A PROJECT WE’RE PROUD OF! – Part 1
From a former cornfield to an urban wetland and hydric complex in Otterburn Park
The project we had the opportunity to carry out in Otterburn Park is a major one. Our starting point was a former agricultural field gradually transforming into a new 900-unit residential development. The Town of Otterburn Park took the bold step of establishing a complex of natural environments at the heart of this new residential area.
Our aim was to recreate ecological functions by transforming the site into a high-quality natural ecosystem. We worked to create a pond, an educational marsh near a school, a flowered meadow and several swamps. We’ve also restored three watercourses in need of love totalling over two kilometers. We’ve widened the shoreline, giving it a more natural flow, and planted adapted species. We took this opportunity to create habitats suitable for amphibians and reptiles.
Needless to say, we had our work cut out for us!
Here you can see how a pond was created from scratch as part of the project.
We worked on this project for 5 years, from conception to financing to implementation. We selected and planted nearly 10,000 seedlings of 37 different native species, in addition to sowing the seeds of 32 other species. A wide variety of wildlife habitats were also created, for amphibians and reptiles as well as birds and small mammals. On September 6th, 2024, to celebrate T2’s 10-year anniversary, we proudly presented the fruits of our labours to our loved ones at Otterburn Park.
A special thanks to the Town of Otterburn Park for its vision and boldness in this restoration project. Thanks to the PRCMHH, a Quebec government program dedicated to restoring and creating new wetlands and water environments in exchange for the loss of others, for partially funding this stimulating project. Many thanks to our partner RAPPEL, a group of associations for the protection of the environment of lakes and watersheds, who accompanied us on this nourishing adventure.
On February 26th, Hugo and Marc-Antoine Bernier Racine of RAPPEL will present the Otterburn Park project at the Journée Phare II du Projet RARE. Specifically, they will discuss the hidden challenges of creating riparian wetlands and hydric environments.
