Nature Force partners transforming B.C. wetlands

This fall in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, Nature Force partners came together for a hands-on experience to transform a landscape into a vital wetland. Teaming up with BC Institute of Technology (BCIT) and the Province of B.C., Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) hosted the event, spearheading the wetland restoration and planting event in Langley. 

Seventeen volunteers from Intact Insurance and HUB International Canada, members of Nature Force, gathered at the DUC project site in Forslund-Watson Conservation Area, a protected area of wetlands, forests and open fields, stewarded by the Langley Field Naturalists in partnership with the Province of B.C. With shovels and a shared commitment, volunteers dove into wetland restoration activities under the guidance of experts from DUC and BCIT who demonstrated planting techniques and best practices on navigating and restoring wetlands, after completing an interpretive tour of the landscape which included examples of past restored wetlands and their progress. 

Volunteers worked together planting hundreds of grasses, saplings and other plants while enjoying the fresh air, casual conversation with colleagues and the opportunity to learn about why their involvement in Nature Force and their hands-on contributions are so valuable. The day’s success set the stage for a series of upcoming events, promising continued impact in the B.C. Lower Mainland throughout the fall and winter. 

The Nature Force: Helping ensure a climate-resilience future in B.C.

The Nature Force is an action-oriented climate resilience initiative funded by a collective of 16 leading insurance companies operating in the property and casualty space in partnership with DUC. The Nature Force aims to protect communities from flooding – by using nature itself. Three pilot sites in areas that are susceptible to flooding were identified at the outset of the partnership. These sites are being used to demonstrate and measure how the restoration of wetlands and other natural infrastructure can reduce the effects of flooding to a landscape. The outcomes of these efforts can be far-reaching – this project in Forslund-Watson Conservation Area for example, is designed to also improve habitat for local amphibian species, supporting local landscape connectivity and biodiversity. 

The Nature Force Partners’ efforts go beyond planting trees; they sow the seeds of a sustainable future for British Columbian landscapes.