The Elk River Alliance is looking for willing hands to help plant ‘livestake’ cuttings in the Morrissey Meadows Conservation Area.
ERA is currently working on a large-scale cottonwood restoration program, with a goal of planting 20,000 trees in stream side areas to improve wildlife habitat, decrease bank erosion and improve Elk Valley flood resiliency.
Over the past month volunteers collected over 2000 livestakes, adding to 600 stored from last fall. Over 1000 have already been planted, but time is of the essence, as they want to get the rest planted in the next two weeks.
The next two weeks are crucial because an early spring means plants need to be put in earlier than normal.
“This work would not be possible without volunteers,” says restoration technician Chris Bush, “we’re really dependent on community support to grow these forests, and we’re really grateful to the amazing folks who have helped out so far.”
The work entails putting livestakes into machine-dug holes, backfilling with soil and adding water.
Anyone who joins in the volunteer days can attend a barbecue and be entered into a draw for a Patagonia rain jacket.
The Morrissey Meadows Conversation Area is owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, one of the funders of the project. It is an old farm previously used for pasture fields. The grasses have shallow roots and are prone to erosion.
“Cottonwood forests are a critical component of the Elk Valley. They provide shaded habitat for large mammals like grizzly bears and improve aquatic habitat for fish,” says ERA Executive Director Chad Hughes, “additionally, the roots stabilize stream banks preventing erosion and keeping the water clear, and the new vegetation slows floodwaters.”
Volunteer times re 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day until Thursday, May 2. Visit elkriveralliance.ca to sign up.
The Morrissey Meadows restoration efforts are funded by the Columbia Basin Trust, Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, Habitat Conservation Trust, Nature Conservancy Canada, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, Fortis BC, and RBC.
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