In 1980, a group of volunteers got together to do a clean up along the Thompson River. That was the start of BC Rivers Day and today marks its 30th anniversary. In 2005, our BC Rivers Day went global and is now celebrated beside streams and rivers throughout the world. Mark Angelo, Chair of the Rivers Institute at BCIT has been the driving force behind World Rivers Day. Many other local heroes, like Fin Donnelly from the Rivershed Society, have contributed to its success. Fin swam the full length of the Fraser River twice.
I spent the afternoon walking along Still Creek yesterday, at least the parts of it that aren’t buried under roads and highways. If you weren’t able to take the kids to one of the many Rivers Day events over the weekend, think about enrolling them in a streamkeepers program. It’s a great way to teach them about river ecology and stewardship.