History

A Rocha began its work in Canada in 2000, establishing its first Field Study Centre in BC. This Centre was located in one of our conservation target areas: the Little Campbell Watershed.  In addition to restoration and conservation work on the river, the work in BC focused on research, community agriculture, sustainable living, and environmental education programs, hosting over 2,000 students every year.

 

A Rocha Prairie Field Station

In 2005, A Rocha Canada’s second Centre emerged in Southern Manitoba’s Pembina Valley, providing a strategic location in the heart of a rich and important oak woodland ecosystem. The A Rocha Prairie Centre is part of over 2,500 acres of adjacent land that is protected as a provincial park and wildlife management area. This unique location provides exciting opportunities to engage the over 10,000 visitors to the park each summer.

 

A Rocha Brooksdale Environmental Centre

The A Rocha Brooksdale Environmental Centre is home to our national office and is the new hub of A Rocha’s work in the Vancouver area.  Brooksdale is situated near the Pacific Coast in British Columbia, just north of the Canada-USA border. The property includes environmentally sensitive land along the Little Campbell River, which supports a diversity of birds, plants, insects and fish. Nearby is Boundary Bay, the top-rated Important Bird Area (IBA) in Canada. Located 35 kilometers South of Vancouver on the Pacific Coast, the Little Campbell River is part of a system of small coastal river basins that support the rich biodiversity of the Fraser River Lowlands.  The A Rocha Brooksdale Environmental Centre lies about six kilometers upriver from the estuary.

Both of the Field Station in Manitoba and the Brooksdale Centre in BC host volunteers and visitors for on-site education, conservation, and sustainable living activities. The Centres are also ideal for those looking for research opportunities or just hands-on experience.

 

A Rocha National Projects

Building on the first phase of growth of A Rocha’s work in Canada, networks of committed volunteers are emerging across the country.  Concentrations of volunteers are coming together to form A Rocha Community Groups in places like Victoria, BC; Houston, BC; Calgary, AB; Winnipeg, MB; and the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario.  These groups are acting locally to carry out community-based conservation work. Check out our Volunteers page to learn more.