Habitat Restoration

Tree Planting Program – This project works directly with local landowners to create customized site plans that identify key areas of concern that may exist and proactively address any specific land-use issues (through tree planting) – taking into account current land use practices and established native buffer resources. For the past few years BBEMA’s summer field crews have been very productive in enhancing riparian zones, hedgerows and upland landscapes across the watershed fore local wildlife species.

Our Tree Planting total so far:

2010 – planted 1000 native trees and shrubs (concentrating on enhancing hedgerows for migratory songbirds).

2011– planted 1250 native trees and shrubs (concentrating on enhancing forest along waterways for migratory songbirds).

2012 – planted 2525 native trees and shrubs (concentrating on increasing upland field edges and hedgerows for native wildlife).

2013 – planted 5208 native trees and shrubs (concentrating on riparian buffers and upland field edges).

2014 – planted 6515 native trees and shrubs (concentrating on riparian buffers and upland field edges).

2015 – planted 7325 native trees and shrubs (concentrating on increasing riparian buffers along the Wilmot and Dunk Rivers).

2016 – planted 5125 native trees and shrubs (concentrating on enhancing wildlife corridors and hedgerows adjacent to agricultural fields)

2017 – planted 5965 native trees and shrubs – additionally planted 2500 swamp milkweed plants (concentrating on riparian areas adjacent to streams and wetlands.

2018 – planted 4267 native trees and shrubs – additionally planted 1800 swamp milkweed plants (concentrating on riparian areas adjacent to streams and wetlands.

2019 – planted 4729 native trees and shrubs targeting fragmented edge/riparian corridors in agricultural landscapes.  Collaborated with agricultural landowners to increase field edges for native pollinator species through the planting of 2300 pollinator ground plants.

2020 – planted 3371 native trees and shrubs – additionally planted 1845 swamp milkweed plants, 225 Joe Pye Weed, 180 Clematis plants. (concentrating on riparian areas adjacent to streams and wetlands.

2021 – planted 2615 (1 gallon) native trees, 150 native shrubs, 1643 milkweed plants and 300 (15’s) trees targeting riparian areas adjacent to headwater streams along the Wilmot and Dunk Rivers.

2022 – planted 2284 native trees and shrubs along with 1200 milkweed seedlings along the Dunk River targeting riparian habitats within agricultural landscapes.

2023 – BBEMA (hosted TD Tree Planting and Tree Canada community tree planting days) partnering with  youth volunteers to plant 580 trees/shrubs in Slemon Park replacing many of the urban heritage trees damaged by Hurricane Fiona, and creating protective wind breaks.  as well along with an additional 3134 native tree and shrubs planted to enhance streamside habitats across the Bedeque Bay watershed.

2024 – BBEMA planted 3,162 trees targeting Atlantic Salmon spawning habitats on the Dunk River sub-watershed   along with 3,339 stems of swamp milkweed.

This summer BBEMA will once again be partnering with landowners on several habitat enhancement programs through planting of native tree, shrubs, wildflowers and milkweed.