Successful Applicant:
Kensington North Watersheds Association Ltd.
Award:
$ 9,935
Project Title:
Improved Habitat in Indian River and Spring Valley Watersheds
Project Gallery:
Project Summary:
This project focused on habitat restoration within two of Kensington North’s watersheds, Spring Valley Brook and Indian River. The goals of this project were to:
1. Improve riparian zone shade, provide stream bank stabilization, increase biodiversity for birds, mammals and aquatic species through the planting of native trees and shrubs, as site conditions require. In total more than 600 trees were planted in riparian zones. 580 native trees and shrubs within the Spring Valley Brook watershed and future planting sites were noted. In Indian River fall plantings were planned, however only about 30 trees were planted. Access to the area was complicated by field rotations and fallen trees port-Dorian blocking trails.
2. Permit streams to flow at a more natural velocity, allowing for self cleaning of silt, increased exposure to springs and gravel for fish spawning, more open areas for waterfowl and greater biodiversity by removing nuisance debris, maintaining rock dams, building brush mats, and placing shore gravel in selected springs.
Staff performed stream enhancement activities including removing nuisance debris such as an old beaver dam, cutting fallen trees/limbs from storms in the fall of 2018, building brush mats, and performing maintenance on an existing rock dam. In total, staff covered approximately 4.3 km of stream in Spring Valley Brook, and 4.1 km along Indian River. Following Hurricane Dorian, staff returned with chainsaws to both watersheds to clean up fallen trees/debris, covering more than 3 km in Spring Valley Brook and more than 4 km in Indian River. We also managed the remediation of overgrown cattails in Indian River pond, providing local anglers with better fishing access.
3. Participate in the Living Labs Initiative with farmers and researchers from AAFC in trial projects targeting improved soil health, nitrate reductions and improved water quality.
As a partner in the external portion of this initiative, KN staff lent significant management, coordination and field support in the implementation of field trials of eight BMPs and two Supporting Activities.
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