Over 200 Acres of Habitat Restoration Planned for Spring

By partnering with private landowners, the Essex Region Conservation Authority will restore more than 200 acres of habitat this spring. Of this total, seventy-four acres will be restored using the 'pit and mound' technique which ERCA first piloted in 2004.

The pit and mound technique relies on heavy equipment to create an uneven topography. This mimics the conditions of a natural forest and provides a diversity of moisture and sunlight conditions. This helps the more rapid establishment of planted seedlings and nuts.

"This process is extremely cost effective and helps us move forward more quickly toward the goal of 12% natural areas coverage," explains Matthew Child, Coordinator of Habitat and Aquatic Resources. "We are also able to use a greater diversity of tree species because of the variety of moisture conditions."

As well, restoring hydrology to the site with the pit areas confers an immediate wildlife benefit. Frogs, toads, dragonfly, butterflies, deer were all observed within the months following restoration of the first site.