Selwyn-area family gives back to nature with wetland

Jennifer Lavigne, a conservation program specialist with DUC, is thrilled to work with landowners like the Boyd-Fitzgeralds who are committed to improving the environment.

“It’s refreshing to work with landowners whose vision aligns with ours,” says Lavigne. “Both Kathy and Patrick were positive, creative, and understood the benefits of putting a wetland on their property. They were wonderful to work with.”

Lavigne noted that the existing drumlins (rounded mounds left behind after the glaciers retreated) were a fascinating feature on the couple’s property and added to the uniqueness of the wetland project on site.

“In many spots we looked at, it was as if the land had always wanted to have wetlands,” notes Lavigne. “It is a really neat landscape with many areas perfectly suited to hold water.”

With extra financial backing from ALUS Canada and in partnership with the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority, it wasn’t long before heavy equipment began shaping and moulding the landscape on the Boyd-Fitgerald property. DUC installed an earthen berm with a spillway to control water levels throughout the seasons. The finished wetland measures 1.1 acres (0.445 hectares).

Once the work had begun, Kathy admits she was skeptical that water would fill the space created, but over time she and her family watched in wonder as the water rose day after day. An active family, they were thrilled to be able to skate on the frozen wetland just a few months after it was constructed.

“The conditions were absolutely perfect.  It was an ethereal experience for us to skate underneath a starry sky; a family ‘bucket list’ memory — of true wonder — that we’ll always remember,” says Kathy.

“Working with DUC was the best decision we’ve made next to moving to the country,” she said. “We love getting outside and seeing all the wildlife.  We’re so pleased to give back to nature and so far, have seen the wetland teeming with life from herds of deer, coyotes, red fox, ducks, swans, sandhill cranes and even a snowy owl. It’s like the saying goes ‘if you build it, they will come’.”

The project is within the Trent River watershed priority area for Ducks Unlimited Canada. Wetlands are hard-working ecosystems that deliver clean water, capture carbon and nutrients, and preserve and increase habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife including endangered species. As science continues to prove, wetlands provide natural climate buffers for communities, as frequent and more severe storms occur. They are indeed nature-based solutions to today’s climate challenges.

Based on the positive experience they had with DUC, Kathy and Patrick are contemplating adding more wetlands to their property in the future. From the initial conversation they had with Lavigne – providing photos of similar wetlands, through the permitting process and excavation, the couple highly recommends other landowners engage with DUC.

“There was great communication through the whole process, which gave us a lot of comfort,” says Kathy. “In Jenn, we won the Project Manager lottery. Her enthusiasm and confidence were reassuring and now we have our own private oasis — attracting even more wildlife to our farm — to enjoy while we make memories with our children, family, and friends.  It’s a great gift to share and we are so grateful for the opportunity to give back to nature with this wetland.”