About Us
Building a legacy of healthy streams and shorelines
Our goal is to achieve healthy aquatic habitat that supports self-sustaining populations of native species in both freshwater and marine environments. Since our formation in 2002, we have worked to accomplish this objective through research, restoration, innovative projects, public education, and private land stewardship.
Restoring salmon stocks through stream restoration and habitat conservation is central to our purpose. For large, complex salmon enhancement projects, such as fishways, we plan, fundraise for, and implement these in partnership with local stakeholders and stewardship groups.
We provide our associated stewardship groups with technical expertise, training, and other resources to help them restore and protect aquatic habitats. Volunteer members of these groups are the heart and soul of our organization, donating thousands of hours each year to restoration and enhancement projects.
We also offer environmental education programs in local schools. Delivered by our staff and volunteers, these programs reach over a thousand students annually. By providing fun and engaging indoor and outdoor activities, we raise awareness of the various natural habitats around Greater Victoria.
Peninsula Streams Society is a registered charity (charitable registration #865001457 RR0001).
Our Constitution sets out our three purposes:
- To develop, organize, and participate in environmental projects and programs on the Saanich Peninsula and surrounding areas that will:
- Monitor, preserve, and restore flora and fauna
- Monitor, preserve, and restore rivers, creeks, watersheds, marine environments, and near-shore environments
- Conserve, reuse, and reduce water and waste
- Improve urban and rural/agricultural environments
- To educate and increase the understanding of the public, environmental organizations, government, and the press about environmental preservation and restoration and their importance, by offering workshops, seminars, training, and lectures.
- To conduct research relating to the environment and disseminate the results of such research.
A Brief History
In 2001, the directors of five small stewardship groups on the Saanich Peninsula faced a daunting decision: either fold in the face of the withdrawal of government funding for their environmental projects, or regroup and rebuild.
For the conservation enthusiasts, the choice was clear, and Peninsula Streams Society was formed in 2002. The goal: Build an umbrella organization to improve access to long-term funding for watershed restoration programs.
To kickstart the new organization, founding director Tom Davis secured several corporate donors. The District of North Saanich led local governments, providing $10,000 through their Grant-in-Aid program. The Science Branch of Fisheries and Oceans Canada provided office space and support at the Institute of Ocean Sciences in North Saanich.
Directors of the society soon developed new environmental programs and stream restoration projects, broadening the scope of activities to include watersheds throughout the Saanich Peninsula. An environmental education program was launched for school-age children, and a water quality monitoring service was established for local municipalities.
In 2006, we achieved charitable status, further improving access to funding from foundations and donors interested in supporting watershed conservation activities.
Today, Peninsula Streams Society provides expertise from headwaters to deep waters, with over 6 qualified staff members supporting over 15 stewardship groups operating in 13 watersheds across 10 municipalities. Our programs range from shoreline and stream restoration and advocacy to community science, stewardship, and environmental education. Peninsula Streams Society is an innovative watershed stewardship organization on Southern Vancouver Island engaging thousands of volunteers and residents to achieve collective environmental goals.