Home > City Services > Drainage & Environment > Wildlife & The Natural Environment > Salmon and Trout > Get Involved > Salmon Habitat Restoration Program (SHaRP)
Salmon Habitat Restoration Program (SHaRP)
Hiring Surrey High School students for summer 2012
The application period ends May 28, 2012. See the attached job posting (PDF. New window.) to see your opportunities with this program.SHaRP
In 1996, the Salmon Habitat Restoration Program (SHaRP) began with the primary goal of mitigating urban impacts to streams through enhancement and restoration projects. Over the last fourteen years, SHaRP has adopted a broader, more integrated approach to watershed restoration. Now SHaRP’s roles in the community include:
- protecting and improving areas of fish habitat,
- providing public education and community outreach programs,
- creating community partnerships, and
- increasing awareness of the importance of urban streams for indigenous freshwater fish species (including salmon, cutthroat, and rainbow trout).
In addition to the enhancement of Surrey's local streams and creeks, a key aspect of the SHaRP program is to introduce local youth to environmentally sustainable practices and to instill a stewardship mentality through education, increased awareness and a sense of ownership.
"SHaRP students have become an important asset to our City's environmental stewardship initiatives for the past decade. Surrey's creeks and streams have been cared for through the restoration work performed and awareness programs delivered by SHaRP students ."
Mayor Dianne Watts
SHaRP Teams
The Watershed Enhancement Team: Undertakes projects such as slope stabilization using bioengineering techniques, debris removal, riparian planting, invasive plant species removal, erosion protection, and other instream complexing works to enhance fish habitat.
The Community Education Team: Visits schools daycares and community events within Surrey to educate residents about our natural heritage and what they can do to preserve fish and fish habitat.
The Agricultural Stewardship Team: Works with the farming community to encourage agricultural land management practices that are also fish friendly. The team conducts on-farm demonstrations of management practices, constructs fences to limit livestock access to creeks, and provides information to landowners about environmental initiatives.
The Industrial Education Team: Visits local businesses and promotes environmental awareness within industrial areas and the community. The team focuses on educating the community and business operators about the sensitive habitat in Surrey and the effects that storm drain pollution has on fish habitat.
The Media and Public Relations Team: Coordinates all media relations and informational brochure preparation to help inform the community about the SHaRP program. Media exposure has included radio, local newspapers and television spots.
SHaRP Partners & Funders
In the past, financial support for the program was provided mainly through provincial and federal government funding. The City of Surrey is currently the major funder of the program with additional funding support received through external organizations. Many secondary and post-secondary institutions and local businesses contribute in-kind support, and a large number of Surrey-based community groups represent important stewardship partners.
In addition to the funding partners, SHaRP students team up with local community groups on initiatives such as riparian plantings, instream debris removal, community education, instream habitat complexing, and invasive plant species removal projects.
The Engineering Department of the City of Surrey manages the contract with an outside consultant retained to oversee the management of the students involved in the program each year. Dillon Consulting has been retained to carry out the SHaRP program since 1996.
2011 SHaRP Funders
Interested in learning more about SHaRP?
Or do you know of a location that could use some SHaRP help?
Contact Liana at 604-591-4383 or LLAyach@surrey.ca
2012 Team Leader Job Postings Available Now! Application Deadline February 20th at 3:00pm.
