Garry Oak Ecosystem Restoration Update

With the celebration of Earth Day on April 22 this week, the time seems right for an update on our diocesan Garry Oak ecosystem restoration project.  Every Saturday morning since March 2, volunteers have been working to remove English Ivy, Himalayan Blackberry, and other invasive plants from the properties of St. Andrew’s Regional High School, Sacred Heart Parish, and the Diocesan Pastoral Centre.

Blackberry canes cut down and ready to be chipped

With the awesome support of Austin and John from All That Grows and The GardenPath Gardening Company,  20 people from around the Diocese have worked on the project so far, and the results are impressive. Over 1000 square feet of land have been cleared of blackberry, ivy, and spurge laurel, and will be ready to be replanted with native plants in the fall. 

Garry Oak acorns sprouting in soil that used to be choked with blackberry and ivy

All the Garrry Oaks between the Pastoral Centre and St. Andrew's have had the ivy cut away at the base of their trunks, and you can see the vines further up the trees gradually dying back.

After cutting off the ivy at the base of the tree trunk, the rest will die back without further harm to the tree

And many loads of trash have been hauled out of the woods - including, oddly enough, 55 golf balls and counting!

Our growing collection of golf balls is on display at the Pastoral Centre

The restoration project will continue every Saturday morning through the spring, summer, and fall, and new volunteers are always welcome.  There's no need to register in advance or commit to multiple days - just come when you can.  There are other ways you can help too:

• Share our Eventbrite page with your friends and family via email or social media: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/garry-oak-ecosystem-restoration-project-867898697367
• Print out our poster and hang it up in your neighbourhood: click here to download the poster
• Organize a group to come out and volunteer for a day.  Working together on a project like this can be a great way to socialize and do some team building.  If your parish council, youth group, choir, social justice committee, catechism program, CWL or Knights of Columbus council, or other group might be interested, please email chancery@rcdvictoria.org or call 250-479-1331 x227 for more information

We hope to see you there!