Volunteers needed to restore forest parkland

An unmarked path leads Amanda Evans into the heart of an undeveloped View Royal park at the corner of Burnside Road and Watkiss Way.

In the shade of Garry oak and Douglas fir trees, the University of Victoria student points out clusters of native plants that have survived amid more hearty invasive species.

She knows her way around the 1.3 hectare park better than most, having spent her summer working with the Garry Oak ecosystems recovery team to inventory plants and develop a restoration plan for the site. Now sheB次元官网网址檚 recruiting volunteers to help put the plan into action.

B次元官网网址淭here is so much diversity in this single piece of land. Hundreds of plants and animals live here,B次元官网网址� Evans said. B次元官网网址淚f we donB次元官网网址檛 manage the site, the invasive plants just take over.B次元官网网址�

As a requirement for UVicB次元官网网址檚 restoration of natural systems program, Evans must complete a year long restoration project, which sheB次元官网网址檒l be doing at the park. The first step is organizing a group a volunteers for work parties to remove the invasive plants.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l concentrate on areas where there are smaller infestations, where itB次元官网网址檚 easier to make an impact,B次元官网网址� Evans said.

The Town of View Royal committed $3,000 to support the project, which will be used for supplies and advertising for the work parties.

GOERT conservationist Kathryn Martell, who will help Evans train the volunteers to properly remove the invasive plants, is used to working on a shoe-string budget when it comes to implementing restoration plans.

B次元官网网址淲hatB次元官网网址檚 important is the volunteers who are committed to seeing this project through in the long term,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淵ou take the invasive species out once, then you have to keep going back year after year to keep them out.B次元官网网址�

Eventually, the park will have a defined trail with interpretive signs to let visitors know itB次元官网网址檚 a restoration site.

Native plants, salvaged from properties slated for development nearby, will be moved into the park area for protection.

B次元官网网址淲e want the park to be as healthy and diverse as possible,B次元官网网址� Martell said. B次元官网网址淚t will be a place people can see the rare and endangered ecosystems native in this area.B次元官网网址�

On her way out of the park, Evans dodges a blackberry bush to reach the road.

B次元官网网址淚t really doesnB次元官网网址檛 look like a park right now,B次元官网网址� Evans observed. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 looking forward to coming back here in like 10 years and seeing how itB次元官网网址檚 changed.B次元官网网址�

The first work party to help restore the park in Nov. 26. To volunteer, email volunteer@viewroyal.ca or call the town at 250-479-6800 and ask for the engineering clerk.

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