Amaolo Nature Sanctuary © Brittany Killingbeck
Let the Water Run Wild: Amaolo Stream Restoration
Help us revive a floodplain and renew an ecosystem in 2026! Donate now.
The 16-hectare Amaolo Nature Sanctuary, generously donated by the late George Amaolo, has been a focus of the HNC’s restoration and rewilding efforts since 2010. We are now ready to take the next major step: restoring the sanctuary’s stream.
In healthy environments, streams naturally meander across the landscape, forming a dynamic pattern of riffles and pools – shallow, fast-flowing areas alternating with deeper, slow-moving sections. Native vegetation along the streambanks regulates water temperature, stabilizes soils, and creates diverse habitat for fish, wildlife, and aquatic species. During heavy rains and snow melts, water spills into adjacent natural areas known as floodplains, reducing erosion and helping mitigate flooding.
In the 1940s, the stream at Amaolo was channelized (straightened) as a way to improve drainage in the surrounding fields but it disrupted these natural processes. Water accelerates through straightened channels, eroding streambanks, degrading water quality, and destroying aquatic habitat. Severe erosion can uproot trees and vegetation, while the loss of shade increases water temperature. Steep, unstable banks prevent water from entering the floodplain, increasing flood risk downstream.
We now have a clear, science-based path forward to restore the stream and its floodplain. This is a project where science, community commitment, and nature itself are working together.Â
We need to secure an additional
$88,500
Thanks to the generosity of the Patrick J McNally Family Foundation and donors, we have already secured $225,000 of the $313,500 total project cost.
To move from planning to implementation and full restoration of the stream, we need to raise the remaining $88,500 by June 2026.
Restoration Plan
Instead of fighting water with concrete, we’re letting nature do what it’s done for millenia: slow water down, spread it out, and protect what’s downstream. When a beaver moved into the sanctuary and built a dam, it naturally flooded part of the site – showing us that the land still knew how to function as a floodplain. That moment helped kick-start a volunteer’s work into a major restoration project. This project scales the beaver’s natural success into a permanent, science-backed solution.
The HNC is restoring the stream using nature-based solutions and natural materials, working with the stream’s inherent processes to re-establish a stable, meandering channel. This approach will reduce erosion, improve water quality and aquatic habitat, and reconnect the stream to its floodplain.
The project will restore approximately five acres of aquatic and riparian habitat, enhance a critical wildlife corridor through the surrounding agricultural landscape, and build a more resilient ecosystem that contributes to long-term flood protection within the watershed.
In 2025, the HNC engaged Water’s Edge, an environmental consulting firm, to complete the initial site assessment and restoration design. With this strong technical foundation in place, the HNC has a clear and achievable path forward to successfully implement the project and realize its ecological and community benefits.
2026 Project Activities
If we are able to secure the full cost of the project by June 2026, all project activities will be completed in 2026. Project activities include:
- Obtain permits from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Grand River Conservation Authority, and City of Hamilton.
- Work with a contractor to restore the natural topography of the site by grading the man-made berms and filling in side channels, which will reconnect the stream to its floodplain.
- Prevent soil erosion by placing biodegradable maps, live plants, woody debris, etc. along the streambanks and graded areas.
- Plant native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers as well as spread native seed mixes to improve habitat and biodiversity.
- Share the project with community members with a presentation and site visit.
Donate Now
Your investment will restore a stream at the Amaolo Nature Sanctuary, improving water quality, wildlife habitat, and flood resilience. With your support, we can transform a degraded channel into a thriving stream that will benefit wildlife and people for generations to come.
1. Donate online at hamiltonnature.org/donate
2. Donate via e-transfer to Hamilton Naturalists’ Club (treasurer@hamiltonnature.org)
3. Write a cheque to Hamilton Naturalists’ Club, with “Amaolo Stream Project” on the memo line. Send to P.O. Box 89052, Hamilton, ON L8S 4R5
Recognition & Sponsorship Levels
- Up to $4,999: Wildlife Friend – support the foundational work that allows nature to thrive.
- $5,000 – $9,999: Habitat Steward – help create thriving homes for wildlife in the Amaolo floodplain.
- $10,000 – $24,999: Stream Champion – protect and restore the flowing heart of the sanctuary.
- $25,000 – $49,999: Floodplain Guardian – safeguard the land and water that sustains biodiversity and community resilience.
- $50,000 – $99,999: Watershed Leader –Â lead the transformation of the floodplain into a living model for nature-based solutions.
- $100,000+: Founding Project Legacy Sponsor – make a once-in-a-generation impact, leaving a lasting legacy for generations of wildlife and people.
Donor Recognition Opportunities
To honour leadership-level ($500+ donations) for this once-in-a-generation restoration project, the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club will offer meaningful recognition opportunities aligned with donor interests and the long-term stewardship of Amaolo Nature Sanctuary.
Recognition opportunities may include:
- On-site acknowledgement, such as donor names on a discreet, professionally designed plaque at Amaolo Nature Sanctuary.
- Named recognition for specific project elements (e.g. floodplain restoration zone, stream reach, or habitat feature), where appropriate.
- Invitation-only project tours during construction and key milestones.
- Acknowledgement in HNC publications, reports, and digital platforms related to the project.
- Project updates for leadership donors highlighting ecological outcomes and long-term stewardship milestones.
- Recognition as a Legacy Donor ($5,000+ donation) for this landmark restoration project in HNC communications and records.
About the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club (HNC)
The Hamilton Naturalists’ Club (HNC) is a non-profit, volunteer-led organization founded in 1919 with over 300 members dedicated to the study, appreciation, and conservation of nature. The HNC works to conserve and restore habitat, promote public interest in conservation, engage in impactful community projects, and collaborate with local partners to drive environmental action. For over half a century, the HNC has protected ecologically significant lands through purchase, donation or long-term lease agreements. With the purchase of Spooky Hollow Nature Sanctuary in 1961, the HNC become Ontario’s first land trust. Today, we have permanently protected over 560 acres of natural area across 11 nature sanctuaries to safeguard habitat for countless native species and over 20 species at risk while conserving the land’s ecological value and functions on which our communities depend.
Questions? Please contact Jen Baker, HNC General Manager at land@hamiltonnature.org