The Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve is hoping to undertake invasive species removal this summer with the help of the community.
"We have never done a GoFundMe before as we have, historically, managed to cover these things with grants and other streams of revenue like our gift shop," said Camille Coray, executive director of the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve in a post.
"This year, we are dealing with not receiving summer funding for the first time in 15 years and it strongly impacts what we are able to do in terms of time sensitive summer work."
They are proud of the ongoing conservation efforts undertaken at the nature reserve.
"Volunteers have been an integral part of this," Coray said. "We have also depended on funding from Canada Summer Jobs to hire young biological technicians to help us with these efforts to manually removal and control invasive species on-site like yellow flag iris and Himalayan blackberry which are some of the worst."
Removing the invasive species are part of the ongoing restoration and re-wilding of the sprawling site.
They received almost $22,000 last year.
"Every penny went toward supporting two biological technicians and two environmental education positions for the summer," she noted.
The organization is also dealing with a bridge being closed down due to structural damage which significantly reduced visitor traffic, negatively impacting the gift shop and program revenue.
The non-profit did receive a Pacific Salmon Foundation grant to help with refreshing the salmon channel near the Interpretive Centre.
"We are hoping to be able to augment that project with reed canary grass removal while we have equipment on site," Coray said.
"I know how important this place is to the Chilliwack Community and beyond, so, even if you can only put $5 in, be assured that anything raised will be used to support these important conservation and education efforts at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve."
