| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
The Yaqan Nuki Wetlands Friendship Society (YNWFS) in co-operation with the Lower Kootenay Indian Band was formed in January 2003 for the purpose of rehabilitation and maintenance of wetlands located 6 km south of the town of Creston, east of the Kootenay River and south of the Goat River. This wetland mosaic forms a vital link between the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area and the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge (USA). In the 1970s Ducks Unlimited developed and installed the infrastructure on this 475ha wetland complex. Many wildlife species utilized these wetlands for breeding, resting, feeding and as a migratory stopover. As of 2005, 184 species of birds, 22 species of mammals and 9 species of reptiles and amphibians have been recorded within the boundaries of the Lower Kootenay Indian Band Lands. With the funding partnership of Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Columbia Basin Trust, the society has undertaken the responsibility of servicing, repairing and maintaining the pumps that will re-flood each of the five wetland compartments. This summary report does not pretend to be a scientific report. Our society does not have that expertise at its disposal and would not consider utilizing hard won funds allocated for the rehabilitation of these wetlands, to pay for one. This is, instead, a succinct inventory of the society’s accomplishments in 2005. We are, however, expert at hands-on and getting things done and we think the descriptive summary herein clearly outlines the magnitude of our collective success. This summary is designed as an addendum to the March 2005 report1 and includes rehabilitation up-grades inclusive to November 30, 2005. The reestablishment of these wetlands, which have traditionally received little maintenance attention since the building of the initial infrastructure by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DU), has been a daunting task. It has taken these three years and will include one more year before we can say the marsh lands are fully reconstructed as to original design. Only then can we truly say we have now arrived at “maintenance as usual”. |
