WETLAND RESTORATION IN CANADA'S PRAIRIE ECOZONE
 
 

Goals and Objectives

  • Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC’s) vision for the prairie ecozone is a mosaic of natural, restored and managed landscapes capable of perpetually sustaining populations of waterfowl and other wildlife.
  • DUC’s habitat goals are as follows:
    • Goal 1: No loss of wetlands.
    • Goal 2: Restore wetlands in areas with cover suitable for nesting waterfowl.
    • Goal 3: No loss of native or naturalized cover.
    • Goal 4: Restore perennial upland cover, and cover that functions as perennial cover for nesting waterfowl.
  • DUC developed a 5-Year Business Plan (Fiscal Years 2006-2011) for the prairie ecozone complete with habitat objectives. These objectives are unique in that they based on outputs from the Waterfowl Productivity Model and Pintail Productivity Model, an approach that has allowed a linkage between habitat objectives and waterfowl population objectives to be made. Results are expressed as a waterfowl productivity deficit, which habitat programs in combination with policy or other environmental changes will incrementally reduce. Of special influence on waterfowl productivity within the models are changes in wetland loss rates: the only means to direct a positive rate change is through wetland restoration.
  • Specific wetland restoration objectives within the 5-Year Business Plan call for approximately 3,000 wetland basins across the prairie ecozone at an estimated cost of $5M CDN. In the current fiscal year (March 2007 – April 2008), an estimated 600 wetlands (900 acres) are targeted for restoration at an estimated cost of $1.28M CDN. Grant funds resulting from this proposal would permit additional wetland restorations to occur otherwise consistent with DUC’s Business Plan (i.e. incremental to these estimated totals).

Activities

  • DUC defines wetland restoration as actions that return or approximate the return of the previous, naturally occurring hydrological regime and ecological and function to a drained or otherwise altered basin. Wetland restorations will only occur on protected lands, which range from long-term, highly secure lands (e.g., purchase, conservation easement) through medium-term, moderately secure lands (conservation agreements, management agreements, or leases, all minimum 10 year terms). Wetlands targeted are small/very small basins of the type and character described as most frequently lost (average 0.35 acres, range 0.02 to 7.4 acres). Wetland restorations may include degraded, partially drained wetland basins. Project locations would be primarily occur but not limited to target and priority areas where long-term, high densities of breeding waterfowl occur. Physical restoration normally involves minor earthworks aided by contractor-operated heavy equipment to “plug” a drainage ditch or channel and re-contour the outlet to its assumed original state. Revegetation of restored wetlands normally occurs rapidly and without aid upon return to hydric conditions.
  • Direct restoration activities are enhanced by other programs conducted by DUC and its PHJV/NAWMP partners, namely extension and communication efforts that raise the profile and importance of wetlands. DUC and PHJV/NAWMP partners are also actively engaged in promoting and informing public policies and legislation that leads to wetlands and native habitat protection (e.g., wetland policies, environmental goods and services).

Specific Habitat Products/Results to be Supported by WHC’s Contributions
An estimated 70 wetland basins (105 acres) would be restored. Individual wetlands or “ponds” would average 1.5 acres, ranging between 0.02 acres to 5 acres in size. Most basins would be restored to seasonal or semi-permanent types (Class III – IV, Stewart & Kantrud classification system). Typical ¼-sections include 10-15 restorable basins, suggesting 5 to 7 land parcels being positively affected. Lands would include a mix of private and permanently secured parcels, and would be located in the province of Alberta.

Benefits to Wildlife
Expected benefits can be framed at project and landscapes scales, and in general terms.

  • At a project scale, measurable benefits, as additional breeding duck pairs, accrue with each restored basin. Additional, more difficult-to-measure benefits for breeding waterfowl occur with multiple wetland restorations through enhanced hen and duckling survival. Similar benefits are provided to a broad range of wetland-dependent species whose presence/absence corresponds to project-scale restoration. Comparative response by avian and amphibian communities to restored small wetlands versus natural (control) wetlands indicated a rapid response (2-5 years) by avian communities and a similar but slower response by amphibians.
  • Landscape-scale benefits could be estimated for a single program (e.g., wetlands restoration) or suite of programs or by applying the Waterfowl Productivity Model (available upon request).

Relevance to Habitat Planning, Decision Making and/or Management
While wetland restoration activities have been undertaken by DUC since its inception, the new challenge rests in the size, volume, and higher relative cost per unit of small wetlands requiring attention. Additional funds possible through this grant would aid this program adjustment and demonstrate support to Ducks Unlimited Canada and its PHJV/NAWMP partners to address this difficult and costly task. Successes and lessons gained from this experience will refine future wetland restoration approaches.

Project Location

  • The project will be undertaken in the Prairie Ecozone, in conjunction with the Hudson Bay water basin (Nelson Drainage Basin and Internal Drainages Systems).
  • Grant funds would be primarily confined but not limited to target and priority areas where long-term, high densities of breeding waterfowl occur.

Please click here to view the project location/map (pdf file).

Project Contact
For more information on this project, please contact Michael Barr, North American Waterfowl Management Plan Specialist, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Camrose, Alberta, or David Kay, Manager of Provincial Operations for Alberta, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Edmonton, Alberta.