Vandalism Mars Progress in North Jubilee Wetland
By rachael roussin
The North Jubilee wetland ponds are full of water and wildlife including frogs and ducks — a sign of success in the first season of this community wetland restoration project. Unfortunately, a vandal has been cutting the new rope line fence which was built to protect the fragile riparian areas around the ponds. This wastes time and precious resources required to complete the project.
The rope line fence is intended to be a temporary protection, just until the vegetation around the ponds is well-established. It was built primarily by volunteers with donated supplies, including salvaged 2×4 cedar posts from a barn in Happy Valley.
Please keep an eye out for suspicious activity and appeal to people to contact the City if they have any grievance. Surveillance or wildlife cameras will be considered if vandalism continues.
The next step forward for the wetland is the construction of a foot bridge to provide enhanced public access and viewing. With support from Fortis BC, the City is working to complete the grading and seeding of dry areas in the park so they can be more easily mowed and maintained for public enjoyment. Dirk Lewis, with Morrow BioScience, has been conducting regular mosquito monitoring and has recorded negligible mosquito activity. This can be attributed to the quick establishment of a healthy ecosystem with predators like boatmen and dragonflies that eat mosquito larvae, and the filling of puddles not connected to ponds that can harbour mosquitos.
Many stakeholders and funders support, and have contributed to, the wetland project including Morrow BioScience, Fortis BC, the City of Rossland, Columbia Basin Trust, the Rossland Society for Environmental Action, the BC Wildlife Federation, all of the Rossland schools, the Rossland Scouts, WSP, the lnteract Club, DIG and Roots carpentry.
