West Vancouver’s Environmentally Protected Streamside Areas and Why You Should Care
What’s a Streamside Riparian Area?
Excellent video from the “Pacific Northwest Treaty Tribes”; textual description from the BC Government from the Riparian Area Protection Act materials; and an infographic of the West Vancouver environmentally protected area derived from the RAPR and West Vancouver’s implementation of the RAPR
“Riparian areas link water to land.
They border [all of West Vancouver’s creeks] streams, lakes, and wetlands.
The blend of streambed, water, trees, shrubs and grasses in a riparian area provides fish habitat, and directly influences it.
Protecting riparian areas, while facilitating urban development that embraces high standards of environmental stewardship, is a priority for the Government of British Columbia.
Good quality streamside habitat is essential for ensuring healthy fish populations.”
Government of British Columbia, Riparian Protections Regulation (2022)
What’s the Riparian Area in West Vancouver?
Image: Estimations for Illustration Purposes; Applicable to West Vancouver (Some bush, soil illustrations from Watershed Project
. Fines for Violations under the Watercourse Protection Bylaw in West Vancouver are consdierable:
Why should you care?
According to accepted environmental science (see below posts) streamside riparian areas play a major role in atmospheric river flood prevention, and maintaining fish stocks for humans and wildlife.
Related Posts on Atmospheric Rivers, Landslides and Heat Domes:
Impervious Surfaces Flooding and Soil Erosion versus Absorptive Stabilizing Vegetation