Bowen Island's streams, lakes, and wetlands are valuable natural resources. Stream corridors are particularly important. They support more species of plants and animals than any other habitats and provide important refuges and migration routes for birds and wildlife. Streams also are essential for maintaining our renowned salmon and trout runs.

Streams respond rapidly to the pressures of residential, commercial and agricultural activity in surrounding drainage areas or watersheds. Streams are good indicators of watershed health. Since we all live within a watershed we all share the responsibility of maintaining the quality of the natural resources within them.

Pressures from development will continue to increase as our population expands. Habitat will continue to be lost when we do not appreciate fully the value of our aquatic resources. Plant and animal populations which depend on undisturbed land will be threatened. In some locations, their numbers may fall to dangerously low levels. Our Island needs a growing number of volunteers committed to working to protect and restore our aquatic habitats.