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Riparian Habitat Restoration and Stewardship
The health of the Annapolis River largely hinges on the quality of the land and water bodies that surround it. Because much of the surrounding land is used for agricultural purposes, there is the potential for fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural chemicals to contaminate the river.

One effective and practical method of protecting the river is to allow natural, vegetated buffer zones to grow between the land and the water. These "green belts," called riparian buffer zones, are the natural transition areas between aquatic and terrestrial habitats, and perform several functions vital to the health of both habitat types.

By protecting and enhancing riparian buffer zones farmers can:
  • Greatly reduce the impacts of their operations on the aquatic environment
  • Help control the flooding and erosion of their land
  • Provide healthy habitat for many wildlife and fish species
Restoring Riparian Areas in the Annapolis Watershed

In 2003, CARP's Comprehensive Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) identified the establishment of riparian buffer zones on livestock grazing lands as one of the priorities for CARP's environmental restoration and pollution prevention activities in the Annapolis River watershed.

Since 2003, annual projects have been implemented with the participation of local farmers to limit livestock access to waterways and restore and enhance riparian buffers between pasture and watercourses.

CARP's riparian habitat stewardship projects are designed to:


Willow (Salix sp.) staking
  • Exclude livestock from waterways using fencing
  • Develop riparian zone protection and stewardship strategies
  • Establish long-term stewardship of riparian habitat
Local agricultural landowners are instrumental in the success of these projects. They contribute their time in planning individual projects; provide labour to install fencing, crossings and watering systems, and commitment to act as stewards of riparian habitats on their land in the long term.

Funding for these projects has come from a variety of sources including:

Willow (Salix sp.) staking
  • Environment Canada's Eco Action community funding initiative and
  • Environmental Damages Fund
  • Nova Scotia Salmon Association's Adopt-A-Stream Program
  • Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources' Habitat Conservation Fund
  • The Shell Environmental Fund
Non-monetary contributions have come from a wide variety of individuals and organizations. Most notable among these have been the commitment of local farmers to the projects, and the donation of over 15,000 nursery stock trees by J.D. Irving Limited over the course of these projects.

Project Reports

Download the Annapolis Habitat Enhancement Project - Project Report 2008
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