DUCKS ON PONDS AND SMILES ON FACES by EHJV Staff 
     
    
   
   
    
     Eastern Habitat Joint Venture (EHJV) staff in PEI are putting 
     
     ducks on ponds and smiles on landowners’ faces in an effort to 
     
     improve and protect wetland habitat. 
     
    

    
     The Eastern Habitat Joint Venture is bringing back to life 
     
     small marshes that have become partially, or completely, clogged 
     
     with vegetation. At one time these wetlands, which range in size 
     
     from under an acre to 10 acres, had a good mix of vegetation and 
     
     water but now have less and less open water. 
     
    

    
     EHJV staff have devised an innovatiVe management technique to 
     
    
   
   
    
     deal with the problem. It involves eXcavating the vegetation to 
     
     open up areas for surface water and then usimg the excavated 
     
     material to create islands in the wetland. This ensures a good 
     
    
   
   
    
     balance of water and vegetation. 
     
    

    
     The wildlife response to their renewed wetlands is immediate 
     
     and gratifying. In many cases, waterfowl are landing in ponds and 
     
     sandpipers are feeding on the spoil piles while excavation 
     
     equipment is still working away on the wetland. One morning when 
     
     the crew reported to work to continue excavation on a wetland, a 
     
     brood of ducks which moved in from a nearby wetland the previous 
     
     night was observed inspecting the new habitat. They liked what 
     
     they saw. 
     
    

    
     Landowners are also delighted with the program and continue to 
     
     keep EHJV staff busy with requests to evaluate their wetlands in 
     
     the hope their wetland may be restored. To show their support, 
     
     landowners have signed 15 year agreements with the Province of 
     
     Prince Edward Island to protect their Wetlands from any harmful 
     
     land use practices. 
     
    

    
     For more information on the project, please contact Brenda 
     
     Brydon, Tom Duffy, or Rosemary Curley at 368-4683. 
     
    
   
   
    
     PEI MUNICIPAL WETLAND STEWARDSHIP 
     
    
   
   
    
     The objective of-the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture’s Wetland 
     
     Stewardship program is to secure and enhance wetlands in 
     
     cooperation with private and corporate landowners, communities, 
     
     interest groups and government departments and agencies. 
     
    

    
     One of the greatest threats currently facing wetlands is 
     
     siltation as a result of soil erosion. The effects of 
     
     sedimentation are not limited to the point of entry and have the 
     
     potential to affect the entire system downstream of the entry 
     
     location. For this reason, our estuaries and salt marshes can 
     
     suffer considerable damage even if they appear to be well 
     
     protected. Soil erosion is a universal problem and must be dealt 
     
     with as such. 
     
    

    
     Urban wetlands are of tremendous value for wildlife and have 
     
     excellent potential for recreational use by community residents. 
     
     The village of West Royalty and City of Charlottetown have combined 
     
     their efforts at Ellen’s Creek Wildlife Management Area. They 
     
     first cleaned up the area and then proceeded to develop an 
     
    
   
   
    
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