Dawn Gibson

Sooke B次元官网网址 Mirror

When walking through the , it isnB次元官网网址檛 hard to see why one might want to protect it, but there is far more importance to the land than meets the eye.

Alanah Nasadyk, community and development coordinator at , said the land is home to vast amounts of wildlife and natural ecosystems.

B次元官网网址淚t contributes to the overall protection of natural areas in Sooke and wildlife can pass through that place as they head to Sooke Potholes or into the Sooke Hills wilderness they have a little bit more of habitat that they can feel protected in,B次元官网网址� said Nasadyk. B次元官网网址淪o instead of a bear wandering through someoneB次元官网网址檚 yard they can happily wander through the Homer-McCrea Covenant and be safe.B次元官网网址�

, said the land is important to her because it is home to her and her family, and she plans for it to be passed down from generation to generation.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an absolutely beautiful piece of land. There arenB次元官网网址檛 a lot of natural areas left in Sooke so I wanted to protect it,B次元官网网址� said Homer.

HAT has been working with B次元官网网址渃itizen scientistB次元官网网址� volunteers and biologists to find out more about the species that can be found throughout the natural area. They are also working to remove any invasive species coming in to the covenant in order for the natural ecosystems to thrive.

B次元官网网址淥ne of the most special things about the Homer-McCrea land is the biodiversity there,B次元官网网址� said Nasadyk. B次元官网网址淚f you go walk through that area youB次元官网网址檒l see huge Douglas-firs, and not only that but thereB次元官网网址檚 a beautiful glistening creek that winds its way along. And in the further regions of the area, you can come across rocky outcrops and all kinds of wildflowers and even lichens that can take years to grow.B次元官网网址�

Homer explained that bears, cougars, elk, and wildlife of all different sizes pass through the area regularly, often heading towards the Sooke River.

B次元官网网址淚f one were to set up cameras in that area, I think they would be amazed at the amount of wildlife they would see. They might even get to see some wolves,B次元官网网址� said Nasadyk.

Another very special part about the land is the two found on the property, which are located the furthest west of their kind in the Greater Victoria area.

Nasadyk said the . People believe this was because it was easier to hunt deer and other species in an open meadow, rather than a Douglas Fir forest which is dense and has big trees and shrubs in the way.

Even if a Garry oak is burned down to a small portion, it can grow back because of itB次元官网网址檚 underground root system. Garry oaks would flourish in these burned areas because they were not being shaded and taken over by the -fir.

As colonial settlement happened, fire became more and more suppressed and areas that were flat and open like Garry oak meadows were ideal for development because it was already open, you didnB次元官网网址檛 have to cut down Douglas-fir forests.

Today we tackle forest fires right away, so over time as less intentional or natural forest fires occurred, Douglas-firs began to grow back and surround the Garry oaks. This could be why there are only two left on the land.

B次元官网网址淎t this point they are just surviving on the covenant land when they used to be thriving,B次元官网网址� said Nasadyk.

HAT is pairing up with a student from the to research more about the Homer-McCrea Covenant, in order restore and preserve the natural ecosystems found in the area.

The covenant is currently only funded by donations from the public. To learn more or to donate to the Homer-McCrea land visit .