A single stalk of reed canary grass pokes through a bed of mulch B次元官网网址� a defiant gesture from an aggressive invasive plant.

B次元官网网址淥ne got through,B次元官网网址� says Judy Nault, standing over a wide oval of wood chips on the Havenwood property Colwood. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l have to get on that.B次元官网网址�

Nault is one of about three volunteers helping eradicate coarse, fast growing reed grass near Bee Creek, a short waterway restored as a fish-bearing stream about four years ago in a $150,000 project.

The canary grass grows fast and tall, Nault says, smothering out native species and degrading the ecosystem that exists alongside the creek. Unlike Scotch broom, snipping reed grass isnB次元官网网址檛 the strategy B次元官网网址� its roots spread too deep and wide.

Instead, the volunteers layer cardboard over the grass and heap earth over top that. Wood chip ovals that dot the picturesque property mark patches of progress.

B次元官网网址淯sing cardboard smothers (reed grass) completely and it leaves the topsoil there,B次元官网网址� says Nault, a retired landscaper who lives in Colwood. B次元官网网址淭hen we can plant native plants on top.B次元官网网址�

ThatB次元官网网址檚 theoretical B次元官网网址� the volunteers canB次元官网网址檛 afford to buy native plants.

Three summers ago, the Alberta-based Havenwood developers helped fund reed grass eradication, but these days the group is working off its own steam.

ItB次元官网网址檚 even hard to find enough free cardboard, which she notes, can be used as is, minus any packing tape.

Bee Creek itself originates from wetlands in the surrounding Royal Roads property, snaking its way into the Esquimalt Lagoon. The area was once logged, and the creek, surprisingly for the volume of water that flushes through, once held a small hydroelectric dam.

Nault figures the volunteers have at least two more summers of work along the creek to push back reed grass to allow a more diverse, native habitat to take root. With no money and a small team, Nault says sheB次元官网网址檚 motivated by the notion of caring for the land and habitat for the greater good. It also helps the surrounding estate is akin to a small Garden of Eden, overlooking the lagoon.

B次元官网网址淚 love this property, itB次元官网网址檚 such a beautiful place,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e never going to have enough money to pay people B次元官网网址� its just too labour intensive. WeB次元官网网址檝e just got to get back to being stewards of the places where we live.B次元官网网址�

Anyone interested in volunteering with Nault can email judynault@telus.net.

editor@goldstreamgazette.com