Thank you – Jack –  for the new map to the Tryon River walking trail.

I will include it under “maps” on the SSWA web site so it will be easy for people to find in the future.

Watch for Jack’s  article on the new trail in our upcoming issue of SSWA Tidings :) 

This summer we did a lot of work planting, protecting (usually from the mower)   and tending to shrubs at Victoria Park in Victoria, we also had to spend a lot of time moving picnic tables back from the unstable edge off the un-mowed area.

 

A few weeks ago, Myles and I went down and put up a rope fence to cordon off the area.

 

 

Thankfully the locals seem to have embraced our cute little fence / swimming towel drying line

:)

Thanks for picture – Daphne

 

 

Now that the camping season is finished for the summer, SSWA has freer access for working on the bio-structure and able to take pictures of the site work.

During the forest rehabilitation  stage of this summers project, new materials were added to the middle section of the bio-structure to lower the angle where the structure meets the shoreline to a more  desired 30 degree slope.  Minimal large materials were added to the first section of the structure as it was already close to the angle after last season work sessions. The last third of the structure will need more materials added in the future as it is still too steep, but placing too much material too quickly increases the risk of winter destabilization so we will work on that next season. All the large materials added were tied to each other, the work which has stabilized from last season and to stumps still firmly attached to the bank. All the new materials were placed above the high tide region of the beach. We do expect, actually hope, that the structure to compress and settle over the winter season, and for seasons to come, as it starts to decompose and morph into a new bank. We can do everything humanly possible to stabilize and secure the structure, but if Mother nature wants to move….. well she made the Grand Canyon, what more can I say?

The logs added will work as a frame work to hold the more compostable materials in place as they start to break down.  Lots of mulch was added from above as the frame work was placed, which settled into the structure. Now it is time to start filling in the structure with hay, mulch  and seaweed (so lovingly delivered by Mother nature right on site)

so off we go to Wyman Moase’s, Wyman has graciously donated all the hay used in our Bio-structure.

 

 

next comes the big task of caring the bales down the beach. Steve, Gary and Myles hauled down bales while Daphne, Barb and I stuffed away.

 

 

 

once the bales were distributed our volunteers started filling in the open areas in the structure.  The structure will be stuffed and re-stuffed over the next few months, as the materials get wet they will settle and compress. The water they hold will assist the framework to begin its decay process. This process will create soil which will allow for the growth of plants and shrubs which will eventually take over the process.  Let’s not forget that this is a long term process… let’s have a 2020 vision… yes that’s the year 2020, when we can expect to turn this back over to the natural process. This is a long term problem, and it requires a long term  solution.

Does that mean we aren’t alleviating any of the problem in the mean time?

No. This is definitely helping. For once, we can say that no further excessive erosion has occurred at this section of the camp, no tree has fallen over the cliff taking bank with it, no large gaps occurred along the bank.

 

The bank is looking good, we will continue to push the erosion process back to a more normal rate. We have no delusions that we can stop erosion, erosion is a natural process, but it is happening at an unnatural rate.

 

 

 

SSWA has placed signs along the rope fence on the upper edge of the structure reminding hikers to be wary of the structure

 

 

Shrubs planted have to rechecked and watered over the summer season, this is a very harsh area for new life to grow, many of the plants from last year didn’t survive the season, unfortunately this was expected, and more will be planted. hay bales which you see on the top of the structure were not just forgotten there, they were placed to help shelter these fragile plants until they gain footing in the bank, please to not move the shelters

 

 

The view is nice from here, If you would like to see it, or any of our work, please contact ssaw@sswa.ca and arrange for a tour. Camp Abegweit is private property but has graciously open it’s doors to allow SSWA to offer access to groups or individuals who would like to gain educational information from this partnership.

Thank You

Kellie Lockhart – SSWA Manager

 

 

 

 

 

Lucas was back on Monday to finish up some hours cleaning the Tryon River section above Lord’s pond with Gary and Myles

On Tuesday (yesterday) Myles, Gary and I were out to Camp Abby to finish planting some shrubs, milkweed and marram grass; put signs up on the rope fences, and build a walkway to the beach

Wed – Myles is gone to work in town, so Gary is off and I’m doing paperwork

Thursday ( tomorrow ) Myles and Gary will be working down at Steve Airth’s cutting some dead spruce so they don’t fall into the estuary

Friday – they are planning to do some spring cleaning but we all know how plans change :P

Thanks to Myles, Gary, Garrett, Connor, Lucas and Keenan (seated)

It’s Friday again, after putting a wood duck box up in the Tryon river marshland and planting some milkweed, the crew is off stream cleaning in Westmoreland. This afternoon, they will be moving the donated Kelley Cross post office frame which will be re-purposed as a shelter for the Westmorland River Nature park at Stordy’s pond.

Next week is our last week with full staff, its been a whorl wild of the summer. Lots of little jobs to finish up

I constructed the fish shade benches at home, for want of power tools, and peacock approval :)

The coffer dam shade almost complete, there will be a hand rail added to this side of the ramp

The pollinator garden shade has the benches added but not completed, and the ramp is still to go on

The rope fence has been added around the draw-down structure on one side, signs still to be addedWe just finished up at sundown, was rewarded with a nice view from the pollinator garden shade view from the coffer dam shade, the water on the pond was completely still, made for some nice sites.

Were back at Stordy’s pond, or at least the crew is, Myles and I are going to town for building supplies for the benches and fencing.

The crew is planting the milkweed, installing a wood duck box in the up-water marsh area, and installing 5 swallow boxes around the pond.

when Myles and I return, we add the walkway up to the first fish shade. Part of the crew go to do some stream cleaning on the East branch while the rest flatten walking trails and add more rope fencing.

The full crew continue with stream cleaning for Wed and Thursday