Bed level water crossing at Community Pasture.
The Leeds Community Pasture Association (LCPA) owns and manages a 607 hectare (1500) acre property, one of 11 Community pastures in Ontario. Grazing rights on the property are leased to 25 local farmers with over 500 cows. This pasture includes grasslands, woodlands and wetlands, and borders a highly productive shallow water lake and provincially significant wetland complex known as Upper Beverly Lake (UBL).The streams, lake and adjacent Lower Beverley Lake form the headwaters of the Gananoque River watershed, which drains south to the St Lawrence River. The LCPA and LGSC are working together to improve the riparian habitat along Soperton Creek and the adjacent wetlands.
Sections of the shoreline habitat in the Community Pasture are accessible by cattle and have been eroded, resulting in increased nutrient and soil inputs to the stream, wetlands and downstream lakes and loss of wildlife habitat and connectivity.
The Community Pasture Board and the Leeds-Grenville Stewardship Council (LGSC) are working together to restore this shoreline area. The objectives are to restore fish and wildlife habitat and to reduce excessive nutrient supply to prevent further enrichment and loss of oxygen.
West Pasture - Over a 4 year period, with the support of Environment Canada's EcoAction program, Wildlife Habitat Canada, Trees Ontario and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Council working with the Pasture Board and LCPA installed some 11,430 meters of continuous cattle exclusion fencing has been constructed on both sides of the creek and its tributaries; 4 bed level crossings were incorporated to allow cattle to access other paddocks and still protect the creek; 2 solar watering systems were installed at both ends of the pasture; some 5000 trees and shrubs were planted along the creek to restore the riparian habitat; and some 30 nesting boxes (wood duck, kestrel, bluebirds, tree swallows) were installed. Volunteer labourers, including students from Athens District High School, were instrumental in the success of the project. Volunteers from Leeds Grenville Stewardship Council helped build fences, donated heavy equipment, built birdhouses and planted trees. Students volunteered to plant trees and help in fence building. See the map below.
Sections of the shoreline habitat in the Community Pasture are accessible by cattle and have been eroded, resulting in increased nutrient and soil inputs to the stream, wetlands and downstream lakes and loss of wildlife habitat and connectivity.
The Community Pasture Board and the Leeds-Grenville Stewardship Council (LGSC) are working together to restore this shoreline area. The objectives are to restore fish and wildlife habitat and to reduce excessive nutrient supply to prevent further enrichment and loss of oxygen.
West Pasture - Over a 4 year period, with the support of Environment Canada's EcoAction program, Wildlife Habitat Canada, Trees Ontario and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Council working with the Pasture Board and LCPA installed some 11,430 meters of continuous cattle exclusion fencing has been constructed on both sides of the creek and its tributaries; 4 bed level crossings were incorporated to allow cattle to access other paddocks and still protect the creek; 2 solar watering systems were installed at both ends of the pasture; some 5000 trees and shrubs were planted along the creek to restore the riparian habitat; and some 30 nesting boxes (wood duck, kestrel, bluebirds, tree swallows) were installed. Volunteer labourers, including students from Athens District High School, were instrumental in the success of the project. Volunteers from Leeds Grenville Stewardship Council helped build fences, donated heavy equipment, built birdhouses and planted trees. Students volunteered to plant trees and help in fence building. See the map below.
