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Forest access roads and bridges are important
components of any harvesting operation, allowing access to valuable timber. They
also have the added benefit of opening up areas for hunting, fishing and
recreation. Properly constructed stream crossings keep heavy equipment out of
stream bodies, ensuring the integrity of the water body and protecting valuable
fish migration routes and spawning grounds. Improperly constructed stream
crossings, however, or those that have been damaged or debilitated over time,
can have a negative effect, and may eventually result in irreversible damage to
the streams that support the existence of fish and fish habitat.
Enter the Western Newfoundland Model Forest
partnership. Committed to sustaining our forest resources, the Western
Newfoundland Model Forest along with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans,
Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd., Abitibi-Consolidated Inc., Centre for Forest
and Environmental Studies, the Crown branch of the Department of Government
Services and Lands, and the Department of Environment and Labour started the
Stream Crossing Inventory Project in 1997. The purpose of this project was to
conduct an inventory on the condition of existing stream crossings in the
province. The goal of the project was to develop a database that will include
all existing stream crossings throughout the island while identifying and
documenting any possible concerns which may affect fish habitat in
streams.
To complete the inventory, crews travelled
extensively throughout the island portion of Newfoundland, enabling them to
obtain first-hand knowledge of all active stream crossings that are accessible
by both automobiles and ATV’s. To obtain accurate and detailed information for
each crossing, crews conducted a survey that involved a physical site inspection
and the completion of a field data sheet. Points of interest that were
recognized by the crews during the survey included fish habitat classification,
pollution, road and stream bank erosion or siltation, diversions of natural
stream beds due to road development, water speed, incline of crossing structure
and debris due to washouts that affect water flow and fish movement. The
locations of all surveyed crossings were determined and recorded with the aid of
a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit. Also, field crews took digital
photographs of the sites to provide users with a visual of the stream
crossing.
To date (December 2000), approximately 98% of the
forest management districts on the island have been surveyed, with a total of
4651 stream crossing structures mapped and described, and plans are underway to
survey Labrador in the spring of 2001. The development of this GIS database
means that damaged crossings can be fixed or decommissioned, therefore
protecting our water bodies while still allowing access to timber - a key
component of sustainable forest management. For more information about the
Western Newfoundland Model Forest partnership, visit our web site at
www.wnmf.com.
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