Oliver residents volunteer to help restore the Forbes Wetland. Photo by Alyson Skinner.
OLIVER, B.C. – Twenty five local residents joined The Land Conservancy, the Town of Oliver, the Forbes Family Farm, and the Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance on Wednesday October 28 to restore, enhance, and beautify the Forbes Wetland Trail. This trail connecting 87th Street to the Okanagan River channel is used daily by community members who recreate along the river channel. In addition, the trail skirts along an important wetland which is home to many animal species.
“I’m glad to see that something is being actively done to protect and enhance this spot,” says Nick Nissen, a local resident living near the wetland.
“We would like to thank all the local residents, as well as councillors Michael Newman and Terry Schaffer who showed up shovel in hand and ready to dig,” says Paula Rodriguez de la Vega, Senior Stewardship Officer with TLC’s South Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Program. “In total, 130 native plants were planted along the edge of the wetland and in the drier upland section.”
“Numerous walkers who use the trail also stopped to cheers us on, and some even to took part in the talks that were being offered throughout the day.” The talks included the topics of wetlands, the great basin spadefoot, and gardening with native water-wise plants.
“More than 90% of the wetlands in the Okanagan have been destroyed since 1800. That means only 10% are left, making this remnant wetland quite important,” says Rodriguez de la Vega. “Wetlands are focal points for wildlife because of their infrequent occurrence in this dry Okanagan landscape.”
Wetland vegetation provides food, shelter, breeding habitat, and cover for many species of amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, and insects, including many aquatic organisms. Properly functioning wetlands also store and filter water, and maintain water quality. They reduce levels of sediment, nutrients, and toxic chemicals in outflow water.
Forbes Family Farm brothers Gord and Steve Forbes says: “Painted turtles used to be quite abundant in this area about 30 years ago when there were more wetlands around. The turtles used to hibernate in the sand banks closer to the river. The landscape has been dramatically modified though, and we haven’t seen any for some time now.”
The Western painted turtle and the great basin spadefoot are both species-at-risk that require both wetland habitats and upland drier habitats to survive. The great basin spadefoot is a desert-adapted, threatened amphibian that breeds in the wetlands. They are voracious predators eating lots of aquatic insects, including mosquito larvae. As adults, spadefoots spend most of their time in drier upland areas, often buried in sandy soils to avoid the heat of summer and the cold winters.
After a great morning of planting, volunteers listened to author and xeriscape designer Eva Durance talk about the benefits of gardening with native water-wise plants. Mayor Hampson also took in the interesting presentation, learning about how native plants can give a sense of place and appreciation for nature, as well as providing a refuge and connectivity corridor for birds and pollinating insects.
Further work along the trail will occur in spring, including the installation of a bench and new interpretive signage. The trail is located just south of the Forbes Family Farm at the intersection of 87th Street and 85th Street.
