For almost 20 years, the Friends of the Salmon River have worked at safeguarding the Salmon River Watershed and providing information for all stakeholders about conservation and healthy river practices.
We are a grassroots organization – a group of volunteers who live near the Salmon River or who visit and enjoy the river and its watershed.
Organized since 2004, the annually elected Board (8-10 members) meets regularly to identify environmental issues related to the river and its watershed. In doing so, we initiate projects and programs – often with other partner groups and organizations – in an effort to protect and promote the natural beauty and pristine characteristics of the watershed.
The Friends are always learning more about the Salmon River, and we use that knowledge to care for the river and forge new connections that nurture the watershed and its communities.
The Friends of the Salmon co-operate with the Stewardship Councils of Frontenac, Lennox & Addington and Hastings, as well as Quinte Conservation and other like-minded groups interested in the Salmon and its watershed.
May we always be able to run to the river’s edge and exclaim, “We love our river!”
Achievements
Education
2012: Water Systems: a teaching unit for grade 8 students
2010: Signs of the Salmon Project. Info Boards installed at 3 access points on the river
Signs of the Salmon Project May 2010
2006: The Salmon River Watershed: Jewel of Eastern Ontario was published
CD’s were distributed at no charge to libraries and schools in the watershed as part of our education program
Copies of CD book version are still available
2005: Salmon River Habitat Strategy
Bus Tours
For 5 years – we staged a sold-out, full-day, watershed bus tour that provided commentary on the geological, historical and biological features of the watershed by experts in each field.
Public Presentations
- Never Cry Wolf, in Tamworth, August 2006
- Turtles, Frogs & Skinks, in Arden, April 2007
- The Power of Volunteer Groups, Rick Lindgren, in Roblin, August 2007
- The Fabled Fisher, in Verona, February 2008
- Wonders of Wetlands, in Napanee & Cloyne, May 2008
- What is Nature Worth? Nature Conservancy of Canada, Roblin, Oct 2008
- Coyotes & Wolves, in Roblin, February 2009
- Black Rat Snake, in Verona, April 2009
- Loon Workshop, in Sharbot Lake, June 2009
- Effects of Dams, in Roblin, October 2009
- For the Birds, in Tamworth, October 2010
- Ribbon of Life: Natural Shorelines, Oct 2011
- Invasive species, Oct 2012
- Yes, In My Backyard: Naturalizing Shorelines and Backyards, Sept. 2013
- Water Quality: Lake Test Results and Healthy Waterways, Oct 2014
- Puzzle Lake Provincial Park, Oct 2015
- John and Janet Foster, More Stories from the Wild, Oct 2016
- Give Turtles a Headstart, Nov 2017
- Visit Cloyne Museum and Benny’s Pond, August 2017
Tree Planting & Shorelines
- Native Seedlings available for FSR members – we annually provide 150 to 200 seedlings for watershed residents to help improve our shorelines
Salmon River Habitat Strategy
Our Strategy was reported in 2005, and it provided us with a base of knowledge. Most importantly, the project launched FSR with a comprehensive analysis of the important features of our watershed. In addition, it formed a real partnership with two Stewardship Councils: Frontenac and Lennox & Addington. The work by Stephen Pitt of the L&A Council secured significant funding through the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin and the co-operation of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
A Natural Heritage Planner was employed for two years to derive maps and analyze data from the MNR Natural Resources and Values Information System for twelve basic watershed characteristics. These variables were used to assess the condition of the watershed by comparison to favourable levels for a watershed flowing into the Bay of Quinte as interpreted from How Much Habitat is Enough? (Environment Canada 2004)
To see the maps: go to Maps tab on homepage.
This comparison allowed FSR to target any variables or any areas where the Salmon watershed fell below the favourable levels. Streamside vegetation in the lower watershed, on the limestone plateau, was the only target for remediation that emerged. The remainder of the watershed was found to be ‘healthy’ in terms of these twelve variables over the entire watershed. FSR had no crisis to rally around. Instead, we had a healthy watershed to care for.
Executive Summary of the report
The Salmon River Habitat Strategy has been designed to help identify the most cost-effective habitat restoration opportunities in the Salmon River watershed, by using indicators recommended in How Much Habitat is Enough? A Framework for Guiding Habitat Rehabilitation in Great Lakes Areas of Concern (Environment Canada, 2004). The framework provides science-based information about how much wetland, riparian and forest habitat is enough to sustain biological diversity and vital natural processes.
The Salmon River watershed is an area of 921 km2 that drains into the Bay of Quinte near Shannonville, between Napanee and Belleville. The Bay of Quinte was identified as one of 43 Great Lakes Basin “Areas of Concern” in 1985. The International Joint Commission recognised that several of the Bay’s beneficial uses were impaired as a result of industrial, agricultural, municipal and household practices that had contaminated the water. In addition to posing risks to human health, some of the diversity of plant and animal life had been lost.
This study has found that stream bank naturalization presents the greatest opportunity to restore fish and wildlife habitat in the Salmon River watershed, especially in the southern portion. There are also areas surrounding wetlands in need of naturally vegetated buffers. Beyond identifying priority restoration sites, this report presents a broad spectrum of spatial information to assist appreciation and conservation of the watershed’s natural wealth.
Thank you for visiting our Friends of the Salmon River website. If you wish to stay current with FSR, come back often, and “friend us” on Facebook.