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Ecowrappin'
A new project in the Hillman Marsh
Tuesday, January 28, 2003
By way of background, the Hillman Marsh Conservation Area is comprised of low lands at the mouths of the Hillman and Lebo Creeks. It is situated on Lake Erie, midway between Wheatley and Point Pelee. In the early 1990s, ERCA and DUC partnered to create two separately managed wetland cells and a field of native grasses to diversify and optimize the habitat values of the Conservation Area. Much of the funding for this project was donated by DOW Chemical Canada Inc.
The new project has created a 45-acre, seasonal shorebird cell on recently purchased farmland. This purchase was made with the funding assistance from a local private philanthropist and the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Apparently, shorebirds require open water habitats that are only a few inches deep. There are 12 frequently seen species of shorebirds in Essex and another 14 rarely seen species. A "mud flats" type of habitat is rare, but necessary for these migrating birds. This is where this project becomes unique. The property will be farmed. The plan is to drain it in the late spring and grow a crop of spring grain or soybeans. After harvest it will have a few inches of water pumped over the ground surface in the early fall and be managed for wildlife until the spring. The farming and tillage will prevent cattails and other wetland plants from taking over the cell in order to maintain the open, shallowly flooded mudflat condition that shorebirds need. The crop residue will provide some feeding value to them as well.
This project will benefit waterfowl as a site useful for feeding and loafing, but a major objective is to support species other than waterfowl. With this project, ERCA and DUC are actively contributing to the objectives of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) and the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.
The very dry summers of 2001 and 2002 created extensive mud flat areas outside the managed cells at Hillman Marsh during the late summer and early fall. These areas attracted large numbers of shorebirds, which indicates that the newly constructed cell will be well used.
In addition to the seasonal wetland cell, a 10-acre native grass and forbs plantation will be established. This will provide food and nesting habitat for many species of birds and other animals. As a buffer to neighbouring farming activity and residences, the rest of the property has been reforested with native trees strongly represented by Carolinian species.
It is interesting to note, that almost all habitat projects involve partnerships. It is easier to accomplish things when our interests coincide with others. In this case we were very pleased to work with ERCA again, expanding a successful project and reinforcing a fruitful partnership. I look forward to working with ERCA again in the future.
At the annual meeting for ERCA on January 23, 2003, I was asked to attend and accept an award on behalf of DUC for our conservation efforts and contributions to the Hillman Seasonal Wetland Shorebird Cell. Seven other individuals received awards at this function.
Darrell Randell works for Ducks Unlimited Canada as a Conservation Programs Specialist in South West Ontario. Before that he was a Lambton County Pork Producer for 25 years. He served 2 terms on Sombra Township Council, 1994-2000, and is currently a councillor in St Clair Township. He is a past president of the Lambton County Federation of Agriculture. He was a founding member of the Rural Lambton Stewardship Network and served as chairman of that group from 1995-2003. He and Nancy have 3 grown children, each of whom they are extremely proud.
