Hunter-Clyde Watershed Group

The following is a report on the work that the Hunter – Clyde Watershed Group’s summer crew completed in the summer of 2006. The crew consisted of one supervisor, Sarah Mattinson, for a period of ten weeks, and two crew members, Tom Bulger and Chris Eison, both for a period of 8 weeks. We also had an “Environmental Futures” crew, under the supervision of Otis MacInnis working with us for 10 days.  We also worked with the crew from Trout River supervised by Rob Sharkie for two days, and a crew from Wheatley River for one day.

The crew accomplished many things over the summer. We mainly focused on tree planting, and stream work.

Early in the season we planted trees and spent the rest of the summer doing stream work in various areas around the watershed.

Tree Planting

Our tree planting took place early in the summer and was done around the stream to enhance the riparian zone. This is an important part of the stream improvements to our watershed. We planted different types of trees including pine, spruce, birch, elm, and cedar.

The Watershed also had a work day on June third. The work day was a great success and 200 trees were planted during the work-day. There were around 25 workers, mostly from the Blue Heron Sea Cadets from North Rustico. Wayne Easter and Carolyn Bertram attended as did a photographer from the Guardian newspaper. Garbage cleanup was also done to improve the stream area. 

The tree planting was located on the Ellis property, where we spent approximately four days planting. We planted 400 trees with the ‘Environmental Futures’ group during this time. The trees were at a good size and it was a good time to plant. I’m confident that a majority of our trees will make it.

Stream Work

We spent a majority of the summer doing stream work. Our stream work consisted of cleaning falling and dead trees out of the stream, and making brush mats where necessary. The stream work was mostly focused on one site, Paul Knox’s property, for a majority of the summer. We worked about two kilometres to the left of the bridge. We also took out approximately 5 abandoned beaver dams from that part of the stream. We had help from Rob Sharkie and crew from the Trout River Watershed with a chainsaw for one day to help clear up stream. This was a big help since there was a lot of clearing to be done and some big trees that had fallen down and needed to be taken out. We made approx 20 brush mats in this part of the stream.

We also spent a couple days doing stream work on the Ellis property where we worked to the right of the bridge and made two brush mats.

We have started stream work on the Bernard property off of the route 2. They had requested work to be done on the property, so we spent a few days there. We cleared left of the old bridge within eyesight, making a brush mat there as well. To the right of the old bridge, was a beaver dam that had to be removed, we cleared, and we also made a brush mat. There was a lot of debris in this area.

Shawn Hill took the crew out on an afternoon to clear out a blockage from the estuary below Moffats Brook. A tree had been blocking the channel, so we went out with the canoes and Shawn helped us with a chain saw, to move the blockage. 

A fish passage was also restored at a stream crossing on the Route 2 in the construction zone. The fish passage project was resolved by placing rocks below the culvert barrier thereby raising the water level enough to back water into the hung culvert.  Rocks were supplied by PEI Transportation and Public Works.

Miscellaneous

We also had a group from the Wildlife Conservation Fund arrive to look at the work we have been doing this year. They provide the funding for one of our workers. Andrew and I showed them a sampling of the work we did on the Knox property and also the tree planting area on the Ellis property.

It is also interesting to note that while doing stream work on the Knox’s property, a great horned owl was spotted not far from the bridge one morning on our way to work. This shows our great and important the green cover is to this area its wild life.

Also, we have been keeping the Hunter – Clyde Watershed group website updated with weekly reports of what the crew has been doing once a week.

Accomplishments for the 2006 field season

- Planted approximately 600 trees on the Ellis property
- Cleared and brush matted approximately 2 km of stream
- Removed 5 abandoned beaver dams to help stream flow and fish passage
- Cleared blockage in estuary
- Developed newsletter for the watershed area
- Restored fish passage on the Route 2 construction zone.

Recommendations

A few recommendations for the seasons and crews to come:
- More work to be done on the Bernard property. Much clearing and brush mats   are needed.
- A full time crew member who is also a chainsaw operator would be a big help
- More tree planting should be done in different areas around the water shed
- Live beaver dams should be found so that the beavers can be removed as not to build any more dams to block flow.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank all the organizations and people that have supported this project. Thank you to Andrew Lush and the Hunter – Clyde Watershed board for all their time and effort. Thanks to Shawn Hill for all his help and guidance. This group could not function without the help and support from all people involved. Thanks to all who help support this important community and environmental cause.

WeeklyReports: