The Program
The Natural Edge is a shoreline naturalization program available to waterfront property owners to plant native trees, shrubs, groundcovers, wildflowers, and grasses along the water’s edge. With support from Watersheds Canada and generous funding support from Manitoba Habitat Conservancy, The Boyne River Keepers provide landowners with:"
A free site visit to discuss shoreline concerns, provide recommendations, and assess planting conditions
A personalized planting plan, including photos of selected planting areas and ideal plant species
Free resources to ensure that the newly planted vegetation thrives in the first few years of establishment and growth
Follow-up and support with your new plants
In Collaboration With Watershed Canada
Watershed Canada and Boyne River Keepers have united to simplify shoreland naturalizations. Through The Natural Edge Program, we equip landowners with the resources and expertise to rejuvenate their shorelines, safeguard water quality, and establish habitats for wildlife and pollinators. Our program walks you through each stage, from design to cultivation, utilizing native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers.
How it Works
Natural Edge - An Overview
A natural shoreline creates habitat for wildlife and pollinators, protects water quality, and stabilizes shorelines. Sister Pat of Stillpoint House of Prayer walks you through her experience with the Natural Edge team.
A Site Visit
Trained delivery partners walk your shoreline with you to discuss any concerns you have. With your input, we choose appropriate plants based on your land characteristics and height preference, and let you place them where you like. Because we do everything on site using an iPad, you’re with us making key decisions!
Shorelines are also among the most important places on earth for wildlife. Throughout their lifetimes, over 90% of aquatic wildlife species use these land-water interfaces for food, shelter, breeding, and rearing areas. Healthy layers of vegetation including trees, shrubs, ground cover, grasses, flowers, and aquatic vegetation benefit wildlife, enhance climate change resilience, protect these shorelines from degrading, and support natural processes that are essential to a healthy watershed.
With the growth of new developments, cottage-to-home conversions, and commercial and industrial developments along shorelines, these sensitive areas are threatened. With the loss of natural vegetation, several benefits to the lake are compromised, including water clarity and quality, safe swimming areas, and loss of wildlife habitat.
Importance of Shorelines
The Natural Edge is a shoreline naturalization program available to waterfront property owners to plant native trees, shrubs, groundcovers, wildflowers, and grasses along the water’s edge. With support from Watersheds Canada and generous funding support from Manitoba Habitat Conservancy, The Boyne River Keepers is able to provide landowners with:
A free site visit to discuss shoreline concerns, provide recommendations, and assess planting conditions;
A personalized planting plan, including photos of selected planting areas and ideal plant species;
Free resources to ensure that the newly planted vegetation thrives in the first few years of establishment and growth; and
Follow-up and support with your new plants.
For Landowners
WWF Watershed Reports
The watershed has two mighty rivers: the 1,070-kilometer Assiniboine flowing from eastern Saskatchewan to Manitoba, and the Red River, which flows north from the Minnesota-North Dakota border into Lake Winnipeg. These two water systems meet at the historic gathering place known as the Forks in downtown Winnipeg, now the city’s top tourist attraction with over four million annual visitors. The fertile basin was once used for hunting and foraging, but much of the grasslands have been converted to farmland. The waters contain over 50 fish species, including pickerel, goldeye, crappie, smallmouth bass, and the massive channel catfish found in the Red River.
Redboine Watershed District
The Redboine Watershed District is the Water Planning Authority appointed by the Provincial Government for its jurisdiction, responsible for creating and implementing Integrated Watershed Management Plans. The La Salle River IWMP was finalized in 2010 and is being implemented. The Boyne-Morris River IWMP, developed in partnership with the Pembina Valley Watershed District, is nearing completion. It will replace the Stephenfield Lake Watershed Management Plan, guiding decisions in the Boyne River watershed for 15 years.
Our Boyne River is within
the Redboine Watershed District
Additional information and reports
In-depth Guides
Explore the Comprehensive Guides provided by Watersheds Canada
FREE RESOURCES
Protecting Our Watersheds
Discover the critical role that watershed resources play in our environment, and explore effective strategies for preserving and safeguarding them for the benefit of current and future generations, ensuring that these vital resources continue to thrive and support life for years to come.
Plan, Plant, Tranform
The Natural Edge empowers you to re-naturalize your shoreline and help reduce erosion in your freshwater ecoystem.
The Natural Edge Program simplifies shoreline naturalization into three steps: Plan, Plant, and Transform. Each step provides landowners with the guidance and resources needed to restore and enhance their shoreline. From personalized site visits and custom planting plans to the actual planting and transformation, our program ensures a seamless and rewarding experience. Learn how you can protect water quality and create thriving habitats with our easy-to-follow process.
PLAN: We visit your site and work with you to create a custom plan suited to your shoreline and your aesthetics.
PLANT: Plants go in the ground in the Spring or Fall. We work with sponsors to subsidize the costs!
TRANSFORM: Our shorelines are designed to need minimal maintenance. Over the next few years, you’ll see your shoreline transform!
How it Works
