Stewardship Project II
Our
Stewardship project in Eastview Park
has entered Phase II.
Mrs. Wallace reports, "The boardwalk is very close to completion. We discovered at the start of the project that the trail running north/south has earth and root masses at the top, but water below...the process as the forest grows into the bog. To build the boardwalk, the crew has actually applied an
age old method
of building into wetland areas."
The boardwalk will provide easier access to areas such as the bog, prevent further erosion around tree roots, and keep foot traffic on the pathways and out of the planted areas. The boardwalk is intended to enhance this outdoor learning space and to protect areas that we are trying to restore.
Phase II also includes the restoration of the existing bog area. Bogs or wetlands play an integral role in our environment. They can provide a habitat for a wide variety of animals and plants; they filter, clean and store water; and they collect and hold flood water. You may have noticed that the wetland area in this part of Eastview Park has a variable water level throughout the winter and summer months.
Currently, much of the bog is filled with invasive blackberry plants which will be pulled to provide space for native bog plants to grow.Our students will be involved in a second invasive species pull, and the planting of more native species in March.
Planned in collaboration with City Parks staff, the boardwalk is supported through a grant from the City of North Vancouver. Our Eastview school community values this partnership, and we look forward to continuing the stewardship of this area.
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