table of contents hat gn rithets final... · 2009. 2. 20. · gardening, attracting/repelling...

Table of Contents

Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………..…….3 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………….4

Goals Project Funders and Partners

Project Design………………………………………………………………………………………….5

Contact Letter Contact List Telephone contact Site Visits Creative outreach techniques Naturescape Plantings Project follow up Landowner Contact Database Newsletter & Website

Results……………………………………………………………………………………………………9

Significant Residential Watershed Issues Impervious surfaces Landowner perceptions Improper parkland Use Weed invasion

Evaluation………………………..…………………………………………………………………….13

Comments from Project Participants Lessons learned Limiting factors Organizational capacity

Financial Statement…………….…………………………………………………………………..15 Recommendations………………………………………...…………………………………………16 Relevant documents…………………………………………...……………………………………16 Appendices (outreach materials, news releases, media file)…...………………..………………17 List of Illustrations

Figure 1: Greater Victoria Watersheds……………………………………………………………………..4 Figure 2: Habitat Steward Sign. ……………………………………………………………………………..7 Figure 3: Watershed model at Rithets Bog Conservation Area…………………………………...7 Figure 4: Locations of project activities………………………………………………………………..…10 Figure 5: Naturescape garden tour…………………………………………………………………………11 Figure 6: Conifer ingrowth kills older trees………………………………………………………..……11 Figure 7: Cub scouts control weeds in Conservation Area…………………………………………12 Figure 8: Travis Nagy monitors water quality……………………………………………………….…12 Figure 9: Streamkeepers Trainer Susan Lowe……………………………………………………….…13 Figure 10: Cub scouts paint yellow fish at storm drain………………………………………….….14

List of Tables

Table 1: Performance indicators compared to results………………………………………………..9 Table 2: Project Financial Statement……………………………………………………………………...15

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Summary

From December to August, 2007, Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) worked with local residents, conservation groups, and the District of Saanich to protect and restore the ecologically significant Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area (RBCA) in Victoria, British Columbia. Land trust staff co ordinated a series of activities in the Broadmead community to raise awareness of important water quality and habitat values, issues, and solutions.

HAT is a regional land trust established in 1996 to enhance the protection and stewardship of regionally significant lands on southern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands. We do this through:

• community projects promoting environmental education and stewardship; • legal mechanisms like conservation covenants; and, • acquisition of ecologically significant habitats.

HAT is committed to creating a conservation legacy for current and future generations. Since 2002, our award-winning Good Neighbours project has assisted hundreds of property owners to protect water quality and enhance wildlife habitats. During the winter of 2006 and the spring of 2007, HAT staff contacted almost all of the approximately 800 residential addresses in the sub-watershed by postcard. HAT spoke with over 200 landholders, ten businesses, and seven strata councils directly by telephone. Three businesses and 109 residents accepted land care packages. Of those, 28 landholders and two strata councils invited visits and received naturescaping prescriptions for their lands. HAT signed 22 Land Care Agreements with visited landowners and posted 20 permanent Habitat Steward signs on participating properties. The project created over twenty new community volunteers to assist the ongoing efforts of Rithet’s Bog Conservation Society. A tour of native plant gardens and conservation activities with local boy scouts generated radio coverage and local newsletter coverage. Activities co ordinated by the project included storm drain marking, bird box construction, and weed control by the 5th Tsartlip Boy Scouts, Streamkeepers training for local high school students, and several bog tours for interested residents. Over 30 nest boxes designed for swallows were mounted in the bog neighbourhood. In the fall of 2007, some of the visited families, school children and other community volunteers will plant hundreds of native shrubs with HAT to re-vegetate stream sides and other areas of private and public land. HAT staff identified several common activities and trends that may have significant cumulative effects on riparian habitats and water quality in the Gabo Creek drainage: 1. Vegetation clearing and soil depletion: replacing native vegetation with turf, asphalt,

buildings resulting in excessive areas of impervious drainage; 2. Loss of wetland functions: loss of biodiversity, water purification, storage, and infiltration

due to past agricultural disturbance perpetuated by current urban density; 3. Weed Invasion: exotic species cultivated and spread by planting/dumping in natural areas; 4. Fertilizer and nutrients: dog waste, compost runoff, fertilizer applications entering streams; 5. Pesticides, herbicides, and other poisons: common in lawn treatments, cleaners and car fluids; 6. Inappropriate recreational use of parkland: new trails into bog forest, excessive wildlife

disturbance by dogs not on leash, nutrient pollution from dog waste. HAT recommends that future outreach to landowners focus on key messages derived from the above list. (see all recommendations on page 16).

~ C r e a t i n g a C o n s e r v a t i o n L e g a c y ~

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Introduction to the Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area & Watershed

Rithet’s Bog is the last remaining of seven large bogs on the Saanich peninsula. Protected in 1994 by the District of Saanich, the 42 hectare Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area (RBCA) harbours rare plant communities and nesting waterfowl. The Colquitz River system (approximately 80 km2), and contains the Gabo Creek sub-watershed which is the largest watershed in the District of Saanich, British Columbia (Fig 1). The Colquitz is one of the last urban BC rivers that support populations of cutthroat trout, Coho, and Chum salmon.

Figure 1: Greater Victoria Watersheds. Rithet’s Bog suffers from a variety of negative impacts that landowners can reduce through simple land care techniques (see page 20 follow up letter). Authorities have recognized for years that public outreach to landowners adjacent to Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) is an effective complement to regulation and land use planning to protect the natural environment. Considering the rich natural values and a high percentage of private residential land ownership in the Rithet’s Bog (Gabo Creek) watershed, public outreach is especially appropriate. Project Goals The goals of the Rithet’s Bog Good Neighbours project were to: 1) foster sensitive land care on private properties surrounding the bog and within the environmentally sensitive wetland; and 2) to bolster the ongoing efforts of local community groups and park managers. Staff employed several techniques to reach residents in different ways including: outreach events, restoration activities, naturescape garden tours, and property visits. We established and met measurable targets for project outcomes. Figure 4 (p 10) locates some activities. The unqualified success of this project is founded on the full support and collaboration by our funders and community partners. Thank you! Project Funders: Vancity envirofund VISA; Victoria Foundation; Vancouver Foundation Government of BC ~ Direct Access; Corporation of the District of Saanich; TD Canada Trust Friends of the Environment; Terasen Gas; Shell Envirofund Foundation; Service Canada ~ Canada Summer Jobs Program Project Partners: 5th Tsartlip Boy Scouts; Rithet’s Bog Conservation Society; Department of Fisheries and Oceans; District of Saanich; and Streamkeepers

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Project Design

For this project HAT adapted a proven methodology for landowner contact using the Landowner Contact Guide for BC. Initial contact with area residents was through media exposure and mail outs followed by telephone calls to offer free information packages and property visits. Property visits included recommendations on naturescaping, pollution prevention, irrigation, and weed control, among other topics. We delivered follow up letters with supplemental information to all visited residents. HAT also hosted several public outreach events in the bog area with community group partners. During the planning stage of the project, staff met with Saanich staff, watershed residents and the Rithet’s Bog Conservation Society (RBCS) to gain a comprehensive grasp of the history and issues relevant to the Rithet’s Bog watershed. Long time organizers of the RBCS include Diane Mothersill and Sharon Hartwell. HAT staff targeted over 850 properties within the Rithet’s Bog watershed. Staff identified 807 residences, an appropriate number for the project based on HAT’s previous outreach projects and the budgeted timeframe. Saanich provided contact information for the identified properties including name and address of the registered owner(s). HAT staff transferred the contact information into a customized database in Microsoft Access. We used internet telephone directory searches to find missing/updated contact information. Properties identified as non-residential were removed from the contact list. Strata councils were contacted instead of individual strata owners. Staff divided the project launch into three zones in order to reduce the delay between the mail out letter and the first telephone call. The project started along the Southern and Eastern sides of Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area (RBCA) and proceeded counter clockwise around the bog through the three zones. We delayed the project launch for zones two and three by one and two months respectively. During the project, staff scheduled meetings by telephone through referrals from other residents in the neighbourhood. For example, Mr. Smith may have mentioned the project to his neighbour Mrs. Jones, and she arranged for a visit based on his recommendation. Contact Letter HAT staff created and mailed a postcard to all selected addresses (pg 17). The postcard discussed HAT and Rithet’s Bog. It announced our outreach project including an offer of free garden assessments for participating landowners. Landowners were offered free information packages on stewardship topics and a visit by HAT staff to discuss any of the following: protecting water quality, naturescaping, water-efficient irrigation, pesticides, fertilizers, organic gardening, attracting/repelling wildlife, and issues related to the park. Contact List Canada Post delivered the 807 individually addressed postcards; no postcards were returned. Some contact information in the database was obsolete or incorrect. Staff tried to update entries using directory searches. For some residences, phone numbers could not be found (unlisted number or out of service). If we could not match a residential line with the correct name at the address and we could not find updated information, the entry was labelled “not contactable”. Out of 807 residential entries we confirmed 567 eligible residential addresses with accurate phone numbers.


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The 567 “Total contactable entries” include database listings with an accurate name, phone number, and residential address. Staff were not able to contact all of these residences for various reasons (no answer, busy signal, answering machine, disconnection, etc.). Therefore participation statistics are based only on those residences contacted by telephone. Telephone contact Staff began telephoning the selected residences one week after the letters were posted. Households were called twice during the day; if we reached voice mail or no one answered, we tried again in the evening. Voice mail often provided the current owner’s correct name(s). If we were unable to contact the resident, they were listed as not contactable at the end of the outreach period. Landowners living elsewhere with rental properties in the target area were eligible to participate if they personally managed the land. Tenants were not eligible to participate because they tend to be short term residents with little involvement in residential landscaping. Tenant-occupied residences were removed from the contact record if landowners could not be contacted. Landowners planning to sell in the near future were not eligible. The Broadmead neighbourhood is well known as one of the wealthiest postal codes in Canada. Likely due to frequent commercial solicitation, residents answered the telephone less often than we have found in other neighbourhoods. Residents were often notably more sceptical of our free outreach services. Over time, staff developed improved methods of engaging landowners. For instance, when staff referred to the highly visible yellow fish we painted on storm drains, we found it was often effective in creating a rapport with residents who had otherwise no awareness of the project. People we contacted by phone who were interested in the project, but declined a visit, were delivered information packages (contents list on pg 21). In some cases, we had a detailed discussion with landowners by telephone, or while delivering the information package. Site Visits Site visits are an excellent way to provide landowners with a valuable service while gathering information about private stewardship opportunities. By establishing relationships with landowners, we are able to promote stewardship ideas and habitat awareness that ultimately benefits the community and our environment over the long term. Visits were scheduled for days, evenings and weekends. Up to six visits were scheduled per day. The site visits took from 30 minutes to 60 minutes depending on property qualities and landowner interest. After reviewing the information packages we discussed the following topics and others as directed by the landowner’s interests and particular site characteristics:

• Protecting specific natural features e.g. native vegetation, trees, water quality; • Concerns about local government land management; • Protecting water quality through private stewardship actions (eliminating pesticide use,

retaining natural vegetation, etc); • Enhancing wildlife habitat by controlling invasive weeds, planting native species, and

other habitat structures (such as bird feeders and shelters); • Legal stewardship options including conservation covenants; and • Concerns about the park, frequency and type of park uses.

The topics listed above often provided opportunities to address sensitive issues in a non-adversarial forum. Landowners were encouraged to contact the District of Saanich with land use and land management concerns. Where possible, HAT staff worked with landowners to facilitate communication with the appropriate municipal staff member.

We were most successful in arranging visits with stay-at-home parents and retired couples. Working singles and couples were less inclined to schedule visits. In several cases, neighbours were referred to the project by residents who had hosted site visits previously. By organizing a garden tour of neighbourhood properties with model landscapes, we were able to include many residents who declined visits to their own properties. Following the visit, HAT sent each landowner a follow-up letter (Appendix A) with additional information about topics specific to the resident’s property and interests. For this outreach project HAT introduced an improved follow up letter with easy to read land care tips on the reverse. This approach allowed us to customize letters to each site by highlighting elements of a list of all common recommended land care ideas. By establishing relationships with enthusiastic and knowledgeable residents in neighbourhoods, our project recognizes a core group of dedicated residents who can then introduce stewardship ideas to their neighbours. The project’s ultimate goal is to germinate a grass roots community association dedicated to the protection and enhancement of their local natural areas.

The landowners we visited were encouraged to sign a Land Care Agreement (Appendix A) with HAT to provide a record of their commitment to habitat protection. The landowner promises to pursue land care activities on the property and HAT agrees to provide ongoing assistance to the homeowner. The agreement features flying Trumpeter Swans which are popular icons of recovering wildlife populations. Along with the agreement, HAT installs an 8x15” metal sign (Figure 2) in a location visible from the road. The “Habitat Steward” signs encourage neighbours to participate in the project and increase awareness of sensitive local habitats. Most stewards opted for the signs. Figure 2: Stewardship Sign. Interested Land Care Stewards may post this aluminium sign on their property demonstrating their commitment to ecology-minded practices like composting.

Creative outreach techniques HAT employed a variety of public activities in order to reach this relatively insular community. Public displays and demonstrations at the bog on several occasions included water quality testing (Fig 9), weed pulls, and teaching with a watershed model in the park (Fig 3). Techniques used outside the park included painting fish on storm drains and a garden tour. Figure 3: HAT hosted map exhibits and nature games like the Watershed model at Rithets Bog Conservation Area during public outreach events. Note oil spill and pesticide in pink shaker.


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Naturescape Plantings Land Care Stewards with properties that could benefit from native plantings were offered naturescaping prescriptions during site visits. HAT staff then offered to provide suitable plants, and to assist the landowners with naturescape plantings in the winter of 2007-2008. Weed-free nursery stock of native plants in one gallon containers will be installed as prescribed. Community volunteers will assist with plantings for elderly residents. Necessary follow up Staff will ensure that new buffer plantings are maintained through the first summer by contacting participating Voluntary Stewards in June 2008. Staff will also monitor installed signage in 2008. Swallow boxes mounted throughout the park areas are mapped and will benefit from clean out every 2 years. Contact Database An essential component of this project was a landowner contact database using Microsoft Access software. The database is a very concise file on landowners and their properties. This database has the ability to generate reports by filtering the data according to queries on selected fields. Reports can take the form of charts and graphs showing trends and features of the area. Appendix B includes a sample database form. The database captures the following information: • Landowner name and address; • Telephone and email; • Contact log; • Size of the property; • Land uses; • Plans to subdivide or develop; • Proximity to the park/creek; • Natural features of the property; • Invasive species on the property; • Awareness of park issues, projects, etc. For example the contact records could be filtered for properties at various stages of the process (i.e. not contacted, visit scheduled, visit complete, land steward, etc.). This enabled staff to manage mailings, visits and follow up actions efficiently. The filter was also useful for generating information derived from the site visits. For example a query on the properties with plans to naturescape in the fall enables us to plan future events and planting stock easily. Staff realized during the project that some of the selected properties had greater influence than others on sensitive habitats like Garry oak meadows and wetlands. Midway through the project, we used the Saanich Online Mapping System to determine which properties would be considered priorities for contact. Actual contact results reflect a greater emphasis on homes near the Gabo Creek reach upstream from the bog (Figure 4, pg 10). Newsletter & Website HAT agrees to provide ongoing advice and support for our land stewards. The database is crucial in maintaining that relationship, and is used to produce a mailing list of Environmental Stewards for our newsletter, HAT Chat (online copy: www.hat.bc.ca/resources.htm#hatchat). A regular reminder that we support out Habitat Stewards, it includes articles on HAT projects, naturescaping, stewardship events, and upcoming activities. The HAT website is also a resource for landowners seeking plant lists, stewardship tips, and other information.

Results

Table 1 compares the performance indicators established prior to the project and the actual results achieved. All measures were met or exceeded. Some activities were not planned initially but resulted from contacts and opportunities encountered during the project. Performance Indicator Actual Results

Contact 500 landowners and 7 strata councils in the Rithet’s Bog neighbourhood by mail, and of those,

The entire watershed’s 800 households and stratas were contacted by postcard.

Contact 200 landowners and 7 strata councils by telephone to provide information about the bog and surrounding areas

Over 200 landowners and 7 strata councils were contacted via telephone and offered free land care packages.

Contact at least 10 businesses in the Rithet’s Bog neighbourhood to provide information about the bog and surrounding areas.

13 businesses were offered information about the bog and Best Management Practices that protect water quality. Three businesses have participated to date.

Provide 100 landowners in the area with tailored land care information packages.

109 landowners received land care information packages with contents tailored to the residents’ interests

Visit 40 landowners in the watershed and provide land care information for their property and the RBCA, including a site assessment and restoration plan for their property.

Visited 28 landowners and 2 strata councils to provide site assessments. We co-hosted a naturescaping garden tour for over 50 local residents at local homes with model landscapes .

Up to 20 Land Care Agreements signed 27 landowners signed an agreement with HAT. Increase community awareness of connection between storm sewer system and Rithet’s Bog, Gabo Creek and greater Colquitz river watershed.

A CBC radio interview reached many listeners directly from the bog. Several garden visits were scheduled through word of mouth among neighbours. The storm drain marking project and other events created widespread awareness among local park users.

Provide individuals responsible for property maintenance with information about maintaining water quality protection systems (eg. sediment traps & oil separators). Create native plant garden prescriptions for 20 properties.

Over 100 landowners and 3 commercial property owners/ managers received information on maintaining water quality protection systems. Naturescaping prescriptions provided to 25 landowners including two strata councils.

In partnership with RBCS and Saanich, hold 3 work parties to maintain threatened bog plant communities, aquatic bird habitat, Garry oak communities (e.g. Chatterton Hill) and riparian area within the RBCA.

Three conservation area work parties with RBCS and 5th Tsartlip Cub Scouts. Scouts built and mounted 30 swallow nest boxes, removed invasive ivy and broom, and painted yellow fish at storm drains. For this work the Cubs won a Youth Group Environment Award from Saanich.

Continue water monitoring protocol established by RBCS

Water monitoring completed by Camosun student Travis Nagy. Report submitted. See Fig 8, pg 12

Hold at least 2 public outreach events in the RBCA and Broadmead neighbourhoods highlighting bog restoration activities. Include workshops with partner organizations.

High school students were trained and certified as Streamkeepers. See Fig 9, pg 13 Co ordinated Camosun student Travis Nagy’s research on Gabo Creek water quality. Fall plantings in the Conservation Area & residences.

Host 3 guided nature walks with a professional naturalist in partnership with RBCS, Sierra Club and/or VNHS to promote low impact recreation.

Held two guided nature tours of the bog: December and June events with watershed map display and water quality testing demonstration and watershed model.

Table 1: Performance indicators compared to results for the Rithet’s Good Neighbours Project


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Figure 4: Locations of project activities including community outreach events, water quality sampling stations, packages and visits to landowners, and some nest box installations. Base map from CRD Natural areas Atlas. Significant Residential Watershed Issues The remnant bog community and other natural ecosystems in the Gabo Creek watershed suffer from predictable negative impacts related to urban development. Remnant natural communities in most parks and riparian corridors are re-growing after agricultural clearing and ditching ceased, although exotic weed species continue to spread (Fig 7). Most significantly, increasing impervious areas are changing how water flows and concentrates toxins and nutrients in watercourses. Impervious surfaces Overall more than thirty percent of the Rithet’s Bog watershed is covered by impervious surfaces (Figure 1, pg 4). The scientific literature notes that water quality and habitat degradation accelerate rapidly in watersheds when impervious surface area exceeds 12-13% of the total impervious areas (roofs, asphalt, concrete, etc) collect and concentrate precipitation into watercourses along with any debris in the path. Storm drains carry oils, pesticides, nutrients, and other toxins directly into natural freshwater systems.

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Negative effects of this radical change in water flows include critically lower base flows in summer, reduced oxygen from nutrient decomposition, down-cutting of stream channels from increased flows during storm events, and degradation of floodplain communities. Vegetative buffers counteract these effects because trees and ground vegetation absorb water and nutrients releasing them slowly into stream systems over a longer period of time. Vegetation also reduces erosion and holds critical topsoil. HAT encourages landowners to reduce the speed and quantity of water leaving their properties after rains. Painting yellow fish on storm drains and the initial outreach postcard were used to create awareness of this key issue. Few residents in suburban areas are willing to dedicate significant areas to storage and infiltration on their properties due to limited space and collapsed clay soils. Reasonable techniques include the use of compost to hold water in gardens, permeable paved surfaces or gravel, and the use of grassed/composted drainage swales and rain gardens. Ideally, new neighbourhoods should be designed with sufficient water retention to match or improve upon the baseline water runoff regime. While Saanich bylaws prohibit downspout disconnection that results in the direct discharge of run off to adjacent properties, few landowners realize that impermeable surfaces that drain into plant buffered riparian areas are generally desirable. Landowner perceptions Every property owner has a landscape aesthetic which they draw on to inform their land use decisions. This aesthetic can be based on cultural values or experiences of entirely different ecosystems. Working with landowners to develop their sense of ecological values is an important part of any landowner contact program. Only after residents become familiar with native species do they begin to appreciate and protect the region’s unique biodiversity (Fig 5). HAT cultivates any interest in native species that the landowner may harbour as the first step in fostering local ecological awareness.

Figure 5: A garden tour on Owlwood Place attracted many residents to view model naturescaped gardens.


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Conifer Ingrowth Remnant patches of Garry oak in Broadmead are generally under immediate threat of shading by recent ingrowth of conifers (Fig. 6). HAT trained residents to recognize the sparse, reaching form of shaded arbutus and Garry oak in many cases. Significant remnant meadow patches are disappearing. Residents with concerns about falling conifers were referred to Saanich tree protection bylaws with a recommendation to consult a professional arborist. Figure 6: Many older Garry oak and Arbutus trees in Broadmead are dying in the shade of faster growing conifers.

Weed Invasion Weeds tend to invade disturbed areas, forest edges and hedgerows. In the Rithet’s Bog watershed, disturbed areas include backyards bordering parks and public land. Weeds like Lamium are frequently spread into natural areas by dumping of yard waste. Many weed infestations continue to expand in Saanich Right–of-Ways and stream buffers (Fig 7). Residents adjacent to municipally owned land typically don’t control weeds there because they are often seen as a municipal responsibility. There are always new species being introduced as garden escapees or otherwise. While broom and blackberry are well-known, Daphne and Lamium are not. Daphne is of particular concern since it is a recent, unknown, shade-tolerant and aggressive invader. Some less common but notable weeds encountered by HAT staff in Broadmead included: Periwinkle (Vinca spp); Rose campion; Thistle (Cirsium spp); Yellow Flag Iris in ponds. To combat the increasing problem of invasive species, Saanich offered a pilot weed pick up program in the spring of 2005. The overwhelming response from residents indicates that an expanded program could effectively encourage landowner stewardship of natural places. HAT suggests that the program begin within neighbourhoods adjacent to targeted natural areas on a rotating basis. Weeds are less able to recover when attacked during drought; collection of specified weed plants could be timed to maximize the benefit of the drought stress period. Weed pick up would also be an excellent program to raise public goodwill as weeds are a very visible and common landowner issue. Properly composted weed biomass could become a resource for gardening. Figure 7: Cub scouts controlled broom to help a rare butterfly population in Rithet’s Bog. Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are toxic to aquatic life directly and through Biological Oxygen Demand respectively. While few residents visited by this project admitted to using pesticides, field observations indicate that significant quantities of product are still being applied to many residential landscapes by licensed commercial operators.

Municipal staff and other authorities can address most of the identified issues through consistent messaging and by incorporating landowner outreach on topics identified in this report into Saanich publications and workshops for residents. Figure 8: Travis Nagy and other volunteers learn how to monitor water quality from Sharon Hartwell, who established monitoring protocols in 2004. Nagy’s results could then be compared directly with Hartwell’s historical data. Nagy’s results indicated no significant change to Rithet’s water quality since 2004.

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An independent evaluation of the project will be completed by a consultant to HAT in September of 2007 for submission to the primary funder. Comments from project participants "Of all the things the Cubs have done this year, working with HAT in Rithet's Bog was the best experience." - Deborah Clark, cub mother. “I thought the garden tour was a great success, especially comparing and contrasting the two properties. The people who came were interested in learning more and seemed to really appreciate the opportunity to go on the guided tours. - Sharon Hartwell (RBCS) "I'm really excited about the swallow boxes that the Cubs built to put up in the Bog. I went out and bought more wood to build two more for the Bog and then 3 to put up in our backyard, near the Bog. Within a week, I had swallows nesting in our backyard!" – visited landowner. "My wife and I were really energized and inspired after Todd's tour of Rithet's Bog. He was a most excellent communicator for young children, and kept youth and adults alike interested for the full 3 hours. We really liked how he tied everything in to environmental stewardship," -local resident. The Board of Mona Community Baha'i School has asked me to invite you to the graduation ceremony next Sunday, June 17. We appreciate the knowledge and fun you contributed to the school with the visits to the Matson Lands and Rithet's Bog, as well as with the games and information you loaned me to use at school. – Gerald Harris, minister

Evaluation

Figure 9: Streamkeepers Trainer Susan Low demonstrates a minnow trap to students and tour articipants during a winter outreach event. p

Lessons learned HAT learns new techniques and better ways to reach the community through every outreach project. Our business outreach component was a new aspect of HAT’s community outreach projects. We learned that incorporating local business into earlier outreach activities to increase their profile would improve our results. Our original thinking was to schedule business outreach to co oincide with the summer holiday season as many homeowners are away during July and August. We also found that the storm drain painting actvities promoted residential awareness.


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Facing difficulties reaching residents by telephone, we created more opportunities for landowners to meet with us on neutral ground. Through a fortunate meeting with a naturescaping enthusiast in the neighbourhood, we were able to highlight best management practices and naturescaping efforts by landowners during project through tours and media coverage. During the tours and others events we employed personal contacts among neighbours to reach several at once, or to schedule later visits.

Limiting factors We experienced unusual difficulty reaching residents by telephone compared to other neighbourhoods. More time spent meeting residents in the neighbourhood may have improved success at engaging landowners earlier in the project. Co oordinating teenaged students posed significant challenges. We experienced poor turnout for the Streamkeepers training despite sufficient registration. In another situation, several Camosun students abandoned a storm drain investigation late in the project schedule without notice. Despite our focus on recommendations for naturescaping, HAT has not found enough outreach materials with photos that encourage and guide naturescaping plans. We have developed a funding proposal to address this gap in our outreach capacity. Sourcing plants early in 2007 for spring plantings failed due to supplier issues. Future projects should order plant stocks in late summer or fall to avoid watering shrubs all summer. Organizational Capacity HAT trained two staff members in landowner contact methods. Skills included telephone dialogue, site assessment, landscaping prescription, correspondence, and research. HAT developed relationships with ongoing and new partners that will improve future outreach projects. HAT field tested a new database to store landowner contact information.

Figure 10: Cub scouts paint yellow fish at storm drains to promote awareness of sensitive aquatic habitats downstream from the Broadmead neighbourhood.

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Table 2: Rithet's Bog Project Financial Statement Income Actual Budget Notes Grants Vancouver Foundation $15,000 $15,000 Victoria Foundation $5,000 $5,000 Government Municipal

District of Saanich $5,000 $5,000 $1,500 held back until completion

Provincial BC Gaming $11,272 $11,000

Worksource Wage Subsidy Program $1,313 $0

Federal

HRSDC - Summer Career Placement Program $4,500 $0

$4,500 held back until completion

Corporate Support

Shell $5,000 $5,000 $2,500 held back until completion

Vancity $30,000 $30,000 Terasen $600 $600 TD Friends of the Environment $7,000 $7,000 Miscellaneous Donations $5 Total Income $84,689 $78,600 $8,500 held back Expenses Staff Wages $66,534 $56,695 Office Rental $3,702 $4,000 Utilities $1,114 $960 Office Supplies $398 $600 Postage $526 $500 Accounting $750 $750 Insurance $625 $625 Technical Support $186 $400 Advertising $1,527 $750 Outreach Materials $2,788 $1,500 Plants $1,801 $3,000 Tools & Water testing $823 $1,000 Travel $923 $500 Event Expenses $486 $700 Staff Development $926 $1,020 Streamkeepers Training (for volunteers) $600 $600 Final Evaluation (independent contractor) $1,000 $1,000 Contingencies - $4,000 Total Expenses $84,710 $78,600

Table 2: quantifies actual expenses versus budgeted funds.

Recommendations

Pet control restrictions were established by Saanich as a compromise between at total ban and a free roaming policy. Enforce pet on leash bylaw for habitat protection at the start of bird nesting season. Encourage birders, RBCS, and researchers to distribute information notices / leashes / compostable dog waste bags. There is strong support among residents and users for enforcement of existing bylaws including the bicycle ban on trails.

Find and plant demonstration naturescaping sites on public lands that could benefit from

municipally prescribed riparian buffer zones as defined by Riparian Areas Regulations.

Encourage and support residents who want to care for public lands, especially pocket parks and right of ways. For example, Saanich Parks could partner with local school children to maintain the covenant property adjacent to Lochside Elementary School with HAT’s ongoing assistance.

While Saanich bylaws prohibit downspout disconnection that results in the direct

discharge of run off to adjacent properties, few landowners realize that impermeable surfaces that drain into plant buffered riparian areas are generally desirable.

Post interpretive signage that identifies established municipal naturescapes in the bog

neighbourhood as demonstrations of appropriate landscaping. Feature species names, mulching, and benefits.

Relevant documents Capital Regional District. 2007. Natural Areas Atlas online mapping system. Features storm drain network, cadastral boundaries, stream courses, and 2005 ortho photo. Golinsky, Karen. November 1995. An Environmental Overview of Rithet’s Bog, Saanich BC. Prepared for the Corporation of the District of Saanich. Student report filed in HAT and RBCS libraries. Golinsky, Karen. March 1997. Rithet’s Bog Conservation strategy. Prepared for the Corporation of the District of Saanich. Student report filed in HAT and RBCS libraries. Golinsky, Karen. November 1995. An Overview Assessment of Hydrology and Water Chemistry of Rithet’s Bog, Saanich BC. Prepared for the Corporation of the District of Saanich. Student report filed in HAT and RBCS libraries. Hartwell, Sharon. Date unknown. An overview of Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area History, Conservation Efforts, and Water Quality Monitoring Results. Powerpoint Presentation by RBCS. Nagy, Travis. June 2007. Rithet’s Bog Water Quality Monitoring Project Produced for Habitat Acquisition Trust. Unpublished student report filed in HAT and RBCS libraries.

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Appendix A: Outreach materials

• Postcard to residents (below) • Land Care Agreement • Follow up letter sample


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• Land Care package contents list

HAT staff signed 27 of the above agreements with watershed residents. The following letter is a template for follow up responses to visited landowners. Follow up letters reinforce messages, recommendations, and observations made by staff during visits. The second page can be highlighted to focus on specific actions recommended for each property including appropriate native plants for their landscaping requirements.

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HABITAT

ACQUISITION

TRUST

316-620 View St. Victoria, B.C.

V8W 1J6

T: (250) 995.2428 F: (250) 920.7975

[email protected]

www.hat.bc.ca

Creating Conservation

Legacies

DATE, 2007 Landowner name & address Rithets Bog Conservation Area Good Neighbours Project Dear landowner name, Welcome to our Rithets Bog Conservation Area Good Neighbours Project. Your commitment to natural land care is a key part of our community’s health. We enjoyed our visit with you and hope you gained some useful landscaping ideas. (signed LC Agreement): Thank you for signing a Land Care Agreement with HAT. As co-signers of the agreement, we will provide you with ongoing support for your land care efforts. We are always happy to hear from you about any concerns or questions you have about naturescaping, park management, tree protection, etc. Over 160 landowners have become Habitat Stewards in our region to date. By eliminating synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, providing habitat for wildlife, and spreading the word to your neighbours, you are demonstrating a sustainable future today. By posting a Habitat Steward sign on your property, residents show their commitment to conservation and inspire neighbours to practice wise land management too. And / Or Thank you for meeting with our staff for a garden assessment. The Land Care Package that we left with you contains information on alternatives to synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and obsolete watering systems. We encourage you to choose our beautiful and drought tolerant native plants for naturescaping your land (they are available at nurseries listed on the orange sheet in your package). During our visit, we suggested specific plants for your site conditions and desired functions – these species are highlighted on the back of this page. The best time to plant is in the fall when the rains begin. Composting is an easy and productive way to turn your lawn and shrub clippings into valuable natural fertilizer. Grass clippings and leaves can also be left shredded on the lawn as a soil-promoting top-dressing. Bark and leaf mulch is the best way to support tree and shrub growth; bare soil encourages weeds and can erode away. Saanich provides leaf mulch to residents in November. Residents can also take extra garden wastes to the Saanich municipal yard at 1040 Mackenzie (475-5599). During our visit we noted some invasive weeds that threaten native plant communities in the oak meadows and wetlands. Please refer to the weed control brochure in your package for ways to control the plants highlighted on the back of this page. We’ve also noted specific land care opportunities for your property that can save time and money while reducing negative impacts to natural environments. Thanks again for practicing natural land care to protect wildlife habitat and to maintain clean water for salmon in the Colquitz River. Together, our community can create a protective naturescape buffer and vigilant neighbours around the sensitive Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area. Sincerely,

Todd Carnahan Geoff Huber Land Care Co ordinator Outreach Co ordinator

P.S. Please call us anytime with your questions or concerns about naturescaping, land care activities or Rithets Bog. Call 995-2428, or email [email protected].


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Land Care Information Package Contents

Habitat Acquisition Trust brochure HAT Chat: latest edition of HAT’s Newsletter Habitats & Wildlife: • Invader Plants of Greater Victoria pamphlet Invasive Plants brochure • Invasive Plant Council of BC • Saanich Broochure

Stream Stewardship: • Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area: a Biodiversity wetspot HAT brochure • Through the Cracks, Impervious surfaces in Greater Victoria: a CRD brochure

describing effects of increasing impervious area on waterways

Organic Lawn & Garden Care: • Creating Wildlife Habitat in Your Own Backyard handout: a description of wildlife

gardening • Here’s the Dirt: A Guide to Home Composting: Victoria Compost Education Centre • Native gardening handouts: Best Native Plants for Dry and Moist Sites; Organic

fertilizers and mulch; Creating a Butterfly Garden; Plants that Attract Beneficial Insects

• NatureScape BC brochure • Playing it Safe: Healthy Choices to Control Lawn and Garden Pests • What’s Your Poison? Putting Your Lawn and Garden Into De-Tox: Georgia Strait

Alliance publication on dangers of pesticides, natural solutions to landscaping problems • What Does Clean Really Mean? Putting Your Home Into De-Tox: Georgia Strait

Alliance publication on dangers of home cleaning products, and natural alternatives Land Conservation Tax benefits of your Conservation Donation: a Land Trust Alliance brochure Your Land Conservation Options: a Land Trust Alliance brochure

Additional Outreach Materials

HAT staff developed the following materials to address information gaps or to simplify/specialize information for landowners: • Rithet’s Bog ~ a Biodiversity Wetspot – a 4 page brochure produced by HAT focusing

on the values, history, threats, and protection opportunities at Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area;

• Turn your oak leaves into wildflowers! – a flyer with stewardship tips for Garry oak meadows;

• Super Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat – a list of native plants for residences; and • HAT Tips for a Healthy, Happy Organic Lawn – a 2-page flyer on organic lawn care These and other materials were distributed to landowners in the stewardship package or follow-up letter, and are also available on HAT’s web page.

Appendix B: Media file

HAT News Releases December 2006: Rithet’s Water Quality Under Investigation May 2007: Gardening for Salmon in Broadmead Articles: BARA Bugle (Broadmead Newsletter) Our Backyard (Saanich municipal newsletter) Other media: CFAX news radio segment response to first media release (December, 2006) CBC Radio Interview “On the Island” with Jeff Weaver. (May 23, 2007, on file)


~ C r e a t i n g a C o n s e r v a t i o n L e g a c y ~ 23


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HABITAT

ACQUISITION

TRUST

#316, 620 View St PO Box 8552 Victoria, B.C.

V8W 3S2

Tel: (250) 995.2428 Fax: (250) 920.7975

[email protected]

www.hat.bc.ca

For Immediate Release

Rithet’s Bog Water Quality Under Investigation Dec 4th, 2006 Victoria – Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) is working with local residents to protect and restore the Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area (RBCA), the last bog wetland in Greater Victoria. From December to June 2007, HAT delivers their award—winning Good Neighbours Project to local businesses and residents living near the bog. Established in 1994 by the District of Saanich, the Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area protects one of this region’s most endangered wetlands. This 42 hectare Environmentally Sensitive Area in Broadmead features shore pine bog forest, marsh and fen wetlands, Garry oak woodlands, and Douglas fir forest surrounding Gabo Creek. HAT, the Municipality of Saanich, Rithet’s Bog Conservation Society (RBCS), and other community volunteers will continue efforts focusing on long term habitat protection. “Rithet’s Bog is the last remaining bog of the original seven in our region that were converted to agriculture by settlers,” says HAT Land Care Co-ordinator Todd Carnahan. “We invite Broadmead residents to help protect the unique biodiversity and water quality of this beautiful place.” HAT will contact nearly 600 residents and businesses in the neighbourhoods that drain to the Conservation Area, including Broadmead Shopping Centre. HAT will invite contacts to become Bog Buddies through commitments to simple measures that reduce negative impacts to the bog. “The label on a drain cleaner bottle doesn’t mention that it can kill aquatic life like salmon spawning in Colquitz Creek,” notes Geoff Huber, HAT’s Outreach Specialist. “We’re providing Streamkeepers Training to local students at the Bog to improve community awareness of local water quality issues.” Starting on Sunday, December 10th, HAT’s first Rithet’s Bog Bash will feature kids’ games, an interactive watershed model, nature walks, and a free wild salmon BBQ. For parents there will be experts on bird-watching, composting, pesticide alternatives, gardening for birds and butterflies, protecting water quality, organic gardening, controlling weeds, and more. Qualified residents will receive complimentary naturescaping prescriptions and deer-resistant native shrubs to improve buffer areas that protect natural habitats. Participants will see local high school students gaining certification in the Streamkeepers course for assessing water and habitat quality of streams. What: Rithet’s Bog Bash Why: Celebrating healthy streams for Salmon! When: Sunday, December 10th, 2006 11m to 3pm Where: Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area. Meet at big tent on bog loop trail close to Chatterton Way and Emily Carr Drive.

For more information on HAT or this project, including maps and photos, contact Todd Carnahan 995-2428, [email protected], fax 920 7975,

or visit our website www.hat.bc.ca.

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http://www.hat.bc.ca/



Legacies

Background

Habitat Acquisition Trust

Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) is a regional land trust established by the Victoria Natural History Society in 1996. HAT’s mission is to enhance the protection and stewardship of regionally significant lands on southern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands. We do this through: • community projects promoting environmental education and stewardship; • conservation covenants and other legal mechanisms; and, • acquisition of ecologically significant habitats.

Habitat Acquisition Trust is committed to creating a conservation legacy for current and future generations. Since 2002, HAT’s award-winning Good Neighbours project has assisted hundreds of property owners to protect and enhance wildlife habitat on their land. To learn more about HAT and the Good Neighbours Stewardship Strategy, visit our website at www.hat.bc.ca.

Good Neighbours Project

There are many initiatives in the Capital Regional District (CRD) working to protect a rich diversity of habitats, but habitats that are “protected” are still vulnerable to many threats. These protected areas become "islands" in a sea of agriculture, development, or resource extraction. There is an unusually high percentage of privately owned land in the CRD, and unrelenting development pressure; voluntary land stewardship is a vital and cost-effective method of protecting natural resources.

Ecosystems rarely follow the boundaries of parks and protected areas; typically, park boundaries cut through ecosystems, and residential development occurs around the protected area. Private landowners can enhance habitat protection by creating or conserving habitat on their properties. The integrity of the entire ecosystem can be harmed by activity on neighbouring private land – conversely, good land stewardship on privately owned land adjacent to protected areas could enhance habitat protection. HAT works with property owners to provide them with information and practical advice to be "Good Neighbours" to these protected areas, enhancing wildlife habitat and the viability of these ecosystems over time.

History of Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area (RBCA)

Rithet’s Bog is a 42-hectare Conservation Area located in the Broadmead area of Saanich. Well known to birders and those seeking a quiet, bike-free area to walk, it is the last of seven large bogs once found on the Saanich Peninsula. The property was donated to Saanich in 1994, but had already suffered severe ecological damage, due to drainage and agricultural use dating back to the 1880’s, followed by intense urban development of the surrounding area. Despite these negative impacts, it remained an environmentally sensitive wetland within the Colquitz watershed. It was home to a rare plant community (the central shore pine/Sphagnum forest, with its associated bog species), three at risk plant species listed by the BC Conservation Data Centre (the red-listed purple sanicle and foothill sedge, and the blue-listed Vancouver Island beggarticks) and a red-listed butterfly, the Vancouver Island ringlet. The open fields surrounding the bog also provided significant waterfowl habitat when flooded. By the time the bog became a Saanich park, it had degraded to the point that restoration efforts were essential if the bog were to survive. The water table had dropped dramatically and fluctuated widely. University of Victoria graduate student Karen Golinski undertook extensive studies of the bog, including comparisons with undisturbed bogs, and made recommendations for a conservation and restoration strategy. In 2001, a partnership was formed to undertake watershed-based restoration work; the partners included the Municipality of Saanich, Ducks Unlimited, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Rithet’s Bog Conservation Society. A new weir is now moderating the water table, and stream flows have been diverted around the bog to preserve its water quality. The conservation partners continue to pursue the goal of creating conditions that maintain the ecological function of the bog and incorporate it as a functioning wetland of the Colquitz watershed.

http://www.rithetsbog.org/

HABITAT

ACQUISITION

TRUST

#316, 620 View St PO Box 8552 Victoria, B.C.

V8W 3S2

Tel: (250) 995.2428 Fax: (250) 920.7975

[email protected]

www.hat.bc.ca

Media Invite: HAT helps Broadmead Residents to Garden for Salmon

May 14th, 2007 Victoria – Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) is working with local residents to protect and restore the Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area (RBCA), the last bog wetland in Greater Victoria. From December to June 2007, HAT delivers their award—winning Good Neighbours Project to local businesses and residents living near the bog. “Rithet’s Bog is the last remaining bog of the original seven in our region that were converted to agriculture,” says HAT Land Care Coordinator Todd Carnahan. “We invite Broadmead residents to help protect the unique biodiversity and water quality of this beautiful place.” HAT is currently contacting about 600 residents and businesses in the neighbourhoods that drain to the Conservation Area, including Broadmead Shopping Centre. HAT will invite contacts to become Bog Buddies through commitments to simple measures that will reduce negative impacts to the bog. “Many native plants are ideal choices for the beautiful, parkland landscapes of Broadmead”, notes HAT Outreach Coordinator Geoff Huber. “HAT promotes them as drought–tolerant flowering species that attract birds and butterflies. By planting native trees and shrubs, we save time and money on landscaping while helping to buffer significant habitats like Rithet’s Bog and Colquitz Creek, a salmon bearing stream.” On Thursday May 24th from 7 to 9pm, HAT’s Broadmead Garden Tour will feature over 60 native plants suitable for gardening, kids’ games, nature walks, and free refreshments. Experts on birds, composting, pesticide alternatives, gardening for birds and butterflies, protecting water quality, organic landscaping and controlling weeds will be available to provide free advice. Qualified residents will receive complimentary naturescaping prescriptions, bird boxes for swallows, and deer-resistant native shrubs to improve the residential watershed around the Conservation Area. Established in 1994 by the District of Saanich, the Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area protects one of this region’s most endangered wetlands. This 42 hectare Environmentally Sensitive Area in Broadmead features shore pine bog forest, other wetlands, Garry oak woodlands, and Douglas fir forest surrounding Gabo Creek. HAT, the District of Saanich, Rithet’s Bog Conservation Society, and other community volunteers will continue efforts focusing on long term habitat protection. Some initiatives of this project include Streamkeepers training for students, water quality testing, bird box construction, yellow fish painting, and invasive plant control by the 5th Tsartlip Cub Scout Troop. Camosun student Travis Nagy’s water quality project at Gabo Creek has revealed that water quality is still good enough for salmon during the spring time. HAT will continue testing later this year to access the accumulated pollution from the summer as it washes into Gabo Creek with fall rains.

What: Broadmead Garden Tour Why: Gardening for Birds, Butterflies, and Salmon and HAT’s Outreach Program When: Thursday May 24th, 2007. 7 to 9pm Where: Owlwood Place at Emily Carr Drive.

For more information on HAT or this project, including maps and photos, contact Todd Carnahan 995-2428, [email protected], fax 920 7975, or visit our website www.hat.bc.ca.

-30-


27


http://www.hat.bc.ca/



Legacies

Background

Habitat Acquisition Trust

Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) is a regional land trust established by the Victoria Natural History Society in 1996. HAT’s mission is to enhance the protection and stewardship of regionally significant lands on southern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands. We do this through:

• community projects promoting environmental education and stewardship; • conservation covenants and other legal mechanisms; and, • acquisition of ecologically significant habitats.

Habitat Acquisition Trust is committed to creating a conservation legacy for current and future generations. Since 2002, HAT’s award-winning Good Neighbours project has assisted hundreds of property owners to protect and enhance wildlife habitat on their land. To learn more about HAT and the Good Neighbours Stewardship Strategy, visit our website at www.hat.bc.ca.

Good Neighbours Project

There are many initiatives in the Capital Regional District (CRD) working to protect a rich diversity of habitats, but habitats that are “protected” are still vulnerable to many threats. These protected areas become "islands" in a sea of agriculture, development, or resource extraction. There is an unusually high percentage of privately owned land in the CRD, and unrelenting development pressure; voluntary land stewardship is a vital and cost-effective method of protecting natural resources.

Ecosystems rarely follow the boundaries of parks and protected areas; typically, park boundaries cut through ecosystems, and residential development occurs around the protected area. Private landowners can enhance habitat protection by creating or conserving habitat on their properties. The integrity of the entire ecosystem can be harmed by activity on neighbouring private land – conversely, good land stewardship on privately owned land adjacent to protected areas could enhance habitat protection. HAT works with property owners to provide them with information and practical advice to be "Good Neighbours" to these protected areas, enhancing wildlife habitat and the viability of these ecosystems over time.

History of Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area (RBCA)

Rithet’s Bog is a 42-hectare Conservation Area located in the Broadmead area of Saanich. Well known to birders and those seeking a quiet, bike-free area to walk, it is the last of seven large bogs once found on the Saanich Peninsula. The property was donated to Saanich in 1994, but had already suffered severe ecological damage, due to drainage and agricultural use dating back to the 1880’s, followed by intense urban development of the surrounding area. Despite these negative impacts, it remained an environmentally sensitive wetland within the Colquitz watershed. It was home to a rare plant community (the central shore pine/Sphagnum forest, with its associated bog species), three at risk plant species listed by the BC Conservation Data Centre (the red-listed purple sanicle and foothill sedge, and the blue-listed Vancouver Island beggarticks) and a red-listed butterfly, the Vancouver Island ringlet. The open fields surrounding the bog also provided significant waterfowl habitat when flooded. By the time the bog became a Saanich park, it had degraded to the point that restoration efforts were essential if the bog were to survive. The water table had dropped dramatically and fluctuated widely. University of Victoria graduate student Karen Golinski undertook extensive studies of the bog, including comparisons with undisturbed bogs, and made recommendations for a conservation and restoration strategy. In 2001, a partnership was formed to undertake watershed-based restoration work; the partners included the Municipality of Saanich, Ducks Unlimited, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Rithet’s Bog Conservation Society. A new weir is now moderating the water table, and stream flows have been diverted around the bog to preserve its water quality. The conservation partners continue to pursue the goal of creating conditions that maintain the ecological function of the bog and incorporate it as a functioning wetland of the Colquitz watershed.

http://www.rithetsbog.org/

table of contents hat gn rithets final... · 2009. 2. 20. · gardening, attracting/repelling...

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