Fraser River relay swim aims to boost conservation support

Climate activist Naomi Devine, along with marine ecologist Dr. Isabelle Côté and forest disturbance ecologist Michelle Connolly, is participating in a 1,375-kilometre relay swim down the Fraser River. The expedition, known as the Fraser River Challenge, began on August 6 and is scheduled to conclude by September 4.

The swim travels from the Rocky Mountain headwaters to Garry Point Park in Steveston at the Salish Sea. The initiative aims to build public support for a conservation goal to protect 30 per cent of the Fraser Rivershed by 2030. The river is a critical ecological system and one of the world’s primary wild salmon habitats.

Alongside the swimmers, various businesses, non-profits, and unions are participating in the journey through the watershed using canoes and rafts.