Hunter-Clyde Watershed Group

Our community group has been formed to preserve and restore the health of the river so that it can continue to enhance and support the communities and the current farming and fishing industries.

Our aim is to support efforts to address ecological issues in the Hunter or Clyde River Watershed in North Central Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Please join our group, we welcome help, ideas and support from interested individuals.
The Group is in its eighth year of operation.

The Hunter-Clyde Watershed Group (HCWG) is a community run group that is focused on the well-being of the Hunter or Clyde River in the New Glasgow, Rustico and Hunter River area. Our goals are to improve the health of the watershed’s ecosystem, encourage community involvement and support the local economy. Our group started in 2000. Currently we raise funds through local memberships and from provincial and federal funding programs.

Students and volunteers perform fieldwork during the summer months. The work consists of tree planting, building brush mats, clearing debris, water testing and remedial work on culverts. Other projects are based on a site assessment such as rock pools for fishways and spawning sites.

Educational work includes producing newsletters, presentations to other community groups, sitting on various committees and holding meetings in the community.

If you would like to get involved, contact someone on our who's who page.

Click here to see the progress of the Summer 2008 work-crew.

Announcments

Fish Hatchery Objective

During the creation of our 2008 Stewardship Plan, many community members voiced their concerns over the dwindling fish stocks of our waterways. It was then brought to our attention by Jim Newson that there was an abandoned fish hatchery within our watershed boundaries, and the more we researched it the more we wanted to repair this hatchery and bring it back into operational status.

Unfortunately, after much research and after speaking with several Government officials, it has been decided that we cannot at this time take this on as a viable project for the watershed. The main reason for this is economical as the cost of running a fish hatchery is just too far beyond our current capabilities.

At this time we would like to thank Jim Newson, Donald Doiron , and all other community members that have offered their help and resources for this project. We will definitely be keeping this idea on the back burner though in case an opportunity arises in the future!

Riparian Zone Health Assessment

On August 21st, 2008 several of our members will be taking part in a riparian zone health assessment training sessions with Rebecca Peterson.

The PEI Soil and Crop Improvement Association are offering Riparian Health Assessment training to watershed groups in the province. Funding for the project has been provided by the Canada / Prince Edward Island National Water Program. Two staff people are now available to give hands-on training in the assessment process to our group. Watershed staff and volunteers will learn how to conduct riparian health assessments using the latest technology in GPS equipment. The assessments can be used as a tool to assist the groups in developing five-year management plans by flagging areas that may require enhancement work and help prioritize sites and resources for future.

This is a great opportunity for our group to learn new skills and to get an idea for areas that needs restoration work done to them over the coming years. At this time we woudl like to invite any individuals within the watershed who might be interested in this training sessions to contact us for further information, as there are still spaces available for you to come out and learn!

Campbells Pond Data Collection

On July 25th, 2008 the Summer Crew kayaked the entire area of Campbell's pond and the surrounding streams to collect data on the water quality parameters feeding into the pond itself. This was a great success as we were able to obtain much data and also have some fun out on the water! The information collected is currently being processed and put into GIS maps for easy viewing, so come back soon for an update!

Stop Canadian lakes from becoming toxic mine dumps

In the rush for profits, living lakes are being converted into mining dumps. Read about it here and, if you think this is undermines the hard work of watershed groups across the country, e-mail the ministers responsible.

Nitrate clinic was a success

On Saturday 21st June, at the New Glasgow Christian Church, we hosted a Nitrate Clinic with the Provincial Department of Environment and the Wheatley River Improvement Group. 86 tests were done, with a few needing re-tests because of the high nitrate level. We shall have detailed results available soon.

Warm weather greets our tree planting & barbecue

On Saturday June 7th, the Blue Heron Sea Cadets planted 250 trees next to the river in New Glasgow and Hunter River. Each year, the Cadets come out and join community members in a great effort to get the summer watershed restoration program underway. Wayne Easter came along to talk with the cadets and the volunteers, who planted a mix of acadian species on the sloping west bank of the river.

First Stewardship Plan published
During the winter months, Michael Willcock undertook community consultations and produced a first Stewardship Plan for the watershed. This is a document which we will be building on over the coming years. The document can be viewed here. It is a large document and will take a minute to open with a high-speed connection, don't try it with dial up!

Trees In Trust
This new PEI environmental organisation has been set up to raise funds for charitable land trusts, including the Island Nature Trust, so that they can save old growth forest. By making a donation, you can secure a mapped piece of forest forever. It makes a great gift. http://www.treesintrust.com/

Need any trees planting or your brook clearing?
We are looking for places to work next summer. Let us know if you would like some trees planting or if you have a length of brook on which we could work.

Community Councils come on-board
At our AGM in 2007 we elected the members of the community councils of Hunter River, New Glasgow and North Rustico as Directors-at-Large of our group, which is a great step forward. A proposal that we meet jointly with them has been passed by all three councils. We can now involve a broader cross-section of the community which will be to the mutual benefit of all.

Interested in our Forests?
A New Forest Policy for PEI - Provincial Consultations. Read Gary Schneider's viewpoint.

Minutes
The minutes of previous meetings are available here.

Membership
Membership of the group is $10 per year for an individual and $25 for a family.Corporate and municipal membership is $100 per year. The names of corporate members will be noted on this website. Simply turn up at the next meeting or mail in your name, address and membership fee to the Treasurer.

Contacting us
For further information, please see our who's who page.

The Hunter-Clyde area
See some pictures and find out about the history and see a map of the watershed area.

Useful Links
We have put together a page of links to relevant PEI and Canadian government sites, other watershed groups and other relevant information.

The Hunter-Clyde Watershed Group and all people who live in, work in, or visit the area would like to thank our corporate sponsors for their generous support:

Blue Bay Farms Ltd
RBC Royal Bank
Chez Yvonne's Restaurant
St. Lawrence Motel
Cavendish Tourist Mart
Anne's Windy Poplars Cottages
North Rustico Home Centre
Rustico Auto Service
PEI Preserve Co Ltd
New Glasgow Lobster Suppers
Gerard Blanchard General Trucking
Rosewood Residence
Community of Hunter River
Atlantic Agritech Inc
Stella Maris Credit Union
Abelaine Farms Inc
New Glasgow Inn

We also thank the many individual and family members for their continued support.

The bylaws of the Hunter-Clyde Watershed group can be found here.

Meetings of the group follow the Democratic Rules of Order, which can be found here.

This website is managed using http://www.editme.com/. It's the perfect way to host a community website.

Last Modified 8/13/08 12:55 PM