In 2003, CQWF adopted the West River Watershed, taking on the stream enhancement work of the smaller West River Environmental Committee and expanding it into a larger scale watershed management project. Building on restoration projects in Crosby Pond (Bonshaw) and Carragher’s Pond (Emyvale), CQWF initiated a public consultation process in 2005 to create a watershed management plan for the upper watershed. A steering committee composed of local residents, biologists and members of the aquaculture and agriculture industries sought professional and local landowner input in a planning process that lasted well over a year. The result was the 2008 West River Watershed Management Plan. Click here to read the plan (3.96 MB, pdf format).
Vision of the Management Plan: The West River watershed can support healthy ecosystems and meet the needs of the community for today and tomorrow, while the residents of the watershed can have fun, living and working responsibly.
Goals of the Plan: Improve and protect water quality; enhance and protect fish and wildlife habitat; support sustainable development; support active living and recreational opportunities; encourage sustainable living; protect water quantity; identify and protect ecologically sensitive areas.
The Plan in Action: In 2010, CQWF began strategic work to restore the stream environment of the West River. This is an ambitious project, estimated to be a 20 to 30 year endeavor. Since the 2008 management plan was produced, CQWF has expanded the area of management to include the entire West River watershed, except for Hyde Creek in Cornwall. Sub-watersheds that enter into the estuary, like the Clyde River, are now part of the project area, as well as Rocky Point and the Argyle Shore. In the coming year, our management plan will be revised to incorporate these areas.
For the past two years, CQWF has focused on restoration of the stream and riparian margin (stream bank) environments. Our strategy is to relieve the stream from its heavy burden of silt, then work to add more complexity and diversity to the stream and riparian habitats. We start from the headwaters and are working our way downstream. Why? Because soils eroded from the surrounding land flow downstream and we need to begin by controlling that erosion from the top of the watershed down.
So, how do we make it work? Find out more on our “Say What?!” page…
Also, check out other Management Plans CQWF has in order to manage specific aspects:
Central Queens Branch of the PEI Wildlife Federation 