Breakwater buffer Harbour authority puts its guard up at Ogden Point.
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Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Monterey middle school students Quinton Wilson, left, Wyatt Geisbrecht and Jonathan Noone work mulch on Anderson Hill Park as they conduct an experiment working with the municipality’s parks department to control invasive plants. A group of approximately 21 students cleared gorse and broom in a select spot and then covered it with layers of newspaper and mulch in a technique called lasagna. The group will find out in the spring if their experiment works by keeping the unwanted plants from the sun and having the camas cover the area instead. Sharon Tiffin/News staff
Ecokeepers care for the land Natalie North News staff
Anderson Hill Park is in good hands this fall. For an hour every Wednesday since Oct. 18 students in Grade 6 to 8 at Monterey middle school have removed invasive species in the park. Under the direction of Grade 6 teacher Mark Brown and in conjunction with Oak Bay Parks, the Ecokeepers, a school-wide enrichment group, last year cleared a Garry Oak glen of ivy. This year’s work began with trees, Brown said, which are now able to grow freely and leave their golden leaves on the ground, rather than among the suffocating ivy.
“We’re really pleased with the project hauling tarps of gorse down the hill and because all kinds of indigenous plants have returning with loads of mulch, Brown said, but come up in place (of the ivy),” Brown said. they’ve also gained practical gardening skills, This year the Ecokeepers with equipment provided by the focused on cutting back Friends of Uplands Park Society. “When you’re gorse and broom. While adult “The kids have been really pulling invasive weeds good troopers,” he said, adding: volunteers pulled much of the larger gorse bushes, the students you’re never really “When you’re pulling invasive have attacked the newer growth. weeds you’re never really done.” done.” They then covered the ground The project will continue with newspapers and a thick in the spring with the help of - Mark Brown layer of leaf mulch. Since the volunteers Christina Johnsoninvasive plants thrive in the sun, the hope is to Dean and Margaret Lidkea, as well as the see only the camas bulbs surface in the spring. district of Oak Bay, which provided the leaf The process has not only given the kids mulch. an opportunity to put in a little elbow grease nnorth@saanichnews.com
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Did you know? Since Lasagna mulching deters the growth of grass seeds and existing plants, it will deter the sprouting of gorse seeds and existing gorse plants in the covered areas.
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