This past Sunday I attended the Mossom Creek Hatchery Anniversary Celebration.  This  "little" salmon enhancement program was started by a few amazing and very dedicated teachers 35 years ago with the goal of bringing Mossom Creek back as a salmon bearing stream.  Not ony were they successful, but the program has allowed thousands of students and volunteers to participate at the hatchery. 

My own family volunteers at the hatchery and it's been such an incredible learning experience for us.  We've participated in feedings, salmon releases and I was even lucky enough to take part in an eelgrass replanting program in the Burrard Inlet.  The hatchery is open to volunteers and visitors each Sunday from 10:30 am - 1:30 pm. 

Mossom Creek is one of only a few pristine creeks in the lower mainland.  It supports some amazing wildlife and plants, including the blue listed coastal tailed frog. The Mossom Creek Hatchery website has some great photos of wildlife that has been sighted in the Mossom Creek Watershed.  The Mossom Creek Watershed is one of the largest watershed sin Anmore and stretches from above East Road down to Ioco Road in Port Moody.

Development has created a real challenge for the creek over the years and volunteers of the hatchery have really worked hard to address these issues with the Village of Anmore and developers.  I would like to thank all those that have given Mossom Creek a voice over the years...  Congratulations to all the volunteers of Mossom Creek Hatchery and to Ruth Foster, Rod McVicar and Jim Mattson for years and years of hard work. 

We had our first Anmore Bear Aware meeting in the Village yesterday.  This project has been something I have been working on for several years and it's great to finally be at the point of program delivery!

Squamish Bear Aware trainer, Meg Toom was in Anmore on Thursday morning (September 22nd) speaking to a group of volunteers, public works staff and a representative from our waste management company about how to successfully implement a Bear Aware program in the Village of Anmore.



The session was packed with information and interesting facts, but the main points our group was able to take away from the Bear Aware representative were:

1) the goal of the program is to educate residents on how to remove human food attractants such as garbage, compost and other human food sources that attract bears.
2) in fall bears enter into a hyper feeding state where they need to consume up to 20,000 calories per day. This means they are actively looking for any food source they can find and residents need to be dilligent about securing food attractants.
3) long term solutions need to be addressed via bylaw improvements to our waste management bylaw and the creation of a wildlife attractants management bylaw.
4) community based programs work.  Education through neighbourhood walks, event displays and school presentations is an efficient and effective way to get the word out about being bear smart and bear aware.

Thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers and the Village of Anmore for supporting this program.  You can contact Anmore Bear Aware at anmorebearaware@gmail.com for more information or visit www.bearaware.bc.ca.