Wetland Restoration Program 2024-2025 and Crossing Removal

The purpose of these wetland restoration projects is to create and enhance wetland habitat within the matrix of farmland and natural areas in the northern sections of Rouge National Urban Park. Wetlands provide important habitat for many species in the park and contribute to improved water quality within the watershed. By slowing runoff from agricultural fields, wetlands act as filters, removing contaminants like concentrated nutrients, and allow for increased water infiltration to replenish groundwater. The areas targeted for wetland restoration in 2024/25 have historically been heavily altered by human activity, especially agricultural operations. The planned restoration activities will target high-impact drainage areas adjacent to tributaries and drainage lines to optimize positive impacts to water quality and species that rely on wetland habitat.

The wetland construction will be completed through the excavation and regrading of existing drainage swales and wet areas. Berms will be constructed to retain water in specific pocket and pond areas to provide a combination of dry and saturated areas with some instances of open standing water. After the construction of the main wetland components, native tree and shrub species will be planted throughout the areas. Erosion and sediment control will be installed downstream of each work area and disturbed areas will be seeded with a mix of native riparian species to hold soils in place following restoration. Nest boxes and structural habitats such as woody log tangles will be strategically placed in each restoration area to provide additional habitat for a wildlife as the wetland develops and succeeds over time.

A retired farm crossing will be removed from the stream channel to reconnect upstream and downstream reaches and improve conditions for fish passage. This stream channel historically supported coldwater fish species but now support fewer species than they did historically. To help improve overall watershed health it is important to restore the function of these streams and the riparian habitats adjacent to them to help stabilize base flow conditions, provide thermoregulatory habitat for coldwater species, provide enhanced filtration of urban and agricultural run-off to improve water quality, and improve habitat connectivity for fish and other aquatic species. This project will also reduce the export of sediments and nutrients into downstream channels, improve overall flood capacity within each sub-watershed, and restore habitat for fish and wildlife. As part of this project, a small, tracked excavator and skid steer will grade and realign stream channels while providing additional horizontal contours to improve the overall form and function of each tributary. Wetland pockets will be restored adjacent to each stream channel, and native tree and shrub species will be planted in Fall 2024

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Latest update

June 17, 2024 – Parks Canada intends to make a determination regarding whether the carrying out of the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. To help inform this determination, Parks Canada is inviting public comments until July 17, 2024 respecting that determination.

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Key documents

Key documents
Document Number Document Title File Date
1 New project being assessed by Parks Canada - Public comments invited from June 17 to July 17, 2024 - June 17, 2024

Contacts

Rouge National Urban Park
3545 Kingston Road, Floor #2
Scarborough, Ontario M1M 1R6
Telephone: 416-264-2020
Fax: 416-264-2167
Email: rouge@pc.gc.ca


  • Location

    • Rouge National Urban Park (Ontario)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Bridges
    • Remediation and conservation

  • Assessment Status

    In progress

  • Start Date

    2024-06-17

  • Proponent

    Parks Canada

  • Authorities

    • Parks Canada Agency

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    88640
Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

 

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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