Gravel pit restoration in the Coquitlam River Watershed is helping to strike a better balance between the need for gravel and the needs of fish and wildlife. Through the work of pit operators, Douglas College, and the community, it is clear that co-existence of fish and wildlife with the gravel pits is a realistic goal. The work that is being done represents a first step in a commitment to change - change that is needed to preserve this vital ecosystem and change that will benefit all of Coquitlam's inhabitants: fish, wildlife, and humans.
The photograph below shows the Coquitlam River adjacent to the grand pits. Maintaining water quality in this salmon river is a major objective of this partnership.
Coquitlam River
Owl nesting box
About
In the Coquitlam River Watershed in BC's Lower Mainland, one of the industries to make use of the material resources of watersheds is the aggregate, or sand and gravel, mining industry. Unlike forestry or mineral mining, aggregate mining occurs mainly in urban areas. As the Lower Mainland is a biologically important region, operations continue to work for environmental compatibility.
Gravel extraction along Pipeline Road in Coquitlam
Deer-browse planting along a berm
Testing
Excavator cleaning a sedimentation pond
Public pressure and the desire for corporate citizenship has made the three gravel pits that currently operate along Pipeline Road in Coquitlam into a testing ground for techniques to restore gravel operations for fish and wildlife. Through a partnership with Douglas College's Habitat Restoration Program and Centre for Environmental Studies and Urban Ecology, these and other pit operators in the Lower Mainland are working together to address the issues they face. They are coming up with some amazing ideas.
Goals
Experimental plantings of shrubs to measure the benefits of using mycorrhizae.
The project will undertake a number of planning exercises and implementation activities to address:
Restoring wildlife habitat on the properties of the gravel pit owners.
Beautifying the gravel pits to create a more attractive view corridor for the community.
Continuing to mitigate the impact of surface water runoff in the Coquitlam River watershed, at the pits and on other exposed sites in the watershed.
Projects
Steep active slopes are stabilized with polyvinyl covers and boundaries cut into the slope.
To date, CPOP has sponsored or participated in two symposia in conjunction with the Institute of Urban Ecology: 'Greening the Gravel', a look at the land use of decommissioned gravel pits in the City of Coquitlam, and 'Monitoring Environmental Restoration Projects', which explores community monitoring of restoration projects. Proceedings and videotapes for both of these symposia were produced and are available.
Other restoration projects have been conducted in two of the gravel pits that are part of the College and Pit Operators Partnership - Jack Cewe Ltd and Coquitlam Sand and Gravel Lafarge Ltd. Bird boxes have been hung for Chickadees, Swallows and Barn Owls in the Jack Cewe and Coquitlam Sand and Gravel pits. Deer browse plantings were also put in both of these gravel pits. Experimental plantings of four different species of native shrubs inoculated with mycorrhizal spores have also been planted in the Jack Cewe gravel pit.
Maintenance and monitoring of these projects will continue to be done by IUE staff members.
Partners
Allard Contractors Ltd.
Jack Cewe Co. Ltd.
Coquitlam Sand and Gravel Lafarge Ltd.
Construction Aggregates Ltd. / Steelhead Aggregates Ltd.
Douglas College Centre for Environmental Studies and Urban Ecology
