I want to introduce Terra Nova Rural Park in Richmond. The park covers 63 acres, with the Salish Sea to the west. I lived and studied in the community just east of the park for two years. Terra Nova’s history shows how a coastal delta nature reserve can change over time, becoming farmland, an industrial area, a park, and part of flood control infrastructure.[1] Before modern development, this coastline was not completely wild. According to the City of Richmond’s heritage inventory, a Musqueam shell midden at Terra Nova is the first sign of human settlement in the area. The inventory also explains that people likely used the site during salmon and sturgeon runs, for harvesting crabapples, and as part of older slough and canoe travel routes across the Fraser River delta.[2]

Non-Indigenous settlers first arrived in Terra Nova in 1868, and land subdivision mostly stopped by 1930. Early farmers made the land usable by building dykes and digging ditches. The first industry in Terra Nova was a cannery built by Duncan and John Rowan in 1890. It ran until 1928, then served as a fishing net warehouse and a fisheries station before being torn down in the 1970s. The cannery relied on salmon and sturgeon runs and used the Fraser River for transportation.2

Wildlife is an important part of this area. Today, animals live in a protected space created by people. To help protect the ecosystem, the City of Richmond Animal Control Bylaw 8612 makes Terra Nova Rural Park one of the few parks in British Columbia where dogs are not allowed.1

Terra Nova sits on the Pacific Flyway, so every winter, at least 47 species and hundreds of thousands of migratory and wintering shorebirds gather at Sturgeon Bank. The Government of British Columbia made Sturgeon Bank a Wildlife Management Area on October 8, 1998. This area now provides 5,152 hectares of habitat for waterfowl and fish.3 Each year from November to March, when I walk in Terra Nova Rural Park, I see many birds resting and flying over the tidal flats. To me, this is more than just a beautiful sight. I see a thriving ecological network and a shared success between people and nature. Even though my role as a community member is small, I still feel proud.

Himalayan blackberry root balls are the most common invasive species at Terra Nova. When the berries are ripe, they provide plenty of food for birds. However, during the growing season, these plants can spread several metres, crowd out other plants, and are very prickly. In March 2023, the Richmond News reported that volunteers at a Lower Mainland Green Team event at Terra Nova Rural Park removed 300 Himalayan blackberry root balls. They used shovels to turn the soil and break up the roots.4

Composting is a managed way to recycle organic material in cities. It keeps waste out of landfills, creates useful compost, and helps keep the final soil clean by removing non-compostable items.5 The City of Richmond has a Compost Demonstration Garden at the Terra Nova Rural Park Centre at 2631 Westminster Highway, just west of No. 1 Road. The city’s website also has a home composting tool kit. People can buy a compost bin for yard and kitchen waste. The kit comes with a compost bin and a rainwater collector, and costs 55 Canadian dollars. For beginners, the City of Richmond has a compost hotline (604-736-2250) that gives advice on making and using compost.6

[1] City of Richmond. “Find a Park: Terra Nova Rural Park.” City of Richmond, BC. https://www.richmond.ca/parks-recreation/parks/parksearch/park.aspx?ID=80

[2] City of Richmond. “Search the Heritage Inventory: Terra Nova Heritage Area.” City of Richmond, BC. https://www.richmond.ca/business-development/planning/heritage/inventory/Details.aspx?ID=160

[3] Government of British Columbia. “Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area.” Province of British Columbia. January 21, 2025. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/plants-animals-ecosystems/wildlife/wildlife-habitats/conservation-lands/wma/wmas-list/sturgeon-bank

[4] Rantanen, Maria. “Volunteers pull up 300 blackberry roots at Terra Nova Rural Park.” Richmond News, March 27, 2023. https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/volunteers-pull-up-300-blackberry-roots-at-terra-nova-rural-park-6765615

[5] City of Richmond. “Green Cart Recycling.” City of Richmond, BC. https://www.richmond.ca/services/recycling-garbage/foodyardwaste/greencart.htm

[6] City of Richmond. “Composting at Home.” City of Richmond, BC. https://www.richmond.ca/services/recycling-garbage/foodyardwaste/Composting.htm