This project involved replacing pedestrian bridges and upgrading hiking trails at Buntzen Lake Recreation Area, near Port Moody, BC. We removed nine older wooden pedestrian bridges up to 10m long and replaced them with steel frame bridges finished with yellow cedar timber decking and railing. Materials were transported several kilometers along remote access trails to construct the bridges on site. Additionally, we upgraded several trail sections with new cribbing, retaining walls, boardwalks, gravel, and grading. Inlailawatash conducted all aspects of the work including project planning and logistics; removal and re-construction of bridges; and safety and quality management, all within strict, industry-leading environmental requirements.

Inlailawatash provided all aspects of restoration planting in salt marshes, riparian areas, and beach grass meadows in a high profile, high recreation use area on the south side of Burrard Inlet. Across the project, we planted over 45,000 plants of 40 different species. This included native trees and shrubs in riparian areas, such as western redcedar, Douglas fir, Nootka rose and red-osier dogwood. The beach grass meadows included dunegrass, Douglas’ aster and goldenrod. The salt marsh planting was a particular challenge, as it was managed around tide cycles and coincided with hungry migrating geese returning to the area and their goslings hatching. To protect the newly planted areas from the grazing geese, we installed several hundred metres of snow fence crossed with reflective ribbons to prevent geese from eating the new plants before they could establish a healthy root system. 

This was a pioneering project involving a collaborative partnership of six local First Nations working with Transport Investment Corporation and Metro Vancouver. The project involved constructing 2 kilometres of new fisheries channel providing rearing habitat for juvenile Chinook and coho salmon. Inlailawatash provided extensive landscape planting and maintenance services for this new habitat area, including procuring and planting over 38,000 trees and shrubs, removing invasive species, and placing coarse wooden debris to recreate natural habitat structures. A subsequent two-year monitoring and maintenance plan involved invasive vegetation management, plant surveys, plant replacement, site maintenance, and annual reporting to the client. You can watch a video about this habitat rehabilitation project here.