Rabbit on the BC Hydro cut. Rabbits can be best seen early in the morning or at dusk.
The SNAP program (Surrey Natural Areas Partnership) will be winding up at the end of the month. This year there are 14 people funded through Canada Summer Jobs grants. They are divided into three teams: habitat restoration, community outreach and a boulevard tree program.
Nathan Ross, our SNAP coordinator for the past three years, is moving on. We’ll be sad to see him go, and wish him well in his future endeavours.
Reminder about tree and forest care
Boulevard trees can use extra help during hot and dry months.. If you would like to receive a watering bag for a young City boulevard tree near your property, call 604-501-5050. We can deliver a watering bag so you can help keep the tree healthy all summer long. Learn more at surrey.ca/trees.
Report harvesting in parks
We’ve noticed an increase in reports of people harvesting vegetation in our parks – most recently in Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest. The harvesting of vegetation in Surrey parks is prohibited by bylaw 13480, including berries, conks, mushrooms, fiddleheads and moss. Removing vegetation reduces food sources for wildlife, and walking off trail can lead to soil compaction, trampling of vegetation, and erosion in our sensitive urban natural areas.
You can help by reporting any incidents of people harvesting vegetation from Surrey parks to 604-501-5050.
Concerns about Green Timbers: a letter to the City
Over the past year or so Society members have had several questions, concerns and ideas that we never completely followed-through on. I’ve recently sent a letter to the Urban Forestry manager, included below (lightly edited). What concerns or ideas do you have we should be looking into?
1) the Environmental Sensitive Area
The Southeast corner of GT is labeled as an environmental sensitive area. There’s some ambiguity on how much this includes. It was originally a rectangle bounded by the hydro right-of-way to the north, 144th and 148th to the West and East, and 92nd on the South. On the City’s brochure it’s a triangle, bounded by Fraser Highway, 92nd Street and 144th Street. How do we find out what area is the ESA? Is there a document describing what that means?
In previous conversations there was some discussion of doing an assessment of what’s actually in that area. How can we help get the ball moving on this sort of project?
2) Trail assessment and planning in Green Timbers
The widening of 100th Avenue and the planning widening of 148th have opened up possibilities of multi-use pathways and trails. The new trail from 100th and 140th to the parking lot is part of that.
We think we should take a big-picture look at what we want to achieve with trails through Green Timbers, and how we can encourage people to go for walks of different lengths and types, and from different access points.
3) All-weatherizing trails
Obviously there are different types of trails through GT, from gravel to quite rustic. Some of our members did have a few concerns about boggy bits being expanded by walkers as they trod on the trail edges to avoid puddles, etc. You can see previous efforts to ameliorate this with cordwood near King Creek (apparently a heritage society initiative from 30 years ago).
Does the trails team have techniques and methods to move water along, while still preserving the rustic nature of the trails? Is this something worth exploring further?
4) Edge effects from development
We’re not sure if we should be concerned about edge effects from the planned widening of 148 Street. Specifications are careful and well-thought out, but a member pointed out that after the subdivision went in next to Bose park a number of trees next to the road died. This would have been in 2015 to 2016 at the 62 Ave curve just north of 164 Street. Should we be concerned?
Calendar of upcoming events
Green Timbers calendar: https://www.greentimbers.ca/calendar/
Do you have an event of interest for readers?
Mon, August 6, 1pm – 3pm
MLA Ralston community BBQ
Forsyth Park, 10632 139 St, Surrey, BC V3T 4L7
Come celebrate BC Day.
Tue, August 7, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
GTHS Directors’ Meeting
Surrey Nature Centre, 14225 Green Timbers Way, Surrey, BC V3T 0J2
Monthly meeting of the Green Timbers Heritage Society directors. Members welcome. Please email info@greentimbers.ca if you’d like to attend.
Wed, August 15, 3pm – 7pm
MP Sarai open house
10362 King George Blvd, Surrey, BC V3T 2W5
Liberal MP Sarai open house at the constituency office
Wed, August 15, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
City: Sounds of Summer Free Music Series
Surrey Nature Centre, 14225 Green Timbers Way, Surrey, BC V3T 0J2
Flint & Feather: Rocky Mountain Folk/Pop
Wed, August 22, 9:30am – 11:30am
SNAP year-end brunch
It’s a bit hard to believe but August is here and so it is time to start winding down the SNAP summer season! In recognition of all the hard work the SNAP teams have done this summer, we will be having an end of year brunch event for the students to showcase their work and to offer our gratitude to partner groups for supporting the program again this year. It would not have been possible without you!
Date: Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Time: 9:30am – 11:30am
Location: Surrey Operations Centre (6651 – 148 Street, Surrey, BC)
Please RSVP to snap.program@gmail.com by Friday, August 10
Tue, September 4, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
GTHS Directors’ Meeting
Surrey Nature Centre, 14225 Green Timbers Way, Surrey, BC V3T 0J2
Monthly meeting of the Green Timbers Heritage Society directors. Members welcome. Please email info@greentimbers.ca if you’d like to attend.
Sat, September 22, 10am – 1pm
Semiahmoo Trail: invasive plant removal and replanting
Semiahmoo Heritage Trail, Surrey, BC V4P 1H4
Hosted by the Friends of the Semiahmoo Heritage Trail
