riparian habitat improvements

Through BCRP, 2006 will see the continued improvement of riparian habitat in the Elk River on Vancouver Island. The Elk River is a tributary to Upper Campbell Lake, which is impounded by the Strathcona Dam operated by BC Hydro.

Partially linked to increase in flows from the diversion of water from the adjacent Heber River drainage, the Elk River has undergone significant ecological "footprint" impacts. Once a single relatively narrow channel, the Elk River is now multi-threaded and laterally unstable. Because of this, streamside or "riparian" vegetation critical to fish habitat has been unable to establish itself.

Starting in 2004, a project was undertaken by Ian Redden of Streamline Environmental Consulting designed to speed the natural recovery of the river through a bioengineering technique of "live staking" exposed gravel bars. Live staking involves planting deciduous tree segments, or "stakes" into the gravel bars at high densities.

Silviculture crews from the Mowachaht-Muchalaht First Nation along with volunteers from the Gold River Streamkeepers Society and students from Gold River Senior Secondary School planted approximately 32,000 stakes over 1.86 hectares. The donor stock consisted mainly of willow trees however some red-osier dogwood and cottonwood trees were also used.

As stakes shoot and take root, the planted gravel bars become, over time, more stable. The stabilizing of the gravel bars forces the river to scour a narrower and deeper mainstem channel, reducing the likelihood of future loss of riparian habitat. Monitoring of stake growth occurred in 2005, and is expected to continue for 2006.