On May 31, seventeen people armed with six wheelbarrows and eight shovels moved approximately 54 cubic yards of wood chips from point A to point B. Point B happens to be an experimental restoration site aimed at removing periwinkle (Vinca minor), an invasive species that is covering the forest floor at Ayum Creek Park Reserve, located in Sooke.
TLC began the restoration project this spring by cutting and pulling periwinkle before lying cardboard on top to smother it of light and prevent it from growing. Adding 4 to 6 inches of wood chips on top helps ensure the smothering continues for 5 to 10 years, which is how long the mix of cedar and Douglas-fir chips are thought to take to break down. Periwinkle requires this type of restoration due to how pervasive it is; it is heat- and drought-tolerant, and spreads by both rhizomes (aka “runners”) and seeds. You can see in the photos just how thick a blanket this can create. Regular invasive species control methods such as pulling or cutting alone won’t work for this species as even the smallest of root hairs left over will re-sprout! For this reason, TLC has decided to employ a technique from permaculture, known as “lasagna gardening” which builds soil by adding different layers of materials. By layering different sources of carbon and nitrogen (your “browns and greens” in composting) and not tilling or otherwise breaking up the soil, allows the microbes and soil organisms to thrive, which all contribute to healthier, nutrient-dense soil. Tilling is usually employed to mix nutrients into the soil, but by adding it in layers that break down over time you also allow the healthy mycelial networks to flourish. Mycelium is the underground form of mushrooms, which are the fruiting bodies much like an apple tree creates apples as part of its sexual reproduction phase. Soils contain a complex web of organisms that require specific conditions in order to prosper, so TLC hopes that our restoration technique will not only get rid of the invasive species but also help ensure the healthy soil underneath stays that way.
Most of the volunteers that day came from a local business that wanted to use one of their team building days to help out an environmental organization – thank you, Sendwithus, for choosing TLC! Your muscle and determination to complete the job that day will have a lasting impact on the health of Ayum Creek Park. One of the members from Sendwithus was so excited about the work that he was literally running wheelbarrows full of wood chips from one end of the park to the other, his hair flying back in the wind and a great big grin on his face. What a guy! This is not to say the other folks from Sendwithus didn’t also leave a lasting impression – everyone was a pleasure to work with and we at TLC can’t tell you how grateful we are for your enthusiasm and willingness to work hard that day to complete the job. It was no small feat! We hope you return one day to see the salmon spawning up the creek, knowing that you have contributed to their health indirectly by ensuring native species can continue to thrive.
You can support the Covenant Program by donating online or by volunteering at our next event.
