Category Archives: Meeting Notes

2 Nov 2016

FRIENDS OF TOD CREEK WATERSHED

MEETING NOTES– 2 NOVEMBER, 2016

Mission: To protect and enhance the integrity and biodiversity of the Tod Creek Watershed.

Present: Woody Thomson, Winona Pugh, Joanne Delage, Bernie Bowker, Pat Carfra and Mary Haig-Brown

  1. Adoption of the Agenda
  2. Adoption of the minutes from 7 September, 2016.
  3. Treasurer’s report – Joanne

Balance, 7 Sept, 2016 Cheque for sign installation New Balance

$

$1239.76 734.08*

505.68

*Installation by Saanich cost $1500. Money from Unitarian Church ($765.92) was being held for us by PSS. (765.92+734.08 =1500). Saanich is paid in full.

Cheques in Memory of Grace Bennett totaled $300.

4. Announcements:

a) Grace Bennett, 1925 – 2016. Long-time resident of Prospect Lake and a member of the Recycled Teenagers Walking Group. She loved camping and the outdoors. When she passed away in September her family asked

that donations in lieu of flowers be made to FTCW. We thank them for that.

  1. b)  Bus tour of Tod Creek Watershed was a big success with 40 people having a chance to see some of the restoration sites of the watershed. Letters and comments of appreciation to PSS are helpful to them when they are applying for grants.
  2. c)  PSS Fundraiser Dinner and Silent Auction November 19th at PL Community Hall. Suggested auction items:

    Hike up Mt Work – Winona will lead this and she and Mary will make the lunch. We suggest a minimum bid of $75.00. Winona will send a write up and picture to Francesca.

    Paddle on the lake – After some discussion about liability we decided to offer 3 or 4 canoes with one passenger in each. Canoes come from Pat C, Bernie B, Lori JD with Winona paddling and if necessary from Woody T. Min bid $75.00. Pat will send a write up and picture to Francesca.

    Wander around Killarney Lake – Mary will lead this and she and Judith Kirchner will make the lunch. Minimum bid $50.00. Mary will send a write up and picture to Francesca.

  3. d)  Stream-keepers course postponed until the spring. A notice will be circulated closer to the time.

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e) Mary will retire in 1 1?2 years. Fair warning.

5. Projects:

  1. a)  Whitehead Park: Monday, 7 Nov. the removal of the final 2 exclosures and a plan for planting of the final section at the south end near the lake will take place with help from Saanich Parks Staff. On-going maintenance will always be needed.
  2. b)  Tod Creek Flats – This summer’s work included an extension of the berm southward which was mostly intact but needed the repair of some breached areas. Three cross ditches with culverts under the berm facilitate return of fish to the creek after a winter of feasting on the flats. Screens on the culverts to enable control of fish entry and installation of fish traps in order to monitor fish movement are much enhanced with head walls built by Michael Derry. Much riparian planting has been done.

6. Lake Stewardship – Winona reports lake monitoring continues. The lake has recently turned over so another session is planned for next week, either Friday, Nov. 11 or Saturday, Nov. 12. Please contact her if you would like to help.

Winona attended the B.C. Invasives workshop. Zebra mussels are a species of great concern. So far none are in Prospect Lake but we must be vigilant. The only way to be sure they do not arrive is to stop boats from using the lake if they have been in infested waters. This is probably not possible.

Lisa Rogers is the co-ordinator at Elk-Beaver Lake. She is very knowledgeable.

7. Maltby Lake – Woody reported they had a great invasive removal with help from the Green Team on Sunday, 23 October.

Saanich contract worker, Marika, surveyed the significant trees on the Maltby property. There was only time to do part of the property so Marika will be back.

Nov. 14 is the next court date for dealing with the final 6% of the TLC lands. Purchase may be in installments.

  1. Web site and Facebook – Lori is keeping both up to date. She is applying for a Small Sparks Grant to help with the computer work.
  2. Heritage – Winona reported they had their AGM last week. They discussed the New Societies Act, in particular the on- line filing system.

    They are expecting there will be grants available for the Canada 150 events.

10. Next meeting – January 4th
Location: Audrey Barnes house, 140 Kiowa Place.

7 Sept 2016

FRIENDS OF TOD CREEK WATERSHED
MEETING NOTES– 7 SEPTEMBER. 2016

Mission: To protect and enhance the integrity and biodiversity of the Tod Creek Watershed

Regrets: Pat Carfra, Lori James and Michael Derry, Bernie Bowker

Present: Audrey Barnes, Winona Pugh. Carmel Thomson, Joanne Delage, Mary Haig-Brown

1. Adoption of Agenda

2. Adoption of meeting notes of 6 July, 2016

3. Treasurer’s report – Joanne

Balance, 6 July, 2016     $1,286.99
Interest Aug/Sept           $       0.02
Cheque to Sign Waves   $     47.25
Balance, 7 September    $ 1239.76

Outstanding cheque for sign installation $734.08

New cheques ordered. Credit Union does not supply cheques any more. Joanne ordered them from Internet.

She donated the cost.

4. Announcements:

Display updated for PL BBQ. Four boards showing our projects with updates were created in August.

They were very well received by people at the community BBQ.

5. Wrote a letter of support for FMLWS.   See below, letter # 1.

6. Streamkeepers course Oct 15 & 16.   10 people registered including one teenager.

Notice and registration form from PSS to be sent out shortly.
PSS Fundraiser – Dinner and silent auction at PL Hall on 19th Nov. Save the date.

7. Bus tour of Watershed is coming up. Date: Sunday, 30th Oct. Funding for this info event comes through PSS.

June is arranging it.

8. Saanich Older Adults Strategy – 24 Sept.

Register at any Saanich Rec Centre by 22 Sept.      See “Announcements” Page for poster.

9. Our membership list is getting long. Shall I start using Bcc?

Those members present agreed they liked seeing the complete list.

If anyone would like their name Blind Copied or removed from the list, please let me know.

10. Projects:

Whitehead Park and Lohr Road – The plants are labelled and trails are tidied. A few more chips to be spread on the cardboard covering the Reed Canary Grass. We are waiting for the rains to soften the ground before we can do much more.

Tod Creek Flats – Creek and berm work are almost finished. Culverts are in and will soon have fish screens. Talks with farmers about the best practices for the flats are ongoing.

Historical and Environmental Sign is in place on Centennial Trail by flats. Pat C. sends her praises to all involved.

Survey of land owners beside the creek has been mostly completed.

The idea is to know who lives on the creek and to offer them any help if they need it.

See below: letter # 2

Saanich is cleaning out Killarney Creek at the fan. (Winona’s place) They are removing Reed Canary Grass and some YFI. Over 30 cutthroat trout were removed from the short section they are working on.

11. Lake Stewardship – Winona.

July 27th sampling event was well attended and the samples have gone to the BC Museum, adding to our

ongoing data collection. Plankton samples are being analysed by Laura Kline at CRD water quality.

12. Sept 24th Aquatic invasives workshop is full but names are being taken for a waiting list.

The workshop is based at Elk/Beaver Lake.

13. Maltby Lake – Sat Oct. 22 Green Team at the lake to remove invasives.

They have had very good bat counts since the installation of the Rocket Box.

14. Heritage – Winona reports they are taking a break, but several members had great displays at the Saanich Fair.

The AGM did not have a quorum so it will be rescheduled.

Next meeting November 2nd
Location: to be determined

 

Letter # 1:

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Letter # 2:

 

6 July 2014

FRIENDS OF TOD CREEK WATERSHED MEETING NOTES – 6 JULY, 2016

Mission: To protect and enhance the integrity and biodiversity of the Tod Creek Watershed

Regrets: Pat Carfra, Lin Callow

Present: Carmel Thomson, Janet Williams, Woody Thomson, Joanne Delage, Lori James Derry, Michael Derry, Audrey Barnes, Winona Pugh, Gwen Curry, Bernie Bowker, Mary Haig-Brown

1. Adoption of Agenda

2. Adoption of meeting notes of 4 May, 2016

3. Treasurer’s report Balance as of 4 May, 2016 $1,336.96 Interest June, July .03 Web site expense (Renfroe) (50.00) Balance, 6 July, 2016 $1,286.99

4. Announcements:

  • a) Peninsula Streams Fundraiser will be at Prospect Lake Hall on November 19 th 2016. Save the date.
  • b) Streamkeepers Course being offered Oct 15 & 16. We need an active group to assess and improve Tod Creek for salmon. Eight people have signed up so far. We are looking for young, active people to do the ongoing monitoring. Mary will call Amanda Evans and Colin Plant for suggestions.
  • c) Saanich Agriculture and Food Security Plan. Please fill out survey at saanich.ca/food. The information from the survey will be used in developing the Food Security Plan.
  • d) Watershed bus tour – need someone to organize this. Winona will get this started. The bus used last time was sourced through Ken Josephson.
  • e) Celebrating our Natural Capital – meetings with Samuel Godfrey and others to plan an event. Watch for further information.
  • f) Saanich Native Plants, James and Kirsten Miskelly won a Saanich Environmental Award for their business, Saanich Native Plants.
  • g) Grass workshop was held in June. Audrey, Michael and Lori attended and found it very useful in knowing what to look for as they identify grasses.
  • h) The latest issue of THE PROSPECTOR has two articles by Winona. The first is about the work in Whitehad Park (too bad about the typos) and the second is about Tod Creek Flats. Unfortunately the final section dealing with the human history of the Flats was left out which is disappointing.

5. Projects:

  • a) Whitehead Park and Lohr Road – We will be labelling native plants at Lohr Road with June’s help on Friday morning. June is pleased with how well the plants are doing and with the number of insects on them.
  • b) Tod Creek Flats – RFCPP grant is expected to be approved to enable work to continue this summer. The new owner of the parcel between Brian Higgins and Red Damsel Farm is very supportive of the work planned. He will lease his farm land. The Interpretive sign design is now with Saanich. They will install the sign along the trail near the Wallace Drive end. Many thanks to Carmel for the design work.

6. Lake Stewardship: Winona

  • a) Secchi Disc dip for BC Lake Stewardship is to be done during the month of July. Winona will combine this with an aquatic plant survey at the spots chosen earlier. The samples are dried, identified and stored at the Provincial Museum. Anyone interested in being involved in this task should contact Winona.
  • b) Aquatic plant workshop on 24 th September will focus on plants from Elk/Beaver Lake.

7. Maltby Lake: Broom bash with Green Team on May 14 th was successful.

8. Web Page: Lori is learning about photo point monitoring so she can record the changes being made and happening at various spots on Tod Creek.

9. Heritage: Winona

You are invited to attend our Prospect Lake Heritage Society AGM and visit to the Observatory Grounds. We will be holding the AGM on Tuesday July 19 at 11:30 am at the former Center of the Universe building on the Observatory Grounds. You are welcome to join us at the lower parking lot at 10:30 am and hike the trail to the summit of Little Saanich Mountain or drive to the upper parking lot and explore the various trails at 11:00 . Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the views as we review the activities of the past year. Winona Chair Prospect Lake Heritage Society

10 . Next meeting: 7 September

  • Location: Maltby Lake. We will be outside so dress accordingly.