By Jessie Weisner

SEAWA works to restore local landscapes

May 3, 2019 | 4:34 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — One local organization is out in the community, aiming to restore essential biological areas.

The Southeastern Watershed Alliance (SEAWA) is funded through the Provincial Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program and the Federal Recreational Fisheries Conservation and Partnerships Program.

It’s been working on multiple ‘riparian areas’ throughout Medicine Hat.

“Riparian areas are the adjacent lands along streams and rivers and around lakes and reservoirs,” says Marilou Montemayor, executive director of SEAWA. “The habitat of Riparian areas are very important, not only for the aquatics, fish and everything that lives in the water, but the amphibians like the frogs.

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Montemayor adds these areas help reduce flooding. However, human activity, flooding and wildife degrade these areas.

Locations at Connaught pond by College Drive, Saratoga Park and the Saamis Archaelogical Site have all been projects through the last year.

SEAWA has already planted 35 trees at the Connaught pond. Volunteers and contracted workers are now working on planting 100 native shrubs at Saratoga park.

“It’s very labour intensive to restore riparian areas, and very costly as well, so it is really best that we conserve healthy riparian areas,” says Montemayor.

As of now, SEAWA’s funding only lasts until March 2020.