Tracy Bond, executive director of Baker Creek Enhancement Society, was one of six in B.C. honoured by Fraser Salmon and Watersheds Program. Bond’s award was for her work to educate the next generation of salmon stewards.
Over the past 15 years, Bond has organized salmon programs for students from kindergarten to college level and developed the Nature Education and Resource Centre that hosts more than 2,000 students annually.
She was also instrumental in establishing the Horsefly River roundtable’s watershed management plan and currently is co-ordinator of the Horsefly River Roundtable.
“I was very excited I’d been nominated by a variety of people I work with,” she said.
With the award, Bond received $2,500 to be donated to projects of her choice.
She has decided to split the money between Baker Creek Enhancement Society, which will help replace a culvert in Dragon Creek and Horsefly River Roundtable, which will support their annual Salmon Festival held on the September long weekend.
Bond said this award is a recognition by her peers, those involved in salmon and salmon habitat.
“Obviously they felt I was doing something above and beyond,” she said.
“I respect and admire previous winners of this award and feel honoured to be in their company.”
The Salmon Hero awards honour those who have made a lasting and tangible contribution to the preservation, enhancement and improvement of the Fraser River watershed and its salmon populations.
The award donations are generously underwritten by Rocky Mountaineer, the Vancouver-based passenger rail service that brings travellers from all over the world to experience the beautiful landscapes of British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies.
Rocky Mountaineer has been a major corporate supporter of the Pacific Salmon Foundation since 2006 when the company pledged $400,000 to support Pacific salmon conservation on the Fraser River.