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Nature

The conservation of biological diversity is considered to be one of the keystones to sustainable development. The GDDPC encourages and collects observations of all kinds of plants, birds, mammals and other forms of life in the Cocagne watershed. Multiple surveys of shorebirds, trees, mushrooms, butterflies, swallows are carried out regularly. Watershed groups and citizens play an important role in better understanding ecosystems and their inherent species.

The aim was to help watershed group technicians better understand the ecological roles of salt and freshwater marshes by contrasting them side by side. Every year, watershed groups hire young technicians who often lack training in the ecology of local ecosystems. In addition, we explained how marshes help us combat climate change.

A Pays de Cocagne Sustainable Development Group (GDDPC) project to encourage and gather observation of any plant, bird, mammal and any other kind of life form in the Cocagne River watershed (Pays de Cocagne).

For 3 years, the technicians, the employees (close to 30 people on average) of the groups of the watersheds of south-eastern New Brunswick have received several trainings on birds. Last year the participants proposed the identification of nocturnal wildlife.

The project aims to increase capacity among South-eastern NB watershed groups and forest technicians to identify woodland birds. In the spring of 2018, Roland Chiasson of Aster Group provided training sessions on identifying woodland bird habitats and behaviors. He developed a woodland bird species identification guide, using bird calls, videos and images to teach woodland bird identification during the sessions.

The purpose of this project is to develop the capacity of watershed groups to conserve bird species at risk.

For many years (1998), the Atlantic Canada Shorebird Survey (ACSS) began monitoring several sites where birds stop. The members of ACSS monitor migratory bird populations and ensure they continue to be able to rely on these major areas during migration. There are about 142 official sites in the Atlantic Provinces. The Bouctouche Dune and Cormierville Marsh are part of these sites.

We are extremely worried about the decline in pollinators worldwide, including butterflies. We’re observing harmful practices that are destroying pollinator habitats in our community. Our goal is to stop the practice of mowing lawns in wetlands, to stop butterfly and general pollinator decline, to increase the biodiversity of species, to balance ecosystems and finally to enjoy the beauty of our landscapes and thus encourage the protection of our natural heritage.

We have been conducting a mushroom inventory with photos and specimens to improve our knowledge of the mushroom community in our local watershed.

The swallow initiative started when citizens reported that a colony of bank swallows was rock filled in 2019 on route 535 in Cocagne. The same thing occurred in 2020. However, the group conducts an inventory of bank swallow colonies and it shares its results with Transport NB, Birds Canada and the municipality.

The Wild Pollinators & Their Natural Habitats project’s purpose is to protect wild pollinators by adopting respectful practices towards their natural habitats. With the help of a series of consultations, workshops and a pilot project with landowners of the Cocagne watershed region, the PCSDG desires to increase wild pollinator populations, as well as biodiversity within southeastern New Brunswick.

Here, the GDDPC presents inventories of fauna and flora in the Cocagne river watershed.
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