A rare East Kootenay wetland has received a major restoration in time for World Turtle Day on May 23, providing a boost for biodiversity and habitat, including for a population of threatened Western Painted Turtles.
Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) led the restoration of Mayook Marsh, located east of Cranbrook along a bend in the Kootenay River.
The organization replaced a failing water control structure from the 1970s with a modern, climate-resilient system designed to better manage spring runoff and withstand drought.
Crews also planted native vegetation, improved drainage, and carefully relocated wildlife during construction.
“We knew this marsh was worth reinvesting in,” said Kasey McKenzie, a conservation program specialist with DUC.
“The rebuild guarantees the home of many species is safe for at least another 30 years.”
The wetland supports a wide range of species, including Columbia Spotted Frogs, migratory songbirds, bats, elk, and rare birds like Lewis’s Woodpecker and Bank Swallow.
The marsh also helps reduce downstream flooding and store carbon.
Biologists, engineers, environmental and archaeological consultants, and First Nations representatives contributed to the project, which took several years to plan and complete.
Funding came from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, and the B.C. Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.
DUC plans to monitor the site annually to ensure the structure functions properly and the wetland stays healthy.
Mayook Marsh remains one of the few pockets of wetland in an otherwise dry region, offering refuge for wildlife and a lasting example of collaborative conservation.
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