Neil’s Flats is the site of our most ambitious restoration project yet, comprising more than 50 ha of floodplain nestled just outside the heart of Fredericton. Despite the uncertainties of the pandemic, The NWAI has planted over 1500 red-tipped willows, red-osier dogwood and balsam poplar, and 800 silver maples. This could not have been achieved without the support of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, WWF – Canada, and our partnership with ACAP Saint John.

Neil’s Flats is located within a provincially significant wetland and comprises 50.7 ha of floodplain area owned by The City of Fredericton. Approximately 70 % of this property is abandoned agricultural fields, with the remainder comprising fragmented silver maple floodplain forest. By restoring healthy floodplain forest community on Neil’s Flats we can achieve the objectives of mitigating and preventing riverbank erosion, flood mitigation and restoring floodplain forest structure and species composition. Silver maple floodplain forests are adept at absorbing large amounts of water and have the capacity to slow flooding and reduce flood levels. Furthermore, reforesting floodplains will help to moderate the temperature of the Nashwaak River by providing shade to the river, making it more resilient to our warming climate. The NWAI has committed to restoring this important forest community along the Nashwaak River, for the benefit of wildlife and local communities within the watershed.

The Campbell Creek Restoration Project is a 4-year partnership between NGOs, Wolastoqey (Maliseet) communities/ organizations, and the City of Fredericton. A major component of the ecosystem restoration is the removal of the derelict, 100-year old Campbell Creek Dam (or Millbrook Dam). The dam has never provided fish passage and does not meet the Canadian Dam Association Guidelines in terms of public safety, spillway capacity, or stability. It is preventing access to important spawning, feeding, and cold-water habitat for species-at-risk including the Atlantic salmon and the American eel. Restoring connection not only benefits aquatic species but also reunites Wolastoqwiyik with an important region in their traditional territory and local residents to an iconic and productive tributary.

The project is funded by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation. This webinar will feature ~30 mins of presentations that will cover the following topics:

• Wolsatoqey history of the area
• the history of and information on the dam
• environmental concerns including water quality and fish passage
• safety concerns
• engineering design for the headpond drawdown
• the restoration schedule.

A Q&A session with panelists will follow.

Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RjZgHvNNS02RZm304IP_Rw

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

CBC NB coverage of this project: Here

Marie-Eve and Yves are protecting the Penniac riverbank for the betterment of our watershed and community. In May and June with considerable help from the landowners 150 silver maple and 100 balsam poplar trees were planted by Chris Smissaert and his team. 160 shrubs were planted; of which 100 were red-osier dogwood and  the remainder were red-tipped willows.

A healthy stream bank, or riparian zone, provides better fish habitat, cleaner surface water, and valuable habitat for birds and other animals. With good vegetative cover the Penniac river is less vulnerable to environmental changes.

Natural Edge brochure

Landowners step up to plant trees on watershed

May 5, 2020
By John Chilibeck, The Daily Gleaner

The people who run the Nashwaak Watershed Association were worried the pandemic might fell their tree-planting program this year, but instead they’ve seen it blossom.