Blog
Every summer, our staff sit down to write weekly updates about all things going on in the watershed. Find out what keeps us busy during field work months right here! Click the link below to view last years blog!
Counting Down The Days
This week our group was full of hands-on work and teamwork. To start off the week Nout, Ash, Kieran and Romy installed brush mats in Westmoreland on Monday. Tuesday was another productive day, with two more brush mats being installed in DeSable by Nout, Kieran, and Ash. These mats play a crucial role in stabilizing stream banks and protecting our waterways. Along with brush mats, we also spent some time delivering landowner permission forms throughout our area.
Wednesday was our busiest day this week. The whole crew came together in the DeSable Estuary to race the tide to install coir logs, which are used to help prevent erosion and support plant growth along the shoreline. It was hard work, but the team’s energy and dedication made it all come together smoothly.
Thursday saw Ryan, Ash, Nout and Nick back in the stream again, once again installing some brush mats. With everyone pitching in, we were able to make great progress.
To wrap up our week on Friday the crew gathered in the office to do some last minute preparations and planning for our Swim For the South Shore! It has been a busy but rewarding week, and we can’t wait to see the positive impact of all the work we’ve done.
If you haven’t registered yet do not fret! You can sign up for the swim anytime before 11:45am on Saturday (tomorrow). 12pm sharp is when the horn will go and the race will begin!
https://raceroster.com/events/2024/91974/swim-for-the-south-shore-2024
Read some books.
-Love SSWA
We Sure Are E-FISH-ent
The weather this week was perfect for everyone’s favorite activity… electrofishing! Electrofishing is a safe, humane way to assess the fish populations in our streams. This activity took the entire week and our team was able to complete the survey at nine different locations. Along with getting the fish population densities our crew was able to keep a lookout for invasive species and examine each fish for signs of injury or disease. It is extremely important that all of our gear got thoroughly sanitized between sites
We found both brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in all of this year’s locations. Although rainbow trout are not a native species to pei they are well established in the streams that we work in. The sizes of fish that were caught varied greatly, some were as small as 4 cm while others were larger than 20 cm.
It’s the final week before the Swim For The South Shore and we just want to remind everyone that registration is still open and will remain open until 15 minutes before the first swimmers enter the water on Aug 24 at 12 noon. We are SO excited and we hope to see you there!
https://raceroster.com/events/2024/91974/swim-for-the-south-shore-2024
Go kiss a fish,
-Love SSWA
Let’s Get Quackin’
The heat has broken and we are feeling grateful that it is comfortable outside once more. We spent the beginning of this week installing our new duck tubes. Built with a similar design to those recommended by Delta, these tubes of mesh and hay are placed in the middle of ponds to provide breeding and nesting habitat for waterfowl. We have installed them at three of our park locations so if you visit Westmoreland River Nature Park, Linden Hill Pond Park, or Webster’s Pond, you might see one of them!
We also put a brush mat in on the East Branch of the Westmoreland River. These are made out of spruce branches from fallen trees nearby and serve to catch sediment and support bends, or meanders, in the stream. We stake the branches in place and tie them down with biodegradable jute so that they will naturalize as soon as possible. These are a great way to naturally reduce sediment in the stream.
The middle of the week was spent doing all sorts of small tasks. We checked the amphibian boards, finding an American Toad, did some park maintenance, and planted milkweed plugs. We also took some drone footage of various locations in the Augustine Cove and Cape Traverse watersheds to better understand coastal erosion and stream blockages in these areas.
One of the big wins this week was helping a landowner with the removal of Japanese Knotweed. If you are unfamiliar with this plant, it is a very aggressive invasive species that is incredibly good at colonizing areas. It will outcompete native species and take over ecosystems. In order to ensure that the Knotweed will not return, we tarped the area and will leave the tarp in place for several years.
This week in the salt marsh, we conducted another terrestrial vegetation survey, noting plant abundance and species richness. We also excavated some plants to be studied by Fletcher at UPEI. They will measure the wet weight and then dry out the plants before weighing them again to get an understanding of the water concentration in the marsh grass as well as the plant biomass.
Through the busyness of this week, we are still preparing for this year’s Swim for the South Shore on August 24. If you haven’t yet registered, there really is no time like the present. Sign up with your kayak buddy at the link below! We can’t wait to see you there.
https://raceroster.com/events/2024/91974/swim-for-the-south-shore-2024
Love, SSWA
Luckily I Have Tree
Monday was spent planting trees at various locations in our different watersheds. We plant native species in areas that are suited to their characteristics as a way to increase the habitat and biodiversity present in our ecosystems. We also visited our parks to tidy up and address maintenance concerns that we don’t on our usual biweekly rounds. We invite you all to visit these parks–they are good places to fish or hang out–and remind you to leave no trace.
Tuesday and Thursday were both spent in the stream. We continued to work on the West Branch of the Westmoreland River, and are glad to be moving forward with the main body of our summer work.
However, Wednesday provided a change of pace; we headed out to help Kensington North Watersheds Association with a living shoreline project. To continue our groove from Monday, we spent the entire day planting trees and shrubs in an effort to stabilize the bank from the top. The other aspect of the project was to stake logs into the beach in order to collect sand and silt and elongate the slope of the bank so that plants may be able to establish. We were glad to be able to help out our fellow watershed association and learn a bit more about what goes into designing a living shoreline project.
Friday was spent doing park maintenance at Westmoreland River Nature Park, so check out some freshly mown paths if you are heading by. The rest of the crew spent the morning learning some new wetlands survey protocol from Shayla and the Trout River Environmental Committee. It should be a help with all of the salt marsh work that we have been doing this summer and we are grateful to them for taking the time to help us out!
This week brings us even closer to our annual Swim for the South Shore! You might start to see posters popping up around town. There is still time to register (link below) so tell your friends and loved ones; we would love to see you there!
https://raceroster.com/events/2024/91974/swim-for-the-south-shore-2024
Love, SSWA
Birds, Bats, and Boxes
We started the week off by identifying the macroinvertebrates that we had collected last week. There were mainly mayflies and caddisflies, which is typical of our streams, but other species were found as well. A larger variety of macroinvertebrates correlates with greater biodiversity in the stream and often indicates a healthy ecosystem. We will compare these findings with our electrofishing data in a couple of weeks to have a more complete picture of the fauna in our waterways.
On Tuesday we continued with stream restoration, working our way up the Westmoreland River system. Wednesday and Thursday brought more variety. We made more bird houses, bat boxes, and experimented with some new duck houses. Using a design from Delta, we used wire mesh and hay to create tubes for ducks to nest in. Our next task is to install these around the watershed in the coming weeks.
As Friday comes along we are getting ready for the Crapaud Exhibition, where we will have a booth to show what we do as a watershed and all the cool things we get to see. We also have a kids area with some fun activities. Hope to see you there!
And don’t forget to sign up for the Swim for the South Shore! We’d love to see you there on August 24. Sign up at the link below!
https://raceroster.com/events/2024/91974/swim-for-the-south-shore-2024
Love SSWA
Underwater Critters
Through this heat wave of a week we mostly did macroinvertebrate surveys around our watershed. When we do these surveys use a kick net. A kick net has a very thin mesh netting so the macroinvertebrates can’t escape. We stir up the ground so the invertebrates flow into the net and filter the water from the sediment. From there we simply transport the sediment with the macroinvertebrates into glass jars to then study them later. The reason we do this is because it tells us what kind of state our streams are in depending on what kind of invertebrates we find. Next week we hope to study the invertebrates and tell you guys how our streams are doing.
We had fun doing the surveys as we would get about 3 sites done in a day. We did these surveys from Monday to Wednesday and only get to do them once a year. Lucky for this week we had a volunteer to help us, he wanted to see what a watershed is about and how we operate. He got great experience working around our crew as we made sure we explained everything we were doing. We showed him how the fish ladder works and why we are doing it. He got to experience the macroinvertebrate surveys, and on Friday he went out with Nick and Ryan to do water quality.
For Thursday and Friday we checked the amphibian boards and uploaded some pictures to our SSWA group on the inaturalists app. We then planted some trees around our parks trying to beat the rain, and others went to go get supplies for duck nesting boxes. For the next day we did our usual park maintenance through the beaming heat. While some of us are maintaining the parks, Romy and Fletcher went to do terrestrial vegetation surveys. Their job was to assess what kind of plants are around the marsh to determine its biodiversity.
Our week might have ended there, but our registration for the swim just started, so we’d suggest you register as soon as possible so we can give you the best swim experience!
https://raceroster.com/events/2024/91974/swim-for-the-south-shore-2024
-Love SSWA
Estuary Paddle Excursion
Hello friends,
Starting off the week on Monday, we focused on stream restoration, getting our hands dirty to improve local waterways.Tuesday started with an eelgrass survey led by Fletcher in Westmoreland, followed by more stream restoration and an estuary vegetation survey in Tryon, a busy but rewarding day!
On Wednesday we continued with stream restoration and ongoing eelgrass and vegetation surveys, taking the canoe and paddle boards out on the water to gather more data on our local ecosystems. Despite the rain on Thursday, Nout and Keiran went out seeking landowner permissions for future restoration efforts while the rest of us handled various office tasks and analyzed trail cam footage.
Friday was more stream restoration work along with preparing for next week’s macro surveys and our regularly scheduled cleaning and maintenance.
On Saturday (July 13) SSWA will have a booth set up at the Summerside ice pond from 10am-5pm so if you are in the area stop by and say hello!
We are also VERY excited to announce that the registration for our 4th annual Swim for the South Shore is now open!! The swim will take place on August 24 12 noon in Victoria by the Sea. You can register online at https://raceroster.com/events/2024/91974/swim-for-the-south-shore-2024. We hope to see you there!
Wear your lifejackets!
-Love SSWA
Wedding Bells and Bug Spray
This week began with an exciting wedding celebration and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Matt as he enjoys some time off and returns next week as a married man. Nick held down the fort while Matt was away and the crew enjoyed some extra sleep on Canada day; they were ready to hit the streams on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Thursday the crew was back to the streams while Romy and Fletcher tested their paddling skills and completed vegetation surveys in the Westmoreland and Tryon estuaries. We are happy to report that Tryon is teeming with eelgrass!
Some of our pollinator gardens and the outdoor classroom in Crapaud needed extra attention this week in order to keep the weeds at bay. It was a good thing that it happened to be park maintenance week! Although we were down a few members on friday due to first-aid training, the remaining crew set out to get stuff done! Armed with a mower, a whipper snipper, gardening gloves and a healthy supply of bug spray the crew straightened up Noonan’s, Webster’s and Westmoreland nature park.
It was a pretty short and quiet week here at SSWA but big things are coming. Stay tuned next week for a very important announcement on our annual Swim for the South Shore event! We are SO excited to share the news with you!!
Make sure to double check your spelling!
– Love SSWA
Smiles and Rainshowers
This week was both busy and fulfilling as we embarked on various crucial activities to protect and restore our local water ecosystems. We started the week by enjoying the company of a friendly american toad at our fish ladder project and then set out for some vegetation surveys and salt marsh mapping in the beautiful Tryon estuary. Our team meticulously documented the diverse plant species and their distribution, which is vital for understanding the health and dynamics of these critical coastal habitats. These surveys help us track changes over time, helping us adapt our conservation strategies.
On Wednesday and Friday, we shifted our focus back onto stream restorations, and headed to sections of some local streams and gave Ryan the opportunity to showcase his newly learned chainsaw skills. We carefully cut trees that had fallen into the water and cleared debris to facilitate better fish passage. This approach ensures that natural habitats are preserved while enhancing the stream’s function. These hands-on projects are crucial for mitigating erosion, enhancing water quality, and providing safe fish passage, and each restored stream section is another step towards a healthier watershed. Not to mention it’s nice to cool down in the water on hot days!
Despite the busyness of the week we found the time to plant some trees and native shrubs. It may have been soggy work but it is a good thing our crew likes to play in the mud!
We also said goodbye to a majority of our tree swallow families this week. The chicks are all grown up and the time came for them to leave their nests. Although we will miss them dearly, we are so thankful we got to watch them grow and we hope that they will come back to us next year.
Go talk to some birds and dry your raincoat out.
-Love SSWA
Heating Up!
It’s the middle of June and the field season is now in full swing! Our newest member Ryan expanded his skillset and spent a majority of the week learning the ins and outs of operating a chainsaw while the remainder of the crew enjoyed the cool stream water during their restoration efforts. Our band new chainsaw was introduced to the streams on Monday and we couldn’t have been more excited.
While the crew was busy planting trees Matt and Nicole spent some time getting to know the lovely landowners around Westmoreland. This year SSWA is focusing our restoration efforts on the Westmoreland river system. We have been busy sending letters and knocking on doors; if you live in the area and haven’t heard from us yet please reach out, we would love to hear from you!
Thursday brought some record heat and water quality day. It’s a good thing our truck has air conditioning! We also took a quick peek at our resident tree swallows and we are happy to report that they are doing well. Friday our crew split into two groups, one half spent the day in the canoe surveying the Desable estuary and the other half tackled park maintenance.
Drink some water and don’t forget your sunscreen!
-Love SSWA
To The Streams!
This week kicked off our stream restoration efforts, with the bulk of our daily work being occupied in South Melville from Monday to Thursday. When stream restoration wasn’t our primary focus this was the week for odd jobs, such as checking the trail cams, tree swallow surveys (There are finally babies! Yay!), various maintenance, and of course our morning fish ladder project.
Stream restoration has been quite an effort to be starting back into as we find our groove again, but a change in our tactics has been interesting and a valuable learning experience. Due to last week’s course hosted by Jud Kratzer of Vermont Fish & Wildlife, our mission has been adjusted to allow for more fish cover to aid in a healthier and more sustainable stream habitat for the future.
All of us at SSWA were extremely excited to see the egg hatching within some of the tree swallow nests, with the introduction of new babies to the world. These featherless little dumplings will soon grow up and take their first flight, then hopefully make nests of their own.
Going strong!
-Love SSWA
Time To Learn
This week, we were all about the fish! On Monday, we got going with our project—a rubber-coated screen setup at the Lord’s Pond fish ladder. This helps us catch fish safely when they reach the top. We’re doing this every morning throughout June, maybe even into July. It’s crucial for us to see how many fish can make it up to the screen. That tells us how well the fish ladder is working and if we need to make any changes in the future.
Besides our fish checks, we spent Monday, Wednesday, and Friday checking on our bird boxes. Great news—they’re all doing egg-cellent!
On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, Matt went to a Wood and Fish Habitat course hosted by Jud Kratzer from Vermont Fish & Wildlife. Learning about optimizing our stream habitats will be super handy later in the season.
While Matt was at his course, Ryan, Keiran, and Ashton were busy with park maintenance, pulling out watercress and invasive bittersweet nightshade at Westmoreland River Nature Park. These invasive plants cause all sorts of problems for the fish and the environment. It wasn’t easy, but it was well worth it once we finished.
Thursday was all about checking on the amphibians populations in the area and dealing with more pesky invasive plants at Daryl Guignion Memorial Park in Crapaud. To cap off the week, Friday brought with it two cool experiences. One with Matt Ginn from Forest, Fish & Wildlife who took Matt, Mel, and Keiran bank swallow banding in the morning. In the afternoon, retired wildlife biologist Rosemary Curley took us all on a mushroom walk to gather data as citizen scientists.
Get out and watch some birds!
-Love SSWA
Good To See Ya!
This week, our focus was heavily based on the vital avian community within our watersheds.Monday, Wednesday, and Friday were dedicated to tree swallow surveys. We checked our bird boxes, ensuring the tree swallows were settling in well, building nests, and feeling at home. Wednesday also brought a valuable opportunity. Ron Arvidson led a session for SSWA members and community locals, teaching us how to use Merlin and eBird to observe, identify, and record bird sightings and populations.
Thursday morning was a mix of carpentry and conservation work. Matt, Ashton, Keiran, and our newest team member Ryan put their carpentry skills to use for an upcoming project while also joining Romy and Mel for Bank Swallow surveys. We were quite excited to spot a large population along the Victoria coastline, an excitement that was enhanced considering their endangered status. In addition to these activities, SSWA undertook tree planting at Linden Park, various headwater and stream assessments, milkweed planting, and invasives removal in Westmoreland River Nature Park. It’s still early in the season for us, but we’re already proud of the progress we’ve made and the work we do.
Welcome back!
-Love SSWA
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