FCWS
  • Home
    • Mission Statement
  • Gallery
  • Events
  • History
  • Education
  • Contacts
Picture
The False Creek Watershed Society acknowledges the hospitality of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil'waututh First Nations, on whose ancestral and unceded territory the watershed is located.

The purposes of the False Creek Watershed Society are to provide education on:

            History - Natural and Human
            Education - Place Based
            Sustainability - for Urban Centres       
            History- Local / First Nations

Read our full Mission Statement
Artwork: Salmon icon and FCWS logo by Celia Brauer

Picture

Water Pollution in False Creek: After Settlement and Now

A walking tour on the shores of False Creek   


Partnering with the False Creek BioBlitz 
​
Sept 5, 2022 2:00 - 4:00 PM.

Introductory Speaker:

Celia Brauer MA Anthropology UBC, Environment Educator, Staff and Co-Founder False Creek Watershed Society

Guest Speaker:

Dr. Vicki Marlatt Associate Professor Environmental Toxicology and Biology Simon Fraser University Executive Director of The False Creek Watershed Society  

Celia will introduce the natural history of False Creek which flourished for thousands of years with the stewardship of local Coast Salish First Nations. She will speak about the extensive resource extraction and processing which ensued with European settlement and the impact this had on the air, water and soil. As we walk along the sea wall, we can see what False Creek is today.

Vicki will discuss the contaminant inputs into this waterway that have occurred over the last hundred and fifty years. What were the human impacts of a vastly invasive worldview on this rich inland waterway from the first clearcuts to our present global village? And what, if anything, can we do about it today.


Day, Time & Meeting Location:

Labyrinth Pier Vancouver, Legacy Park -
south shore of False Creek close to the False Creek Community Centre  

Sept 5, 2022 2:00 PM.

Sign up here 

Picture















The Ecological Economics
of False Creek 
a discussion of False Creek's post-colonial
history - with the earth in mind

On July 16th, from 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm, join us for a walk with Michael Barkusky on the shores of False Creek.
Michael will lead discussion of the economic history of the area through the lens of contemporary Ecological Economics and will contrast that approach and sensibility with the more mainstream (neoclassical) economic paradigm that has dominated thought on economic questions since the late 19th century. The ecological economic approach seems more appropriate to the challenges of the 21st century and seems, fortunately, to be finally gaining ground.

What does this mean?
As we walk along the seawall and look at what False Creek has become in 2022, Michael will review the changes that occurred in the original Coast Salish territory, which was intact in 1850, but radically transformed since them. He will talk about how the Neoclassical approach explained and justified those radical changes, still underway today, and which created the clearcut landscape and widespread pollution.

The shaping of today's False Creek reflects a fast-forward of Canada's entire colonial history in not much more than one century. After the biggest old growth trees in the world were logged in the late 1800s, early 1900s, many were brought to False Creek to be milled. The area then became lined with pulp mills and other businesses that supported extractive resource industries such as logging and fishing. Squatter camps grew and the air, water and soil filled up with masses of toxic pollutants which were never properly removed.

In the 1970s the City of Vancouver acquired and upgraded the land to resident use – under leasehold titles - condominiums, townhouses, apartments, and co-ops with big parks in between and water on the north edge. From a monstrous, amazingly biodiverse forest next to an inland waterway full of sea-life in an area inhabited by Indigenous people who practiced strict social-ecological systems, a modern global village called False Creek emerged.

Meet our Educator:
Michael Barkusky's background is a BA Honours in Economics from the University of Cape Town and an MBA from UBC. He also holds the CPA, CGA designation, is the Treasurer of the False Creek Watershed Society, and has experience as an Ecological Economics Instructor at BCIT and SFU. He is also still in practice in Vancouver as an CPA

Cost and Logistics:
The event is free. Donations will be accepted for the False Creek Watershed Society.

Meet at Leg-in-Boot Square at 1:30. We will walk west from there, ending up close to the False Creek Community Centre as time allows.
.
Please Register here so we know how many people to expect. 


Salmon Dreams - a walk through memory in the Riley Park /Little Mountain Landscape

Please join us for our 3rd annual 'Connecting to Place' gathering in Riley Park.

Our exploration will nurture a connection with the visible and hidden waterways in the Riley Park/Little Mountain Neighbourhood.

The guides are Celia Brauer, co-founder and staff of the False Creek Watershed Society and Amy Kiara Ruth, a somatic movement educator.

We will continue afterwards with a gathering filled with community connection, scrumptious snacks and hot beverages!


Saturday, February 15, 2020
1-3 pm at Riley Park Community Garden
30th Ave. & Ontario St.
False Creek Watershed
​Vancouver, BC


We acknowledge that we gather and garden on the unceded traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-waututh First Nations.

​Salmon and Buildings 2 - Artwork by Celia Brauer 


​
Dragon Walk!

reflect on home, place, belonging, indigeneity

August 9 - September 22, 2019

 
STENCIL:     Monday, August 9       3:00 - 5:00 pm
                        Hillcrest Community Centre lobby
 
WALK:          Sunday, August 25      3:00 - 5:00 pm
                        begins at the Generative Nest (GN)
                        4361 Cambie - back alley
 
STORY-         Thursday, September 5   7:30 - 9:00
TELLING:     Generative Nest - 4361 Cambie
 
STENCIL:     Saturday, Sept 7          12:30 - 2:30 pm
                        Riley Park & Garden / Mad Hatter Tea Party
                        33rd and Ontario
 
WALK:          Tuesday, September 10        6;30 - 8:30 pm
                        begins at the Generative Nest 
                       4361 Cambie - back alley

Sunday September 22nd:  PARADE and DANCE
                        1:30 - 3:30 pm
                        gather at the Generative Nest  
                        4361 Cambie - back alley
                        walk to NW corner of Queen Elizabeth Park

more information on FACEBOOK/ Generative Nest and this space!
 
Thanks to the generous support of :
The City of Vancouver, False Creek Watershed Society
Vancouver Foundation - Neighbourhood Small Grants, Little Mountain Neighbourhood House


Water Dances at Riley Park Community Garden & FCWS AGM - May 26

We invite you to attend a special event: 
"Moving Elemental: water walk / water movement"
with Board Member Amy Kiara Ruth as our guide  


Date: Sunday May 26, 2019
Time: 1:30 - 2:30 PM
Place: Riley Park Garden - E 30th Ave. & Ontario St.
Unceded Coast Salish Territories

We will gather and move outside in the park - rain or shine. Please wear / bring appropriate clothing for your comfort

The FCWS AGM will take place afterwards at Riley Park Fieldhouse.

We will be discussing last year's activities and electing our Board. 

Date: Sunday May 26, 2019
Time: 2:30 - 3:30 PM
Place: Riley Park Fieldhouse - SE corner of the Park - door on east side. 


Membership

Please join us!
We encourage you to join our non-profit society. This will enable us to continue our work to promote watershed awareness and environmental sustainability. We are the only watershed group in Vancouver specifically focused on these goals - in a  city surrounded by fresh water, sea water and graced by high rainfall!

Connect with us at falsecreekwatershed@gmail.com
and
Click the button below...



Membership
Picture
Add text
Hemlock , south shore - 1886/ looking N over False Creek. The log's diameter is estimated at three metres.
-City of Vancouver Archives Dist. P35 N24

Join our Facebook Page
Here
!



Video on Lost Streams of Vancouver - take a look!


​
Picture
Would you like to be on our newsletter list or volunteer? 

Please contact us!


Picture
Find out more about the lost creeks of the False Creek Watershed

Picture
Picture
Proudly powered by Weebly