Ducks Unlimited’s wetland restoration approach includes Dawson Creek project

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — Conservation group Ducks Unlimited Canada’s new approach to wetland restoration includes a homage to the country’s national animal.

According to a press release, Ducks Unlimited broke ground on a project near Dawson Creek to restore wetland habitat following flooding between 2016 and 2018.

The statement reveals the project is the first in the conservation group’s new approach to wetland restoration in Canada: the Beaver Dam Analogue (BDA).

According to the release, the dam will be built with local natural materials to welcome beavers and restore the ecosystem in a purely organic, natural way. 

Kasey McKenzie, Conservation Programs Specialist for Ducks Unlimited Canada, said BDAs represent “an important evolution” in how conservation is handled.

“[BDAs] is restoration that mimics nature, building the natural systems that store water and create habitat for local biodiversity, including birds, amphibians and mammals, and sustain wetlands over time,” said McKenzie.

Designed to mimic the function of a beaver dam, BDAs are built with locally sourced vegetation, sediment and untreated wooden posts, which the organization hopes will encourage beavers to return to affected areas.

In turn, it is hoped that the animals will return and adopt and enhance these structures over time, restoring a healthy streamside.

The release says that while Ducks Unlimited has supported various BDA initiatives, it is the first time the organization has taken one on as the lead party.

The groundbreaking, which took place in late May, saw six BDA structures created along a 300-metre section of stream, creating conditions for the restoration of a historically beaver-influenced landscape. 

The Ducks Unlimited BDA project in Dawson Creek was supported in part by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF).

The HCTF is a Victoria-based conservation non-profit founded by hunters, anglers, trappers and guide outfitters who were willing to support conservation projects “above and beyond that expected by the government for basic management of wildlife and fish resources,” according to its website.

Energeticcity.ca has reached out to Ducks Unlimited Canada for further comment.