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If you have any questions on the information presented, or require additional report data or attachments, please contact the Report Contact
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The mid-Columbia region has lost much natural riparian habitat, in part due to reservoir creation. In Revelstoke Reach on Upper Arrow Lake near Revelstoke, BC, large areas where riparian forests could exist are currently dominated by reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea). Reed canarygrass is effective at dust- and erosion- control, but creates vast uniform fields, offers limited wildlife habitat, and prevents establishment of native species.
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Author: Mandy Kellner, Kingbird Biological Consultants Ltd.
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Old Reference Number: COL-F20-W-2946
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Old Reference System: FWCP - Fish Wildlife Compensation Program Columbia
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Date Published: Feb 2020
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Report ID: 58733
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Audience: Government and Public
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There have been various projects to restore native species and enhance wildlife habitat in Revelstoke
Reach. To further this goal we planted live stakes and small shrubs to initiate new habitat patches, or expand on existing patches, of native shrubs through increased competition and eventual shading of reed canarygrass. In 2014, we worked with volunteers to plant 550 live stakes and 250 small shrubs in the Downie Marsh area of the Arrow Lakes drawdown zone at Revelstoke. A second project grew from this experience, and in 2017 we expanded the project area and employed committed technicians in an attempt to ensure quality of plantings, and planted over 1300 live stakes at four sites. Species planted included red-osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera), willow (Salix spp.), and cottonwood (Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa).
Monitoring the success of restoration efforts allows lessons to be learned to guide future work. This
monitoring project directly contributed to the Priority Action: Monitoring and Evaluation 11.1 : Compile,
assess, and document the effectiveness of completed wetland and riparian restoration projects Columbia Basin Riparian and Wetlands Action Plan, FWCP 2014).
Survival of live stakes was low, at an average of 18 % survival after two growing seasons and 16 % after
five growing seasons. However, it appears that mortality of stakes was high in the two years after planting, and then stakes that had survived became established and continued to flourish. After 5 years, these stakes provided patches of native habitat in the reed canarygrass. Survival of containerized shrubs was 100%; however, these were only planted in one site.
Survival rates of live stakes ranged widely across sites. Two sites supported robust plant growth of surviving stakes. Two other sites had poor soil and mortality neared 100 %. Investigation of dead stakes identified poor root development, likely from drought and lack of nutrition, as the likely cause. Vole damage was seemingly reduced to an insignificant amount with the application of vole guards in 2017.
The drought in the summer 2017, plus planting in sites that were not very fertile or were frequented by
humans, likely negatively impacted stake survival.
Our results highlighted that even with an emphasis on quality planting efforts and protection from predation, issues such as human or livestock interference and extended drought will continue to negatively influence plant survival. We recommend increased outreach and education, careful site selection, and physical protection of staked areas if possible, to increase stake survival.
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Report Type
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Fish and Aquatic Habitat Information |
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Subject
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Region - Kootenay |
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Fish and Fish Habitat - Habitat and Stream Assessment |
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Fish and Fish Habitat - Research |
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Vegetation - Riparian |
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