Wildlife Enhancement on Hillsborough River
Project Summary:
Over the course of the summer months the Hillsborough River Association worked in cooperation with the Pisquid River Enhancement project to complete various projects on the tributaries of the Hillsborough River. In the spring, tributaries were surveyed for smelt populations and beaver activity. Significant populations of smelt were located on the Black Brook. However, large beaver impoundments were found to be impeding smelt passage on the Black Brook as well as Doyle’s Creek. Surveys found that smelt passage above the Donagh Road and Bethel Roads on the Johnston’s River and Fullerton’s Creek was being blocked as well as on Tannery Creek in St. Andrew’s. An effort to remove the beavers and restore fish passage will be made in the coming years.
As per Guignion recommendations on Atlantic Salmon management, significant stream enhancement work was completed at Clark’s Creek. This included the removal of alders and obstructions from approximately 5km of stream. The construction of several hundred meters of brushmats, the placement of six rock weirs, patch cuts, and enrichment planting of native trees in riparian zones.
The annual edition of the ‘Hillsborough Tidings’ was released in March, 2018 and work is underway on a new issue to inform community members of the work completed and thank our project partners including the Wildlife Conservation Fund. Our work also involved several successful community events which included a canoe and kayak event, multiple hiking/snowshoe events with discussion of riparian zone conservation, and a youth/seniors fishing derby at Andrew’s Pond. Beside safety instruction, training sessions were also held for all employees hired this summer covering the topics of forest riparian zone enhancement and wetlands conservation and management to promote best practices in day to day work and to mentor potential candidates for college and university courses respecting stream and wildlife conservation.