| July 27, 2006 |
Native brook trout now have more quality habitat to thrive in, thanks to the efforts of over ten volunteers from the Pine River/Van Etten Lake Watershed Coalition, Huron Pines and Walt and Valerie Joslin. The streambank restoration project, funded through the US Fish & Wildlife Service and administered by Huron Pines was initiated to enhance the riparian buffer along approximately 1000 feet of the East Branch of the Pine River which winds its way south across the Joslin Farm in Alcona County.
Volunteers with the Pine River/Van Etten Lake Watershed Coalition met at the Joslin Farm on June 9, 2006 to plant native trees and shrubs along areas of the river which were eroded from historical agricultural use and flashy stream velocities. The plantings will help stabilize the banks, preventing unwanted sediment - which is detrimental to trout in that it can cover eggs and clog gills - from entering the Pine. Additionally, the new growth will eventually provide shade over the river, which will help keep the water cool, thereby increasing the quality of the cold water trout stream.
Walt and his wife Valerie graciously provided a country barbeque for the volunteers after all the hard work was complete.
The US Fish & Wildlife Service and volunteers from the Pine River/Van Etten Lake Watershed Coalition will return again to the Joslin property this fall. In order to finish the restoration effort, work will be initiated to pull back a vertical bank area to minimize erosion and plant additional trees along the remaining erosive banks. The brookies will be waiting!
Article contributed by Rick Myrick, District Forester, Alcona and Iosco conservation districts
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