The Farmland Advantage (FLA) program is working hard to restore BC’s natural habit – including riparian areas. Farmland Advantage recently completed riparian restoration work on Knott Farm in Aldergrove, BC.

Knott Farm is located within the Bertrand Creek Watershed, and is owned by Nancy and Peter Knott, who have lived on the property for over 30 years. They raise horses and partially lease their pastureland to a beef producer. A creek within the Bertrand Creek Watershed runs through the property, next to the pasture fields. This creek is home to a diverse array of life including salmon & other native fish species, birds, and beavers.

In September of 2021 a Farmland Advantage Advisor visited Knott Farm. During the site visit, the FLA Advisor found the riparian area along the creek needed some attention. Trees that once lined the creek bank had died and fallen, and the bank was slumping and showing signs of erosion. On one bank very few native plant species were found; primarily grass, whose roots were not strong enough to hold the earth. The livestock that had access to the riparian area had also accelerated the rate of erosion.

To mitigate these issues, the FLA Advisor worked with the Knott’s to form a restoration plan, which included several methods to improve the health of the riparian area:

• Stabilizing the bank with large rocks,
• Planting native species along the bank,
• Installing beaver guards around plantings,
• Installing a livestock fence to prevent horse and livestock access to the creek.

In February and March of 2022, with the financial support of the Farmland Advantage program, the planned restoration work was undertaken. The work had been delayed due to the atmospheric river event which brought strong winds and near-record amounts of rain to many areas of BC.