Dear Editor,

Open letter to Mayor and Council of the Township of 91原创,

The Glen Valley Watersheds Society wishes to thank the Township of 91原创 for clearing the blackberry thicket from the landward slope of Glen Valley dyke near the dead end of 80th Avenue, where the dyke overlooks a piece of municipal parkland. Most especially, our thanks go to the Parks Operations staff who carried out the work so thoroughly and diligently. That thicket-clearing was immensely helpful to the campaign to control blackberries in the park, by our volunteers along with those from 91原创 Environmental Partners Society (LEPS).

Our blackberry-control undertaking lately completed its third year. This work is restricted to late autumn through early spring, for the sake of nesting birds, so it is currently on hiatus.

The piece of parkland involved was formerly the homestead of Mr. Bert Gatzen. The admirable and productive garden kept there by Mr. Gatzen was a familiar and welcome sight to walkers along the dyke, with its neat rows of vegetables and its many fruit-bearing trees, bushes and vines. Acquired by the Township from Mr. Gatzen鈥檚 estate, his land has become 鈥淣athan Creek Wetlands Park鈥�. Much the greater part of this park is on the far side of the dyke and canal. Our volunteer work is in the small triangle of land east of the dyke, where Mr. Gatzen鈥檚 house once stood. The aforesaid garden there had fallen into disarray since his passing. In particular, invasive alien blackberries were taking over the site 鈥� chiefly Himalayan blackberry. We saw a need to control them, so as to protect the fruit-yielding plants once tended by Mr. Gatzen, and make them accessible for community gleaning, or harvest by the public at large.

Our blackberry-control efforts have been successful, and we were finding fewer to tackle each year. However, the blackberries along the dyke were a great hinderance. Himalayan blackberry grows prodigiously; it can put on over three metres a year! Moreover, it can root where the ends of its long, arching stems touch down, so growing into a whole new plant. Armed with these characteristics, the blackberries along the dyke were re-invading the park-space from across the fence, over each summer, partially undoing our yearly headway.

When we resumed work last fall, though, the scene was different. The blackberries along the dyke had been cut down and most of them had even been dug out. From chatting with folks that love to walk along the dyke, we learned that this was due to the very hard work of your Parks staff.

The joy of arriving last fall to discover the work and support which your amazing staff had been able to offer, in protecting this small part of the park, can scarcely be measured. If joy is measurable in photographs, though, then 19 is score: 19 photographs taken to capture just how happy we were to find those blackberries gone; 19 photographs of bare ground where the troublesome thicket had been. To community volunteers such as ourselves, who work to protect spaces from invasive species, this was a beautiful sight.

Over this work season, volunteers visited the site six times and cleared an estimated 115kg (255 lbs) of blackberries. The park space is now essentially clear of them (for the time being) and we are on to mopping-up operations along the dyke. A further 114 photos were taken to celebrate the work.

We look forward to returning in the fall without facing the reversal we have faced in the past. Thank you so very much and please extend our gratitude to staff.

Beyond that, thank you on behalf of the many recreationists who enjoy this park area.

Michael Inniss, president, Glen Valley Watersheds Society

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鈥� READ MORE: Watershed society in never-ending battle with blackberries

鈥� READ MORE: Community group records 73 species at spring bird count

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