Vancouver's Still Creek sees salmon for fourth year running

Chum salmon have returnedto spawn in an urban creek in East Vancouver for the fourth year in a row, leaving biologists feeling "pretty excited" about the potential to returncity landscapes to their natural states.

"It really indicates thatif we can improve these systems more, if we can work on the watershed, if we can open up stream channels that are buried now, we can get these kinds of fish back into our city," saidVancouver Park Board biologist Nick Page.

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The city has been working since 2002 to restore the Still Creek corridorto its natural habitat, a process sometimes referred to as "rewilding."

Still Creek runs through some of Vancouver and Burnaby's most industrialized areas. Chumsalmonhadn't swam their way throughthere for 80 years untilthey returned in 2012.

Despite theoffice buildings, recycling depot, and strip malls that flank its side, the corridor is one of several areasthe City of Vancouverhasidentified as a "hot spot forbiodiversity."

As part of itsStill Creek Enhancement project, Vancouver has taken steps that includeremoving concrete, adding native plants, andin some placesnarrowing streets to widen the stream.

"All that incremental work, plus [the work done on]the fish passages downstream, have allowed the fish to come back," said Page.

He estimates there are currently about 12 to15 chum salmon in the creek so far this year.