In 2017 Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) initiated a pilot project to develop standard methods for routine effectiveness monitoring (REM) of their projects. Five recently completed, PSF funded project sites in the Fraser Valley were selected for inclusion. One of these is the Trestle Channel Project, the most recent phase of restoration of the Browne Creek Wetlands in south Chilliwack. The project was led by the Fraser Valley Watersheds Coalition (FVWC) with design and construction supervision provided by the local Resource Restoration Unit of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Work was completed in March 2016. It received support, including funding and in-kind contributions from a broad range of local institutions and organizations (FVWC 2015).
REM is envisioned as collaboration between the group(s) that led project construction, local First Nations and professional biologists. The intent is to collect high quality data for evaluation of project success, to increase awareness of habitat issues, and help build technical capacity within First Nations and the stewardship groups. In this case, participants from Soowahlie First Nation, The WaterWealth Project, Fraser Valley Watersheds Coalition and the broader community are working with Pearson Ecological to collect the data.
This report describes the effectiveness monitoring plan and methodology of the Trestle Channel project and reference sites. It is based on the projects goals and objectives, as articulated in the original funding application from FVWC to the PSF Community Salmon Program and on the project monitoring plan workshop held on October 5, 2017.