Ducks Unlimited celebrates biodiversity
New water control structure, fish-ladder part of $1.5-million investment
AMHERST — There’s no better place to celebrate biodiversity than on the massive Missaquash Marsh that separates Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
At just over 2,500 hectares, the expansive wetland is teaming with wildlife and is the important habitat for many species of migratory birds and fish, including species at risk. It is also known as a wildlife highway.
To make sure the marsh remains healthy and productive, Ducks Unlimited Canada is working with Nova Scotia to conserve the wetland - the largest managed marsh in Atlantic Canada - for another 15 years.
“This marsh is one of the most ecologically important wetlands that Ducks Unlimited manages in this region,” Tom Duffy, Ducks Unlimited Canada’s manager of provincial operations for Atlantic Canada, told Saltwire Network. “In terms of waterfowl protections and biodiversity the number of various bird and fish species and mammals that use these areas is incredible.”
Duffy said a key part of the project was restoring a water control structure and fish-ladder dating back to the 1960s. He said much of the work began in 2019 and was completed earlier this year.
Based on research undertaken in partnership with Acadia University — and with support from Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Coastal Restoration Fund, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, Irving Oil, and other Canadian and American supporters — Ducks Unlimited Canada recently rebuilt the marsh’s fish-ladder and enhanced and upgraded the dikes to improve public access.
“We have a brand-new water control structure and a new fishway that is a little more elaborate and will allow for easier passage for trout, gaspereau and eels up to the marsh,” he said. “We have upgraded the dike and widened them so you can now get vehicle traffic from the Nova Scotia side right up to the water control structure. There’s also a boat launch there from where people can launch their boats right onto the marsh. It’s pretty impressive.”
At $1.5 million, Duffy said the work was Ducks Unlimited’s single largest investment in a wetland in Atlantic Canada. He applauded the province for continuing to work in partnership with Ducks Unlimited to protect the natural area so that it will have a bright future.
Marshes and wetlands, such as the Missaquash, play a key role in storing carbon.
“It’s something that was never looked at in the past because it was never an issue, but now there’s not a day that goes by that there isn’t a story about reducing carbon emissions and how do we deal with this,” Duffy said. “The more we learn about these wetlands, the more we understand they also play an important role in the overall strategy in managing and storing carbon.”
Also, heavy rains that come with big storms can be captured and maintained by a big marsh instead of causing flooding problems downstream.
There is also the recreational benefit of being close to a wetland - something that promotes healthy, active living and good mental health.
In the early 1960s, Ducks Unlimited Canada and Nova Scotia recognized the potential to return some idle agricultural marshlands to productive wetlands. Six decades later, it continues to invest in the future of this important expanse of habitat in collaboration with the Department of Lands and Forestry and the Department of Environment and Climate Change.
“Ducks Unlimited Canada has been a valuable partner in our efforts to preserve and conserve wetlands across the province. We look forward to many more years of successful collaboration as we all do our part to protect our province’s beautiful biodiversity,” Lands and Forestry Minister Chuck Porter said in a news release.
Visitors can explore the marsh by walking along the dikes and logging wildlife observations using the inaturalist feature on the My DUC app. Missaquash Marsh was also designated as a Treasured Wetland of Nova Scotia in 2019. Visitors can learn more about the site using an online story map.