New submission from ARC Award Final Report webteam@langara.ca Mon 2/7/2022 12:44 PM To: Scholarly Activity Name of Researcher Andrew Egan Department/Faculty Interdisciplinary Studies: Environmental Studies program Position in Department/Faculty Coordinator/Instructor Project Title Still Creek Monitoring Program (SCMP) Term of Project Spring 2021 Please introduce yourself – include pertinent background information relating to the topic of your research project. I grew up and spent most of my time enjoying the natural assets of the BC's interior, hiking and working in the surrounding forests. This led me to appreciate nature and the impact of humans on our environment. Since 2007, I have worked at Langara College in the Geography and Geology Department, and became the Coordinator of the Environmental Studies (ENVS) program at Langara College in 2018. I instruct the ENVS 2470 Field School course on alternating years and believe that an opportunity exists for students to learn while contributing toward improving their local environment. ENVS 2470 has a history of conducting fieldwork in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (PRNPR) on Vancouver Island's west coast over a week in April; however, the COVID-19 pandemic created a barrier to travel and group size. The pandemic threatened the viability of offering ENVS 2470 for these reason. The result was to change the course's focus on monitoring the natural environments to a local urban environment. Still Creek is one of the few remaining stream in Vancouver and has suffered as the areas within its watershed urbanized. Furthermore, the effect of climate change on small urban streams is poorly understood due to a lack of data. Therefore, I saw an opportunity for ENVS 2470 students to monitor Still Creek and create a baseline dataset that may illustrate the impacts of development and climate change on this urban stream. Please discuss your educational background and your work experience that led you to taking on this research project. If possible, include a quote that helps define your interest in this project. I attended Langara before transferring to UVIC to complete a BSc. in physical Geography. Afterwards, I moved to England and attended King's College, London receiving a MSc. in Environmental Monitoring, Modelling and Management. Upon graduation, I took a short-term job at the UK Environment Agency, eventually moving to China to instruct on the merits of GIS in modelling land-use change in watershed. Eventually, I returned to Canada and worked in the Victoria's watershed before beginning at Langara in 2007. I departed Langara for a period and worked at a coalmine managing their streams and water-related infrastructure. Returning to Langara in 2012, I continue to enjoy teaching geography and the principles of environmental management and monitoring. "I live in a city and escape to the country to find nature. I envision a day where the boundary between these places is less apparent" - Drew Egan Please explain the concept for your project in terms that others not in your field would understand, like an executive summary. Urbanization and climate change are two of the major threats to a sustainable water supply. Our ability to mitigate or adapt to these threats are only are limited by our current knowledge and capabilities. This project aimed at monitoring Still Creek and creating a database or information about the state of this small urban stream in 2021, from this information, we can build knowledge and improve this ecosystem. The presence of specific invertebrates is an indicator of stream health as they not only illustrate water quality characteristics but also act as an important food source. This study aimed at measuring the abundance of invertebrates in four locations in the upper watershed area of Still Creek. Identify goals and objectives for the project, and how the results may be used, perhaps to solve a problem, or to inform further research in that field. The actual sampling of the invertebrates was part of the ENVS 2470 curriculum aimed at instructing students about the Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) protocol when sampling invertebrates. Salmon have lived in Still Creek for many centuries before we began altering the landscape and affecting their survival. Chum salmon returned to upper Still Creek in very small numbers after a century of absence and as a secondary goal, this project measures the abundance of invertebrate food sources. The outcomes of the study illustrate a very high abundance of invertebrates at the four Still Creek sites in April 2021, and correlates to decent water quality and associated nutrients. A desired outcome of this information is the recognition of the ecosystem services provided by Still Creek and the successful creation of a salmon enhancement project, supported by Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), for Still Creek. Briefly explain the steps taken to conduct the project research, and the results found. The project involved obtaining a Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ License to Fish for Scientific, Experimental, or Educational Purposes. The purpose of the license was to sample for the presence of juvenile salmon in Still Creek and collect samples to analyze for benthic invertebrate abundance at four sites in Still Creek. If successful, fish traps set in the days preceding the monitoring date of April 6th, 2021 would catch and illustrate the presence of juvenile salmon in a reach of upper Still Creek. The sampling for invertebrates would illustrate if food source for juvenile salmon was present and in abundance to support juvenile salmon. Samples were collected using the CABIC protocol by ENVS 2470 students and couriered to Biologica Lab in Victoria, BC for speciation. Unfortunately, no juvenile salmon were present in the fish traps set by ENVS 2470 students on April 6th, 2021. The results from the Biologica assessment illustrate a large-scale abundance of benthic invertebrates. The nine separate samples yielded an abundance of 173,766 benthic invertebrates, with 33 separate species counted. Chironomids (family Chironomidae) were in abundance (3,805), with a species richness of 12) within the analyzed samples and are well documented as a primary food source for juvenile salmon. A decent abundance of Amphipods (1297) which serve as a caloric rich food source for salmon and illustrate decent water quality. Overall, the results of the benthic invertebrate analysis illustrate decent water quality and nutrient regime, which enables a food web consistent with a freshwater floodplain habitat able to support juvenile salmon. Who else was involved in this project? How did their involvement help? Ie: other faculty, students, community partners The City of Vancouver and the Still Creek Streamkeepers supported this project through providing access and interest in the project. Chris Martin, ENVS 2470 Instructor, and registered professional biologist acquired the DFO license and supervised the sampling procedure. Biologica Lab, Victoria, BC conducted the analysis and reporting of the results. Radhika Maini (Langara Data Analytics student) analyzed the results creating graphs and a report of the outcomes via a different Langara Applied Research Centre grant. What were/are you hoping to get from conducting this research? This project had two goals. First, to instruct Langara’s ENVS 2470 students on the merits and methods of the CABIN protocol. Second, the information collected will illustrate the abundance of benthic invertebrates in Still Creek and aid in the assessment of the creek’s merit for a salmon enhancement project in the future. Can you share any personal stories that made this research experience memorable/valuable? This project was part of a larger initiative to shift the focus of environmental studies at Langara College toward local activities that benefit our community. I believe that Langara plays a imperative role in engaging their community (faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other members) in improving their environment and creating the knowledge and relationships that enable a brighter future. This project illustrates how a small, oft forgotten, stream can act as a catalyst toward change and improve understanding toward our role in sustainability. In consideration of this point, I enjoyed the opportunity to watch and listen as students interact with the public when explaining the importance of why they were working in Still Creek. Do you have any tips/suggestions/ideas for applying this research in your field? Or for others in their fields? Or for conducting future research of this kind? My advice is to build projects with partners where students’ engage and understand the issues inherent in research Any final comments? What are the “next steps” for this project? And for you? This project and the SCMP will provide a starting point for the expansion of Langara’s endeavours toward improving public engagement and knowledge of Still Creek’s ecosystem services and the background for a CCSSIF grant application. Hopefully, the project will aid in the successful application of a salmon enhancement project Please upload any images that will help to showcase your project. 51048877783_5d42aa2fa8_k.jpg 51049610036_69af560d58_o.jpg 51049608651_f12561261a_o.jpg