Our Watershed. Our Responsibility.

Petite RivièreWatershed

NOVA SCOTIA’S

luenose Coastal Action Foundation(BCAF) is a non-profit, communitybased organization addressingenvironmental issues in LunenburgB

County watersheds. In 2003, BCAF joinedthe efforts of the Atlantic Whitefish Conser-vation & Recovery Team (AWCRT) workingtowards the recovery of the endangeredAtlantic whitefish – a species found only inNova Scotia’s Petite Rivière watershed.

BCAF’s background in environmental edu-cation prompted the introduction of our At-lantic Whitefish Project. With the directionof AWCRT members, BCAF has producedan array of education materials designedto raise awareness of the Atlantic whitefishand its critical state within the Petite Rivièrewatershed.

The purpose of this booklet is to celebratethe Petite Rivière watershed and the Atlan-tic whitefish, while offering practical tips toensure that future generations will be ableto enjoy both.Petite Rivière Watershed: Conserving the Atlantic Whitefish

BLUENOSE COASTAL ACTION FOUNDATION

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Table of Contents

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Petite Rivière: A Healthy Watershed

Discover the Endangered Atlantic Whitefish

Wildlife Conservation in Nova Scotia

Threats to Our Watershed Climate Water Pollution Habitat Loss & Degradation

Watershed Living: What Can You Do to Make a Difference? Save the Atlantic Whitefish Responsible Angling Outdoor Recreation Travelling At Home (Indoor, Yard & Waterfront Changes, Pets) Farming, Forestry & Working Together

Purchasing an Outboard Motor

Environmentally Friendly Cleaning

Home Sewage Disposal

Natural Gardening: The Many Benefits of Native Species

A Brief History of Petite Rivière

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Kelly

Ben

tham

Collecting AtlanticWhitefish RoeCollecting AtlanticWhitefish Roe

Any point in a watershed bears the accumulation of pollutants fromupstream. When we protect our water quality, we are protecting thehealth of all watershed residents. In the case of the Atlantic whitefish,its survival is already fragile – even small actions could be devastating.

A HEALTHY WATERSHED

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watershed, or drainage basin, is theAland and water area that drainsinto a common river or lake sys-tem through rainwater runoff,

groundwater, connected streams, rivers and/or lakes. Watersheds flow downstream, even-tually reaching an estuary or ocean.

Water quality can be affected by varioussources. Some pollutants or threats originatefrom a point within the watershed (e.g. anoil spill). Others, such as air pollution, mayoriginate from industrial sources as far awayas the United States. Regardless of the sourceof pollution, the nature of a watershed meansthat once deposited, the pollution will fol-low the flow of water downstream. There-fore, any point in the watershed bears theaccumulation of pollutants from upstream.

If water quality is diminished, the entire wa-tershed and its inhabitants are affected. Inthe case of the endangered Atlantic white-fish, its survival is already fragile – even thesmallest negative action could be devastat-ing.

The first step in preserving the Petite Rivièrewatershed is to understand what threatensits health and productivity. Although not allof these threats may exist now, it is impor-tant to remember two things:

• Pollutants can travel many kilometresthrough the atmosphere.

• Future changes may introduce new threatsof pollution for which education will be abenefit.

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Fish Kill

Its total area is approximately 244km2, about 19% belongs to water-bodies.

Courtesy of AW

CRT

For More Information...Much of the pollutant information and heal-thy watershed tips have been referencedfrom Watersheds: a Practical Handbook forHealthy Water by Clive Dobson and GregorGilpin Beck. This basic watershed ecologybook is a valuable reference for everyone.

Petite RivièreWatershed Facts

The watershed above Hebb Dam isthe drinking water supply for the Townof Bridgewater.

The watershed also includes 22smaller lakes, 8 tributaries, and manyswamps and bogs.

The watershed includes four majorlakes: Fancy, Millipsigate (also knownas Leipspigate), Minamkeak andHebb.

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The three dark green lakesillustrate the current knowndistribution of the Atlanticwhitefish.

Considered the most primitive form of all the North Americanwhitefishes, the first account of the Atlantic whitefish was taken fromMillipsigate Lake, Lunenburg County.

ATLANTIC WHITEFISH, COREGONUS HUNTSMANI

T he Atlantic whitefish is facing thethreat of extinction. Not only is thismember of the Salmonidae familyendangered, it occurs only in one

global location, the Petite Rivière watershedin Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. Histori-cally, it was also found in the Tusket Riverwatershed, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia,but has since thought to be extirpated fromthis part of the province.

BiologyThe Atlantic whitefish is a member of theSalmonidae family which means that it isrelated to salmon and trout. This fish is alsoreferred to as Acadian whitefish, Sault white-fish, round whitefish, and common whitefish.It is dark blue to green on the back withsilvery sides and a silvery to white belly. The

tail is deeply forked and the fish has an adi-pose fin, typical of salmonids.

It is an anadromous species, meaning that itspends part of its life in the ocean but re-turns to freshwater lakes and rivers tospawn. The remaining Petite Rivière popu-lation, however, is believed to be landlockedand therefore unable to travel to sea. Thereis limited information on spawning behav-iour and early life stages of this fish.

Threats to Atlantic Whitefish Survival• Historically, the Atlantic whitefish was con-

fused with the lake whitefish and conse-quently angled as a food fish.

• In 1929, dams were constructed on theTusket River. Although fish ladders were

Atlantic WhitefishOfficial Status

Status: Declared endangered in 1984by COSEWIC, the Committee on the Sta-tus of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.Status confirmed by COSEWIC in 2000.

Protection: Protected under the Mari-time Fishery Regulations, the FederalSpecies at Risk Act, and the NovaScotia Endangered Species Act.

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installed to guide fish upstream, themigratory movement of the Atlantic white-fish was interrupted. Concentration at fishladders also may have made fish easiertargets for poachers.

• Acidification in the Tusket River has madeconditions poor for the Atlantic whitefish.

• The Petite Rivière population, found inHebb, Millipsigate, and Minamkeak lakes,is believed to be land-locked. These lakescannot be accessed from the sea due to aman-made dam. Any Atlantic whitefish thatdrop below the dam have no opportunityto reproduce.

• Non-native fish such as smallmouth bass

threaten native fish populations becausethey compete for food and habitat andmay act as predators.

Each of these factors has contributed to thecurrent critical state of the Atlantic white-fish. The Atlantic Whitefish Conservation &Recovery Team (AWCRT) is working to raiseawareness of the endangered Atlanticwhitefish and to encourage support for itsrecovery. The Atlantic whitefish situationacts as a reminder of how fragile the sur-vival of a species can become. Individualsmake choices everyday. The same wisechoices that protect the species of our wa-tershed also conserve the integrity of thewatershed as a resource for future genera-tions.

BodyElongated. Average length: anadromouspopulation 38 cm, land-locked 20-25 cm.

MouthAt end of snout rather than under its head.

FinsAdipose fin present. Deeply forked tail.

ScalesLateral line scales 91-100. Larger scalesthan Atlantic salmon or brook trout.

Conservation/Recovery Efforts

The Atlantic Whitefish Conservation & Re-covery Team was formed in 1999. The groupconsists of representatives from various lev-els of government, community groups andother concerned individuals, all working to-wards the recovery of this endangered spe-cies.

AWCRT members have a variety of exper-tise, skills, and interests. They represent theresearch community, management experts,regulatory bodies, the recreational commu-nity, and the Tusket River and Petite Rivièrewatershed communities. Fisheries expertscarry out research that may one day lead tothe reestablishment of a feasible populationof Atlantic whitefish in the wild. Researchhas been undertaken to explore such aspects

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as genetics, interactions with introduced spe-cies, and habitat requirements. The Atlanticwhitefish has also been the subject of gradu-ate and undergraduate theses.

Local angling groups such as the BluenoseBassmasters have supported the AWCRT byoffering input at meetings and by acting aswatershed guides. Anglers play an impor-tant role in Atlantic whitefish recovery bysharing information about sightings and re-porting issues that may set back the recov-ery of the species.

Food: Scientists are collecting informa-tion to discover more about what At-lantic whitefish eat. Before the declineof the Tusket population, Yarmouth Har-bour specimens yielded stomach con-tents that included amphipods, periwin-kles, and marine worms. Scientists sus-pect that the landlocked populations inthe Petite Rivière feed on plankton,aquatic insects, minnows, and fish eggs.

The Bridgewater Public Service Commission(PSC) is currently developing a source wa-ter management plan for the upper reachesof the Petite Rivière Watershed. The purposeis to evaluate risks to water quality and de-termine if current regulations provide ad-equate protection for surface and groundwater. This watershed supplies private wellsand acts as the reservoir for the Town ofBridgewater and surrounding area.

Atlantic WhitefishDid You Know?

The Petite Rivière Watershed Advisory Group(PRWAG) is an active community group dedi-cated to ensuring that the water quality withinthe watershed be maintained. PRWAG mem-bers are working towards their goal bypartnering with the Bridgewater PSC andensuring that accurate information is avail-able and presented to all watershed resi-dents. The goals of these two organizationscombine to support the recovery of the At-lantic whitefish by encouraging residents tomaintain healthy watershed practices.

Help us preserve your watershed –for today and tomorrow. We allcan make small lifestyle changes.

Roots: The root of the word Coregonus,the scientific name for whitefish, comesfrom Greek words meaning pupil andangle of the eye.

Identification: The number of lateral linescales help to distinguish the Atlanticwhitefish and lake whitefish. Atlanticwhitefish have over 88 scales. Lakewhitefish possess fewer than 88 lateralline scales.

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What does it mean to be endangered?The Committee on the Status of EndangeredWildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has createdseven categories of risk for species inCanada. The following are lists of NovaScotia species only.

Extinct: A species that no longer exists.Passenger Pigeon, Great Auk, LabradorDuck, Sea Mink, Eelgrass Limpet

Special Concern: A species is of special con-cern if it has characteristics that make it par-ticularly sensitive or vulnerable to human ac-tivities or natural events. Eastern Lilaeopsis,Long’s Bullrush, New Jersey Rush, SweetPepperbush, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Bicknell’sThrush, Gaspe Shrew, Harlequin Duck, Mon-arch Butterfly, Savannah Sparrow, Short-eared Owl, Southern Flying Squirrel, WoodTurtle, Yellow Lampmussel

Threatened: A species that is likely to be-come endangered if limiting factors are notreversed. Blandings Turtle, Eastern Ribbon-snake, Peregrine Falcon, Golden Crest, Ply-mouth Gentian, Redroot, TurbucledSpikerush, Water-pennywort

Endangered: A species facing imminent ex-tinction or extirpation. Inner Bay of FundyAtlantic Salmon, Atlantic Whitefish, EskimoCurlew, Piping Plover, Roseate Tern, PinkCoreopsis, Eastern Mountain Avens, Thread-leaved Sundew, Boreal Felt Lichen

What is a species? A genetically distinctgroup of plants or animals capable of re-producing viable offspring.

Extirpated: A species that no longer existsin the wild in Canada but is present else-where. None currently designated.

Other Categories: Not at Risk. A species thathas been evaluated and was determined notto be at risk. Data Deficient. A species forwhich there is insufficient scientific informa-tion to support a designation.

Visit www.cosewic.gc.ca for more information.

Wildlife Conservation in Nova Scotia

Monarch Butterfly

Roseate TernTed D’Eon

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Vegetation naturally absorbs carbon dioxide and converts it to oxygen through photosynthesis. Depletingnatural vegetation (trees, shrubs, grasses, etc.) and increasing pollution magnifies the Greenhouse Effect.

WATERSHED THREATS: CLIMATE

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Air pollution • Coolant used in fridges & airconditioners (CFCs are nolonger used in new models)

• Vehicle & industry emissions

• Ozone depletion: thinning ofthe ozone layer

• Decreased ozone levels high inthe atmosphere

• Increased low level ozoneconcentrations

• Increased ultraviolet light

• Increased risk to health

• Increased smog

• Increased danger from expos-ure to sun (i.e. skin cancer)

• Climate change

Greenhouse Effect

Acid RainPrecipitation with high-er acidic levels (pH)than natural rainwater

THREAT HARMFUL COMPONENTS & USES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES WATERSHED DAMAGE

• Methane, nitrous oxides & CFCs

• Carbon dioxide, the green-house gas humans contribute tomost by burning fossil fuels

• Vegetation absorbs carbon diox-ide breaking it down to a usefulform. Depleting natural vegeta-tion & increasing pollution mag-nifies the Greenhouse Effect

• Climate change: weather varia-bility, regions of drought, melt-ing polar ice, higher sea levels

• Global warming

• Burning fossil fuels & meltingmetals

• Increased acidic precipitation dueto chemical reactions between airpollutants & water vapour

• Decline in aquatic & terrestrialplant & animal species sens-itive to acidic conditions

Species at the top of food chains may exhibit concentrations of pollutants more than a million times greaterthan in the water itself. This could result in population declines that last for decades.

WATERSHED THREATS: WATER POLLUTION

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Bioaccumulation

THREAT HARMFUL COMPONENTS & USES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES WATERSHED DAMAGE

• Air pollution & direct pollutiondischarge

• Various species ingest waterpollutants

• Pollutants remain in the organ-ism & accumulate over time

• Pollutants in prey are passed onto predators

• Species at the top of the foodchain may exhibit a concen-tration of the pollutant that is amillion times greater than in thewater itself

• Increased instances of seriousillnesses in species at the topof the food chain

Marked increase inpollutants within thebody of an organismover its life span

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Heavy Metals • Highly toxic substances suchas mercury & lead

• Become increasingly toxic inspecies at the top of the foodchain

• Potentially devastatingdamage to all affected species

• Increased instances of seriousillnesses for humans & wildlife

Bald Eagle

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Industry Mining

THREAT HARMFUL COMPONENTS & USES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES WATERSHED DAMAGE

• Mine tailing: lead, nickel,arsenic, cadmium, etc.

• Acidic runoff from strip mines

• Further pollutants from refinerysmelters

• Direct disposal into waterways

• Pollutants flowing into water-ways as runoff

• Increased instances of seriousillnesses for humans & wildlife

• Bioaccumulation

PCBsPolychlorinatedbiphenyls

• Were used in electricaltransformers, various home &industrial uses

• Clean up & disposal remains achallenge

• No longer produced in NA

• PCBs remain active for yearsmaking contamination a longterm problem

• Long term contamination

• Increased instances of seriousillnesses for humans & wildlife

Oil Spillage • Various sources: oil tankers,ship bilge cleaning, oil tankleaks, automobile oil, etc.

• Oil & its by-products are toxic toplants & animals

• Large bird, fish & plant kills

• Population declines that maylast for decades

Pulp & Paper • Chlorine used for paperbleaching

• Long living toxic by-productsincluding furans & dioxins

• Long living compounds releasedas wastewater into waterways

• Contributes to both air & waterpollution

• Fish & vegetation kills

• Long term threat ofcontamination

Forestry

THREAT HARMFUL COMPONENTS & USES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES WATERSHED DAMAGE

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• Pesticide use

• Past use of DDT (banned inCanada & the US since 1970)

• Newer chemical pesticides,although shorter-lived than DDT,are still toxic to people &wildlife

• DDT causes deformities &infertility, especially visible inbirds at the top of the foodchain. Although its use hasbeen discontinued many pop-ulations have yet to recover

Radioactive Waste • Nuclear waste

• Thermal pollution

• Radioactive waste remainsdangerous for extendedperiods of time

• Exposure to the waste isharmful to people & wildlife

Thermal Pollution • Large quantities of water usedto cool machinery

• Machinery cooling causeswater to become heated

• Releasing heated water intowaterbodies changes aquatichabitat

• Warm water holds less oxygenthan cool water, a harmfulconsequence for aquatic species

• Potential for invertebrates &fish to be killed

• Habitat damage throughoutwatershed

Domestic Waste • Household hazardous waste

• Road, roof & lawn runoff

• Sewage, sewage treatmentby-products & fertilizers

• Our everyday domestic wastereaches waterways – many ofour actions are easily preventable

• Health risks for people &wildlife

• Depleted dissolved oxygen inwatersheds

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THREAT HARMFUL COMPONENTS & USES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES WATERSHED DAMAGE

Agriculture • Chemical fertilizers & pesticides

• Manure

• Erosion

• Agricultural pollutants wash intowaterways, particularly duringprecipitation events & springsnow melts

• Creates a cycle; replaced soil &fertilizers will again enter thewater

• Risk of well contamination

• Oxygen depletion & siltationin waterways

• Potential suffocation ofaquatic species

Excess Nitrogen &Phosphorous

• Sewage

• Livestock manure

• Farm, garden & lawn fertilizers

• Causes rapid growth of algae,cyanobacteria & other floatingplants

• Algal blooms reduce the light& oxygen available to species,suffocating aquatic life

Invasive SpeciesA species introducedinto an ecosystemwhere it did not existpreviously

• Accidental & intentional introd-uctions

• Well-known Canadian exam-ples: purple loosestrife & zebramussels

• Affects terrestrial & aquaticenvironments

• Potentially drastic populationincreases if natural predatorsor competitors don’t exist

• Habitat & resource compet-ition with native species

• New pathogens, parasites &diseases can be introducedby invasive species

• Steep decline in native speciespopulations

• Decreased ecosystem biodiversity

Robert McC

aw

Purple LoosestrifePurple Loosestrife

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Many of our normal day-to-day activities including logging, farming, outdoor recreation and buildingcottages and waterfront homes can have significant impacts on local habitat and wildlife species.

WATERSHED THREATS: HABITAT LOSS & DEGRADATION

Interruption ofWater Flow

THREAT HARMFUL COMPONENTS & USES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES WATERSHED DAMAGE

• Dams, mills & other intrusions

• Forestry practices

• Changes water levels affectingthe water cycle

• Dams alter water flow; thereservoirs slow water velocities,alter water temperatures &increase chance of predation

• Interruption of natural fish mi-gration & the flow of nutrientsdownstream

• Significant habitat changescause displacement of nativespecies

• Risk of flooding

• Impeded fish passage

Agriculture • Introduction of monoculturecrops

• Monopolizing nutrient richlowland or floodplains

• Reduces biodiversity & habitatfor native species

• Unique habitat corridors ofdiverse floodplains are oftendestroyed

• Reducing plant diversitydecreases the biodiversity ofanimals & even microorganisms

• Species displacement

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Environment C

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THREAT HARMFUL COMPONENTS & USES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES WATERSHED DAMAGE

Clear-cut LoggingAll trees from a givenarea are removed

Selective LoggingMarking of individualtrees within an area forcutting

• After clearcutting, nutrients fromthe removed wood are lost,making the soil nutrient poor

• Selective cutting removes thehealthiest desirable species,affecting species composition

• Vegetation acts as a buffer andabsorbs large quantities ofwater; its removal decreaseswatershed protection

• Decreased wildlife diversity

• Clearcutting causes drasticdrops in the water table

• Reforestation efforts requireyears to take full effect

• Wildlife are confined tosmaller areas

• Logging roads infringe onundisturbed wildlife habitat

• Silt, soil deposits & run-offharm fish & aquatic life

• Log debris interrupts fishmigration

• Loss of buffer zone raises watertemperatures which are intoler-able for some aquatic species

Recreation • Trampling natural areas

• Careless littering

• Removal of “souvenirs”

• Decreased diversity due toconstruction of homes, paths,driveways, disturbing &/orremoving flora and fauna

• Possible threat of forest fires

• Threat of forest fires

• Displacement of wildlife due tohabitat destruction

Domestic • Increased desire for waterfrontproperty

• Clearing of land to shorelinedecreases microhabitats

• No cover for wildlife protection

• No buffer for soil stabilization& shade

WATERSHED LIVING: WHAT CANYOU DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

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Everyone lives in a watershed.Effective, healthy lifestyle choicespracticed in the Petite Rivièrewatershed can apply no matterwhere you live or travel. The PetiteRivière watershed is beautiful,productive, and relatively healthy.Residents should be aware thattheir actions can help to ensurethat it remains as such.

Money Saver Habitat Protection

Waste Reduction Pollution Prevention

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What Can You Do To Make a Difference?Talk about the Atlantic whitefish with others in your community.Canadians, especially Nova Scotians, should know about its statusand its struggle to survive.

Help Save the Atlantic Whitefish

Contact the Atlantic Whitefish Conservation & Recovery Team tobecome involved in the recovery efforts.

Help stop the introduction of invasive species. It is illegal to movefish from one body of water to another.

Learn to distinguish the Atlantic whitefish from lake whitefish.

Gently and carefully release accidentally caught Atlantic whitefish.Under the Maritimes Fishery Regulations, it is an offence to catchand retain or possess Atlantic whitefish. Under the new federalSpecies at Risk Act, it is an offence to kill, harm, harass, capture,or take Atlantic whitefish. Report Atlantic whitefish sightings toFisheries and Oceans Canada or the Nova Scotia Department ofAgriculture and Fisheries. Note the date, size, appearance, andlocation.

Native Atlantic Whitefish

Invasive Rainbow Trout

Top, Kelly Bent ham; A

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What Can You Do To Make a Difference?Know your provincial and federal fishing regulations. In NovaScotia it is illegal to release fish into provincial waters, exceptunder a license issued by Fisheries & Oceans Canada.

Responsible Angling

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Do not move fish from one lake, river, stream, brook or anywaterway to another.

Avoid use or possession of bass, bullhead, white perch, yellowperch, goldfish, chain pickerel, or any fish not taken fromprovincial waters as bait. It is illegal to use or possess thesespecies as bait whether alive or dead.

Read the Nova Scotia Angler’s Handbook you receive when youpurchase your fishing license.

Contact Fisheries & Oceans Canada (902-354-6030 Liverpoollocal office, 1-800-565-1633 Dartmouth regional office) if you seeactivities taking place that appear to be suspect or harmful.

Discard bait into the body of water from which it was taken.

Empty live wells before leaving each waterbody.

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Outdoor Recreation

What Can You Do To Make a Difference?Choose a 4-stroke vs. a 2-stroke motor. 4-stroke motors are quieter,less disturbing to wildlife, and use less gasoline producing less airand water pollution (for more details read pp. 30-31). For moreboating tips, pick up the Maritime Clean Boating Guide availablefrom BCAF.

Take part in non-polluting recreation such as hiking, kayaking,canoeing, sailing, and cross-country skiing.

Ensure that no invasive species are transferred from one body ofwater to another when transporting watercraft (for example on thebottom of your boat).

Adhere to the seven Leave No Trace Principles (visit www.lnt.org):1. Plan ahead and prepare.2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces.3. Dispose of waste properly.4. Leave what you find. Take pictures as your only souvenirs.

Remove litter someone else left behind as well as your own.5. Minimize campfire impacts (check the local forest fire index).6. Respect wildlife.7. Be considerate of other visitors.

Michael Ernst

What Can You Do To Make a Difference?Carpool, walk, or cycle whenever possible.

Travelling

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Use higher methane (cleaner burning) gasoline.

Consider fuel-efficient vehicles.

Keep vehicle maintenance up-to-date including recommended tirepressures and wheel alignment. Your vehicle will work moreefficiently and last longer.

Use a container to collect leaking vehicle fluids so they can beproperly disposed. Vehicle fluids can be toxic to children, pets,and wildlife and can also contaminate the ground.

Sustainable transportation is defined as finding alternate forms oftransportation in a manner that supports human and ecosystem healthwhile operating efficiently, being affordable, and supporting theeconomy. For more information on BCAF’s sustainable transportationinitiatives such as the Anti-Idling Campaign and Commuter Challenge,check out their website at www.coastalaction.org.

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At Home: Indoor Changes

What Can You Do To Make a Difference?Reduce electricity and fossil fuel burning needs:• Make sure your home is adequately insulated.• Check for and repair any drafts at windows and doors annually.• Use programmable thermostats to reduce the heat when rooms

are not in use.

Dispose of household hazardous waste at your local depot (see p. 24).

Use vegetable waste in composts to create a great gardenfertilizer.

Further decrease the threat of treated waste water:• Do not use toxic cleaning chemicals.• Reduce water demands (less wastewater means less chlorines

needed to treat it) by using low-flow showerheads; low-flowtoilets or place a brick in the toilet tank; turn off the tap whilebrushing teeth or shaving; use tap aerators; repair all waterleaks immediately; and avoid running water unnecessarily.

Use environmentally friendly cleaners (ideas available on p. 32).

Use paper and wood products sparingly and reuse when possible.

What Can You Do To Make a Difference?Recycle all paper and cardboard products in the municipal pick-up.

At Home: Indoor Changes continued

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Properly install, maintain, and pump out septic systems to ensurethey work efficiently. There is a significant risk to nearby wells andwaterbodies should the septic bed not function properly (see p. 33for more information).

Household Appliance ChangesEnsure that environmentally friendly coolants are used in fridgesand air conditioners. Read labels and avoid products containingharmful components.

Use EnerGuide Ratings to help choose energy efficient appliances.Visit www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/energuide for more information.

Avoid the use of household hazardous products.

Use your consumer power to tell industry and government that youwant to see them being environmentally responsible.

Support environmentally responsible companies and industries as aconsumer.

Hazardous Household WasteHazardous household waste (HHW)is defined as materials that are corr-osive, flammable, reactive, or toxic.The Lunenburg Recycling and Com-posting Facility accepts the followingHHW: base and acid corrosives, solidand liquid flammables, oxidizers, andpoisons. They do not accept business,industrial, and institutional hazardouswastes; PCBs, radioactives, or explos-ives; or compressed gas cylinders (i.e.refillable propane tanks).

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At Home: Yard Changes

What Can You Do To Make a Difference?Leave trees on your lot or replant trees and shrubs to help reducecarbon dioxide and air pollutants.

Rake leaves and clear pathways with a straw broom instead ofusing a leaf blower or hose.

Add yard waste (leaves and sticks, etc.) to your compost pile. Usegrass clippings and leaves as free lawn fertilizer. Yard wasteshades the soil, reducing the need for watering.

Research organic alternatives to pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Consider naturalizing your yard with native plants (see pp. 35-36for some advice).

Research non-native plants before planting to avoid competitionwith native vegetation.

Connect downspouts to barrels to collect rainwater for your garden.

Replace road salt with sand, kitty litter, or calcium chloride.

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At Home: Waterfront Changes & Pets

What Can You Do To Make a Difference? Waterfront ChangesLeave some trees and vegetation on the shoreline of your home andcottage. Prune them rather then remove them.

Use public access or join neighbours to make a community boatlaunch or dock. This will cut down on erosion and the destructionof aquatic habitat.

Consider replacing solid docks with floating or pipe cantileverdocks. Solid docks destroy habitat, alter currents, and result inincreased siltation.

Visit www.livingbywater.ca for more information.

Responsible Pet OwnersDo not allow pets to run free where they may become predator,competitor, or prey for native wildlife.

Wash pets at least 50 metres upland from shore using phosphatefree soaps or shampoos.

Save money and reduce erosion and the destruction of aquatic habitatby using public access docks or sharing with neighbours.

What Can You Do To Make a Difference?Fence livestock away from rivers and lakes to reduce erosion andpollution.

Farming

28

Riparian ManagementLivestock producers may receive up to$5,000 in assistance for the fencingof wetlands, salt marshes, and somewatercourses, stream crossings, andcontrolled watering systems. Fundingis available from the Nova Scotia De-partment of Natural Resources, EasternHabitat Joint Venture. For further infor-mation, contact Glen Parsons at 902-679-6223 or parsongj@gov.ns.ca.

Leave plant residue from the previous year’s crop to reduce soilerosion and restore some nutrients. Crop rotation and fallowperiods will also replenish soil nutrients.

Leave or create a permanent buffer of native trees along water-bodies to reduce erosion, provide shade, keep water cool for fish,and provide habitat for wildlife.

Choose early mornings and calm days for irrigation to minimizewater loss from evaporation.

Reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides andinvestigate less harmful products.

Leave part of the farm as a natural woodlot to provide wildlifehabitat, an area for recreation, and a free source of firewood. De-pending on the species, your woodlot may even yield maple syrup.

Avoid filling wetlands in for farming. These are unique and prod-uctive areas.

Envi

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Forestry & Working Together

What Can You Do To Make a Difference? Forestry• Cut selectively.• Avoid clear-cutting – especially on steep slopes.• Install road crossings carefully to reduce erosion.• Leave natural buffers as wide as possible around streams.

Working TogetherGet together with a group of friends or an existing communitygroup and clean up a section of river or lakefront.

Learn about issues of concern within your watershed.

Attend meetings addressing environmental concerns within yourwatershed.

Keep informed of, or join in, the actions of watershed groups suchas the Petite Rivière Watershed Advisory Group (PRWAG).

Take part in BCAF’s Lunenburg County Climate Change Challenge!

Join a low impact recreation or community group. If there is not agroup addressing your interests or concerns, consider starting one.

Although boating is a popular activity, it can be highly damaging to our watersheds. Making environment-ally friendly decisions means weighing the pros and cons of two- versus four-stroke engines and assessinghow much we’re willing to compromise for economic and/or personal reasons.

PURCHASING AN OUTBOARD MOTOR

T

30

he majority of two-stroke enginesrequire the lubricating oil to bemixed directly with the gas in thefuel tank. The oil in four-stroke en-

gines remains separate and is not burned,making the exhaust cleaner and less smoky.

after a few hours while the heavier hydro-carbons, like oil, remain on the water’s sur-face. These design differences cause two-stroke engines to pollute more than four-stroke engines.

RegulationsOutboard motors have not been subject tothe same regulations and standards as theautomotive industry. Automotive engine tech-nology has consequently advanced whilesome two-stroke motors have changed verylittle since the 1940s. In 2000, a memoran-dum of understanding was signed betweenthe Canadian Marine Manufacturers Asso-ciation and Environment Canada stating thatbeginning in 2001, all new motors had tomeet American Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) emission standards. EPA’s goalis to reduce emissions by 75%.

Outboard motors have not beensubject to the same regulationsand standards as the automotiveindustry. Some two-stroke motorshave changed very little in decades.

Exhaust ports in two-stroke engines remainopen for a short period of time while a newcharge of air, gas, and oil enters the cylin-der. This allows gas and raw oil to escapedirectly into the water. The lighter hydrocar-bon compounds are released into the air

Your ChoiceThere is no law against purchasing a two-stroke motor. Each individual must decide ifthe environmental benefits out-weigh the eco-nomic costs. When it’s time to replace yourengine, consider buying a four-stroke andhelp keep our watershed clean.

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According toEnvironment Canada

• As much as 40% of a 2-stroke engine’sgas and oil enters the water unburned.

• 4-strokes consume 30% less gas at fullspeed, 80% less when idling.

• A 70 horsepower 2-stroke engine pro-duces the same mass of hydrocarbonpollution in one hour as a new car doesdriving 8,000 kilometres!

• Testing for total hydrocarbons, nitrogenoxides, carbon monoxide, carbon di-oxide, oil, grease, and BTEX (benzene,toulane, ethylbenzene, and xylenes)showed that 2-strokes produce 12 timesas much BTEX as 4-strokes,15 timesmore unburned hydrocarbons than 4-strokes, and almost 125 times morethan a light duty van. Furthermore, a9.9 hp 2-stroke produces 50% morecarbon monoxide than a 9.9 hp 4-strokeand 60 times more than a light duty van!

Pros & Cons of Two-StrokesOn the positive side, these motors are lessexpensive, have a larger used market andhigher resale value, are easier to repair,have fewer parts, and are lighter with fasteracceleration. Cons include the need to mixoil with gas (most models), a rougher andnoisier idle, often more difficult to start, po-tential carburetor problems, poor perform-ing spark plugs, and more smoke and pollu-tion are produced.

Pros & Cons of Four-StrokesThese motors are quieter (smoother runningand idling), have great trolling motors, re-quire no oil/gas mixing, are more reliable,and produce less pollution. Currently, conscan appear daunting. They include motorweight, they can be expensive to buy (newtechnology still being tested) and repair(fewer trained mechanics), and there is alimited used market. Finally, more partsmeans increased chances of repair.

Discover Boating

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 50% of all ofour illnesses can be traced to indoor pollution. Listed below are somebasic alternatives to using hazardous household cleaners.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CLEANING

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General Cleaners• All-purpose household cleaner: baking

soda + vinegar, or lemon juice com-bined with a borax paste of borax +water (borax is a bleach substitute)

• Glass cleaner: 1 part vinegar + 1 partwater, wipe with rag or newspaper

• Drain cleaner: plunger followed by 1/2cup baking soda + 1/2 cup of vinegar+ 2 litres boiling water

• Shoe polish: banana peel• Water softener: 1/4 cup vinegar

Kitchen and Bathroom• Grease cutter: 1 cup of lemon juice + 1 cup of water• Scouring powder: 1 cup of baking soda

+ enough water to form a paste• Toilet bowl cleaner: 1 cup of vinegar left

in the toilet bowl overnight, then brush

Laundry• General stain remover: 1 tsp. of white

vinegar or baking soda per load

Carpets and Floors• Rug & carpet cleaner: baking soda or

dry cornstarch• Floor cleaner: 1 cup vinegar + 8 litres

water• Odor remover: sprinkle with baking

soda or borax, let sit, then vacuum

Furniture and Polishes• Floors & furniture: 2 parts vegetable oil

+ 1 part lemon juice or 1 tablespoonlemon oil in 500 ml of mineral oil

• Chrome: apple cider vinegar to clean,baby oil to polish

• Stainless steel: baking soda or mineraloil to polish, vinegar to remove spots

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he first step to ensure that our sew-age disposal systems are in goodworking order is to understand howthey work. There are three major

As responsible homeowners, it is our duty to ensurethat our sewage disposal systems are in good workingorder. A little preventative maintenance can prevent highlydisruptive, not to mention odorous, events!

HOME SEWAGE DISPOSAL MADE EASY

Tparts to an on-site system: the septic tank,disposal field, and the surrounding soil.

The septic tank is a large buried tank, usu-ally made from concrete. Tanks made fromsteel tend to rust and leak and should bereplaced. All household waste water shouldflow into this tank. Heavier solids settle toform sludge while fat and grease float to thetop to form a layer of scum. Partly treatedeffluent leaves the tank and flows to the dis-posal field.

The disposal field is either a trench or largebed containing perforated pipes, crushed

rock, filtered sand, and sometimes sand buff-ers. It is attached to the septic tank by an un-perforated pipe. Once effluent reaches thedisposal field, it is dispersed through perfo-rated pipes situated in the gravel. Withpoorly drained soil it may be necessary tobuild the field in a mound of imported sand.

mulating in the septic tank. If these solidsreach the outlet pipe and flow into the dis-posal field, they can clog the perforatedpipes. Clogged systems can cause problemssuch as:• Pollute sources of drinking water.• Contaminate the environment.• Harm health.• Be unsightly and cause foul orders.• Be expensive to repair.• Reduce property values.

Tips for Maintaining your System• Inspect your septic tank every two years

to determine pumping intervals.• Wash clothes throughout the week instead

of doing many loads on one day.

It is important to regularly pumpout your system to prevent sludgeand scum accumulation.

The soil or imported sand around the dis-posal field further removes solids includingbacteria and disease-causing organisms,when the effluent filters through it.

It is important to regularly pump out yoursystem to stop sludge and scum from accu-

Courtesy of NSDEL

Well

Septic Tank

Disposal Field

34

• Use an automatic washer with a lint trap.• Install an effluent filter.• Use low-flush toilets, toilet dams, and low-

flow showerheads.• Record the location of the septic tank and

disposal field for future reference.• Check any pumps, siphons, other moving

parts plus the inceptor drain regularly.• Remove trees with large roots or keep them

from growing near the disposal field.• Keep a healthy grass cover over the dis-

posal field to stop erosion.• Keep surface water from uphill or roof

drains away from the disposal field.

Do not...• Overload the system with high volumes of

water.• Discharge water treatment backwash to

the on-site sewage disposal system.• Enter a pumped septic tank: sewage gases

can be fatal.• Wait for the warning signs to inspect and

pump the system.• Allow vehicles or heavy equipment to drive

over the disposal field as they could crushthe pipes.

Signs of a Malfunctioning System• Sewage backing up into toilets, tubs, or

sinks.• Slowly draining plumbing fixtures.• Smell or presence of raw sewage on the

ground.• Soggy spots on the disposal field.

Protect Your SystemNever Flush...

• Coffee grounds• Cigarette butts• Hair or fur• Cotton swabs• Dental floss• Disposable diapers• Sanitary napkins or tampons• Condoms• Pesticides• Paints, thinners, or varnishes• Photographic chemicals• Waste oils• Kitty litter• Other chemical wastes

35

ong before we planted, pruned,mowed, and sprayed pesticides, natu-ral gardens flourished. These gardenssupported a wide variety of native

Diversity is the key! A variety of native plants leads to increasedproductivity, better nutrient retention and greater ecosystem stability.

NATURAL GARDENING

Lplants and provided habitat and food forlocal wildlife. Why spend time and moneyon a boring, flat lawn when you could cre-ate an interesting and colourful natural gar-den? A natural garden is not just an over-grown lawn!

The chemicals and fertilizers you add to yourlawn and garden also enter the watershed.Native shoreline plants help prevent erosionand act to filter-out harmful nutrient-rich run-off. When plants are under stress, often be-cause of poor climate and soil conditions,they become more susceptible to insects,disease, and competition from weeds. Plantsthat are native to Nova Scotia are accus-tomed to our climate, soils and insects, and

therefore, do not require toxic fertilizers,pesticides, and herbicides.

Conserve Water, Time, and MoneyKentucky bluegrass is a popular non-nativechoice for lawns but requires almost 100centimetres of rain over the summer. InBridgewater, from April to September, theaverage rainfall is only 61.88 cm. You canspend more time enjoying your yard andless time watering by purchasing nativegrasses. They are adapted to our climateand only need natural rainwater to flourish.

Growing a variety of plants will help to at-tract birds, butterflies, bats, and other wild-life. Planting trees or shrubs with berries,flowers and grasses will ensure that there isplenty of food year round while adding three-dimensional structure and habitat to youryard.

36

• Increased biodiversity.

Pesticides Harm More Than Just Pests• Pesticides can seriously harm helpful poll-

inators such as butterflies and bees. Her-bicides also destroy food for pollinators.

• Pesticides remove or poison part of thefood chain. Many toads, bats, and birdseat a variety of insects and naturally con-trol pests.

• Killing beneficial insects that prey on pestspecies could leave your garden vulner-able to a worse pest problem.Benefits of

Native Plants

• Most native plants are perennial andthus are low cost and maintenance.

• Reduce need to water your garden;natural rain water is usually sufficient.

• Reduced need for pesticides,herbicides, and fertilizers.

• Provide homes for rare wild plants.

• Provide habitat for birds, butterflies,and other wildlife.

Cat

herin

e Pr

oss

(all

3)

• Pesticides are poisonous! They can harmyour pets, children, and yourself.

Not all Wild Plants are NativeMany common plant species growing in thewild, such as Queen Anne’s Lace, have beenintroduced to Nova Scotia. There is plenty ofinformation available on the internet and fromlibraries and gardening centres on nativeplants and the varieties best suited for youryard. With a bit of planning, you can have abeautifully landscaped natural garden thatwill not pose a threat to the environment.

Native starflowerIntroducedred clover

Native blue violet

37

A BRIEF HISTORY OF PETITE RIVIÈRE

F our hundred years ago, in May1604, Samuel de Champlain namedon his chart of the area the small riverflowing into Green Bay “une petite

riviere.” The settlement that eventually grewup on both sides of the estuary and alongthe lower courses of the river retained thatname as Petite Rivière. The first people inwhat is now the village, however, were theMi’kmaq, who set up their wigwams on In-dian Hill and along the nearby shore fromspring until autumn for centuries before Eu-ropeans appeared on the scene.

The earliest Europeans to visit the site wereprobably French fishermen, who by the late1500s may have set up a summer shore sta-tion on the estuary. The first recorded visitby Europeans occurred on May 8, 1604,when De Monts and Champlain anchored

their ship in Green Bay and spent at leastthree days recovering from their Atlanticvoyage. While ashore, they refilled their wa-ter casks and obtained fresh food whileChamplain took soundings of the bay, cal-culated the latitude with his astrolabe, anddrew a chart of the bay and its environs.

What at first promised to be the first perma-nent settlement by Europeans occurred from1632 to 1636 when Isaac de Razilly estab-lished a fort and colony at LaHave andplaced French settlers at Petite Rivière. By1636, this was a thriving hamlet of 40habitants. The death of Razilly in July 1636brought an abrupt end to the little colony,for Charles de Menou d’Aulnay, who as-sumed command of the new French settle-ments, moved most of the settlers fromLaHave and Petite Rivière to Port Royal,

Nineteenth-century Petite Rivière was a self-contained community with itsown tradesmen (tailors, weavers, coopers, shoemakers, blacksmiths, andcarpenters) and its own retailers of goods brought in by sea.

Paul Harm

on

38

considering it to be a much better base forcontrol of the fur trade, his primary interest.A few settlers remained in both places, butbetween 1640 to 1760, Petite Rivière wasvery sparsely settled. Finally, the Expulsionof the Acadians in 1755 brought an end toeven that remaining tiny settlement.

In the 1760s, Petite Rivière at last became apermanent settlement, this time by English-speaking people mainly from British Ameri-can colonies to the south and Northern Ire-land. By 1770, the little village had a popu-lation of 41 and over one quarter of the to-tal population of New Dublin Township, thewestern part of what is now LunenburgCounty. By 1791, the village had grown onlyslightly to 62, but it was already a substan-tial farming community raising a variety ofcrops. It was in the 1800s, however, thatPetite Rivière grew into a thriving village.By the 1890s, its population had increasedsubstantially to a total of 500.

Nineteenth-century Petite Rivière was a self-contained community with its own tradesmen(tailors, weavers, coopers, shoemakers,blacksmiths, and carpenters) and retailers

of goods brought in by sea. Many residentswere sea-goers, either as inshore or offshorefishermen or as mariners in coastal or inter-national trade. Many of the fishermen andmariners were also part-time farmers, forthere was an abundance of arable land.

Ship-building became a significant industryin the 1800s and later until the gradual de-mise of the age of sail in the early 1900s.Several small shipyards on the river-mouthbuilt a considerable number of schoonersfor the fishing and coastal trade. Mills, bothgrist and lumber, though centred inCrousetown, were also built and run in Pe-tite Rivière.

The old way of life in Petite Rivière lastedwell into the twentieth century, but strainson the integrity of village life emerged, es-pecially during the Depression. It was be-coming much more difficult to earn one’s liv-ing at home, and consequently, some resi-dents had to find work elsewhere, even asfar away as New England. After World WarII the changes became more obvious. Theinshore fishery suffered severely as catchesbecame smaller and the market for dry fish

shriveled; moreover, the Grand Banks fish-ery was employing a much smaller workforce as the fishing schooners with their two-man dories had been replaced by trawlers.Although Petite Rivière continued to be apopular summer resort, many of its wage-earners had to work in nearby towns, espe-cially Bridgewater. When the old school-house with its high school was abandonedin the 1960s and replaced by a district el-ementary school, village students in thehigher grades had to ride buses to schoolsmany miles away. Like many other villages,Petite Rivière has been affected by the inevi-table changes that are characteristic of themodern era.

Today Petite Rivière is still a prosperous com-munity and by no means the “tiny village” ithas been called by unenlightened newspa-per reporters. Its year-long population of wellover 300 is no longer isolated – radio, tel-evision, and other technology have trans-formed its communication with the world out-side. At the same time, it has managed toretain many of the advantages of semi-rurallife while adding beneficial modern services.

— Malcolm Parks, resident and historian

39

Online Resources

Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation:www.coastalaction.org

Acknowledgements

Thank-you to the following for their assist-ance with this publication: Malcolm Parks,Bridgewater Public Service Commission,Petite Rivière Watershed Advisory Group,Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Nova ScotiaDepartment of Agriculture and Fisheries, andthe Nova Scotia Department of Environment.BCAF would also like to extend thanks tothe following individuals who contributedphotographs (we regret not having the spaceto use all of them): Sinclair Dewis, PaulHarmon, Reg Newell, Catherine Pross, PaulSchwartz, and Jill Comolli.

Environment Canada (Fresh Water Site):www.ec.gc.ca/water/en/nature/prop/e_cycle.htm

Fisheries & Oceans Canada:www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Nova Scotia Department of NaturalResources: www.gov.ns.ca/natr

Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture &Fisheries: www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf

Leave No Trace: www.lnt.org

Wild About Gardening:www.wildaboutgardening.org

Living by Water: www.livingbywater.ca

References

For a complete list of references used toproduce this guide, please email BCAF atinfo@coastalaction.org, call 902-624-9888,or drop us a line at P.O. Box 10, MahoneBay, Nova Scotia B0J 2E0.

Funding Agencies

We gratefully acknowledge the support of:

Resources & Acknowledgements

Atlantic Coastal Action Program

P.O. BOX 10MAHONE BAY, NSB0J 2E0

902.624.9818F902.624.9888P

Atlantic Whitefish

coastalaction.org

CONSERVATION & RECOVERY TEAM

The Atlantic whitefish is facing thethreat of extinction. Not only is thismember of the Salmonidae familyendangered, it occurs only in oneglobal location, the Petite Rivièrewatershed in Lunenburg County,Nova Scotia. Historically, it wasalso found in the Tusket Riverwatershed, Yarmouth County, buthas since thought to be extirpatedfrom this part of the province.

The Atlantic Whitefish Conservation& Recovery Team (AWCRT) isworking to raise awareness of thisendangered species and toencourage support for its recovery.A healthy watershed benefits bothresidents and wildlife. We can allchoose to make lifestyle changesthat will benefit our environment –for us and future generations.

Kelly

Ben

tham