B.C. Rivers Day has been a tradition for more than 30 years, and this year, people can learn while getting their exercise.
Rivers Day is a day to celebrate and educate people on local rivers, streams, and the importance of ecosystems and wildlife habitats.
This year the Township of Langley and Langley Environmental Partners Society have teamed up to create a StoryWalk along the Salmon River in Williams park, located at 68th Avenue and 238th Street.
“While the BC Rivers Day Festival of years past may not take place this year, we’re pleased to offer an activity that families can enjoy on their own time,” said Township of Langley environmental sustainability coordinator Meghan Woods.
The storybook featured in the park is Bobs and LoLo’s Run Salmon Run, an easy to understand explanation about the wild Pacific salmon’s cycle of life.
“The Salmon River hosts the largest wild pacific salmon run in Langley, and the prime spawning areas are located in Williams Park,” said Nichole Marples, LEPS executive director. “Bobs & LoLo have been staple performers at past BC Rivers Day Festivals with their nature-forward songs. Being able to display Run Salmon Run in this location is a fitting way to commemorate World Rivers Day and raise awareness of the important salmon habitat that’s right here in Langley.”
Over the course of the StoryWalk people will learn about the salmon as it goes from tiny eggs to adult.
The trail display features bright illustrations from the storybook to engage the readers.
“The Run Salmon Run StoryWalk provides a fun learning opportunity about the amazing journey of salmon and the critical habitat that rivers provide,” added Woods.
B.C. Rivers Day is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Sunday of September and is part of the international World Rivers Day celebrations. The StoryWalk is there to encourage people of all ages to learn more about the environment and promotes the importance of waterways and ecosystems. Learn more about local waterways online by clicking here.
The special project is a new venture for the Township and will stay up even after Rivers Day. There are multiple StoryWalk storybooks the Township changes out for continued education.
The idea, originally developed by Anne Ferguson in collaboration with the Kellogg Hubbard Library in Vermont, aims to promote family time, early literacy, and time in nature, all which complement the goals of BC Rivers Day. By tying in a storybook about the importance of ecosystems and habitat, visitors to Williams Park will be able to learn more about what happens in rivers around Langley.
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