GOERT: Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team

Killer Whale seen from Trial Island October 1, 2011 (photo by Thiago Gomes)

GOERT’s Trial Island restoration project, funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Department of the Environment, is now in its fifth year. Trial Island has one of the most significant concentrations of plant species at risk in Garry Oak and associated ecosystems. Invasive species (primarily Scotch Broom, Spurge-laurel, English Ivy and Gorse) have been identified as one of the leading threats to these species, and the purpose of the project is to remove the invasive plants from meadows on Trial Island that contain COSEWIC-listed species. The removal of exotic shrubs increases habitat quality and reduces competitive stress on the rare plants.

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Sea blush, arbutus and Garry oak at Mill Hill Regional Park (photos courtesy of CRD Regional Parks)

Join the Annual Broom Sweep October 1 and 15, 2011!

The Capital Regional District is in its tenth year of a project to restore the Garry oak ecosystems at Mill Hill Regional Park. Up on the hill above the conifer forest are about 20 hectares of Garry oak ecosystems. If you’ve climbed Mill Hill in spring you’ve seen the fabulous display of wildflowers under Garry oak and arbutus trees – camas, spring-gold, shootingstar and satin-flower, just to name a few. Now that much of the Scotch broom has been removed, this lovely hilltop has become even more spectacular.

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Louise Goulet’s native plant garden the first spring it bloomed, May 2009

With all the kerfuffle in the news about Maleea Acker’s front yard native plant garden, and the interest the subject has generated, we thought we’d feature a Garry Oak native plant garden this season. This garden was created by our former Executive Director, Louise Goulet.

Louise Goulet’s garden in May 2009

Louise began salvaging native plants for her garden in 2007, around the time that she retired from GOERT. After their house construction was finished, she planted the garden in winter 2008-2009, and was delighted with an amazing first bloom in spring 2009. Her Oak Bay garden has attracted hundreds of people for her annual spring garden tours, and has served as inspiration and a teaching tool for many. Here are her objectives, method, and some photos. Photos contributed by Louise Goulet unless otherwise noted.

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by Marian McCoy, Saanich Parks Natural Areas Technician
Photos by Marian except where noted

Red triangle indicates restoration site; green area shows Cuthbert Holmes Park (Image: Saanich GIS)

In 2010 Saanich undertook several ecological restoration projects. Two of these were Garry Oak related: the Cuthbert Holmes Garry Oak Compensation Area near Admirals Bridge, and Falaise Park Garry Oak Meadow.

Cuthbert Holmes Garry Oak Compensation Area
Tucked beside the north bank of Colquitz River and the northeast approach to the Admirals Bridge is the Garry Oak Compensation Area. This former residential lot, now part of Cuthbert Holmes Park, was set aside as compensation for Garry Oak habitat that was disturbed during bridge re-construction in 2009.

To the untrained eye, and to busy commuters zooming by, the site might look like bare soil dotted with leafless stems, some patchy grass, and scattered pieces of wood. But those with a keener eye will see that there are more than 500 native shrubs, 24 Garry Oaks, and dozens of native grass plugs planted in a matrix of coarse and fine woody debris.

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The view from Matson Conservation Area (MCA) (photo by Todd Carnahan)

We’re happy to have this success story to tell about the conservation of Garry oak habitat during land development. Owned and managed by Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT), Matson Conservation Area along the WestSong Walkway on the Esquimalt waterfront features Victoria Harbour’s last remaining Garry oak ecosystems. Through many partnerships and hours of dedicated community involvement, the land was donated by Mandalay Developments (Swallow’s Landing), and is now managed as a demonstration site for urban habitat conservation and community education.

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