Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary received a water stewardship award for work to restore the floodplain area around Swan Lake, to remove invasive species and restore native species.
“We are pleased to be recognized by this award,” said executive director Kathleen Burton.
“The awards judiciary committee clearly recognizes Swan Lake’s role as a steward of an important functioning and diverse ecosystems and we are grateful. The honour of the award really goes to the work of the dedicated staff and countless volunteers who are on the ground doing this important work as they share an interest in this urban refuge.”
Burton also gave credit to the sanctuary’s community partner RBC. RBC has provided over $25,000 in support to Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary over the past three years through the RBC Blue Water Project. Approved funding has been used to restore the floodplain area around Swan Lake, to remove invasive species and restore native species and to conduct a lake core sample. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary has used the information derived from the results of this sample in discussions with various stakeholders on how to handle storm water runoff.
“Our vision is to be the leader in the stewardship of healthy, diverse ecosystems, an urban nature sanctuary that brings people and nature together,” said Burton. “Winning this award speaks to the efforts our staff, volunteers and community partners go to in order to ensure this vision is realized. Fostering the community’s understanding and appreciation of nature through direct experiences inspiring personal action is at the forefront of everything we do.”
To learn how you can volunteer with Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary with this or other restoration projects, contact the volunteer co-ordinator at bleitch@swanlake.bc.ca. You can also visit www.swanlake.bc.ca to learn more about the sanctuary’s mission and ways that you can help.