What’s up at ARMS?

Alouette River Management Society 24959 Alouette Road, Allco Park, Maple Ridge, BC

Tel: 604-467-6401 Fax: 604-467-6478

Website: www.alouetteriver.org Email: arms@alouetteriver.org

Spring & Summer 2013

Schools Adopt-A-Stream

In April and May, ARMS was extremely

busy working with Meadowridge

School, the Laity View Scouts and

Alexander Robinson Elementary

removing invasive plant species and

planting native BC shrubs and trees. As

part of phase 2 of the Adopt-A-Stream

program, ARMS coordinated with the

schools to remove large areas of

Himalayan blackberry, scotch broom,

and morning glory.

Ecosystem Restoration Associates

cleared 1100m2 of Himalayan

blackberry at Meadowridge School

and then in early April, ARMS, with the

help of 400 Pre-K to Grade 6 students,

planted 726 native wetland plants,

shrubs and trees including vine maple,

red huckleberry, salmonberry, skunk

cabbage, sword fern, spruce, and

western red cedar. In May, with the

help of Fraser Regional Corrections

staff, ARMS and 392 children released

700+ coho fry into Latimer Creek.

Parents, teachers and students all had

a fantastic time. ARMS also teamed up

recently with 16 Grade 6 students from

Meadowridge to remove buttercup

and morning glory from the newly

replanted area and to learn the

importance of recognizing the

damage invasive plants have on native

shrubs and trees.

In May at Alexander Robinson

Elementary School, ARMS and UBC

teaching practicum students teamed

up with 400 school children to plant

native trees and shrubs along the

streambed of Cottonwood Creek. This

area has a large infestation of

Himalayan blackberry and some

Japanese knotweed.

Phase 2 of the Adopt-A-Stream

program was made possible with

generous funding from Mountain

Equipment Co-op ($5000), RBC Blue

Water Project ($5000), and Vancity

Community Projects ($10,000). ARMS

has been able to offer environmental

stewardship opportunities to over 1200

school children in two months,

connecting students with the local

environment and learning to care for

the health of the streams in Maple

Ridge.

Inside this issue:

Page 2:

It’s a Bug’s Life

Hummingbirds at the

Rivers Heritage

Centre

Page 3:

Summer Camps Filling

Fast

Spring Break Fun

Page 4:

Allco Fish Hatchery

Open House

Alouette Fish Passage

Initiative

Page 5:

ARMS at Earth Day

Celebrating 20 years

of ARMS & Rivers

Page 6:

Upcoming Events

RBC Day of Service

Father’s Day Fish

Release

Page 7:

Who are ARMS?

Join ARMS

ARMS Staffing Updates

ARMS’ Board of

Directors would like to

officially welcome

Greta Borick-

Cunningham as

Executive Director

after Amanda

Crowston stepped

down in April and is

working in a new role

as Special Projects

Manger. We are

excited to have Greta

on board.

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What’s up at ARMS? Spring & Summer 2013 Page 2

Education: It’s a Bug’s Life

ARMS is now flying high with

butterflies and bees this spring! This

year ARMS introduced a brand new

‘It’s a Bug’s Life’ program which has

proven to be extremely popular with

teachers and kids. ARMS’ Education

Coordinator, Nicole Driedger, has

been as busy as a bee buzzing

between different schools in the

Ridge Meadows area delivering a

highly entertaining, educational and

fun program to 300 children from pre-

school, kindergarten and Grades 1, 2,

and 3.

The season started off with the

excitement of ARMS receiving its own

hives with honey bees! Our hives

were purchased through Hives for

Humanity, a fantastic new non-profit

which works with different groups to

bring bees and their beauty into

communities as teaching tools and a

way to experience nature close at

hand.

The kids were fascinated watching

the bees as they fed their young and

they learned honeybees don’t like to

sting and aren’t usually grumpy

enough unless provoked. The kids

tried on the bee suits and had their

pictures taken. They received a class

supply of caterpillars and watched

them turn into chrysalis then emerge

as butterflies. The students celebrated

as the butterflies were released

outdoors. We talked about food, what

would vanish if there were no

pollinators, the different flower parts,

and how fruit and seeds are made.

The older children looked at all the

different shapes of flowers and

designed their own flower, with their

favorite shape, color and smell. Then,

based on the fact that pollinators

include insects, hummingbirds and

bats, they were able to design their

own pollinator to suit their flower.

Butterfly bingo was also a very

educational class favourite, as there

are so many different kinds of

butterflies in North America!

Our new “It’s a Bug’s Life” program

was generously made possible with a

$5000 grant from TD Friends of the

Environment, which enabled ARMS to

purchase butterfly larvae, butterfly

homes, mason bee pupa, bee hive

tools and a large assortment of

teaching materials. This program has

proved so popular that many teachers

have been asking about bookings for

2014 already! To book this program,

contact Nicole at

education@alouetteriver.org.

Hummingbirds visit the

Rivers Heritage Centre’s

Wildlife Garden

Every year in the spring,

hummingbirds swoop

and hum around the

Rivers Heritage Centre.

This year there have

been more than ever!

ARMS staff are always

happy to look out our

windows and see them

flitting about having a

sip on flower nectar and

from new hummingbird

feeders, thanks to the

Maple Ridge Canadian

Tire.

The new feeders are a

welcome addition to our

Wildlife Garden, which

has native and non-

invasive plants

beneficial to many kinds

of wildlife.

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What’s up at ARMS? Spring & Summer 2013 Page 3

Summer Camps Filling Fast

Spring Break Fun

Spring Break Camp was fantastic!

Monday’s theme was Scent

Sensations and we made scented

candles, grew crystals, soaps and lots

of other neat crafts. It did not rain on

Nature Photography Tuesday and the

imaginative and creative children

found different perspectives with

many interesting textures and

structures. The pictures were printed

and made into scrapbooks to bring

home. Wednesday we had Savvy

Snack day and we learned all about

the importance of making healthy

snacks fun...they were very yummy!

The rockets we built on Thursday were

rather explosive…the kids shot them

about 30 feet in the air! The parents

were so excited (especially the

dads!) that directions had to be

written out to build them at

home. Friday was Fort Building Day.

Huge boxes were used to build and

decorate forts. We had terrific

volunteers from Garibaldi and

Westview Secondary Schools and we

hope to have them back this

summer!

This year ARMS is offering three

fantastic camps. Our first July camp is

already booked solid but we have

another opening for Survivor’s

Amazing Race Camp from July 29 to

August 2. During both Survivor’s

Amazing Race weeks, campers will

participate in orienteering, learning

how to use compasses, GPS location

and maps. Geocaching will be a

daily event, along with a special day

of training on junior first aid course by

St John Ambulance. Campers will also

learn different knots and tying

techniques, fort building, weaving

and other basic survival skills. Games

such as the ever-popular Man Hunter,

Amazing Race and Survivor will be

played as well as team building

exercises.

From August 19-23, ARMS offers a

Nature Camp. Young children from 6-

12 years will get to explore many

aspects of nature. They will learn

about the ocean with a visit from the

Vancouver Aquarium’s Aqua Bus

giving participants a hands-on, up-

close look at the sea life on BC’s

coastline. Daily themes include:

predators and endangered species of

the Fraser Valley, what lives in our

rivers, and how animals help our

forests.

ARMS has also received funding from

Maple Ridge Kiwanis Club to help

local families send their kids to camp.

This is an amazing donation and we

sincerely thank our local Kiwanis

group for providing this support. The

Pacific Salmon Foundation has also

provided $1462 to ARMS to purchase

a school set of geocache GPS units.

These units will be used in our July

camps and other environmental

education activities throughout the

year!

For more information on these

amazing summer camps, please

contact Nicole Driedger at

education@alouetteriver.org.

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What’s up at ARMS? Spring & Summer 2013 Page 4

Allco Fish Hatchery Open House

On April 30, ARMS and Allco Fish Hatchery hosted

an open house and environmental education day

to thank the Pacific Salmon Foundation for its

continued financial support to the hatchery over

the last 6 years. In total, the Pacific Salmon

Foundation has contributed approximately

$46,000 in funding to ARMS and the Allco Fish

Hatchery for upgrading the hatchery. The

upgrades enable the facility to continue to

operate as a community fish hatchery for all of

Maple Ridge.

Upgrades were made to the incubation building

and main hatchery building roof, a new generator

and electric river pump were installed, and a

green roof on the hatchery workshop went in. The

open house was attended by Mike Meneer (Vice

President for Development, Marketing,

Communications at Pacific Salmon Foundation),

Dan Cody (BC rep Office of Ministry of Fisheries

and Oceans), Mike Murray (representative for MP

Randy Kamp), Geoff Clayton (ARMS President),

Ernie Daykin (Maple Ridge Mayor) and Maurice

Weistra (Fraser Regional Correctional Centre) with

ARMS Executive Director, Greta Borick-

Cunningham leading a tour of the facility.

The Maple Ridge Environmental School also

came out and spent the day at the hatchery. 80

children and six teachers had a great time

participating in a fish release, searching for

geocaches in Allco Park, listening to salmon tales

by wondrous storytellers Naomi Steinberg, Woody

F. Morrison, Jr., and Tarek Rahman of the

Vancouver Society of Storytelling and learning

about our local pollinators.

In our latest update, BC Hydro’s Fish and Wildlife

Compensation Program has approved funding of

$20,977 to enable ARMS to write a report which

will synthesize all the scientific data that has been

collected over six years including ARMS’ sockeye

salmon enumeration results. This report builds into

a business case that will be presented in 2014 to

the BC Hydro Compensation Board and, if

approved, to the BC Hydro Board for final

approval.

ARMS also presented a slide show to the Mayor

and Council on May 27 for an update on the

Alouette Fish Passage. Geoff Clayton, ARMS

President, Greta Borick-Cunningham, Executive

Director spoke to the District of Maple Ridge

Mayor and Council with ARMS’ Director Ken

Stewart rounding out at the end inviting those

present to see this as an opportunity of a lifetime,

a legacy for the community of Maple Ridge and

beyond.

Alouette Fish Passage Initiative

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What’s up at ARMS? Spring & Summer 2013 Page 5

The Earth without

Art is just ‘Eh’!

Celebrating 20 Years of ARMS & Rivers

ARMS is busy getting

ready for the annual

Rivers Day event

hosted by the Allco

Fish Hatchery. This

event is now in its 20th

year and we hope to

make it a memorable

celebration for

everyone! Come out

and join in the

excitement with face-

painting, live music,

environmental

exhibitors! Have fun

with your kids at the

trout fishing pond and

enjoy a BBQ lunch

cooked by Fraser

Regional Correctional

Centre staff. The event

is free and proudly

funded by Maple

Ridge Pitt Meadows

Parks & Leisure

Services, BC Hydro,

Fraser Regional

Correctional Centre

and ARMS. Keep the

date marked in your

calendars for Sunday,

Sept. 29th from 11 am –

3 pm.

The sun shone and the

rain stayed away for this

year’s Maple Ridge

Earth Day. The theme

this year was eco-arts

and celebrating the

connection between

the environment and

artistic pursuits. Local

environmental groups

paired up with artists to

create a fun and

exciting event for

people of all ages.

ARMS had a great time

at the event with our

partner artist group,

Stream of Dreams Mural

Society.

Stream of Dreams

creator and artist Louise

Towell took the children

and parents through a

demonstration of how

storm drains work and

why it was important to

keep our streams

healthy and clean by

being aware that “all

drains lead to fish

habitat”. Children also

had a great time

painting wooden salmon

to be installed later on

the Allco Fish Hatchery

fence in east Maple

Ridge where ARMS has

its interpretive Rivers

Heritage Centre.

Funding was generously

provided by the Maple

Ridge Royal Canadian

Legion to offer this

creative, educational

opportunity to young

children.

Photo: Amber Light Photography

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What’s up at ARMS? Spring & Summer 2013 Page 6

Upcoming Events

RBC Day of Service

June 16 – Father’s Day Fish Release at Maple Ridge Park, 11am-1pm.

June 16 – Stream of Dreams mural installation at Rivers Heritage Centre.

June 19 – Katzie Slough blind channel monitoring.

June 20 - Zhejiang Shaoxing Chinese Delegation hatchery tour.

June 22 – Webster’s Corners Day. ARMS onsite 11am-3pm.

June 24 – Adopt-A-Stream juvenile fry trapping

July 11 – Kanaka Creek Elementary School Carnival. ARMS onsite 5-8:30pm.

July 22-26 – ARMS Survivor’s Amazing Race Summer Eco-camp at Rivers

Heritage Centre. SOLD OUT!

July 27 & 28 – Country Fest Maple Ridge at Albion Fairgrounds. ARMS onsite

10am-6pm.

July 29-August 2 – ARMS Survivor’s Amazing Race Summer Eco-camp at

Rivers Heritage Centre. Book now as spaces are limited!

July 30 – Katzie Slough blind channel monitoring

August 19 to 23 – ARMS Nature Camp at Rivers Heritage Centre. Book now

as spaces are limited!

September 29 – 20th Annual Ridge Meadows Rivers Day at the Allco Fish

Hatchery and Rivers Heritage Centre. Come celebrate ARMS’ 20

year anniversary. 11am-3pm.

Father’s Day Fish

Release

On ARMS’ fourth year

releasing Chinook

salmon at Maple Ridge

Park on Father’s Day,

we will have a booth

with a craft for children

and coffee for dads

(and moms) courtesy

of Westgate Starbucks.

A great job from the crew from RBC on their Day of Service

who cleaned up along the Alouette River! Thanks RBC!

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What’s up at ARMS? Spring & Summer 2013 Page 7

Who are ARMS?

2013-2014

Board of Directors

President:

Geoff Clayton

Vice President:

Liz Hancock

Treasurer:

Doug Stanger

Directors:

Matt Connolly

Zale Hammren

Gerry Miller

Mike Ilaender

John Kelly

Ron MacLean

Cliff Olsen

Deborah Paddon

Cheryl Power

Gavin Roache

Ken Stewart

Staff

Executive Director:

Greta Borick-

Cunningham

Education & Volunteer

Coordinator:

Nicole Driedger

Special Projects

Manager:

Amanda Crowston

Join the

Alouette River Management Society

If you would like to become a member of ARMS, please

complete the following registration and return it by mail or drop

it off at 24959 Alouette Road, Allco Park, Maple Ridge.

Name: ____________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Phone: ____________________________________________________

Email: ____________________________________________________

Annual Membership Type:

Individual - $10 Corporate - $100

Yes, I would like a charitable receipt

Area of Interest:

Rivers Heritage Centre Environmental Education

Watershed Projects Native Plant Nursery

Stewardship Issues Habitat Protection

Nature and Wildlife Fish and Hatchery Projects

Urbanization Issues Other: ___________________

Signature: ___________________________________________________

Date: ___________________________________________________

“Proactively protecting and improving the Alouette Watershed

and surrounding areas by creating a healthy environment

connecting parks, trail systems, public centres and waterways”