HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2016-11-16, Page 9Wednesday, November 16, 2016 • Huron Expositor 9
Wetlands Program helps shrinking number of wetlands
Jefferson House
In 2008, with the help of
collaborative associations
and landowners, the Healthy
Headwaters Wetlands Initia-
tive started. Since then, local
landowners have completed
more than 60 wetland pro-
jects through the program.
In addition to the wet-
lands, local landowners have
also planted more than
255,000 trees, shrubs and
plants into wet areas and
watercourse buffers.
The program includes site
visits of possible wetland
sites, surveys on the ground
to see if it would be possible
for a wetland to be created
there, and excavations of
small ponds to preserve the
wild.
Wetlands in the watersheds
have been shrinking because
of natural causes. However,
development and destruction
of the environment has
increased the rate at which
they are disappearing. At one
time, wetlands made up 20%
of the watershed. Now, they
are at 2%.
The best way to prevent and
treat this problem is to continue
to protect current wetlands.
At one time,
wetlands made up
20% of the
watershed. Now,
they are at 2%."
Also, wetland restoration pro-
grams are attempting to reverse
the effects development has
had on the wetlands.
To make sure the location is
able to house a wetland, certain
steps need to be taken. First, a
site visit to see where the water
will travel is first. Next, design-
ing and hiring are done. In
order for wildlife to get in and
out, shallow edges and deep
pockets are made. Shrubs and
an assortment of plants are
placed in order to attract wild-
life back into the wetland.
Angela VanNiekerk, Wetland
Specialist with the ABCA, said
that the program is "very thank-
ful
hankful for the funding partners over
the past nine years. We get pic-
tures of keen landowners of the
wetlands and how the wildlife
has adapted to it:'
Mari Veliz, Healthy Watersheds Supervisor at Ausable Bayfield Conservation, is shown at a local wetland during a bus tour to showcase
some of the projects that local participating landowners are doing on their properties through the Healthy Wetlands Initiative.
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