Faye Smith Rosenblatt, who spent more than two decades as an environmental advocate and educator, is being remembered by fellow members of the Mid Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society in a remembrance ceremony Sunday, April 9, in Qualicum Beach.
Smith Rosenblatt, who died in hospice in Nanaimo March 23, was described by friend Barb Riordan as “the heart and soul” of MVIHES, which she helped established in 1996 to restore wild Pacific salmon to mid Vancouver Island watersheds.
Sunday’s remembrance ceremony will take place from 2-5 p.m. Sunday at the Qualicum Beach Community Hall, 644 Memorial Ave.
“The advancement in knowledge of the Englishman River Watershed is greatly due to Faye’s continuous hard work, whether in organizing volunteers for sampling water, filling applications for funding, organizing public meetings, attending public forums… and asking hard questions,” said Gilles Wendling. “And always with a smile and a lot of class.”
Smith Rosenblatt took her first Streamkeepers course in 1995 with friend and future collaborate David Clough, a fisheries biologist. From that time, Riordan said, she was passionate about involving communities in the stewardship of their watersheds, with the belief that residents can make a difference when they learn the connection between what is happening on land and the health of wild salmon.
Smith Rosenblatt founded and and developed the “Watershed Health and You” program for just this purpose.
“Faye Smith is a terrific example of a dedicated stream-keeper, whose many hours of volunteer time, working on our small urban streams, lakes and wetlands is having an important influence on local government’s policy concerning watercourses,” said Peter Law.
Contributions to MVIHES will be used to continue Smith Rosenblatt’s work in community watershed stewardship and salmon habitat restoration projects.
To connect with MVIHES or for more info, visit www.mvihes.bc.ca.
— NEWS Staff and MVIHES submission