“I am concerned about the health of our environment. Which is why I am so pleased to announce my $10,000 matching gift toward A Rocha’s conservation efforts in BC. I have seen this work first-hand and applaud their skilled efforts to achieve environmental health of this place.”

– Margaret Atwood

As Conservation Science Director of A Rocha Canada, I am so grateful for partners like Margaret Atwood and YOU who make the stewardship of sensitive wildlife habitat in South Surrey/Langley possible.

Sea level is rising, storms are increasing, aquifers are drying up, and trees are being cut down at a rapid rate. We need more trees to clean our air, stabilize the soil, replenish the aquifers, capture carbon, and keep our streams and cities cool and healthy.

You and I live in the same neighbourhood: the Little Campbell River Watershed (TAT-A-LU in the SENĆOŦEN language). Did you know: we have lost over 1,980 hectares of forest since 1954? That’s approximately 32 hectares (or 24 football fields) per year!

A Rocha is committed to the health of the TAT-A-LU River for the long run. Our goal is to plant 4,000 native trees and shrubs along streams in this watershed this year. But we need your partnership, particularly at this time when a shortfall in conservation funding has left us in a more challenging financial position!

Donate now and you can double your gift through Margaret Atwood’s generous matching offer until March 31.

Let’s launch into spring together! You can also help by:

• planting native trees on your own property
• calling us (604-542-9006) to do habitat improvements on your land.

The creatures in this watershed — think, toads, songbirds, snails, flowers, fish and humans! — will thank you.

You can read more about the specific projects here. Every year we protect wetlands for native amphibians, tunnel thousands of toads under the road to enable their safe summer migration, enhance streams for endangered fish (Salish Sucker and Cutthroat Trout), investigate solutions for declining numbers of barn swallows, and educate thousands of students at the Brooksdale Environmental Centre.

Thank you for considering a gift to this local cause. Together we can make our local ecosystems places of thriving and health for both wildlife and humans.

Warmly,

Christy Juteau, R.P.Bio.
Conservation Science Director, A Rocha Canada

P.S. Every dollar you give to plant trees in your community will be matched, dollar-for-dollar (up to $10K) by Margaret Atwood.

P.P.S. Please be aware if the needs for this program have been fully met, your gift will be put to good use supporting other aspects of A Rocha’s Conservation work.