Saturday 18 April 2009

Hauling the bundles to the creek

Tying bundles of Willow for transport

Today was another beautiful day around the bay and in the mountains. We went up into the bush to cut some Willow for building our spilling wall on Nanoose Creek. After meeting at the security gate at Northwest Bay logging camp Roy took the group up to the site we have been using for years to cut our Willow. This is a very wet area and grows a good stand of Willow, as we have been cutting there for a long time the Willow has copsed very well.

(Willow cut down and allowed to re-grow over and over providing a good stand of long relatively straight lengths of Willow perfect for weaving and staking)

While Roy was cutting, myself and Al went up to check our fish box. We had no luck with the temp being a low 6c so no need to clean the fence as water levels are just right with debris blocking just the right amount of flow to allow the pipe to remain below levels.

After we went to meet Roy and the rest of the crew. They had cut about 4 bundles by the time we returned and Al and myself cut and helped with a couple more bundles then tied them up and loaded my truck. Afterward we went for coffee and tea then down to the slide site.

We placed the Willow into the creek in a back eddy to soak for a week and next Saturday when we have a full contingent of volunteers we will begin the staking and weaving at the base of the slide then plan for another Willow wall up-slope next fall. We now are pushing the planting window for the Willow to get roots before the summer heat. We will probably go back when the Willow begins to flush with growth and remove most of the leaf to help stop the dissection of the Willow giving it a better chance of growing. If funds are available we may buy some potted Cedar to plant along the base before it gets too dry. This will help with the stabilization of the slope's base.

Next meeting day is Tuesday when we plan to attack the Hog weed.