Fish Habitat Restoration in Streams using Strategic Wood Additions

507 March Hill Road,Walpole NH 03608

12 August, 2022

Description

HOW TO IMPROVE WILDLIFE HABITAT IN STREAMS Join John Magee, Fish Habitat Biologist with N.H. Fish and Game, and Joel DeStasio, New England Restoration Field Manager and Culvert Coordinator with Trout Unlimited, to learn about the benefits of strategically adding wood to streams. You will learn the value of naturally-occurring and strategically-added wood in streams. Restoring instream wood is a centerpiece of wild brook trout restoration in New Hampshire and elsewhere because it restores natural stream dynamics and habitat. Large wood creates diverse flow patterns, helps retain sediment, creates pools, and provides habitat for steam insects and cover for fish. Properly anchored in place, large woody material provides habitat for fish, insects, amphibians and small mammals. We will meet at Distant Hill Gardens at 507 March Hill Road, Walpole NH, for a short presentation and overview of how and why to use Strategic Wood Additions (SWA) to improve instream aquatic organism habitat. After the presentation, the group will visit a half-mile section of Great Brook that runs through the 155-acres that make up Distant Hill to see a steam that would benefit from enhancement with large wood additions. Note: There will be a quarter-mile hike over moderately steep and rocky terrain to get to Great Brook. This section of Great Brook is part of a larger 'Aquatic Organism Restoration Project' planned for a 2-mile section of Great Brook in 2023 We hope to fund the project with an USDA - NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grant. Space is Limited - Registration is Required !Suggested Donation: $10/ AdultYour donation helps make Distant Hill Nature Trail more accessible to everyone! Check out this short 3-minute video produced by Vermont Fish & Wildlife about the advantages of adding large woody material to streams to help improve fish habitat:Fish Grow on Trees - Adding Wood to Vermont Rivers Benefits Trout Populations This brook trout was recently seen in the section of Great Brook at Distant Hill scheduled for restoration.Co-Sponsored by :NH Fish and GameTrout UnlimitedCheshire County Conservation District - CCCD USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - NRCSDistant Hill Gardens and Nature Trail