Streambank Stabilization at Key Locations in the Salmon River Watershed

Several hundred  individual restoration sites been undertaken  since the SRWR began developing  its watershed restoration partnerships in 1993 . These sites have incrementally contributed to a process of watershed restoration and partnership building  that has, now involved over 2000 individuals including agencies, landowners, First Nations, industry, citizens and  NGOs.  Although far from complete, this collective effort towards watershed sustainability has demonstrated our collective capacity to change how we see and act regarding fish and fish habitat issues at a watershed level. Individual project actions fit within this context as  we approach a gaol of restoring all severely eroding sites and begin to see corresponding changes in behaviour that has resulted incrementally from these undertakings.

The specific objectives of the 2008 FSWP sponsored streambank restoration project was to undertake  some of the remaining high priority streambank and riparian area restoration site candidates at 7 farms in the Salmon River Watershed to improve fish habitat for coho and other salmonids, while working proactively with local community members to improve awareness and affect behaviour change in relation to how we perceive and interact with important fish and fish habitat values in our watershed. The project offers more than the opportunity to undertake restoration activity. It also engages the local community in demonstrating how streambank restoration and caring for salmon and salmon habitat also provides  other values  such as the protection of valuable farmland and  other riparian values such as  improved water quality and  allows the opportunity for demonstration of improved land use practices (beneficial management practices) as well as a venue for  developing education and awareness through co-operative action, and building awareness and commitment to a healthy Salmon River Watershed.  

The results of the 2008 restoration project are that more habitat has been removed from  the critically degraded list and a higher level of awareness, understanding and support amongst new partners has been generated.