New plantings along Goodhue Creek help filter winter runoff and improve riparian habitat
Gabriola Land and Trails Trust volunteers were at the Golf Course on April 25th and planted a variety of native shrubs and small plants along the south bank of the creek beside the first fairway.
“We really appreciate the Golf Club supporting this project,” said Ken Gurr, GaLTT volunteer. “With the final chunk of funds from RDN’s Watershed Stewardship program to buy $1,200 worth of plants, it was an opportunity to do a bit of biodiversity enhancement along this last stretch of Goodhue Creek before going into Hoggan Lake.”
Native plants mainly included: Pacific willow, ninebark, red-flowering currant, red-osier dogwood, sword fern and rush grasses.
The idea for all of this was inspired by a 12-minute Youtube video Ken saw a few years back about a small golf course in Georgia just down the road from the famous Augusta links, called, Rivermont. “They are finding ways to add more wildlife habitat diversity to their course and reduce operating costs at the same time.” (GaLTT volunteers are looking after the maintenance while the plants are getting established over 1-2 years.)
Temporary interpretive signs were put up at each bridge explaining the benefits. “Gabriola’s creeks go dry in the summer, but they are still vital on the landscape and it’s keeping the riparian fringe of vegetation year-round that’s so important for habitat, for birds and beneficial insects and the cycle of life,” explained Ken. In fact, while watering the new plants with buckets pulled from the creek, Ken accidentally caught two creek residents: a cutthroat fry and a red-legged frog.
