Stop 1: A section of Rogers Creek runs through a private property in Erin, Ontario where it backwatered into an online pond. The pond interrupted natural geofluvial processes of the creek, served as a partial barrier to fish passage, and increased water temperature in the coldwater creek. In 2022 restoration works removed the pond from active creek flow through the creation of a bypass channel and removal of the stream blockage. The project included the mitigation of a perched culvert that was also a seasonal barrier to fish passage. The project also saw adaptive management following the completion of the project due to functional failures in the spring freshet. This project tour will outline the project’s successes, challenges, and lessons learned of taking online ponds offline and stream restoration in this area.
Stop 2: The first project of its kind for credit valley conservation, mini-forests are modelled after the Miyawaki method, a planting design technique developed in Japan and practiced across the globe. The mini-forests emulate a natural forest community by recreating a densely spaced, biodiverse ecosystem in urban spaces where the ecological goods and services of forests are greatly needed. This portion of the trip focuses on tree planting discussions and the merits of tiny forest projects.
