B.C.’s wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate and they need your help.
That’s the focus of the BC Wildlife Federation Wetlands Education program in Cawston this week. It aims to get the community involved in the restoration and stewardship of the small wetland area, Ginty’s Pond.
It is no surprise to Cawston residents that the wetland of Ginty’s Pond is shrinking and could eventually become dry land.
Madyson Adams, project assistant with the BC Wildlife Federation, said the water levels differ throughout the wetlands.
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“What this project aims to do is rectify the imbalance and equalize the water levels so we can have more of a functioning wetland habitat in that area,” Adams said. “We’re doing a rapid assessment of the pond. How much it has been altered from the natural state and how far it is from the natural state and what kind of actions can be done to help restore it as much as possible back to its natural state.”
The workshop will be a mix of hands-on fieldwork and presentations providing community members with the technical skills to steward their own wetland.
“We try to engage the community so they know what is happening,” she said. “So the community will have an actual say in what goes on and also the opportunity to help out in the process.”
People want to know how to protect themselves from climate change and conserving wetlands is an important step toward doing so.
“One of the concerns in the area is water availability and groundwater levels,” she said. “Wetlands really help keep water in the landscape and in the coming decades there are real concerns about climate change and water availability.
“Revitalizing these ecosystems really is going to help keep water in the landscape and make sure we have enough water to go around to support agriculture and residential areas.”
READ MORE: Ginty’s Pond: The story of a Similkameen slough
So far, eight people have signed up. The free workshop, Wetlandkeepers, runs on July 17 and 18 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Cawston Community Hall at 2119 Main St.
To take part in the workshop, visit the website.