The South River watershed is highly impacted from agricultural activities which result in the loss of riparian zone vegetation. Without healthy vegetation along both sides of a stream issues such as bank erosion, siltation and extreme water temperatures are the result. To address these issues, ARA has worked with local farmers, the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s Adopt-A-Stream program and the N.S. Federation of Agriculture to develop streambank stabilization procedures and to promote the establishment of riparian zones through tree planting. The restoration projects completed in the South River have provided countless stewardship groups throughout the province with a template for restoring streams through agricultural zones.

2019 Projects: A 200-meter long bank stabilization job was completed using armour stone rock to protect the eroding bank from excessive sediment deposit entering the river as well as riparian zone planting that will provide shade and bank stability.

2020 Projects: There were two 100-meter long banks stabilized using armour stone rock as well as incorporating tree planting into the stabilization process.

2021 Projects: A 50-meter long erosion site was remediated using root wads and armour stone rock to stabilize the bank while also dissipating the downstream energy of the water. Along the same stretch of river bank, a riparian zone was determined and planted to create wooded buffer zones between the river and agricultural land. Another tree planting site was selected near the Lower South River Ball Field where over 100 trees were planted by ARA volunteers. The long-term benefits of this project will include improved shade and bank stability as well as creating habitats for a large variety of animals. Riparian zone forests can restore groundwater levels, withstand floods, and reduce soil and nutrient run-off.