Youth-led Surrey environmental programs mark 25 and 30 years

THE City of Surrey is celebrating two milestone anniversaries for its longstanding youth-led environmental programs: 30 years of the Salmon Habitat Restoration Program (SHaRP) and 25 years of Surrey’s Natural Areas Partnership (SNAP).

These milestones mark decades of youth-led environmental stewardship in restoring Surrey’s streams and enhancing the city’s urban forest through field work and community education while providing meaningful employment for young people.

“For decades, our SHaRP and SNAP programs have demonstrated how empowering our youth leads to long-term environmental benefits,” said Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke. “I’m pleased that the City continues to be a leader in environmental management and restoration while providing valuable work experience to our youth. These programs are helping protect our salmon habitats and urban forests while producing the next generation of environmental leaders.”

Launched in 1996, SHaRP started with just eight students and now it boasts over 760 youth alumni who have restored salmon habitats at more than 2,940 sites across the city and constructed 189 instream weirs. SNAP, having launched in 2001, grew from a four-person team to employing over 310 youth who have removed over 4,500 cubic metres of invasive plants, renovated 5,000 tree wells and planted 16,000 trees and shrubs across the city.

Together, SHaRP and SNAP play a key role in supporting the City’s environmental goals, including the Surrey’s Climate Change Action Strategy and Biodiversity Conservation Strategy.

“The long-standing success of SHaRP and SNAP shows what’s possible when we invest in youth who care deeply about the world around them,” said Councillor Pardeep Kooner, Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee. “It’s so important for children and youth to have opportunities to pursue their passions and we are proud to foster programs that strengthen their connection to the environment. By restoring habitats, enhancing our urban forest, and engaging thousands of residents, these programs are nurturing our future leaders while advancing the City’s vision of a sustainable and resilient Surrey for generations to come.”

To highlight these major milestones, SHaRP and SNAP are collaborating on several major restoration projects in 2025 including work in Bear Creek and Cougar Creek Parks.

For more information on these programs, read Corporate Report R142: Milestone Year for Youth Environmental Programs in 2025.