Wetlands Conservation Partner Program听
The Upper Thames Conservation Authority (UTRCA) received funding from the Province of Ontario through the Wetlands Conservation Partner Program to conserve, restore, and improve wetlands in Ontario. This project aims to enhance and restore the functionality of nine hectares of wetland within the Upper Thames River watershed by removing invasive species and enhancing natural wetland features that have been impaired over time. 听
In total, six wetlands were enhanced through the management and removal of invasive species to improve ecological function and restore native plant communities. Phragmites and buckthorn were the two target invasive species to be managed on these wetlands. Thousands of phragmites stems were treated at five different wetland sites, with varying densities of the invasive plant. Golspie Swamp, one of UTRCA's Provincially Significant Wetlands, had to be treated carefully as native phragmites were present among the non-native ones.听 A follow up treatment is planned for 2025 to continue to manage phragmites in UTRCA wetlands.
The Ellice Swamp Provincially Significant Wetland north of Stratford has been home to a large population of Glossy Buckthorn. This is likely due to disturbance from peat extraction over many years at the swamp. A 3.4-hectare area was mapped, flagged, and treated to allow native vegetation to reclaim this area. The treated area will be assessed in 2025 to see what native and non-native species emerge with the added sunlight penetration to the forest floor. Efforts will continue to manage any new population of buckthorn.
Two additional wetland areas were restored by excavating shallow open water features and planting native plants, trees, and shrubs. One of these projects includes a new wetland at the Cade Tract property to improve connectivity to an existing wet meadow and act as a nutrient buffer for water that eventually flows to the Thames River. A shoreline wetland will also be restored to improve the resiliency of 430 metres of shoreline against flooding and erosion from intense storms.听
The enhancement and restoration of these wetland areas will provide a multitude of benefits within the watershed including improving water quality, supporting climate change resiliency, mitigating flood risks, and improving biodiversity.听
Before construction
During construction
Post construction