Meet Coastal GasLink’s Amphibian friends
Respect and care for the environment – including amphibians – is core to Coastal GasLink's construction program. Our environment team went out along the project route to conduct an amphibian salvage last Fall. This practice is an ongoing activity outlined in our Environmental Management Plan that guides the way we do work every day. Each year our team members gather amphibians within our project's footprint to relocate them to nearby suitable habitats.
Intermediate Wildlife Biologist and Field Supervisor Kaitlin Winchester feels it's important for people to understand how much is involved in the project's environmental protection.
"So much effort and care goes into this. There's a lot of mitigation for the environment that the public doesn't know about, and there's a lot of people who are really dedicated to it and working to maintain environmental integrity." For Kaitlin, striving for that level of care and excellence for the environment is part of what sets Coastal GasLink apart.
Environmental responsibility is about doing the right thing – not always the easiest. Our environment team takes that responsibility to heart by ensuring amphibian breeding wetlands are identified prior to construction, and that salvage occurs when construction activities overlap breeding periods.
Junior Wildlife Biologist Alex Grant’s dedication to protecting amphibians and wildlife is a shared interest among her Coastal GasLink team members. "We are all super passionate about environmental work and preserving wildlife and habitat. Those are the people out here doing this work," shares Alex.
Returning the land and waterways to their pre-construction state, including similar capabilities for use, for us and future generations to enjoy is what drives the environmental teams work. We make informed decisions on environmental protection by collecting information about the local environment before construction begins. This work includes conducting field studies to identify heritage resources, vegetation, wetlands, soil, wildlife and aquatic habitats.
Our commitment to the environment doesn't end once the project is completed. We undertake extensive monitoring post-construction to evaluate the effectiveness of reclamation efforts along the 670-kilometre project route. At the end of the day, Coastal GasLink is building more than a pipeline. We're building an extraordinary legacy for communities across northern B.C., the province, and Canada.