Stewardship Association of Municipalities

Garnish

SAM Member Since: October 2013

Area Protected: 208 acres

Garnish lies along the western shore of Little Garnish Barasway, a natural harbour protected by a spit of land and two breakwaters. The first Official census of Newfoundland, taken in 1836, shows that Garnish had a population of 76 people, now it is approximately 550. When the resettlement program began in the 1960's the people of Garnish welcomed the former residents of Point Rosie. The resettlement of Point Rosie increased the population of Garnish considerably.

Conservation Areas

The Town of Garnish is located on Fortune Bay on the western side of the Burin Peninsula, and contains important wildlife habitat within their municipal planning boundaries - ideal for songbirds, mammals, and fish. Wetlands within the municipality form individual links of waterfowl migration routes for a wide variety of both wetland and upland bird species.

Garnish has designated two Conservation Areas (CAs) within their municipal planning boundaries, totaling 208 acres of conserved wildlife habitat: Frenchman's Cove Barasway and Big Hill Pond. The Frenchman's Cove Barasway CA has ideal staging habitat for many waterfowl species such as Canada Geese (Branta canadensis), American Black Duck (Anas rubripes), and Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula). Shorebirds can also be seen on the beaches of the Barasway, including Red Knot (Calidris canutus), which is listed both federally and provincially as an endangered species. The Big Hill Pond CA includes two ponds and a 50 meter buffer surrounding the area. Large portions of the ponds are relatively shallow, containing generous amounts of emergent vegetation, providing food and shelter for many species of wildlife.

Garnish Conservation Plan