The Federal government has approved an action plan to protect important species in the Ausable River Watershed. Ausable Bayfield Aquatic Biologist, Kari Jean, says the new plan identifies areas of critical habitat. Those are areas with features that are needed for endangered or threatened species to survive and thrive. She adds the plan contains recommendations for on the ground stewardship. "So within that plan is recommendations for on the ground stewardship, things like planting trees, enhancing wetlands, planting cover crops as well as some of the bio-monitoring that we do, like water quality sampling and fishery sampling as well as outreach and education and working with out community and the public," said Jean. Jean says all of their projects involve partnerships with landowners in the watershed or other government agencies and they're very grateful for that support. Jean says the Ausable River is a small river but there many species reliant on it.
"It's a small river but it really supports a lot of cool fish and fresh water mussels. We usually have about 85 different kinds of fish living in the river and 26 kinds of fresh water mussels, not to mention all of Ontario's turtle species we have here in the watershed, so the river itself is quite unique and special," added Jean.