The Adams River Salmon Society was honoured on Nov. 4 at the 11th annual BC Interior Stewardship Workshop in Enderby, hosted by the Fraser Basin Council and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
The society was presented with Fraser Basin Council’s BC Interior Stewardship Award for Ecosystem Excellence for their role in hosting and managing the internationally famous Adams River “Salute to the Sockeye” for the last 20 years, among many other accomplishments.
The society was nominated for the award by Wes DeArmond, area supervisor with BC Parks. The society has “delivered in a big way” when it comes to providing public interpretation and recreation, states DeArmond.
Brenda Melnychuk, a volunteer with the Adams River group, was present at the workshop last week and accepted the award on behalf of the society.
“It’s an honour for the society to be recognized in this way,” Melnychuk said.
Society president Darlene McBain, who was not present at the workshop, described the collaborative and multi-task nature of the society.
“The salute is a huge community effort. The society has put in an incredible amount of volunteer effort at Roderick Haig-Brown Park so that thousands of visitors can come out and see the salmon.”
The society has been instrumental in pulling together communities and recruiting volunteers to organize and host the Salute the Sockeye event, held once every four years at Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park. Since 2010, the interpretive cabin at the park has been open to assist and welcome visitors.
In addition to providing public interpretation, the society volunteers help keep people safe during their visit and educate visitors on the importance of minimizing their impact on the sensitive environment.
The Ecosystems Excellence Award is given out each year at the annual workshop to an organization or individual who meets the award criteria.
The criteria are:
(a) demonstrating excellent leadership of a stewardship organization, (b) demonstrating responsible use, protection, and/or restoration of stream resources, or (c) promoting public awareness, appreciation, understanding and concern for ecosystems.