Meeting Notes
Friends of Tod Creek Watershed meet the first Wednesday of every second month.
You are welcome to join us.
Mission: To protect and enhance the integrity and biodiversity of the Tod Creek Watershed.
To view notes from previous meetings, use the “Meeting Notes” Archive links on the right panel.
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FRIENDS OF TOD CREEK WATERSHED
MEETING NOTES
4 SEPTEMBER, 2013
Mission: To protect and enhance the integrity and biodiversity of the Tod Creek Watershed.
Present: Joanne Delage, Bernie Bowker, Pat Carfra, Audrey Barnes, Winona Pugh, Mary Haig-Brown
Regrets: Rick and Donna Todd, Lin Callow, Lori James Derry
1. Adoption of Agenda
2. Adoption of Meeting Notes of 1 May, 2013.
3. Treasurer’s Report: Gift Certificates from Nurseries were not redeemed but probably can still be when we plant this fall. Current bank balance $4,164.03. There are several outstanding expenses, notably Killarney Creek Fan project and Whitehead plantings. We have bought several tools recently.
4. Announcements:
a. Killarney Creek Fan work party, Saturday, Sept. 7th 9:00 – Noon We hope to finish the job, both digging and some replanting.
b. Prospect Lake School tree planting will take place on Saturday, 26th Oct from 2:00 – 3:00 at Whitehead Park. We will give the students some of our new logo stickers. Come and watch the students plant their trees.
c. LakeKeepers course took place on August 17 & 18 at the Horticultural Centre and on Prospect Lake. 18 participants learned about lake function and how to test the quality of the water. Thank you to BC Lake Stewardship Society and RBC Blue Water Project, Saanich Spark Grant, Thrifty’s and Level Ground and to Barry Britnell for the use of his dock.
d. Survey of Plants on and in Prospect Lake was a suggestion from BCLSS. Angeline Tillmanns from UVic helped us on the practical part of
the course and will come to do an initial survey of Macrophytes this week or next. (We were rained out today.) This may lead to grant applications to do a full job which would cost several thousand dollars over 3 years.
e. Web site – Lori has been working on the site and she and Carol McDougall are setting up a Face Book page. Check out our web site as it keeps growing and getting better. Some suggestions:
Update East Lake Project, with pictures of the new plantings.
First issue of Watershed Connections is not there. Is there a PDF? Apparently not, but Joanne knows how to make one from the hard copy. Watch for it soon. Pat will talk to Frances Hunter about reprinting Returning the Loon to Prospect Lake.
Pictures of Tree Appreciation Day are mis-dated
Add note about borrowing books from the library which are available to anyone interested. Audrey donated a hard copy of Lewis Clark’s beautiful Wild Flowers of British Columbia and Pojar and MacKinnon’s Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Both are excellent reference tools.
f. There will be a Septic Savy workshop sponsored by the CRD at Hartland Learning Centre on October 5 from 9:30 – 12:00. This will be followed by an optional tour of the Landfill. A very informative and interesting event.
5. Projects:
a. River’s Day – Sunday, 29th September at Whitehead Park. Plans are developing very well. There will be a number of displays from a variety of people and organizations, events for children, a raffle and refreshments. Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate our “river.”
b. Whitehead Park – work continues in preparation for a fall planting on the East side. On west side the plastic mesh is to be removed by Saanich staff on Monday, Sept 9th. We will then be able to get out some sprouting YFI and other invasives that are springing up.
c. Killarney Creek Fan – a successful work party was held on August 24th. Much material was removed. A follow up Work Party will be held on Saturday, Sept 7th from 9:00 to Noon. Some planting will take place as well as more invasive removal. We hope we can finish the job at that time.
d. DO monitoring on Tod Creek. We have completed a year of monitoring. The results show that the creek is in need of restoration in some spots to improve water quality during the low flow period. Margaret Wright of DFO has sent results of testing on samples she took from the creek at Farmington Road and Durrance Road.
6. Heritage – The trip to Port Angeles was enjoyed by nine people. The excellent guide showed them the underground parts of Port Angeles as well as the insides and hidden corners of some historic buildings. Heritage activities will get started again now that fall is here.
7. Next Meeting – Wednesday, November 6th. Location to be announced, but possibly at Frances Hunter’s house.
