NSLC recipient of conservation award

Sponsorship of program helps restore Stewiacke River watershed

The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation has been named recipient of this year’s Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Conservation in recognition of its sponsorship and promotion of the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s NSLC Adopt A Stream program.

The award was presented at the recent annual Atlantic Salmon Federation/nova Scotia Salmon Association Halifax Dinner, at Pier 21 in Halifax.

The provincial salmon association manages NSLC Adopt A Stream, providing technical advice, training and project funding. With local volunteer groups, the program has restored almost 2.2 million square metres of degraded stream habitat, including the Stewiacke River watershed.

“Our environment is precious and we believe it is important that at the NSLC we do our part to help keep Nova Scotia’s rivers and streams clean,” said Bret Mitchell, president and CEO, NSLC. “We’re proud to accept this award and recognize our program is a success because of the thousands of Nova Scotians who volunteer their time with their local conservation groups.”

Proceeds to fund work are raised by doing promotions in stores, in partnership with our suppliers. The Cobequid Salmon Association is carrying out restoration work through the program on 12 kilometres of Little River.

“Historically, this tributary was the largest producer of salmon smolts in the Stewiacke River watershed,” said Amy Weston who manages the program for the Nova Scotia Salmon Association.

The Atlantic salmon population unique to the inner Bay of Fundy is on the Endangered Species list and there have been very few sightings of juvenile fish in recent years.

“Improving habitat conditions is one way a local group can help with recovery for salmon and the productivity of the ecosystem for all aquatic life,” Weston said.

The restoration work carried out last summer focused on a 1.6km stretch of the river in Brookfield that flows near the high school.

Since the NSLC has been involved with the partnership with the Nova Scotia Salmon Association, 35 community-based groups have restored 396 kilometres of fish passage across the province.