Native Plant Stewardship

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Our group works to educate our community about the benefits of native plants and the negative impacts of prolific, invasive species that often out-compete them. We encourage the planting, tending and restoration of native species that are well-adapted to local conditions and provide important habitat for wildlife, birds, butterflies, wild bees and other pollinators.

Membership is free and open to residents on SSI.

Contact Deborah Miller for more information.

Activites

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Education

We attend the Garden Club plant sale and Seedy Saturday with educational materials and samples, ready to discuss the benefits and methods of encouraging native plants and removing invasive plants. We write articles for local media and have a list of links to useful online information, located under the “Resources” section of this website.

Invasive Species Control

We provide information and support to individuals and neighbourhood groups working to control and remove non-native weeds.

We also host two Invasive Plant Drop-off days each spring. The Fire Department works with us on this, as broom and gorse are severe fire hazards. Chipping costs are covered thanks to a grant from the SSI Conservancy and donations by those bringing broom, gorse, holly, ivy, blackberry, daphne etc. for disposal. We appreciate the support from chippers Ron Cook, Ben Barter and Cam Proudfoot, as well as Emcon Services, Fisher Road Recycling, and Island Savings Credit Union.

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Action and Advocacy

In addition to work parties in various locations, we maintain a few demonstration sites on the island.

We cut the broom at a site on Long Harbour road identified by the SSI Conservancy sign, and remove Hairy Cat’s Ear and broom from an enclosure in Andreas Voigt Nature Reserve. We now see native wildflowers flourishing in both these locations. We’ve removed Gorse from the top end of Booth Canal Road, and planted native shrubs in its place.

To gain a greater understanding of the extent of noxious Gorse shrubs, we have recently launched a Gorse Mapping Project; using the popular free app iNaturalist (https://inaturalist.ca/). When someone submits a photo, the app provides probable identification and records the location of the plant. Knowing the scope of the gorse problem will help us press governments and our local road maintenance contractor Emcon to deal with this serious fire hazard.

NPS News, Resources, & Events

Linda Gilkeson Webinar - Gardening in a Changing Climate

Gardening in a Changing Climate

Adapting to Droughts, Heat Waves, Cold Snaps and Other Extremes Join gardening expert Linda Gilkeson for this special webinar discussing how to plan and plant drought-tolerant gardens in the Pacific Northwest. Date: Tuesday, December 3rd Time: 7pm-9pm Location: Live on Zoom TO REGISTER, PLEASE CONTRIBUTE WHAT YOU CAN This a PAY WHAT YOU CAN EVENT.…
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Climate, Culture, Land: Cultivating Community Resilience through Indigenous Approaches

Climate, Culture, Land: Cultivating Community Resilience through Indigenous Approaches

AN ONLINE WEBINAR TUESDAY, JULY 9TH, 7pm Save your spot! Join us for an inspiring event as the Stqeeye’ Learning Society celebrates the return of Quw’utsun family members to their home on unceded territory near Xwaaqw’um. You will have the privilege of hearing from Sulsameethl (Deb George) and her granddaughter Sulatiye’ (Maiya Modeste), who will…
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Invasive Plant Drop-Off - June 9th

Final Invasive Plant Drop-Off for 2024! 

Back by popular demand thanks to last-minute funding from the CRD, we have a second drop-off event in June! SUNDAY, JUNE 9TH, 10 AM – 3 PM ONLY @ FULFORD HALL Bring Woody Invasives: Gorse, broom, ivy, holly, blackberry, daphneDon’t Bring: Soft tissue plants, giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed Absolutely no roots! Roots can contain rocks which will damage the chipper.…
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Invasive Plant Drop-Off - May 25th

Invasive Plant Drop-Off Day

Invasive Plant Drop-Off Day WHEN: SATURDAY, MAY 25TH, 10 AM – 3 PM ONLY! WHERE: COMMUNITY GOSPEL CHAPEL, 147 Vesuvius Bay Rd Did you know invasive plants can exacerbate wildfires? It’s time to tidy up your property and rid it of these plants! Bring Woody Invasives: Gorse, broom, ivy, holly, blackberry, daphneDon’t Bring: Soft tissue plants, giant hogweed,…
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Future-proof your Home with Water Management: $ave Money and Improve Resiliency by Harnessing Your Water Resources – Video

Future-proof your Home with Water Management: $ave Money and Improve Resiliency by Harnessing Your Water Resources.  Watch this informative webinar that will revolutionize the way you manage water on your property and enhance your resilience for the future.  Learn how to: utilize DIY rainwater harvesting, update your landscape for water retention, install legal greywater and composting…
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Welcoming Native Pollinators to Our Neighbourhood Gardens with Bee Expert Bonnie Zand- Video

Welcoming Native Pollinators to Our Neighbourhood Gardens with Bee Expert Bonnie Zand View the recording from June 8, 2023 on our Youtube Channel Here. Discover practical tips and strategies from Bonnie Zand, an expert in native bees and pollinator conservation. Learn how to create a pollinator-friendly environment in your gardens and make a positive impact…
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NPS News, Resources, & Events

Gardening with Native Plants

Lots of info on this Habitat Acquisition Trust page: https://www.hat.bc.ca/gardening-with-native-plants Do you want attractive, easy to maintain, drought tolerant gardens that attract birds and butterflies? The best plant choices for gardens are often the native plants that thrive naturally in our region. A native plant includes those species that were here prior to European settlement. Rewarding and…
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CRD Native Plants info

What Are Native Plants? A native plant thrives naturally in a region, ecosystem or habitat without human introduction. Native plants are vital components of healthy and resilient ecosystems. They provide ecosystems services such as food and habitat for native wildlife. Unfortunately, invasive species, climate change and land-use change have reduced the number and habitat of…
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SSI Water Preservation Society ~ Native Plant Restoration and Elimination of Broom

Broom; beautiful, invasive, weed. When it’s tiny, we pull it, when it’s big, we cut it down (below ground level). Either way, we’re eradicating it from WPS-owned nature reserve watershed lands above St. Mary Lake – one plant at atime. And we take the broom we’ve pulled and give it to some grateful goats. We…
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“To love a place is not enough. We must find ways to heal it.” ― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants