Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve Society

Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve Society This is Stó:lō Téméxw. The Great Blue Heron is one of the most distinctive North American birds.

We respectfully acknowledge that the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve is located on the shared traditional, unceded & ancestral territory of the The’wá:lí people, who are part of the Ts’elxwéyeqw Tribe, and the Semá:th Tribe. However, the Pacific Great Blue Herons do not migrate and depend entirely on wetland habitat in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island for their survival. The Pacific Grea

t Blue Heron is a Species at Risk and requires our significant conservation efforts to ensure the long-term viability of its population. It is fitting that the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve takes its name from this bird, for on the south-western portion of the Reserve is one of the largest heron nesting colonies in the Lower Mainland. With over 100 nests, the colony is active from March through July of each year. We respectfully acknowledge that the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve is located on the shared traditional, unceded & ancestral territory of the The’wá:lí people, who are part of the Ts'elxewyeqw Tribe, and the Semá:th Tribe. We acknowledge the ongoing negative effects of colonialism on all Sto:lo peoples and seek to work side by side with those who looked after the land before us, incorporating traditional knowledge into the ways we are caring for this land through conservation and education.

Meet the Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus)!These whiskered catfish may look harmless, but they’re actually a non-nativ...
08/21/2026

Meet the Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus)!

These whiskered catfish may look harmless, but they’re actually a non-native species in British Columbia. Brown Bullheads are opportunistic bottom-feeders that eat aquatic insects, crustaceans, small fish, and fish eggs. They’re also highly adaptable and can compete with native fish for food and habitat.

Here at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve, understanding and monitoring introduced species like Brown Bullhead is important for protecting our native aquatic communities and the species that depend on them.

Never release aquarium fish or other animals into the wild. Help us protect B.C.’s native aquatic ecosystems!

Event reminder: Our Town, Our Trees - Central Community Park Walk, August 26th, $10, 7:00pm - 8:00pm. Retired forester b...
08/19/2026

Event reminder: Our Town, Our Trees - Central Community Park Walk, August 26th, $10, 7:00pm - 8:00pm. Retired forester but still a treehugger, Debora Soutar leads strolls around Chilliwack neighbourhoods to share highlights of our urban forest, including Heritage Trees, and unusual specimens.

Register here: https://book.peek.com/s/2a437f13-a7f3-4705-8ff9-c61c0e3c9119/Vzve6?fbclid=IwY2xjawTyuJBwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMTJXRkNxUzB5V0VEMmxzbjNzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeA4JVgvKUNNThpz5ANkX2Oy8iINb0ujBeHqDaaoSLPRdkRqiC1DWEZjHtRXM_aem_XrhEE_gz9_ihOC40vEV7zg

All funds go directly to conservation work at the GBHNR!

08/13/2026

We are excited to begin our habitat remediation project on the Vedder Bird Blind Channel! The first part of our project is a fish salvage, which involves removing all of the fish from our isolated site and moving them to a safer location. With the fish salvage coming to an end, we are now able to begin working in the stream without fear of hurting any of our native critters. We were able to salvage over 25 juvenile Coho salmon from the stream, leaving us hopeful that our work restoring their habitat will benefit many more Coho during their spawning season and provide a refuge for future generations. Thank you to Connor from DFO for his help this week with the salvage and project organization!

Hi folks, we'd like to let everyone know that we are currently undertaking a fish salvage as part of a larger stream rem...
08/13/2026

Hi folks, we'd like to let everyone know that we are currently undertaking a fish salvage as part of a larger stream remediation project here at the the GBHNR. That includes using metal mesh fencing and fabric to block fish from entering the system, as well as using a combination of netting and trapping to remove as many fish as we can before the instream machinery work begins. We ask that all traps and exclusion measures be left alone as they are essential to our project's success. There has been some evidence of tampering, but thankfully failsafes were in place to prevent any real harm.

We will also have barricades up during the machine work starting next week, so we ask that all barricades and signage are respected to keep everyone safe. We have chosen not to completely close the trails nearest to the sight so people can still enjoy them; but the gates may be closed if the barricades aren't respected.

Thank you for your patience!

ATTENTION: Partial trail closures next week near classroom for salmon spawning restoration project. Hi all, we are start...
08/12/2026

ATTENTION: Partial trail closures next week near classroom for salmon spawning restoration project.

Hi all, we are starting an exciting restoration project next week on the channel beside the classroom (discovery annex). The project will involve deepening the channel, adding new spawning gravel and large woody debris and riparian restoration work - removing invasive blackberry and planting native plants in the fall!

August 17 - 21: The instream machinery work will be taking place, so the trails near the project site will be closed for safety. The heron colony and discovery trails will be partially closed, you will not be able to complete the loop, but they will still be accessible from the centre trail through the rotary trail. We will try to keep as much of the trails open as possible, but we may have to close the heron colony gates if people are not respecting the trail closures. See attached maps for details.

See City of Chilliwack website for updated information about the Vedder Rotary trail closures: https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=3171

Thank you for your support and understanding!!

08/08/2026

Getting a closer look at what lives beneath the surface, benthic invertebrate sampling helps us assess stream and pond health by studying the tiny organisms that call them home. Many insects that we see flying around as adults actually begin their lives underwater as aquatic larvae, including mayflies, damselflies, caddisflies, dragonflies, mosquitoes, and mnay more! Because different species have different tolerances to pollution, these small creatures tell a big story about water quality and the overall health of our aquatic ecosystems.

The dramatic color shift is triggered by hormonal changes that accompany the adults' habitat shift from salty to fresh w...
08/03/2026

The dramatic color shift is triggered by hormonal changes that accompany the adults' habitat shift from salty to fresh water. Color molecules or pigments are responsible for this change, in this case the pigments are called carotenoids.

Carotenoids are responsible for the brilliant orange color of salmon flesh. When the physiological changes are triggered, they move from the flesh into the skin and eggs. The result is the characteristic color of spawning adults.

Why does this occur? Carotenoids are high in antioxidants, molecules that help detoxify the body. The transfer of carotenes into eggs and skin provides antioxidant support that is greatly needed during this time!

It's decision time. Which of these fabulous fungi is your favorite? Is it A) the common hypholoma aka sulphur tuft B) ...
08/01/2026

It's decision time. Which of these fabulous fungi is your favorite? Is it A) the common hypholoma aka sulphur tuft B) the parasitic Witches Butter (that feeds on another fungus on decaying wood) or C) the smokey bracket fungus, a vital forest recycler?

Himalayan blackberry was first introduced to North America in the early 1900s. Since then, it has almost completely era...
07/30/2026

Himalayan blackberry was first introduced to North America in the early 1900s. Since then, it has almost completely eradicated its sister species, the native trailing blackberry. The Himalayan species is a far more aggressive invader; hence its massive success. (not to mention all the 'help' it gets from people and animals that advertently or inadvertently spread it)!

What do you think about the situation? Would you be interested in volunteering to rip it out? Keep your eyes open for our upcoming Blackberry Culls at the reserve if you'd like to help out!

It's day! This week we celebrate the Mica cap - a local fungi whose fruiting bodies sparkle in the sunshine and turn ...
07/29/2026

It's day! This week we celebrate the Mica cap - a local fungi whose fruiting bodies sparkle in the sunshine and turn to an black as they age and break down. Have you seen them on your forest walks this season?

Address

5200 Sumas Prairie Road
Chilliwack, BC
V2R4N7

Telephone

+16048236603

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve Society posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category