Ottawa invests in climate change mitigation for recreational trails

An investment from the federal government will help the Nature Conservancy of Canada make recreational trails more resilient, including in the Saint John area.

The federal government announced a $200,000-investment in the Maritime Coastal Trails project.

The project will address erosion and drainage challenges in several locations, including the Musquash Estuary Nature Reserve Trail about 25 kilometres west of Saint John.

It will also improve trail safety and ecosystem health.

Part of the improvements will be stone-lined channels, called rock swales, that capture and direct water flow to manage stormwater runoff.

The Conservancy will also replace invasive plants like rugosa rose with native coastal shrubs.

“Nature is critical to our well-being and to the resilience of our communities in the face of climate change,” said Conservancy stewardship director Laurel Bernard.

“These same coastal areas that draw visitors and locals alike serve as our primary defence when storms hit.”

The funds are part the Natural Infrastructure Fund.

The program supports projects that use natural or hybrid approaches to increase resilience to climate change, reduce carbon emissions, protect and preserve biodiversity and wildlife habitats and promote access to nature.