CANADA, January 16 - The Hunter Clyde Watershed Group is one of the longest-serving watershed groups in PEI, serving the areas of Hunter River, New Glasgow and North Rustico.

Victoria Hawkins is the interim watershed coordinator for Hunter Clyde.

“We do a lot of different programs. Our main ones this time of year would be our habitat enhancement, like tree planting in riparian zones, or even in upland areas. We also do some stream enhancement. So, that includes making brush mats to capture silt and help strengthen our stream banks,” said Hawkins.

“We are doing a lot with our local schools this year, which is nice. And we are also doing quite a bit of monitoring. We do water quality monitoring, and we do a variety of wildlife monitoring as well.”

One big project they are working on is monitoring bats.

Bat echolocation sounds are at a frequency that can’t be heard by the human ear, so specialized equipment is needed to detect the sounds.  Hunter Clyde uses stationary acoustic recorders to capture bat calls, which are then analyzed by the PEI Watershed Alliance.  This process provides valuable information about the presence and behavior of the bat population in the area.

Hawkins says collecting data like this has a big impact on the group’s future plans. “Our monitoring helps us get an idea of what's happening throughout our watershed, so we can plan projects to improve habitat.”

Whether the group is doing beach walks to clean up trash and garbage, or planting trees in riparian zones, the work is always shaped by the members that came before them.

“Our group started in 1999. We've kind of been doing similar projects since then. We've obviously gathered new information and have changed our techniques since then. But we've been doing those projects for over 20 years now,” said Hawkins.

The work done today has a big impact on the future too.

“Our tree planting can help with reforestation of Acadian Forest species. That helps with diversity, which is good for forests, and keeps our stream banks strong through tree roots.”

Hardy forests and strong stream banks have many long-term benefits to wildlife habitat, water quality and can even help prevent erosion and minimize flooding in the area.

Anyone can get involved by volunteering. Contact the Hunter Clyde Watershed Group by visiting their Facebook page or your local watershed group through the PEI Watershed Alliance to find out how to get started.

The Government of Prince Edward Island assists watershed groups across the province by providing a range of programming through the $2.1 million Watershed Management Fund.