Bow Valley Habitat Development

Riparian Planting

There is a very effective way of getting some native willows and deciuous trees started on areas of a creek's stream banks that have been damaged or destroyed by livestock activity, but yet they are now protected and on the road back to full recovery.

We can speed up the process of recovery by planting native willows and tree cuttings collected from the same watershed. On some streams, the chance of some historic varieties of native willows repopulating areas where they have been extinct from for many years, can delay recovery, so we are helping out in a big way.

The benefits of riparian willows and trees as trout habitat is a very well known and documented science, so our riparian planting program's main focus has been in that direction. You can check out the link below to investigate further!

A Simple Head Start For A Native Willow

It All Starts From a Rooted Cutting

All of the native willows and deciduous trees are planted as pre-rooted cuttings

They are collected as cuttings

The native cuttings are collected from the same watershed as they will be planted in. This guarantees native plants can contribute to the historic bio-diversity of a watershed or individual stream.

Native Plantings Restore Riparian Zone

By planting native willows and trees along the stream banks of damaged trout streams, we can give mother nature a head start in a natural growing process, once our pre-rooted cuttings are planted.

This Site Will Show You The Results!

It has always been a priority of Bow Valley Habitat Development's mission, to keep the partners, volunteers and communities informed of our progress on all projects and programs. This site will do just that! The photo and video support will aid in our mission to communicate these results!

Watch It Grow

Because Bow Valley Habitat Development has been focused on riparian recovery by planting native pre-rooted cuttings, we have had the privilege of being able to watch the new crops of willows growing along the stream banks. Many or most of the reaches of stream channel that have been planted have had little to no existing riparian willows and trees, so the landscape is a blank canvas that we have partnered with mother nature to heal it's wounds and get back to a normal biodiverse ecosystem, with lots of wild self reproducing trout to populate the future cleaner waters on all three streams. There is presently not where to go but up, with riparian recovery on the local streams in our Bow Valley Riparian Recovery and Enhancement Program!

Please check out this site if you are interested in a riparian recovery program like ours!

Willows For habitat

The willows we planted are now habitat

In some areas thick growth encloses the stream

Some times the planting success only happens on one side of the stream channel. Thick canary grass or western water sedge prohibit willow growth on the opposite side of the creek.

In some areas thick growth encloses the stream

The dense plantings in areas where the soil and moisture conditions are ideal, will be key habitats for trout, in the future years to come!

The perfect habitat for trout

Planting for trout

My experience with native willow and tree planting all started as a part of both my training and appied science in fish habitat enhancement. So basically put, my interest in planting has been directed totally towards creating natural trout habitat!

The use of planted native stock is of huge importance when your objective is to create a natural look in any fish habitat enhancement project. Furthermore, the use of plants to create trout habitat itself is the most cost-effective approach to any fish habitat project that involves a riparian zone that needs fixing or a total face job.

The photo to the right shows how growing willows can work as cover habitats in key areas, which do provide cover and a hiding place for trout. In recent years, along with the recovery of the Bighill Creek on its lower end, there have also been more fish-eating birds visit the stream. This makes the available habitat in the water very important to trout and their survival. Trout need submerged structure that is ideal for escaping a hungry bird, and submerged branches and exposed roots can do the job.

The protection from daylight is especially important to the dim light loving brown trout, and brook trout. Both of these trout have darker body color to blend in with any available habitat or shade, so they need just that and willows and trees that we plant are helping a lot. This is where the planting along the water’s edge is vital to the fish habitat enhance-ment of the stream. In the title:” Bow Valley Riparian Recovery and Enhancement Program”, the enhancement part actually means habitat enhancement. So, as you can see, we are getting the total package of both environmental benefits, improved water quality and fish and wildlife habitats.

The best word to describe this would be; Helping improve the health of our trout streams! This is all happening on a grass roots level, with some help from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, local government and community, and of course the local business that also believes in the objectives laid down in the original proposal. It is a win-win scenario for the trout streams and the natural world, and ultimately the problems of climate change.

Streamtender.org Media is all free viewing!

Welcome To A Grass-Roots Environmental Site

Riparian Planting

Growing pails of willows for a spring planting.

A Simple Head Start For A Native Willow

It All Starts From a Rooted Cutting

They are collected as cuttings

Native Plantings Restore Riparian Zone

This Site Will Show You The Results!

Watch It Grow

Photo Gallery

These willows were push planted into the stream bank on West NOse Creek

Willows For habitat

The willows we planted are now habitat

In some areas thick growth encloses the stream

In some areas thick growth encloses the stream

In some areas thick growth encloses the stream

In some areas thick growth encloses the stream

In some areas thick growth encloses the stream

The perfect habitat for trout

Planting for trout

Photo Gallery

Contact Us

Drop us a line!

Bow Valley Habitat Development

Streamtender.org Media is all free viewing!

Welcome To A Grass-Roots Environmental Site

Riparian Planting

Growing pails of willows for a spring planting.

A Simple Head Start For A Native Willow

It All Starts From a Rooted Cutting

They are collected as cuttings

Native Plantings Restore Riparian Zone

This Site Will Show You The Results!

Watch It Grow

Photo Gallery

These willows were push planted into the stream bank on West NOse Creek

Willows For habitat

The willows we planted are now habitat

In some areas thick growth encloses the stream

In some areas thick growth encloses the stream

In some areas thick growth encloses the stream

In some areas thick growth encloses the stream

In some areas thick growth encloses the stream

The perfect habitat for trout

Planting for trout

Photo Gallery

Contact Us

Drop us a line!

Bow Valley Habitat Development

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