Get our Web feed. Login (No account? Register!)
Location: Thompson, Salmon River Watershed Project Summary
SUMMARY Six priority Coho habitat restoration sites will be undertaken from a list of critically eroding Coho habitat locations, identified within the 1995 watershed plan. This project also tracks sites restored and remaining riparian restoration priorities relative to a watershed scale completion threshold. Participant perception of riparian values and how they support salmon populations and watershed health will continue to be polled. Ecological indicators will be monitored at a site a by site and watershed scale. OVERVIEW The proposed project will undertake 6 priority restoration sites following standard bioengineering practices, will continue to poll local perception of fish and fish habitat values, and will track progress in habitat restoration and the associated human behaviour changes at a watershed scale. The significance of undertaking the 6 proposed sites is that they build upon the momentum gained over the past 17 years by involving community members, as well as by breaking the 60% mark on priority restoration sites completed, bringing the SRWR closer to the goal of watershed scale riparian habitat improvement. Within the SRWR watershed plan salmon and salmon habitat has been identified as key indicators of social, ecological and economic watershed health. With the completion of an estimated 60% of key sites, and the capacity to monitor conditions, the proposed project is more than another series of restoration sites; it is the opportunity to measure ecological and human behaviour change over 20 years as we approach a completion threshold. There have been 17 consecutive years of restoration effort with many funding partners, The original riparian recovery goal (CCME, 1995) (one of 14 sustainability goals) is based on objectives that return natural river process and function to the Salmon River watershed including large scale, long term streambank restructuring and riparian restoration activity at sufficient scale to enable improved riparian, and fish habitat Monitoring and outreach have been part of the annual workplan since 1993. As of 2009 over 300 restoration sites had been undertaken, representing approximately 58-59% of the original 1995 goal (see above statement of significance ). OBJECTIVES Objective #1 Completion of 6 high priority Coho habitat restoration sites
Restoration sites will be planned and undertaken using standard bioengineering techniques which have proven successful at previously restored Salmon River sites, supervised by an RPBio familiar with the treatment methods local site conditions, and participating landowners. The project report will be written using pretreatment and as-built summaries of site conditions, and will be included in an update of a GIS map showing progress toward watershed restoration goals. Reference will be made in the report to water quality, riparian vegetation and local perception results obtained during the 2009-2010 field season. The local perception poll will be undertaken using a standard interview format applied to specific and distinct groups within the watershed to help track perceived values amongst target groups within the watershed. These results will help determine the focus and target audience of marketing ideas to promote broad support for salmon and watershed health. Monitoring, outreach and improved water management continue to be important aspects of the project. The long term riparian restoration plan is to graduate from a process of relying on intensive streambank restructuring as the dominant methodology to less intensive maintenance strategies wherein extensive bank restructuring activity declines and methods such as fencing, planting, education, water management and social marketing remain to dominate annual workplanning. Over the past 17 years site by site restoration activities have been largely successful. The threshold for effective transition from intensive restoration to less intensive riparian restoration strategy will be identified by continuing to monitor some key indicators (measurements of human behaviour change, reduced sediment loading, improved riparian stability and improved instream habitat values) BENEFITS By improving natal stream habitats that are critical to species such as Coho, as well as by inspiring human behaviour change in relation to the importance of fish, fish habitat and what it represents watershed sustainability and to human health Engage First Nations, government agencies and community groups/NGOs Additional Splatzin and Okanagan Band sites are planned as part of the proposed project. Gov Agency involvement includes AAFC , MOE, DFO, MAL. MOF. Landowners and the agriculture industry such as BC Cattlemen’s, FRISP and EFP are involved Complement or implement local and / or regional plans (e.g., recovery plans, watershed plans) The watershed planning (CCME, 1995, WFSP 2002, and WRP 2005) comprise three levels of watershed scale planning that address salmon and salmon habitat issues at a watershed scale, and continue to guide annual work planning. Value-added aspects Local capacity building is evident from the awareness of BMPs, and acceptance of standard bioengineering methods, which is a change from practices of 20+ years ago. Mentoring and leadership has been ongoing in these areas by the SRWR and its many partners for nearly 20 years, and appears to have affected local attitude and understanding about the value of fish and fish habitat based on attitudes and practices. A broad range of partners have been engaged including citizens, students, First Nations , landowners , agricultural producers, industry, NGO and government Agencies in building project successes and momentum toward long term goals, as well as influencing policy makers decision through a series of demonstration projects (such as the WEBs demonstration project under Agriculture Canada which has been officially extended for another three years) .
|
EMAIL
PRINT
Be the first to leave a comment on this page!