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Wetland health assessments: riparian health assessments for lentic wetlands at Brookdale Farm

Approach

Healthy riparian areas have a high abundance of native or preferred plant species, low abundance of weeds/invasive species, and little human disturbance impacts, such as water withdrawal. They also provide several ecological goods and services.

Between 2015 and 2017, thirty-eight riparian health assessments were conducted at the Brookdale Farm.

Key Findings

Of the riparian areas assessed at Brookdale Farm, nearly half are considered unhealthy and occur in both the grazing and cropping systems. Reduced activity would encourage the natural vegetation in the riparian area to increase in abundance and quality and would improve the health and functionality of the riparian areas.