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
MEETUNG NOTES
6 JANUARY, 2016
Mission: To protect and enhance the integrity and biodiversity of the Tod Creek Watershed.
Present: Michael Derry, Pat Carfra, Wil Shulba, Winona Pugh, Woody Thomson, Lori James Derry, Audrey Barnes, Carmel Thomson, Mary Haig-Brown
Regrets: Sherron MacPherson, Frances Hunter, Janet Williams, Joanne Delage, Bernie Bowker
Adoption of Agenda
Adoption of Meeting Notes of 4 November, 2015
Treasurer’s report: Joanne says, “Hopefully we can spend some of it soon.”
Announcements:
EDPA (Environmental Development Permit Area)
a) An Economic Study is being conducted by G.P. Rollo & Associates at Saanich’s request. I have been asked on behalf of FTCW to meet with them on 22 January.
b) A group called Saanich Advocates for the Environment (SAFE) has been formed to gather information about the effects of the EDPA and present it to the public. Winona, Mary and Carmel have attended the inaugural meeting. A web site is being built. A face book page called “Protect Saanich Environment” is also in the works.
c) A proposal for a PhD dissertation – Wil Shulba would like to start a PhD by September. He will be looking at the work being done to restore a salmon (coho) run in Tod Creek in largely community initiated project. Tentative chapter headings are: Community Support, Mapping of potential spawning grounds, Restoring habitat and Sustainability.
d) Green Team – Time to book dates. We have booked Saturday, April 30th for South Prospect Lake broom removal and Saturday, May 14th for Maltby Lake broom removal. Mark your calendars.
Projects:
Interpretive signs: Michael and Lori James Derry. Letter from Saanich re location and structure. They have some suggestions about types of sign and placement. We agreed to meet at the corner of Wallace Drive and West Saanich Road this Saturday, Jan 9th at 3:00 (note time change since our discussion) to talk about placement and text. Ian Bruce will be there so please come if you want to catch up on work done and work planned.
Tod Flats – We are waiting for the call for RFCPP grants for the next phase. Saanich is planning to work on Heal’s Rifle Range land this summer. They have hired Dave Clough to look at what can be done. This is excellent news since this is the property immediately downstream from where we worked last summer.
Whitehead Park. Great planting event in November by Evergreen has completed the last of the major planting events. Much weeding and mulching of trails will keep us gently busy on Monday mornings at 9:30. Saanich has dropped off a load of chips which we will spread on the trails. Come and have a look.
Lohr Road. We also weeded the native plant flower garden at the corner of Lohr Road. It took longer than we thought it would but we plan to keep ahead of it this year. This site was prepared for us by Saanich Storm and Wastewater when they replaced the culvert under PL Road last year. The site was planted by the Evergreen team with native flowers and grasses as a demonstration of the beauty and colour that native plants can provide. Lori has set up a separate web page for this site.
Lake Stewardship – Winona reported that it is time to renew our membership in the BC Lake Stewardship Society. We agreed that this is an important membership to have and Winona will ask Joanne to send a cheque.
Update on the plant survey. Winona took the collected plants to the Royal BC Museum where they were received by Erica. Adolf Ceska will help in the identification. Erica is pleased to have these and to receive data from future sampling in order to build a data set. This is a great partnership from our point of view. Laura Kline of CRD has water samples for the micro analysis to provide a bench mark with which to compare future samples. The next sampling will take place in the summer when the plants are at their peak. Winona will arrange this and let us know when it is to take place. She will be looking for a floating dock to serve as a platform for taking the samples.
Maltby Lake – FMLWS AGM is coming up. Carmel reports that it will happen before the end of the month. They have not yet received their charitable status but expect it soon. Fundraising for the purchase of the remaining 6% is going well.
Web Site – Lori continues to add to our web site and asks for feedback and submissions. Check out the site.
Heritage – The community mapping project with Ken Josephson is ongoing. The data may be placed on the CRD web site. Winona will be meeting with the Grad Student who is working on this.
A query about Lloyd Residence, 524 Walter Avenue which is not in our area. The house has been left to Saanich. Its future is unclear.
Next Meeting: 2 March. Location to be decided.
