The Slocan Valley focal area was added in Year 5 (2023-2024) of Kootenay Connect Priority Places. Consequently, the project results reported for this area are based on its first year of funding.
Year 5 (2023-24)
Black cottonwood floodplains perform critical ecological functions in healthy watersheds, as they are the interface between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and integral to watershed hydrology. Mature cottonwood forests adjacent to rivers are biodiversity hotspots that provide the greatest diversity of habitat for the most species in the valley. Therefore, protecting and enhancing existing black cottonwood ecosystems and restoring degraded areas in the Slocan Valley is one of the most important conservation actions that can be undertaken to benefit the greatest number of species over time. We are proposing to restore and enhance two crown land sites on the Slocan River: Perry Bridge (north and south) and Oxbow Island. Both sites are situated on active low and mid-bench floodplains including roughly 2.5km of shoreline and 13.8 ha of land. We are also working with a landowner to restore several hectares of riparian area on private land along a Slocan River side channel just south of Lemon Creek, which will be done in conjunction with in-stream fish habitat restoration work.
