Spring Summer 2024 Activity Guide

Register online at recreation.nanaimo.ca General Inquiries 250-756-5200 4 How to be good Environmental Stewards... Join Partners in Parks • Over 100 invasive plant removal, litter pick up and restoration workparties happened in 2023 (with over 1800 volunteers to date) • Over 20 community and school groups have been involved in our Adopt-A-Park Program over the last 6 years • 40 individuals are committed to being regular stewards in our parks and greenspaces as Volunteer Park Ambassadors Join us! See our website on Partners in Parks Protect Wildflowers Camas flowers, along with other local wildflowers, are significant to the local ecology turning meadows into a beautiful rainbow of colours in the spring. Did you know, their bulbs were traditionally harvested by the Coast Salish people as a source of carbohydrates and are often found growing under the branches of Garry Oak trees. Please remember to stay on the path while visiting our many parks such as Pipers Lagoon, Bowen, Camas and Neck Point Park - especially during wildflower season. Avoid Invasive Plants Invasive plants can spread rapidly, out- competing our native species for resources, water, nutrients and space. They negatively impact our ecosystem, diminishing biodiversity and may be harmful to infrastructure and potentially us. Here are some tips: • Purchase and plant only non-invasive plants (see bcinvasives.ca for details) • Join an invasive plant work party (see page 63) • Never compost invasive plants in your backyard composter or place in your green bin (bag and dispose in your black bin) • Never dump organic material (last year’s hanging baskets) into your neighbourhood park or green space thinking it will simply compost and “disappear”(did you ever wonder where English Ivy in our parks came from?) • Bring your invasive plants to our Drop Zone at Bowen Park on Saturday, June 1 from 10 am-2 pm, so we can properly dispose of them for you • If you see noxious invasive plants, such as Knotweed or Giant Hogweed, please report to our Parks Department Encourage a Healthy Ecosystem Vernal pools are low areas, often on rock or clay, which temporarily fill with rainwater in the spring. These pools are often part of the Garry Oak Ecosystem and contribute to biodiversity providing an ideal environment to a unique set of plants and animals. Many are considered endangered in Canada. When you see these pools out in nature, think twice before you drain them or stomp in them and look closer to see if you can discover the variety of plants and critters that might call this mini ecosystem home. Safeguard our Watershed Reimagine Nanaimo (CityPlan) promotes green or environmental policies that protect healthy watersheds and storm water management. Nanaimo has many ponds, swales and raingardens that collect storm water to filter out pollutants and recharge the groundwater system rather than funneling it directly into underground pipes. Many popular Nanaimo parks feature stormwater ponds and raingardens, such as Hawthorne Park, Brookwood Park, Linley Point and the new parking lot atWestwood Lake Park. Our local marshes also play an important role in a healthy community helping to mitigate weather events and provide habitat value, such as Richards Marsh, Buttertubs Marsh,West Marsh, Molly’s Marsh and Northfield Marsh. Protect our watershed by not dumping into waterways and by planting trees and vegetation that are native to this area. Contribute to Food Security Reimagine Nanaimo (CityPlan) includes policies that promote Food Security and local food production. There are currently 7 community gardens and 3 food forests on City-owned property, plus many nut and fruit trees planted throughout our community’s parks and greenspaces to be enjoyed. The City also owns 12 hectares of parkland in the Agricultural Land Reserve that can be used for future food production (located at East Wellington Park and in Harewood at 933 Park Ave.). See our website page on Community Gardens for more information. See more tips and fun facts throughout this Activity Guide on environmental stewardship.