FVWC

The Upper Pitt River is a biodiversity hotspot in the lower mainland and key habitat for sockeye and coho.  Although void of much of the development pressures that face salmon systems elsewhere in the lower Fraser, such as development and agriculture, the Upper Pitt faces substantial threats from past, ongoing, and proposed landuse activities such as gravel extraction, logging, road building, and power production.  (It was named the most endangered river in BC in 2008 by the Outdoor Recreation Council due to a proposed IPP project which was rejected last year due to public concerns but has now been resubmitted to the Province.)  In addition, the natural aging of some past restoration projects has further reduced the productivity of the watershed.

A roundtable discussion to identify priority needs for the Upper Pitt was held in 2006.  With ongoing concern facing the future of this watershed, and limited funds available for habitat restoration, it is imperative that we work with other stakeholders to prioritize actions and to pool available resources to achieve our desired outcomes in this watershed.  We are planning to reconvene this roundtable in Dec, 2009 to strategize the best approach for this watershed.  Funding is provided by Fraser Salmon and Watersheds Program.