A farm in Tupperville will soon be home to two wetlands, more waterfowl, and over 1,000 new trees.
"Wetlands act as nature's kidneys," said Jessica Van Zwol, a healthy watershed specialist for the conservation authority. "They filter out nutrients, they filter out harmful chemicals, they act as flood control... there are many positive impacts of putting in a wetland."
The new area, which is just over one acre between the two, is located between the North Branch and the East Branch of the Sydenham River.
Members from the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority were joined by Enbridge Gas and Ducks Unlimited to showcase their project, which was officially finished in the spring.
The wetland is put in place to preserve and protect waterfowl such as wood ducks that frequent the area, said Van Zwol.
"They like to nest in trees," she said. "When the chicks are ready to leave the nest they actually drop and will land up to 40-feet below on either land or water, and won't be hurt."
The new wetlands were met with a sizeable donation from Enbridge Gas, too. Steven Jelich, the director of Southwest Region Operations for the company presented the conservation authority with a $10,000 cheque that will be used toward planting some 1,300 trees.
The goal is to reduce soil erosion, said Van Zwol.
-With files from Allanah Wills
