Norm and Cindy Bilyea of Granton, Ont., say their log barriers protect ponds and waterways from damage by cattle. It's a simple alternative to traditional fencing, which isn't suitable in low-lying areas that flood intermittently.

The couple is part of a conservation pilot project set up by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority.

Conservation officer Craig Merkley and his crew made log grids by placing two large cedar logs on the ground, and laying five 4 to 6-in. dia. by 15-ft.-long posts crosswise on top.

Cattle won't step between the logs, which is what they'd have to do to negotiate their way across to the water. Since this is a work in progress, a true test of the barriers won't be possible until total access to the creek is blocked. Currently, cattle can still access the creek in other locations, so Merkley can't be 100 percent sure the log barriers will work, but he's optimistic.

"The barrier logs were salvaged from a thinning project at a nearby Conservation Area," Cindy Bilyea says. "To prevent the structure from shifting when there's high water, they pounded in two homemade duckbill anchor cables next to each section. Whenever possible, they put nearby rocks on top as weights, too."

The Bilyeas also plan to build a low-level cattle crossing, with gates at either end, and install cement slabs across a shallow spot in the creek to form an erosion-free path for moving cattle. When the project is complete, two mechanical nose pumps will draw water from the creek, in shaded areas away from the banks.