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News Advertiser
SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
www.NewsAdvertiser.com
Wetlands Workshop Held in Beaver County
Participants of the wetlands workshop listen to the instructor. (Agroforestry & Woodlot Extension Society/Submitted)
Megan Andre Agroforestry & Woodlot Extension Society Lucky guests were hosted on the banks of beautiful Amisk Creek in Beaver County on Aug. 27. This area is home to an array of over 50 species of native plants, including many native wildflowers. Agroforestry & Woodlot Extension Society, (AWES) was joined by the Alberta not-for-profit Cows and Fish, who demonstrated the Cows and Fish Riparian Health Assessment. Following this assessment, it was determined that planting trees would be greatly beneficial. AWES typically works with landowners to help them get the most benefits from planting trees. In this case, the landowner was interested in sheltered areas for cattle and improved water quality. In under 30 minutes, par-
Amisk Creek is where the hands-on workshop was held on Aug. 27. (Agroforestry & Woodlot Extension Society/Submitted)
ticipants completed a small planting project and learned that it’s quick and easy to harvest, and plant willow stems cut from a nearby tree stand. This free workshop was carried out as part of an ongoing Wetland (Riparian) Management Project, aimed at educating rural Alberta’s landowners and other individuals, on the many benefits
of healthy riparian areas. Some of the topics covered include living harmoniously with beavers, riparian grazing strategies, natural and assisted reestablishment of vegetative cover. This project was funded by the Alberta Government through the Wetland Resiliency and Restoration Program.
