Canada.

Canada is home to some of the world's most extensive and significant wetlands and waterways. Banrock Station's conservation sponsorship here is largely concentrated on projects involving these waterways and their native inhabitants, for the protection of Canada's natural heritage.

Greenwing Legacy Wetland project, Shubenacadie Wildlife Park - Nova Scotia

Project start and finish dates:

September 2005 to August 2006

Project partner:

Ducks Unlimited Canada

Site/location of project works:

Provincial Wildlife Park at Shubenacadie, near Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Project overview:

Construction of Greenwing Legacy Wetland Interpretive Centre and enhancement of natural wetlands. Designed to include conservation, hands-on interpretation, education, bird watching, hiking/recreation opportunities for the 100,000 annual visitors to the Provincial Wildlife Park.

The three main elements of the project are:

1. A 4500 sq. ft wetland interpretive centre to increase public awareness of the importance of wetlands through exhibits, interactive displays and classroom for teaching environmental education programs.
2. A marsh trail through five demonstration wetland areas near the new interpretive centre. This wheelchair-accessible walking trail turns these wetlands into an outdoor classroom.
3. A new nature trail and roofed lookout structure at the previously inaccessible 200 St. Andrew Marsh. This rugged and remote area is ideal for birding, adventure hiking, wildlife observation and canoeing.

Saving the Don River - Ontario
Banrock Station Corporate Canoe Challenge

Visit the Paddle the Don website to see more about this project

Project partner:

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority,
Bring Back the Don

Site/location of project works:

The Don River, downtown Toronto

Project overview:

Banrock Station supports the initiative through the sponsorship of a Corporate Canoe Challenge. Money raised is used for Don watershed rehabilitation and clean up.

Paddle the Don is a Toronto tradition where every year, on the first Sunday of May, the public is treated to a one day run down one of the most heavily urbanised watersheds in Canada - The Don River. Water at a levy in the north of the city is released, raising the water to a level which is safely navigable for much of its travel through Toronto.

As part of Paddle the Don, the Banrock Station Corporate Canoe Challenge requires companies to donate a minimum of $1,000 to enter, and be supplied with one canoe and enough gear for three paddlers. Entrants then fundraise by soliciting pledges from employees and industry partners. The company that raises the most money is declared the winner (regardless of paddling performance on the day!). 2007 was a record breaking year. 48 teams from 17 corporations entered the Challenge and were able to raise over $32,600. Combined with the fundraising efforts of individual paddlers, almost $39,000 was collected in total.

In addition, Banrock Station's donation of $2,500 is put towards buying trees and shrubs for planting along the watershed.

Bring back the Salmon - Ontario
Atlantic Salmon Restoration Project

Project start and finish dates:

April 2006 to March 2011

Project partners:

Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Liquor Control Board of Ontario and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

Site/location of project works:

Currently, work is focused on three Lake Ontario tributaries: Cobourg Creek, Duffin's Creek, and the Credit River. Plans are in place to extend this activity to three new creeks/rivers in 2009/10.

Project overview:

Work consists of habitat restoration, tree planting, fish-rearing, fish stocking, major reclamation work (e.g. the Rogers Creek project to take man-made ponds off stream and restore the Creek to its natural course), weir removal, public outreach (including with landowners), and fish monitoring.

Atlantic Salmon were native to Lake Ontario until the 1890s, but due to expanding settlement, unregulated fishing practices, pollution, and habitat destruction generally, they were deemed extirpated from the Lake by 1896. Atlantic Salmon had provided an abundant and important source of vital food to native people and European settlers right up until the 1860s, when it became apparent that the population was in significant decline. Limited measures were taken at that time, but it was too little too late.

Through an active research programme beginning in the 1980s, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources determined that Lake Ontario was once again healthy enough to support a large-scale reintroduction programme for Atlantic Salmon.

Government cut-backs through the 1990s and early 2000s dictated against a government-funded reintroduction programme, so the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (Ontario's largest non-governmental, non-profit conservation organization, with 80,000 members) took the lead roll in putting together a partnership of like-minded groups to move the reintroduction programme forward.

The project's ultimate aim is to have a self-sustaining, naturally-reproducing population of Atlantic Salmon in Lake Ontario by 2020. The work being done now is laying the groundwork for that day.

Banrock Station's contribution equals the amount of money required to raise the fish for stocking each year.

Since April 2006, the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program has stocked almost 700,000 Atlantic salmon into the Credit River, Duffins Creek, and Cobourg Brook. Over 150 volunteers have participated in the stocking events, not counting the many school children who have come out to see fish released in their neighbourhood stream.

Fish stocked in the spring of 2006 survived to high densities and had excellent growth rates after five months in the streams, and field crews working at our research station on Cobourg Brook have been observing those fish migrate out to Lake Ontario at 130-200mm (5-8"), ready to take on the next stage of their life cycle in the big water.

Planned stocking for 2008 includes about 12,000 yearling Atlantic salmon and 550,000 fry in the spring, and another 175,000 fall fingerlings in October.

Adopt-A-Pond Programme at the Toronto Zoo

Visit the Adopt-a-Pond web site to see more about this project

Project start and finish dates:

May 2002 - May 2007

Project partner:

Toronto Zoo

Site/location of project works:

The Toronto Zoo is located north east of the city on the Rouge River Watershed. Development of educational material and field training takes place at the zoo as well as on the Rouge River. Tracking, training and educational seminars take place across the province, at Provincial Parks, schools and habitats where studied species exist. The Wetland Guardians registry is a Canada-wide programme.

Project overview:

Several years ago The Toronto Zoo was asked to participate in a programme to monitor frog populations across Ontario and further a field. With the help of Bob Johnson, Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians, the zoo was able to help produce a field guide to Ontario frogs and to establish an Adopt-A-Pond programme through zoo membership and the work they do with public schools and educators across the province.

The zoo's budget could only afford a part-time co-ordinator for the programme. Banrock Station's contribution to Adopt-A-Pond allowed for the hiring of a full-time co-ordinator to further develop the programme and develop a user-friendly website, newsletter and instructional material for schools, outdoor educational centres and at Provincial Parks. The purpose of these activities is to raise awareness of frog and other amphibian populations and their health and sustainability in a number of different environments. Of particular concern is the encroachment of urban development on wetland habitat in on of the most densely populated areas of North America.

The Adopt-A-Pond programme's objectives are:

1. To protect and restore wetland habitats.
2. To provide stewardship opportunities that empower communities to conserve wetlands and the species that inhabit them.
3. To deliver education and outreach programmes and resources.
4. To link the role of watershed functions to the quality and sustainability or our water supply.

The Adopt-A-Pond sponsorship has been an outstanding success. The Toronto Zoo, with help from other NGOs, provincial and federal governments and an army of volunteers has helped to raise awareness of amphibians and reptiles across the province. http://www.torontozoo.com/AdoptAPond/

The following projects and initiatives are a direct result of Banrock Station's sponsorship of the Wetlands Foundation Canada:

Pond Restoration

The building of a series of 40 ponds east of Toronto Zoo known as the "Beare Road Wetland Complex", 3 educational ponds at the Toronto Zoo's America's Wetland Complex, and the ongoing development of the Altona Forest wetland including the building of a 4,500 square foot education complex. Adopt-A-Pond aims to build one new major wetland complex every year into the foreseeable future.

FrogWatch Ontario

This community-based amphibian-monitoring project serves schools, landowners and naturalist groups. Data submitted by FrogWatch observers contributes to a long-term database used by researchers to determine the status of fogs and toads and their habitats in Ontario. The number of registered observers continues to grow each year with 7,985 observations made in 2006. Adopt-A-Pond also uses recording devices in some locations called Frog Loggers. A Frog Call CD was recorded, which is used as a resource for observers and educators alike.

Great Canadian Duck Race - Ontario

Banrock Station has partnered with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and as a corporate sponsor a donation is given from every sale of Banrock Station wines in British Columbia. DUC has been conserving wetland habitat for over 65 years and has succeeded in protecting some 25 million acres, coast to coast. Canada holds approximately 25% of the world's fresh water and almost one quarter of the world's wetlands with more than 300 species of birds, millions of salmon and other wildlife species. Banrock Station has committed to helping provide funding that will increase the resources that DUC are able to access, helping the revitalisation on the Creston Valley wetlands and wildlife.

Vancouver Aquarium/Riverworks - British Colombia

The Vancouver Aquarium is a self-supporting, non-profit association dedicated to the conservation of aquatic life through display and interpretation, education, research and direct action. River Works inspires the stewardship of these aquatic habitats through community connections.

Banrock Station's funding has enabled River Works to employ a coordinator, who organises about 100 volunteers to monitor and improve the health of the Fraser River. Work includes water quality testing, invasive species removal and habitat restoration.

Whooping crane captive breeding - Alberta

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