Examples

Nature Based Solutions - Restoration and Planning examples

Nature-based solutions can address climate change in three ways:

Decrease greenhouse gas emissions related to deforestation and land use
Capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
Enhance resilience of ecosystems, and as such support societies to adapt to climate hazards such as flooding, sea-level rise, and more frequent and intense droughts, floods, heatwaves, and wildfires.

However, it can be hard to visualize what these solutions look like on the ground. Therefore, this page presents restoration stories to provide local governments and First Nations with examples and contacts to learn more about work others are delivering.

Tidal Marsh Recovery - Boundary Bay

The Boundary Bay log removal project by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) took place in the late winter of 2023.The aim of this project was to restore the coastal marshland’s ability to sequester carbon and support native biodiversity by removing logs that were deemed to be of human origin.Three different processes of bringing back natural vegetation were then employed. This included extracting plugs from other marsh sites and replanting them, planting tidal marsh vegetation from nursery stock and letting the vegetation regenerate naturally.

Restoration Story

The Clam Garden Restoration Project

Parks Canada, the W̱SÁNEĆ Nation and the Hul’q’umi’num Nations participated in the Clam Garden Restoration project. Clam gardens are ancient sites along shorelines in W̱SÁNEĆ territory that Indigenous people tended for thousands of years to enhance the production of clams and related sea creatures. The maintenance of these structures ensures that cultural practices continue and provide additional benefits such as cooler temperatures on the foreshore during low tide and a reduction in wave energy during storm events.

Mud Bay Nature-based Foreshore Enhancements

The Mud Bay Nature-based Foreshore Enhancements Project is a partnership between City of Surrey, City of Delta and Semiahmoo First Nation. The project involves a nature-based approach to flood protection known as a living dyke. The project will begin with Pilot Studies to test stabilization techniques for the living dyke in two locations in Mud Bay.

North Arm Jetty and Steveston Jetty Breaches for Salmon Migration

Raincoast partnered with Ducks Unlimited Canada, Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance, and Tsawwassen First Nation to create openings within two jetties that were inhibiting the migration of juvenile salmon. The project includes baseline research on juvenile salmon, such as their presence and distribution in different habitats, their size and growth over the season(s), and how long they reside in the estuary.

Eelgrass Restoration Project in Mill Pond, Campbell River

This project aims to bring back the salt marsh benches, and the eelgrass beds and to restore riparian vegetation. These restoration efforts aim to enhance habitat for the native chinook and chum salmon while restoring the ecosystem. Historically, log storage increased the depth of the pond increased making it too deep for native marsh plants, such as eelgrass, to grow. Invasive species appeared and outcompeted the native vegetation. This project aims to bring back the salt marsh benches, and the eelgrass beds and to restore riparian vegetation.

Restoration Story

Sturgeon Bay Sediment Enhancement Pilot Project

The Sturgeon Bank Sediment Enhancement Pilot Project, led by Ducks Unlimited Canada, focuses on restoring tidal marsh habitats in British Columbia’s Fraser River estuary. By utilizing sediment dredged from the Fraser River, the project addresses sediment loss caused by human activities, which has degraded marsh ecosystems. These enhanced marshes provide critical habitat for fish and wildlife while acting as natural barriers against coastal flooding, reducing risks for nearby communities.

Beaver Dam Analogies

The Beaver Dam Analogues (BDA) project by the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) is a part of their 10,000 Wetlands project. It utilizes low technology-based restoration processes designed to restore wetlands. Essentially, the team installs human made beaver dams, built of branches, sediment and other materials from the surrounding ecosystem to reinstate wetlands along streams. This slows the flow of water and provides habitat for a broad range of species.

Restoration Story

Burns Bog Restoration

The City of Delta, Metro Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia and Canada are working together to carry out a 100-year management plan for Burns Bog that will preserve and restore the ecosystem.The ecological integrity of Burns Bog faces a range of challenges resulting from many decades of peat extraction, drainage, filling, conversion to agriculture, and adjacent urban and industrial uses.

Hiłsyaqƛis (Tranquil Creek)

The Tranquil Creek watershed in the traditional territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation on Vancouver Island. Restoration efforts have been focused on accelerating processes that create and sustain habitat. Short-term strategies, including in-stream and off-channel habitat restoration, are being carried out. They were implemented alongside other techniques requiring a longer-term recovery trajectory, such as riparian restoration, slope stabilization and road deactivation.

Shxwlistexw te Sqwá:la Shxweli: Care for the Life Spirit of the Hope Slough Project

Since the 1940s, Hope slough has been cut off from the Fraser river, which led to the degradation of fish spawning and rearing habitat in the slough. This project by Xwchíyò:m (Cheam), Sqwá (Skwah) and Shxwha:y (Skway) First Nations seeks to restore Hope Slough by improving water flow through sediment removal, rebuilding salmon spawning and rearing habitat, and working toward long-term reconnection with the Fraser River. Riparian planting in collaboration with farmers has restored 3.5 km of buffer to date, improving water quality, shading, and habitat while reducing pollution and invasive species.

Restoration Story

Urban Tree Guidelines

Climate change is affecting the long term survival of our urban forest. Metro Vancouver is developing guidelines and education materials to help landscapers choose trees that can adapt to our region's urban environment and weather conditions. https://treeguide.ca

Stanley Park Tree Removal

Climate change is affecting the long term survival of our urban forest. Metro Vancouver is developing guidelines and education materials to help landscapers choose trees that can adapt to our region's urban environment and weather conditions.

Restoration Story

Sea to Sky Wildlife Connectivity

The goal is to create connected and biodiverse wildlife habitat networks that remain flexible to the evolving environmental conditions. These connected networks ensure that species can move from one area to another safely and freely.

Environmental Development Permit Areas in the City of Courtenay

After mapping Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs), the City of Courtenay designated Environmental Development Permit Areas (EDPA) that require an application for a permit before construction or alteration of the land.

Restoration Story