SWSS successfully leveraged the support of community members and government agencies to restore the Yankee Girl mining site.
The Salmo Watershed Streamkeepers Society (SWSS) is a group of concerned citizens who have spent the last ten years rallying for and undertaking restoration efforts of the local Yankee Girl mine tailing ponds.
Previously excavated for gold, this abandoned mine site left behind a 1.5 hectare area containing up to 360 tonnes of waste. Through tours and collecting samples, a host of contaminants were revealed. With this information, SWSS encouraged public support for clean-up efforts through field trips, educational presentations, media attention and participating in over 20 scientific site studies.
With the support of government agencies, SWSS successfully gained support from the province of BC to conduct a full site investigation to prevent further erosion of the nearby Salmo River. Restoration initiatives included re-vegetating riparian zones, installing erosion barriers, and removing harmful contaminants. The Yankee Girl Restoration Project was completed in 2009 and was converted into a park, including an amphitheatre and integration of tree islands, with SWSS remaining as an active partner throughout the restoration process.
Due to the action of the SWSS, the Yankee Girl Mill is no longer a place of concern and serves as an area that brings the community together.
