BANFF BC ROCKIES
WILD WETLANDS The Columbia Wetlands are the largest intact wetlands in North America. They stretch between Canal Flats (p 120) and Golden (p 117) through the Rocky Mountain Trench, a long valley separating the Rocky and Purcell Mountain ranges. The area is a vital ecosystem in the Pacific Flyway, a waterfowl migration route between the Arctic Ocean and South America. Each spring and fall, over 15,000 birds depend on this wetland to survive their migration. The wetlands have the second-largest concentration of great blue herons in Canada, with over 300 pairs calling the area home. Songbirds, birds of prey, and shorebirds also live in this incredible ecosystem. The area also houses hundreds of thousands of reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Numerous species of fish call the wetlands
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home, including rainbow trout, walleye, bass, whitefish, and even white sturgeon. Before the watershed was so heavily dammed, the Columbia River alongside the wetlands was a major salmon river. Humans have been accessing the Columbia Wetlands for over 12,000 years. The K’tunaxa People were known to catch Chinook Salmon in the area, while the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc People frequented the area for its natural resources. The wetlands are recognized as a wetland of international importance by the United Nations. The Columbia Wetlands Stewardship Partners formed in 2006 and consists of over 30 groups, communities, and agencies dedicated to the wetlands. To learn more about this incredible ecosystem and experience it first hand, visit the Columbia Wetlands Outpost (p 117). -KATE BARKER
ABOVE: A BLUE HERON IN THE COLUMBIA WETLANDS
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