Baikie Island Nature Reserve Maintenance

2016 Workplan

Baikie Island Maintenance Workplan 2016

Greenways Land Trust presented a proposal to the City of Campbell River in September 2015 outlining our vision and objectives for the maintenance of the Baikie Island Nature Reserve. In that proposal, a detailed annual workplan is suggested to help allocate resources effectively and to ensure that the City is in agreement with the work that Greenways proposes to carry-out on site.

Now that Greenways has assumed responsibility for maintaining Baikie Island on behalf of the City, we have developed the 2016 workplan in consultation with the previous contractor, Greenways board members and City staff. The 2002 Management Plan was heavily referenced in developing the workplan.

The workplan is laid out in two tables: a table of all actions in each zone that could be carried out over the year, as well as a table of all of the high priority actions for 2016. It is anticipated that all of the high priority 2016 actions will be completed in 2016. Actions that are prioritized as medium or low will be completed if resources are available.

In addition to the specific items in each area listed, the following principles will be followed for the maintenance of the site:

Baikie Island and the Raven trail are still undergoing restoration, and will be for decades. The soils are incredibly varied and in some areas very thin, nutrient-poor, and compacted. Soil quality continues to influence the number of species able to successfully establish on the site. Continued soil restoration through the addition of organic matter is very important to ensuring the development of a site high in biodiversity.

Erosion due to steep banks, poor soils, and human impacts is also a major issue on the site. In some cases, the long-term solution to these problems is probably only likely to be found by realigning paths and reducing bank gradients. Riprap, which is present on many places on the site to reduce erosion, is not a natural feature and does not allow for normal riparian vegetation to establish, which is necessary for proper ecosystem function. However, at this time, short-term solutions for erosion are necessary to ensure that sensitive habitats are protected.

Himalayan blackberry is still a huge issue on the site because it can outcompete native vegetation. Our approach to controlling blackberry is a combination of management techniques: Cutting multiple times over the season to weaken the plant; ‘releasing’ conifers currently overwhelmed by blackberry and alder by cutting the plants away from them, rehabilitating the soil through adding organic matter, and replanting with suitable species.

Any new plantings will be watered and weeded/mulched by Greenways over a three year period while the Maintenance Agreement is in effect. Species will be chosen to thrive under current site conditions and increase biodiversity. Choosing tree species suited to the current site conditions will allow a canopy cover to be established more rapidly, hence reducing invasive

species (most of which require full sun), as well as helping to rehabilitate the soil through needle/leaf litter.

The Management Plan emphasizes that the primary goal of the Reserve is enhanced ecological function for the estuary. Greenways will reduce human impact on the Reserve by not creating new trails on the site, as is stipulated in the Management Plan. Greenways will also consider planting deterrent species, such as Nootka Rose, on unauthorized trails.

Litter picking will be carried out regularly on all trails both authorized and unauthorized.

A process will be established to increase educational use of the property.

A chip storage location will be established to reduce costs of ongoing soil rehabilitation.

Baikie Island Management Zones (as per 2002 Management Plan)

The eight management zones mapped in the Management Plan (2002) are:

Zone 1. Baikie’s Slough Wetland Complex

Zone 2. Western Baikie Island Riparian Forest Zone

Zone 3. Central Baikie Island Rehabilitation Zone

Zone 4. Eastern Baikie Island Riparian Forest Zone

Zone 5. Eastern Baikie Island Wetland Complex

Zone 6. Mill Pond and Surrounding Foreshore

Zone 7. Eastern Spit Rehabilitation Zone

Zone 8. Eastern Spit Wetland Complex

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5

4

3

21

High Priority Actions for 2016Action#

Action Action Area Lead organization

Task suitable for groups

1, 11, 18

Continue invasives management as per 2015 YFI report, monitor for purple loosestrife invasion

Zones 1, 5, 6 GLT Y

3 Maintain fenced areas Zone 3 GLT N

4, 16 Remove planted vegetation that has died, or failed to thrive Zone 3, Zone 6 GLT Y

13 ‘Release’ all young conifers growing within alder/blackberry complexes by clearing all vegetation within 2-3 m of each tree

Zone 6 GLT N

14, 33 In areas recently cleared of blackberry, continue cutting blackberries at least 3 times/year and replant with native species

Zone 6, Raven trail GLT Y

15 Continue Year 3 (final year) of watering in Home Hardware area; weed and re-mulch trees

Zone 6 GLT Y

17 Repair erosion issues near benches through installation of log retainers, willow planting, knee-rail fencing, etc.

Zone 6 City? N

19, 29 Remove redundant silt fence Zone 6 GLT Y

29, 30 Replace rotten footbridge planks; repair viewing platform and clear vegetation to enable a view of the river

Raven trail GLT N

31 Assess and investigate solutions to significant erosion issues along the Raven trail

Raven trail City? N

32 Re-anchor large woody debris in Raven channel Raven trail DFO? N

Actions based on areas and priorities for 2016

Area Action#

Action 2016 Priority level

Rationale Lead organization

Task suitable for groups

Zone 1 1 Continue invasives management as per 2015 YFI report, monitor for purple loosestrife invasion

High Significant investment already in invasive species control in marsh areas

GLT Y

Zone 2 2 Survey for presence of invasive species Low GLT N

Zone 3 3 Maintain fenced areas High Vegetation inside fences likely to suffer significant mortality if subjected to deer browsing.

GLT N

4 Remove planted vegetation that has died High Visual quality GLT Y

5 Continue invasives management as per 2015 YFI report, monitor for purple loosestrife invasion

High Significant investment already in invasive species control in marsh areas

GLT Y

6 In areas recently cleared of blackberry, continue cutting several times/year and replant with native species

High Long-term blackberry control to be achieved through cutting several times a year and shading with native species

GLT Y

7 Soil rehabilitation Medium GLT Y

8 Inventory snags Low GLT Y

9 Continue to remove Himalayan blackberry and other invasive species and replant with native species

Low GLT Y

Zone 4 10 Survey for presence of invasive species Low GLT N

Zone 5 11 Remove YFI seedpods High To reduce spread of invasive species to the rest of the estuary

GLT Y

12 Survey for presence of invasive species Low GLT N

Zone 6 13 ‘Release’ all young conifers growing within alder/blackberry complexes by clearing all vegetation within 2-3 m of each tree

High To rapidly establish more shade to discourage the growth of invasives

GLT N

14 In areas recently cleared of blackberry, continue cutting several times/year and replant with native species

High Long-term blackberry control to be achieved through cutting several times a year and shading with native species

GLT Y

15 Continue Year 3 (final year) of watering in Home Hardware area; weed and re-mulch trees

High To enable planting to establish GLT Y

16 Remove planted vegetation that has died, or failed to thrive

High Visual quality GLT Y

17 Repair erosion issues near benches – log retainers, willow planting, knee-rail fencing?

High Significant erosion due to dog runs is having impacts on sensitive marsh vegetation near the benches.

City? N

18 Continue invasives management as per 2015 YFI report, monitor for purple loosestrife invasion

High Significant investment already in invasive species control in marsh areas

GLT Y

19 Remove redundant silt fence High Visual quality GLT Y

20 Spread gravel pile at viewing bench/kiosk Medium Visual quality GLT Y

21 Remove car axle mooring buoy in Mill Medium Could be a pollution risk – need to ? N

Pond investigate responsibility

22 Soil rehabilitation Medium GLT Y

23 Plant along steep banks to stabilize and minimize erosion

Medium GLT Y

24 Build and install waterfowl nesting platforms

Low GLT Y

25 Inventory waterfowl nests Low GLT Y

26 Where practical, eradicate sections of blackberry using machinery and follow-up care. Replant.

Low GLT N

Zone 7 27 Survey for presence of invasive species Low GLT N

Zone 8 28 Survey for presence of invasive species Low GLT N

Raven trail

29 Replace rotten footbridge planks High Safety and visual quality GLT N

30 Repair viewing platform and clear vegetation to enable a view of the river

High Safety and visual quality GLT N

31 Assess and investigate solutions to significant erosion issues along the Raven trail

High Erosion along the trail is impacting riparian areas

City? N

32 Re-anchor large woody debris in Raven channel

High Likely barrier to fish at low flows DFO?CRSF?

N

33 In areas recently cleared of blackberry, continue cutting several times/year and

Medium Long-term blackberry control to be achieved through cutting several times

GLT Y

replant with native species a year and shading with native species

34 Install cement ramps to footbridges Medium To prevent continued erosion at footbridge entrances

GLTCity?

N

35 Plant along steep banks to stabilize and minimize erosion

Medium GLT Y

36 Assess for presence of invasive species Low GLT N

37 Graffiti art project under Highway bridge Low City? Y