Successful Applicant:
Abegweit Conservation Society
Award:
$7,473
Project Title:
Habitat Monitoring & Reclamation/Midgell Phase II & Savage Watershed Mtg.
Project Summary:
This project took place in the watersheds of Midgell River and Savage Harbour. The project was designed to be holistic in scope and contained monitoring, habitat rehabilitation and Aboriginal Traditional Ecological Outreach activities.
Habitat rehabilitation work included a variety of activities such as brushmatting, barrier removal, rock cover, raking of spawning substrates and general alder clearing. Establishing and maintaining sections of the main branch of Midgell River barrier free required monitoring of beaver activity 3 times throughout the work season, then the removal of new colonies in November. Maintenance stream work totaled 14.75 km, new sections 1.175 km and targeted work sections 1.4 km. Native trees and shrubs were planted in the riparian zone of Midgell (700) and 75 in a Savage Harbour hedgerow for wildlife habitat.
The project directly benefited wildlife by improving habitat access, as well as quantity and quality within the main branch of the Midgell River, McCarrick’s Creek tributary and the mainstream feeding into Savage Bay. The techniques and activities applied addressed sedimentation, water temperature, and connectivity that provides access to habitats.
Monitoring activities focused mostly on salmonid populations and stream habitat conditions. Information about fish populations was collected using electrofishing techniques and redd surveys. A total of 22 water temperature loggers were installed between the Midgell and Savage Harbour watersheds. Stream habitat assessments were conducted on the Midgell River (3 sites), and MacEwen’s Creek (2 sites). CABIN sampling protocol was applied to 1 site on Midgell River. Monitoring will establish baseline information and identify trends in habitat conditions to be applied to developing conservation and management plans, and allocation of rehabilitation resources.
The Aboriginal Traditional Ecological Knowledge balances understanding, and fosters a connection, or reconnection, with the elements that we are all made of. This connection provides spiritual, emotional and intellectual benefits to outreach participants. The knowledge gained and shared though outreach based on aboriginal traditional ecological knowledge demonstrates multiple uses for the resources that are many times squandered by modern society. Various presentations were made on and off PEI about ATEK, Atlantic salmon and Indigenous guiding principals of wildlife management.