hold an annual nature walk on days such as BC Rivers Day and International Migratory Bird Day.

Meetings
BMN meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month except June, July and August at Como Lake United Church, corner of King Albert Ave. in Coquitlam at 7:30 pm. A guest speaker presents a slide show on a topic of natural history followed by a refreshment break, club announcements and a member's 5-minute presentation. Meetings are free and open to the public.

For more information please contact:
Ian McArthur
imcart@telus.net

Coquitlam Riverwatch
Who We Are

RACE: Responsibility, Awareness, Community and Environment. Volunteers that came together as a result of a forum held at Douglas College in 1996. The goal is to protect and preserve the Coquitlam River Watershed by bringing education and awareness to this watershed.

Volunteer Opportunities

• The RiverWatch program is a non-technical community based initiative, which was started in 1997 and has been active ever since. We ask our volunteers to commit to walking a section of the Coquitlam River at least once a month.
• Volunteers are supplied with data sheets and will receive our monthly newsletter.  Their findings and impressions will be recorded on these data sheets.  This information is presently used for our monthly newsletter and will be compiled to form a database in the future.

Events

• To celebrate B.C. Rivers Day in September we co-sponsor The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly walk on the Coquitlam River.
• We attend all local environmental events with our display.

Meetings

2nd Thursday of the month (except July & August), 7:00 p.m., Riverside Secondary School, Room 204.

For more information please contact:
Ian McArthur
Phone: 604-464-9255
Fax: 604-464-9275
Email: imcart@telus.net

Coquitlam River Watershed Society (CRWS)
Who We Are

A registered non-profit society dedicated to achieving an environmentally healthy Coquitlam River Watershed. CRWS formed out of a series of public workshops on the Coquitlam River Watershed held in 1996 and 1997.

CRWS Main Goals 

• Uniting Individuals and Groups: To unite groups and individuals whose goals are to protect, restore, and enhance the Coquitlam River and its watershed.
• Coordinating Information, Activities and Resources:
• To assist in the coordination of information, studies, resources and stewardship activities. It is not the intent of CRWS to oversee or direct the activities of these groups, but to provide a mechanism for improving coordination and communication, and to share resources, equipment, expertise, etc.
• Education: To promote a greater understanding of the natural assets of the Coquitlam River Watershed and the impacts on it.
• Advocacy:To identify and actively pursue important issues in the Watershed and present a united voice to decision makers.
• Watershed-wide Problem Solving Initiative:
• To initiate and participate in a process for raising, discussing and resolving Watershed issues. This mechanism would consist of individuals representing various key interests in the watershed.

Events

• Some current initiatives that CRWS is involved in include: Coquitlam River Watershed Symposium (sponsored by Douglas College's Institute of Urban Ecology) and a Coquitlam River Watershed Almanac.
• The Society is involved in a Coquitlam River watershed management plan and is assisting in the creation of a clearinghouse of information for the watershed.

Meetings

The Society meets every third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at Pinetree Community Centre, 1260 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, B.C. All are welcome to attend these meetings. CRWS publishes a periodical newsletter, The Watershed Works.

For more information please contact:
Eunice Hodge / Tony Matahlija
Phone: 604-464-0004 / 604-710-0581
Email: ehodge@shaw.ca

Hyde Creek Watershed Society
Who We Are

A group of concerned citizens dedicated to the Preservation and Enhancement of fish and wildlife habitats of Hyde Creek and it's tributaries. We have completed a modern hatchery and education centre on Hyde Creek to provide a valuable educational and awareness opportunity to our community to teach stewardship values/principles and fish hatchery operations to the general public, schools and community groups. The hatchery raises approximately 3,500 Chum and 20,000 Coho each year.

Volunteer Opportunities

• Habitat Restoration
• Stream Clean Up
• Water Quality Monitoring
• Stream Inventories
• Environmental Education

Events

• Third Sunday in November: Hyde Creek Salmon Festival at the Hyde Creek Community Centre

Meetings

1st Wednesday of the month, 7:15pm
Hyde Creek Hatchery and Education Centre
3636 Coast Meridian Rd.

For more information please contact:
Ted Wingrove
Phone: 604-941-2176

Maple Creek Streamkeepers

We are a stewardship group dedicated to changing the behaviour and values of our fellow community members to protect, rehabilitate and restore the natural environment and the natural services it provides to us all. We work with and support fellow stewardship groups in a cooperative and mentoring atmosphere of shared stewardship of the commons.

Short and Long Term Watershed Plans:

Continue landowner contact program to link watershed residents and business with the natural environment.  With increased understanding and support of local residents we will:

• Increase the biodiversity and species richness of the Maple Creek watershed by replanting and increasing the riparian areas
• Re-establish natural water flow regimes 
• Improve water quality through the identification of point and non-point pollution 
• Participate in the development of an Official Watershed Plan that is inclusive of values beyond integrated stormwater management and,
• Return the creek to its original creek bed where possible. 

We will work to ensure water quantity, water quality, flow regimes and access for the rearing, migration and spawning of wild Pacific salmon. 

Volunteer Opportunities

• Streamkeepers training and activities: water quality/quantity monitoring, species surveys, (fish, wildlife, invertebrates, amphibians, birds, botany)
• Watershed stewardship and advocacy
• Instream works (cleanups, enhancement feature construction)
• Riparian works (cleanups, plantings, trail deactivation)
• Community and public education

Events

Look for us at Treefest, BC Rivers Day, Earth Day, PoCo Pitch In, Coquitlam Environment Festival, Hyde, Hoy and Stoney Creek Salmon Festivals and other local environmental or watershed events.

Meetings

2nd Thursday of the month, 7pm
Call for location

For more information please contact:
Dianne Ramage
Phone: 604-464-1099
Email: ramages@shaw.ca

Port Coquitlam and District Hunting & Fishing Club
Coquitlam River Hatchery

A conservation minded and progressive hunting, fishing and shooting club.

One of the various projects operated by volunteers from the Port Coquitlam and District Hunting and Fishing Club, is the continued support and efforts to increase coho and steelhead enhancement.

Since 1997, chinook eggs have been transplanted from the Chilliwack Hatchery. This is now possible due to more favorable river conditions following increased flows provided by BC Hydro. Coquitlam River coho fry and smolts from this facility have been used to help re-stock tributaries and several major habitat rehabilitation and restoration projects completed by the Resource Restoration Division.

The hatchery is fed by water from Coquitlam Lake (courtesy of the GVRD), surface gravity-fed water from a nearby creek, and lastly from an emergency backup supply pumped from the mainstem Coquitlam River. Incubation water is filtered, sterilized with an ultraviolet filter, and then re-circulated to reduce incubation mortalities from severe fungus outbreaks in the past.

The late Alan Grist was involved in nearly every aspect of the Coquitlam River. His efforts were recognized in 1998 with the dedication of Grist Channel, a new habitat restoration project.

Volunteer Opportunities

• Environment and River Conservation
• Hunting, Fishing and Archery

Meetings

Does not hold regular meeting, contact Vance Reach at Tel: 604-464-3371, for more information.

For more information please contact:
Vance Reach
Phone: 604-464-3371

Rivershed Society of British Columbia
Who We Are

The Rivershed Society of British Columbia (RSBC) was founded in 1996 to educate people creatively about living sustainably within healthy riversheds.
We believe respect for riversheds begins with individual awareness. Our community-based programs urge people to live within the carrying capacity of riversheds by focusing on human attitudes, values and behaviours.
Through innovative initiatives we advocate cooperation and collaboration as we move toward sustainable living.

Volunteer Opportunities

To volunteer with RSBC events, activities and projects please contact 604.941.5937 or fin@rivershed.com.

Meetings

The RSBC Board meets monthly and Board committees meet at the call of the Chair.

For more information please contact:
Finbarr Donnelly
Phone: 604-941-5937
Email: fin@rivershed.com