Restoring fish habitat in the Lynn Creek Estuary
We are working with the BCIT Rivers Institute, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, our government partners, and local industry to improve the fish, bird, and wildlife habitat in and around the Lynn Creek Estuary.
Details of this project
We are improving the estuary itself (the area where Lynn Creek enters Burrard Inlet), as well as the surrounding lands (riparian area) of Harbour View Park.
The newly restored areas will provide refuge and foraging areas for juvenile fish, spawning habitat for salmon and resident fish, and improved habitat for birds and wildlife.
How we're improving the estuary (area shown in blue on the map)
Currently, water flows over the top of the gravel bars in Lynn Creek, carrying away the natural woody debris that, if able to accumulate, would create ideal habitat for fish. As part of this restoration project, we will:
- restructure one of the main gravel bars in Lynn Creek to retain more natural debris
- incorporate natural woody debris (about 100 logs) into the gravel bars
- construct intertidal islands at the head of the bar to support more plant life and other cover elements
How we're improving the surrounding parkland (area shown in red on the map)
We are also restoring the riparian areas (the land surrounding the estuary). As part of this restoration, we will:
- manually remove invasive and non-native plants — blackberry, ivy, tansy, holly, and broom
- install "geotextiles" (fabric that supresses plant growth) where necessary to prevent these invasive plants from coming back
- amend the soil, where necessary
- replant using natives species and a native grass/clover ground cover seed mix
Once this work is done, temporary fencing will be installed around the area to allow the new plants to become established.
Overview of construction activities
Construction starts in early March, 2016, and will take about two weeks. The work will be done during low tide and low streamflow conditions, which typically happen overnight in winter and spring.
There will be three excavators on site to do the intertidal work. One will be land based, and used to pass rock and logs to the excavator working on the gravel bar. This will greatly reduce the number of trips needed to bring material on to the gravel bar, significantly reducing the time needed to complete the work.
Park and trail access during construction
During construction, there will be intermittent closures to the path along the east side of Harbourview Park, and the foreshore area will be closed to all trail users and pets.
Please be sure to obey the flaggers on-site, who are there for your safety.
