Each week since June we've been carefully watering the Oregon grape, ferns, Nootka rose, Snowberry, and Salmonberry that were planted in the riparian area back in March.  We are careful not to let any treated "tap" water enter the creek, but volunteers soak the mulch and soil enough that the plants have a chance to get established this spring/summer.  We have also spent many hours pulling invasive thistles along the gravel path.  This area was disturbed in 2015 when the RDN upgraded the wastewater outfall at Morningside Drive.  The City then replanted both sides of the path and installed an irrigation system to support Maple trees, Salal, Oregon grape and ferns until they were established.  The irrigation system is no longer being used, and the native plants are being choked out by opportunistic weeds.    While we focus on the riparian area and salmon habitat, we recognize the importance of this park land as a corridor and habitat for many other animals.  This is one of many tasks we take on in this "adopted" park.

If you have visited Neck Point Park in Nanaimo you have passed over Walley Creek where it flows into Hammond Bay.  This section of the creek, upstream of Morningside Drive, flows between private properties and a piece of City of Nanaimo park land.  The park is enjoyed by students from École Hammond Bay Elementary School and children from the surrounding neighbourhood.  It has a small wetland with potential habitat for salamanders, frogs, and all sorts of mammals and birds.  Illegal dumping of yard waste and garbage over the years has done serious damage to a steep slope on the north side, eroding the bank and degrading the riparian zone.  It is the location of one of our RDN CWMN water quality monitoring sites, and an area where we have worked hard removing garbage and invasive species in the past two years, with help from Grade 7 École Hammond Bay students.