Centennial Wetland Restoration Project
Centennial Wetland in Rossland is four acres at the headwaters of Trail Creek. It has areas of rare wet-meadow, shrubby wetland and ephemeral ponds. It has a great diversity of plants and amphibians including Western Toad, Columbia Spotted Frog and Pacific Chorus Frog. This project’s goal is to restore, protect and conserve the integrity of the Centennial Wetland, by repairing and preventing further damage and enhancing habitat. This will be accomplished by building a 40-metre trail that routes OHVs and trail users out of the wetland and by restoring a one-acre area by repairing the filling, ditching and head cuts that are changing the wetland hydrology.
Other outcomes include:
- a restoration plan for the ditched stream and lower three acres of wetland, help budget and prepare for a second phase of restoration;
- an amphibian inventory will identify species of concern, which are using the wetland habitat;
- a spring flora inventory and mapping of all four acres will identify species of concern and ecological plant communities; and
- one acre of wetland habitat restored and habitat enhanced for flora and amphibian species identified as a concern in inventories.
Rare Plant Found in Rossland Wetland
Learn more about a rare plant found during this wetland restoration project.
Red-listed plant found in Centennial Wetland
Final Report: Executive Summary
This report provides a summary of the Centennial Wetland Restoration Project’s accomplishments and findings in 2016 and recommendations for next phases. This project’s goal is to enhance ecosystems and watershed functions by mitigating human impacts, restoring natural hydrology and creating habitat for amphibian and flora identified in the wetland area. By coordinating a site analysis and study of historic disturbances and infrastructure, hydrology, flora and amphibian populations we have been able to assess the optimal wetland restoration design for ecosystem function and habitat conservation and enhancement.
Restoration works in 2016 were in a 1.8 acres/0.7 ha area with an additional 0.3 acre/0.1 ha area in the Bike Skills Park where erosion control with slope stabilization structures, and invasive plant treatment works were completed. A new 0.3 mi/500 m trail was constructed to route the public out of the wetland area, the historic trail route and tire ruts deactivated with roughing and loosening techniques and the installation of vertical grade control structures to mitigate head-cuts. We also removed fill and built a wall and vegetated berms to set wetland boundaries at the Lion’s Campground and to direct Off Highway Vehicles (OHV) out of the wetland and onto the new trail. Two groundwater wetland ponds were constructed, large woody debris was introduced throughout the restoration area and two bat roosting houses were installed at the site all to increase wildlife habitat. An interpretive sign, three trail signs and one wetland boundary sign were installed.
Click the provincial database link below to read the full final report for this project.