Our little pond is growing up.
This spring, residents in Old Ottawa South have noticed mysterious logs and root wads rising out of Brewer Pond – something they've never witnessed since the RVCA and its partners restored the pond to a functioning wetland in 2014.
While the Brewer buzz is louder than its many bees right now, there's a simple explanation: the pond is evolving. This spring's ice melt and freshet created the perfect conditions to lift some of the hundreds of submerged stumps, root wads, log jams and branches to the surface - a totally normal and natural process.
Some of this wood material was cast ashore; others are now poking out of the water in the middle of the pond, creating an odd-looking landscape locals aren't used to. The good news, according to RVCA aquatic biologist Jennifer Lamoureux, is that now these exposed stumps will simply switch from helping fish to helping birds.
"Birds will use them to build their nests, or to perch in search of food in the water," Lamoureux said. "Turtles will use them for basking as well. As for the logs washed up on shore – now the community has some nice, new sitting logs."
Lamoureux said there are still dozens of other wood structures under the water continuing to provide shade, hiding spots and nesting sites for the pond's aquatic creatures.
As one of her many restoration "babies," Lamoureux said Brewer Pond is simply growing up, and this year's somewhat awkward appearance is a sign it's maturing into a truly natural area. Leaving it alone will allow it to evolve and change as nature intends.
"This is why we do this work: to restore an area back to a more natural state, to lay the groundwork for the area to become an independent, thriving habitat for a rich bounty of diverse plants and creatures," said Lamoureux.
Lamoureux said she's thrilled the community has shown so much interest in and support for Brewer Pond. She plans to host a wetland ecology community day this fall, including an opportunity for kids and adults to pull a net through the water to see who lives in the pond.
Follow RVCA on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to get the details when they're available, or sign up for our City Stream Watch mailing list at https://www.rvca.ca/volunteer/city-stream-watch.