Ducks Unlimited Canada - Red Deer River Watershed Alliance

Ducks Unlimited Canada
Conserving Wetlands that Work for Your Watershed
Milana Simikian & Darwin Chambers
Our mandate…
…conserve and restore Alberta’s wetlands
Our Work
Conservation
Research
Education
Policy
Our Continental Target Areas
DUCKS UNLIMITED LANDSCAPE PRIORITY AREAS
Level 1 Breeding Landscapes
Level 1 Non-breeding Landscapes
Level 2 Landscapes
Level 3 Landscapes
Our Reach in Canada
Alberta NAWMP/DUC Priority Areas
2.3 MILLION – acres secured
1,918 projects completed
Our Alberta Team
934
4,265
23,217
60
Volunteers
Landowner Partners
Supporters
Staff
Our Work in the Watershed
DUC in Red Deer River Watershed
187,537
$51,423,378
447
2,410
Acres of Secured Habitat
Invested in Projects
Habitat Projects
DUC Supporters
As of March 31, 2014
Our Core Business
Conservation programs for:
1. Wetland Restoration
2. Wetland Protection
3. Retention of native
associated uplands
Ask us about our Conservation Programs!
Forage Incentive Program
Wetland Restoration Lease
Revolving Land Purchase
What it takes to restore Alberta’s wetlands
Identify
Restoration
Opportunities
Undertake
Restoration
Monitoring and
Maintenance
• Identify areas with restoration potential
• Undertake rapid assessment
• Target individual quarters and landowners
• Engage landowner and gauge potential interest
• Schedule field visit and obtain agreement in principle
• Prepare and design restoration project
• Submit project proposal for approval from Alberta ESRD
• Acquire approvals from any other relevant parties (i.e. oil &
gas)
• Complete Real Time Kinematic survey
• Sign final agreements with landowner & undertake field
construction
• Undertake construction inspection and issue as- built plans
• Prepare report on location and total acres of restoration
• Continue long term monitoring, maintenance & repair (habitat
asset management)
• Maintain land owner relations & engagement
Boots on the Ground: Restoration Work
Step 1 - Locate former basin margin
Step 2 - Locate drainage
Step 3 - Restore natural hydrology
Restored wetland
Vincent Project
Vincent Project:
Site Plan
Vincent Post- Restoration
Habitat Asset Management
We NEED healthy wetlands
Here’s Why….
Wetlands enhance communities & lifestyles
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Filter pollutants from water entering into streams, lakes & rivers
Help protect our drinking water and improve air quality
Recharge groundwater & support watershed health
Offer environments for recreation & education activities
Provide critical habitat for wildlife & support biodiversity
Wetlands strengthen local economies
• Provide forage for livestock producers
• Offer clean and secure water sources for livestock
• Boost recreational spending in hunting, fishing and
birdwatching
• Attract residential developers & buyers
Wetlands reduce government expenditure
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Mitigate flood & drought impacts
Provide natural water storage solutions
Reduce downstream water treatment costs
Support source water protection plans
What happens when we lose our wetlands?
current drainage area boundary
Drained wetland
wetlands
New effective
drainage area
boundary
stream
Wetland loss converts areas
that were acting as
phosphorus sinks to critical
source areas for phosphorus
export
Algae Bloom
Smith Creek Research Basin
Change Detection (1958 – 2009)
Agricultural Drain
Wetland Impact
Intact
Restored
Partially Drained
Effectively Drained
Intact wetlands
New effective
drainage area as a
result of wetland
drainage
Historical effective
drainage area
Drained wetlands
Wetland drainage
removes natural water
storage & increases the
speed and volume of
runoff pouring into
streams and rivers.
Wetland Loss in Alberta
65% of Alberta’s wetlands have been lost in the settled area
Loss continues at 0.5% annually
Wetland loss =greater flood impacts = infrastructure
damage = $$$
Wetland loss means:
Loss in water and air quality
Loss in biodiversity
Loss in recreation
Loss in many other ecosystem benefits
Working with Provincial & Municipal Governments
Wetland Protection & Mitigation is Governed by
the Government of Alberta
Wetland Mitigation Hierarchy
AVOID
MINIMIZE
REPLACE
Wetland Mitigation in Alberta
4424 acres
mitigated between
2005-2014
3 acres of wetland
are restored for each
acre lost
DUC is the primary
Wetland Restoration
Agent in Alberta that
undertakes wetland
mitigation work.
Watershed Resiliency & Wetland Restoration
Program – Flood Priority & NAWMP Target Areas
Watershed Resiliency & Wetland Restoration
Program – Drought Priority & NAWMP Target Areas
Our Education Programs: Project Webfoot in RDRW
5 classrooms in 2013-2014
150 Grade 5 Students
Our Interpretive Centres
Frank Lake
Bow Habitat Station
John E. Poole
TALK TO US!
• Visit our booth
• Visit our website – www.ducks.ca
• Call us: 1-866-479-3825