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Location: Thompson, Bonaparte River Watershed Project Summary
SUMMARY Eight priority salmonid habitat restoration sites will be undertaken from a list of critically eroding Coho habitat locations especially where groundwater influx and fish utilization are known to occur. Site selections will also be based on landowner education opportunities, cooperation, funding and materials supply, opportunity to build new partnerships and This builds upon information collected under the previous restoration and planning activities by broadening a site by site perspective to watershed scale sustainability objectives. OVERVIEW The proposed project will undertake 8 priority restoration site following standard bioengineering practices, will continue to build rapport with local landowners, and will demonstrate the value of the recently completed watershed planning process as a tool to address fish and fish habitat values and promote human behaviour change. The significance of undertaking these 8 restoration sites is that they build local momentum and support for improved riparian management practices and provide the opportunity to educate through demonstrate projects. Within the BWSS watershed sustainability plan salmon and salmon habitat have been identified as key indicators of watershed health and the completion of over 70 demonstration sites to date within the watershed helped local participants move forward to develop a watershed perspective. Partnerships and local participation is developing, gaining momentum toward watershed scale linkages in perception and action. There have been 9 consecutive years of restoration effort with various agency, NGO, industry and funding partners, There are increasing numbers of landowners coming forward willing to undertake projects that improve riparian management. These are examples of behaviour change in-the-making, similar to a trend that gathered momentum through a policy to “lead by example” that was followed on the Salmon River a decade before. The BWSS has made incremental progress for nearly a decade with strong internal leadership and community based support, and in addition is now benefiting as a sister watershed to the Salmon River Roundtable with the transfer of SRWR expertise to local hands.
OBJECTIVES Objective #1 Completion of 8 high priority Salmonid habitat restoration sites
Restoration sites will be planned and undertaken using standard bioengineering techniques which have proven successful at previously restored Bonaparte 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. A process of monitoring local perception and behaviour change regarding of the value of fish, fish habitat and watershed sustainability will be initiated using a questionnaire to help track changes in perceived values amongst target groups within the watershed. Monitoring, outreach and improved water management continue to be important aspects of the watershed project. Over the past 9 years site by site restoration activities have been largely successful. 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, following the process ongoing in the Salmon River Watershed. BENEFITS By improving natal stream habitats that are critical to species such as coho and other salmonids , as well as by inspiring human behaviour change in relation to the importance of fish, fish habitat and what it represents watershed sustainability and human health Engage First Nations, government agencies and community groups/NGOs Additional Bonaparte Indian Band sites are planned as part of the proposed project. Gov Agency involvement includes MOE, DFO, MAL. Landowners and agriculture industry such as BC Cattlemen’s are also involved Complement or implement local and / or regional plans (e.g., recovery plans, watershed plans) The watershed planning process undertaken by the BSWSS (WFSP, 2007-2009) address salmon and salmon habitat issues at a watershed scale in annual work planning
Local capacity and understanding of riparian and fish/fish habitat values is being improved as the number of demonstration sites and landowners involved increases. Mentoring and leadership are products of the efforts to communicate and explain the value of good riparian management 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 to date.
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