Webinar - Road Impact Wetland Health Assessments in Northern British Columbia

Organization
BC Wildlife Federation

Online Webinar
Canada

October 21st, 2025 at 12:00pm MST to October 21st, 2025 at 1:00pm MST
Register Here

Road Impact Wetland Health Assessments in Northern British Columbia

The Road Impact Wetland Health Assessment Tool (RIWHA) was developed to raise awareness about the impacts of road construction and hydro development on wetlands. In northern B.C., wetlands often receive little attention regarding the effects of roads. The tool was first applied in 2023, focusing on the Williston Reservoir area, initiated by the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP). One of our key goals is to support restoration-focused wetland management. In 2023, we successfully identified and began restoration work at a site near McLeod Lake, just south of Mackenzie. This year, our focus has been on refining RIWHA by expanding its application beyond the Williston Reservoir and collaborating with additional northern B.C. communities. Through this effort, we’re learning more about how roads impact wetlands and how to advocate for better land use decisions. Common wetland impacts we’ve encountered this year include ditching, poorly installed culverts, lack of visual buffers, streambank erosion, debris from cutblocks, and disturbances from old seismic lines. Through partnerships and shared learning, we’re deepening our understanding of these issues and look forward to spreading this knowledge across the province.

 

Katerina Sofos, M.Sc, Wetlands Practitioner - BC Wildlife Federation

Katerina Sofos discovered her passion for the environment in the fourth grade during a geography lesson on natural disasters. She found her love for fieldwork during her undergraduate studies, which inspired her to pursue a master’s degree in Geography at York University in Ontario, where she studied climate change and the vulnerabilities of northern communities. In 2023, she began working in northern B.C., contributing to wetland assessments using the Wetland Ecosystem Services Protocol (WESP) and the Canadian National Wetland Inventory (CNWI). She also gained hands-on experience working with beaver dam analogs as part of wetland restoration efforts. In 2025, she began leading the Road Impact Wetland Health Assessment (RIWHA), determined to better understand how to restore wetlands vulnerable to road impacts. Katerina has developed a strong interest in northern bogs and Indigenous collaboration. Her long-term goals include continuously learning and working in conservation, with a focus on researching and restoring peatlands.