Submitted by Ducks Unlimited – December 02
Outdoor trail cameras near the new wetland habitat on the grounds of the Lennox Generating Station have been busy capturing birds, a coyote and other wildlife—including a great blue heron with a knack for handsome “selfies” by the water.
The small wetland (0.7 acres or 0.3 hectares) is located near Napanee north of Lake Ontario, a priority region for wildlife conservation. It is adjacent to newly planted trees and nearly six acres (2.4 hectares) of new grassland habitat.
The design of the wetland harnesses natural processes and vegetation to create robust habitat that will shelter wildlife and withstand harsh environmental conditions. Birds and other wildlife are attracted by the varying water depths and adjacent mounded terrain that provides shelter. Other features help keep the habitat resilient, such as a silt trap to stop sediment in surface runoff from entering the wetland and a spillway overflow for high water.
Habitat restoration brings immediate ecological benefits
The project was led by Michael Williams, Ontario head of consulting for Conservation Solutions, a service from Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) that provides science-based restoration to offset loss of wetland, aquatic and upland habitats, and involved teamwork with TC Energy, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority.
OPG, the owner and operator of the Lennox Generating Station, is collaborating with TC Energy to expand its existing wetland habitat. The wetland and native tree plantings were financed by TC Energy and OPG funded additional grassland habitat at the site.
Healthy landscapes with wetlands and forests support waterfowl and other birds. But these habitats do even more work on the landscape, supporting clean water, reducing the impacts of flooding and helping to sequester carbon. Investment in wetlands as part of Ontario’s natural infrastructure is an investment in the future.