With rebuilt hatchery operations in place, Mossom Creek hatchery is set to enter a new era, one that will see even more people learn about the importance of salmon and the Port Moody watershed.
Later this fall, the Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society hopes to have some new programs in place and a part-time education coordinator to oversee them.
"The philosophy is hands on experience for children," Tracy Green, president Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society
As well, BIMES is looking for knowledgeable volunteers, who, with some training, will help deliver education programs for the community.
Getting BIMES set for what volunteers have referred to as Mossom 2.0 (after a $1.2 million rebuild from a hatchery fire in 2013), is the job of a new board of directors, headed by Tracy Green.
The former Anmore councillor and active Mossom member, was among a team of workers who helped raise funds and build the hatchery and education centre which opened in May. She joins past-president Kyle Pilon, vice-president Pat Dennett, founders Rod MacVicar and Ruth Foster, and others on the board, which has a renewed focus for getting people involved and interested in learning about the environment.
"The philosophy is hands on experience for children, which (former teachers) Rod and Ruth were so good at promoting, and that was so successful for almost 40 years," said Green.
It's why Green got involved with Mossom in the first place: Her daughter Ella, now in Grade 7 and son Lucas, in Grade 4, were thrilled at being allowed to clean fish tanks and get up close with salmon. "That's not something you see everywhere for kids," Green acknowledged.
With funding from Port Metro Vancouver, and grants from groups such as Port Moody Rotary to purchase education materials, the group is rebuilding its library and reaching out more to groups, such as scouts, and schools, clubs and universities such as SFU, and UBC to invite them to Mossom. It's also partnered with NatureKids BC, formerly the Young Naturalists Club, and Centennial secondary students will continue to be involved through education and hatchery operations.
BIMES has also welcomed other stewardship groups, such as the Port Moody Ecological Society, which runs the Noons Creek hatchery near by, to use the facility for meetings, Green said.
Some of the programs being considered is a watershed blitz, where the community is invited to study the creek for a day, and a beach seine where people scoop up water from Port Moody inlet and study the marine life.
"Rod and Ruth have talked about stream to sea, which is a program, but it's also getting people to understand the watershed, the stream and the marine environment," said Green who explained that Mossom's technological advances, such as its video camera system which captures wildlife movements in the area, is giving BIMES a platform to reach out to even more people. And there is also a newly-created pond so visitors can study wetland creatures up close.
"We want to encourage people to become citizen scientists, and so that people will learn what they can do to protect our watershed while also having fun."
The group is also applying for charitable status to enhance its ability to raise funds to support new programs.
In the meantime, the hatchery is open to visitors Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., where people can tour the building, meet other volunteers and learn about the watershed and its importance to the region.
More information about Mossom Creek Hatchery is available at www.mossomcreek.org or on Twitter at @mossomcreek
