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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Volunteers and members of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans planted 60 poplar and birch tree cuttings at the new Kam Lake culvert site on Thursday as part of post-construction revitalization efforts in the area.

Trout Unlimited Canada head Doug McNiven holds up a sign that will be posted once work is done at the culvert. - Lauren McKeon/NNSL photo

The effort is geared "to address the concern about the lack of stream vegetation in the part where the old road used to be," said Sheena Majewski, a fish habitat biologist with the department.

A culvert, which was fully completed in the same week, was built to allow for the easier passage of fish between Grace Lake and Kam Lake.

The $480,000 project also straightened out the narrow "S" curve of Kam Lake Road and will allow access for dog mushers and snowmobiles to cross.

Work to reclaim natural land isn't something the department normally does, said Majewski. The department usually focuses on assessing and monitoring completed work.

At the Kam Lake site the department hopes the work will encourage contractors to think about restoring construction sites in the future.

"Hopefully it will be a really good demonstration site for people to be able to come see," she said - as long as everything works out.

The plan is to plant the birch and poplar poles along the banks of the stream flowing through the culvert. Unlike saplings, the cuttings are expected to produce less exposed roots.

The trees were planted further back from the bank than is normally recommended, so as not to be disturbed by the snowmobilers and mushers.

"Instead of putting in ... cement walls, we're trying to mimic nature to stabilize this bank," said project manager Mary Hewitt of Flat River Consulting.

The project's success will depend on how undisturbed the work remains, however, and Hewitt said she'll likely be "stewing" over the winter wondering what spring will show.

"We would really like snowmobilers not to ride up and down the bank," she added.

"It will rip (the trees) out and we don't want any more sediment going into the stream."

If the planted cuttings get enough precipitation, they should germinate in the spring but with winter on the way there is no way to ensure there will be enough, Hewitt said.

Even so, planners are optimistic and volunteers on site are hopeful of good results.

"This is going to be a living classroom," said Brian Heppelle, executive director of Fly Kid Foundation.

"It's a win-win-win project."