Mission is nestled on a southern coastal mountain slope overlooking the lush valley of the Fraser River. Mission lies only a 15 minute drive north of the US border, and approximately 70 kilometers east of the City of Vancouver.
Mission is located in the coastal western hemlock, dry, maritime biogeoclimatic subzone (CWHdm). This zone occurs at low elevations, above and adjacent to the very-dry, maritime, CWHxm. Forests in the CWHdm are dominated by western red cedar, western hemlock, Douglas fir, big leaf maple, and red alder with Sitka spruce and black cottonwood on floodplains. Bitter cherry and paper birch are also common. Salal, red huckleberry, vine maple, salmonberry, Alaska blueberry, and Devil’s club are common upland shrubs with salmonberry, red elderberry, Devil’s club, indian-plum, red-osier dogwood and willow present on floodplain sites. Himalayan blackberry is present in all areas.
Mission is currently experiencing the die-off of many of the trees that became established after city lands were cleared at the time of settlement. These early “pioneer” trees are adapted ecologically to rapidly invade exposed mineral soil, grow, and then dominate the site until the trees die, usually in 60 to 90 years. The process helps to prepare the site for the arrival and occupation of long-lived tree species such as western hemlock, western red cedar and Sitka spruce.
The effect of large scale clear cutting followed by colonization by pioneer and invasive species can delay or completely prevent the return of the original mix of coniferous species.
The District of Mission joined the CERP program in June, 2008 and ERA began the implementation. The project targets the reforestation and beautification of many public parks, as well as restoration.