New Initiative Connects Coastal Ecosystems with the Resources They Need

Metro Vancouver, B.C., March 31, 2026 — Millions of cubic metres of sediment are dredged from the Fraser River each year to keep navigation channels and harbours open. Over half of that material is transported offshore and disposed of, a one-way trip for a resource that once formed the foundation of the region’s marshes, sustained salmon and helped build the delta over millennia. 

So why are we throwing it away? 

A new initiative launched this month explores whether that sediment could instead help rebuild eroding wetlands and strengthen nature-based flood protection across the Fraser River Delta and Burrard Inlet. 

The Sustainable Ecosystem Enhancement with Dredged Sediments (SEEDS) initiative, co-led by wetland conservation organization Ducks Unlimited Canada and the University of British Columbia’s Coastal Adaptation Lab, brings together scientists, engineers, Indigenous communities, regulators and industry partners to explore how dredged sediment could be reused to restore coastal ecosystems and support climate resilience across the region. The initiative is supported in part by funding from the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR), which supports the project’s community engagement and stakeholder workshop activities. 

Connecting people, connecting resources

“Marshes in the Fraser Delta evolved with sediment carried by the river,” says Eric Balke, senior restoration biologist with Ducks Unlimited Canada. “When that sediment is removed from the system, those ecosystems are unable to keep up with sea-level rise. SEEDS is about exploring how we can put that material back to work — rebuilding wetlands instead of sending a valuable resource out to sea.” 

The launch of SEEDS follows the completion of a four-year pilot project at Sturgeon Bank, where placement of reclaimed sediment demonstrated the potential to enhance tidal marsh habitat. Building on lessons from that pilot project and other regional efforts, SEEDS marks a shift from research toward collaboration and implementation.  

“There’s a real opportunity here for the region to move from one-off pilots to a coordinated approach to coastal resilience,” said Kees Lokman, associate professor at UBC’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, and director of the Coastal Adaptation Lab. “Instead of a linear pathway—dredging, then disposal at sea—SEEDS brings together science, design and local knowledge to explore opportunities for a circular resource economy.”

Sediment beyond the Fraser

While the work focuses on the coastal Lower Mainland, the implications extend far beyond British Columbia. Many deltas worldwide face rising seas, eroding wetlands and declining sediment supply. Reusing dredged sediment could offer a nature-based approach to restoring coastal ecosystems while strengthening climate resilience. 

By connecting researchers, practitioners and decision-makers, SEEDS aims to help shape future approaches to beneficial sediment reuse in the Fraser River estuary and beyond. 

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About UBC’s Coastal Adaptation Lab: UBC’s Coastal Adaptation Lab (CAL) develops planning, design and policy solutions for coastal adaptation through the co-production of knowledge among researchers, decision-makers and Indigenous communities. CAL integrates research across critical infrastructures, coastal habitat squeeze, nature-based solutions and managed retreat to transform how coastal and riverine communities adapt to increased flood risks and uncertain futures.