Salt marsh restoration underway in Boundary Bay
For the last week, a national conservation organization has been working to restore the tidal marsh in Delta's Boundary Bay.
The project, led by Ducks Unlimited Canada, aims to restore the ecosystem by removing many of the logs that have accumulated in the marsh over the years.
Sarah Nathan, project operations manager for Ducks Unlimited's B.C. conservation program, told CTV News most of the logs being removed are "anthropogenic," meaning they were cut by humans, mainly for the forestry industry.
"Over the years, some logs have tended to escape from the log sorts, and because they don't have branches remaining on them or pointy root wads, they roll around, and they can mobilize within the marsh, and they act like rolling pins," Nathan said.
"So, what they end up doing is smothering some really valuable remnant salt marshes that we're trying really hard to take care of."
Large logs – especially those with wide, flat surfaces or root wads – are part of the ecosystem and are being left in Boundary Bay, according to Nathan. It's smaller logs that cause the most trouble.
"(What we're doing) is really just letting the marsh plants grow back, so they are no longer being smothered by a carpet of small pieces of wood," she said.
In addition to serving as a valuable – and increasingly rare – habitat, salt marshes are useful carbon sinks for fighting climate change, Nathan said.
"The main improvement we're really excited about is, in this case, (the plants') ability to sequester their carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the soil," she said.
Ducks Unlimited plans to do some "trial plantings" in the spring in an effort to help the marsh recover, Nathan said. Meanwhile, all the removed wood is being transported to a biofuel facility to be recycled.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.