Improvements at Bayfield River Flats Natural Area made possible with grant from Huron County Clean Water Project
Community partners in Bayfield and area are continuing to protect and improve the Bayfield River Flats Natural Area. One of the most recent projects is planting of native tree and shrub species at the 4.75-acre riverside property.
A crew from Ausable Bayfield Conservation planted 40 trees and 90 shrubs at the Bayfield River Flats on May 12, 2020. This work, to further protect and improve the Bayfield River Flats, was made possible with a grant from the Huron County Clean Water Project. The county program contributed 50 per cent cost-share funding to make the improvements possible.
The crew members planted native tree species such as White Cedar; Sycamore; and Tulip Tree. They planted native shrub species such as Nannyberry; Red Dogwood; Pussy Willow; Elderberry; Redbud; and Serviceberry.
“This planting project will enhance wildlife habitat and increase diversity of plant and animal species of the river valley and the flood plain,” said Ian Jean, Forestry and Land Stewardship Specialist with Ausable Bayfield Conservation. “The flowering shrubs will add to the natural beauty as well.”
Volunteers from Bayfield, including members of the Bayfield River Valley Trail Association (BRVTA), coordinated the planting of native trees and shrubs there. It was great to work with Peter Jeffers, BRVTA trails manager; Roger Lewington, Land Trust Chair; and community volunteers on the project, Jean said.
The Bayfield River Flats is owned and protected permanently by the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC), working with Bayfield River Valley Trails. The other properties permanently protected by the land trust are Woodburne Farm, south of Goderich; Heaman Tract, near Ailsa Craig; and Mayhew Tract near Holmesville.
“This planting project is going to help a great deal to preserve and enhance this important riverbank area,” said Peter Jeffers, Trails Manager with BRVTA. “Generous donors had a vision of what the Bayfield River Flats could be. It is rewarding to see that vision come into clearer focus with every new cooperative project completed by community partners.”
The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy was formed in 2011, by the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation, a registered Canadian charity. The land trust serves the area of the historic Huron Tract from the early days of settlement. The HTLTC is a volunteer organization with a separate board of directors and is a member of the Ontario Land Trust Alliance.
The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy accepts donations and bequests of land and gives people in the Huron Tract area a way to make a positive difference by helping protect and restore land, water, and nature.
For more information on the Conservancy, please email info@htltc.ca or call 1-888-286-2610 or visit htltc.ca.
