HRA Watershed Management

During the Spring/Summer 2020 field season, Hillsborough River Association and Pisquid River Enhancement Project crews installed two new parallel rock wing flow deflectors in the main branches of the Pisquid River and Clark’s Creek, respectively (see the maps below). These structures narrow the stream, redirect the flow, and speed it up. This creates a pool, cleans silt from the gravel at the lower end of the pool, and deflects flow away from eroding stream banks. The cleanin...g of silt from the gravel improves potential salmon and trout spawning/rearing habitat and makes the stream more hospitable to aquatic insects in the process. A pair of pincher logs were installed in Clark’s Creek as well, which serve a similar purpose. In addition, a variety of fish cover structures were also installed in these systems: our standard plank / rebar cover structures, floating cover logs, and a floating cover platform. All of this infrastructure is pictured below, along with photos of crew members Spencer Haakman, Bret Cheverie, and Michael Basten building them. Fish have since been observed holding under and/or around these structures. The installation of this infrastructure would not have been possible without the support of funders such as the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation, the PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund, the Prince Edward Island Government's Watershed Management Fund, and various provincial and federal employment programs.

The Prince Edward Island Museum & Heritage Foundation recently awarded a Heritage Recognition Award to Aggi-Rose Reddin, Jim Hornby, and Dan McAskill of the Hillsborough River Association for their development of the Interactive ArcGIS Pro Virtual Story Map of the Hillsborough River (a collaboration with Canadian Heritage Rivers / Rivières du patrimoine canadien). The citation noted the contributions provided by John Andrew, Phil Arbing, Anna Duffy, Agnes MacDonald, Rosemary ...Curley, and Mary Gallant. The award was presented at Charlottetown’s Beaconsfield Historic House Carriage House by The Honourable Antoinette Perry, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island. Congratulations and our thanks to all the Heritage Award recipients for their contributions to Island heritage. The full awards list is available here: https://mailchi.mp//pei-museum-heritage-foundation-novembe Those who’ve yet to see the map may do so via the link below. It allows users to interactively explore the Hillsborough River’s extensive natural, cultural, and recreational heritage in depth. https://apca.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html

New dataset: a big shout out to HRA Watershed Management & the Pisquid River Enhancement Project for sharing water quality monitoring data on Atlantic #DataStr...eam! They have been collaboratively monitoring the primary watercourses of the Hillsborough River watershed in #PEI for many years. Explore, map, and visualize the #data here: https://doi.org/10.25976/pn8e-1z58

Water data collected by the Hillsborough River Association (HRA) and the Pisquid River Enhancement Project (PREP) from 2018-2020 - i.e., nitrate levels and temperature fluctuations - is now available via Atlantic DataStream, a new data sharing / visualizing platform helmed by The Gordon Foundation and regionally coordinated by the Atlantic Water Network out of Saint Mary's University Halifax. Atlantic DataStream aims to promote knowledge sharing across watersheds and advance... collaborative decision-making so our waters remain healthy for generations to come. This open-access platform was designed to be compatible with existing data standards and emerging online technologies. It allows users to access, visualize, and download water quality datasets collected by monitoring groups throughout the Atlantic provinces. Angela Banks, the HRA’s project leader, and Emma Wattie, Director of the Atlantic Water Network, developed key partnerships with The Gordon Foundation and WWF-Canada to coordinate the implementation of Atlantic DataStream under Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Atlantic Ecosystem Initiative funding. The HRA’s three-year AEI funding project - 'Watershed-based Monitoring & Database Development for Climate Change Adaptation' - was a resounding success. Our intent is to continue submitting our water quality data on the Hillsborough River to Atlantic DataStream. Follow the link below to check out our monitoring efforts over the past three years! https://atlanticdatastream.ca/explore/

On February 8th, the Island lost one of its most dedicated conservationists with the passing of Daryl Guignion. Our hearts go out to his wife Rosie, his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters, brother, extended family, and friends. Daryl was a true conservationist who not only believed in but practiced the wise management of natural resources. He taught students at the University of Prince Edward Island for more than 40 years, developing and offering courses in... Wildlife Biology, Ornithology, and Mammalogy. He was a leader in watercourse conservation and erosion control, with special interests in Atlantic salmon and natural areas conservation. Daryl mentored and inspired hundreds of landowners to implement wildlife enhancement projects, and to serve on conservation organizations and advocate for conservation. He encouraged others to use all their senses to experience nature. We will miss Daryl’s presence and calm voice making suggestions to our staff and members on how they could improve wildlife populations and soil management on the Hillsborough and its tributaries. Through the red oak seeds he provided from his beloved Canavoy Oaks Natural Area, his legacy will live on for generations on the Hillsborough. Daryl encouraged everyone to plant a native red oak and thus enhance biodiversity and wildlife. Donations in his memory can be made to the Island Nature Trust (islandnaturetrust.ca/) or the Daryl Guignion and Ian MacQuarrie Graduate Scholarship in Science at UPEI (go.upei.ca/donate/). For the latter, please specify the Guignion/MacQuarrie Graduate Scholarship.