St. Clair Region Conservation Authority was recently awarded funding from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks through the Wetlands Conservation Partner Program (WCPP) to help enhance and restore wetlands in the St. Clair Region.
With this funding, St. Clair Conservation staff will undertake the controlling and removal (where possible) of the invasive Phragmites australis reed that is growing in the wetlands at Wawanosh Wetlands Conservation Area in Sarnia and at the Marthaville Habitat Management Area near Petrolia.
Phragmites, as the invasive reed is commonly called, spreads by seed and rhizome and outcompetes native wetland vegetation.
The monoculture stands in semi-wet and wet environments eliminate habitat for native reptiles, reduce food sources for migrating waterfowl and other local aquatic organisms, and impede the views for nature enthusiasts who hike the trails at Wawanosh Wetlands Conservation Area in hopes of spotting wildlife or enjoying the trail views.
“Wetlands are havens for biodiversity and play a critical role in carbon storage,” said Andrea Khanjin, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, in a media release.
“Our government is proud to partner with conservation leaders like the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority to invest in their efforts for wetland conservation and support a healthy and prosperous Ontario.”
Jason Cole, the General Manager of Infrastructure and Development Services for the County of Lambton is happy to hear that efforts are being supported by WCPP to remove Phragmites from various locations in the County.
“Tackling this invasive species at Wawanosh Wetlands Conservation Area and Marthaville Habitat Management Area will greatly improve the value of these spaces as natural heritage preserves,” he said, in a media release.
“These projects will build on other Phragmites control programs in the area to help eliminate future vectors for reintroduction to already cleared lands.”
Funding from the Wetlands Conservation Partner Program will also support the St. Clair Conservation Healthy Watersheds Program that encourages and assists rural landowners within the region to implement wetland and upland habitat enhancement and restoration.
This year, funding will support at least 2.5 acres of wetland enhancement and restoration as well a minimum of 3 acres of upland habitat creation on private landowner property.
Jessica Van Zwol, Healthy Watershed Specialist with St. Clair Conservation shared, “these wetland and upland habitat projects will contribute to the overall water quality in the region, will help mitigate rural stormwater flow, and provide habitat to a variety of species.”
Wetlands, with surrounding upland habitat help rural communities build climate resiliency by reducing the velocity of overland runoff, which reduces the loss of sediment and nutrients, and by retaining stormwater on the landscape and slowly releasing water to nearby creeks and rivers and recharging groundwater supplies.
If you are interested in restoring wetland or upland habitat on your rural property, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Jessica Van Zwol jvanzwol@scrca.on.ca (519-245-3710 x241) for more wetland project information or Jeff Sharp jsharp@scrca.on.ca (x217) for more tree planting information.
