• Protecting Water and Farmland in Simcoe County

Working to save ecosystem in Dufferin Marsh

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In Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
May 2nd, 2012
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By Mark Pavilons King Sentinel April 25 2012
The Dufferin Marsh is an ecological oasis in Schomberg, but even Mother Nature needs some help now and then.
Maintaining and enhancing the Marsh takes time and effort and recent work on the area has uncovered some urgent matters that need to be addressed.
King councillors received an update on the Marsh at a recent council meeting.
Eric Leon, past chair of the Marsh committee, said his group looks after this area in collaboration with Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, Seneca College, and King Township among others. They put a $24,000 grant to good work recently, analyzing the current state of the marsh.
College student Greg Mitchell was involved in the project last year, and provided an overview of the work done on the site.
He said they began by cleaning up the marsh and installing gauges to monitor water depth. They surveyed the marsh and plotted water flow. Higher-than-normal water levels were killing trees in the marsh, so they found a way to channel water away from the marsh by digging a trench.
The Marsh is home to many species of wildlife, including the Canada goose. Photos by Mark Pavilons
They also had to deal with invasive plant species, including purple loosestrife and the common reed. They removed and burned some of the offenders.
One of the alarming finds was very high levels of chloride (salt) in the marsh, which impacts local wildlife and amphibians. High levels can be toxic to frogs, almost immediately, at the upper levels.
Mitchell had some recommendations to maintain the marsh’s long-term health.
They include plantings to help restore some of the lost flora. He also suggested the release of Galerucella beetles to control the purple loosestrife. These creatures only feed on this plant and nothing else. They have been found to be effective in Europe and here in North America, following their introduction in 1992.
The water levels in the marsh need to be constantly monitored, he said. It may also be necessary to widen the channel to keep the water levels in check.
Councillor Bill Cober praised the committee for its work, noting that perhaps not all residents are aware of the Dufferin Marsh, and the efforts required to maintain it. It’s important, he stressed, that this information is shared.
The Dufferin Marsh is a remnant feature of the Schomberg River and was isolated when the river was channeled in the 1800s. Through natural processes and man-made disturbances the old river bed developed into a marsh. The land was historically used for farming, and was bisected by the Schomberg and Aurora Railway in 1902. Through the years the Marsh has flourished despite adjacent development.
The Dufferin Marsh is a wetland that provides for a variety of natural features and functions. During major rainfall or spring melt it becomes inundated with water, protecting other areas from flooding. The water held in the Marsh is cleansed through biological processes and filtered into the ground, recharging the groundwater system.
The Dufferin Marsh contains a variety of plant communities, which support resident and migratory birds and animals. More than 50 species of birds have been observed in the wetland. The avian diversity is unusual and significant for a small wetland.

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