Upon our
establishment in the Bedwell Valley we quickly realized that there was a major
issue that needed some attention. The
number of salmon returns to the Bedwell valley was not only low but also
declining. Due to the fact that the
Bedwell River is classified as an indicator river (salmon counts contribute to
data which assists authorities to assess wild salmon counts along the coast of
BC) we were not permitted to alter the Bedwell River in any way, shape or
form. Therefore, in 2002/03 a plan was
constructed to enhance 7km of side channel salmon habitat.
We have 1.5km of salmon habitat completed. We are proud to say that we have seen salmon use this portion of the channel, in addition to an increase of predators such as bears and eagles which are all part of the ecological unit. We started working on the remainder of the 7km this past year; this connects a side channel of the Bedwell River, to a small lake which would then continue to flow into a new drainage channel. In October, we hosted a group of representatives from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans who all seemed very interested in assisting us to increase the quantity and quality of salmon habitat.
I will be sure to keep you updated on the development of our habitat restoration project.
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