THURSDAY April 24, 2014 Vol. 29• No. 33 ••• $1.25 inc. G.S.T.
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ROAD TO RECOVERY
SD71 donates property behind Vanier as park land
Nation, added Henderson, noting the band would harvest nuts from the tree Record Staff and grind them into a type of flour used School District No. 71 has donated to as a winter food. “That is something that is quite histhe City of Courtenay a property behind Vanier Secondary containing a rare Garry toric to the Valley,” he said. Over the next few years, the Land oak woodland. Students, city and school officials, Trust hopes to see the diminishment of and representatives from environmental invasive species that are prevalent in the area, such as holly. groups attended an announceThe property is also ment Tuesday during Earth We’re the headwaters of Towhee Day at the 5.53-hectare parcel that is to become a community extremely grateful Creek, a small fish-bearing which drains into park land. to School District stream the Tsolum River. A remnant of the most“This particular propnorthern ecosystem of its kind 71 for this beautiin Canada, the property’s Garry ful gift to the com- erty has been on our radar for a long time,” said Piet oak woodland hosts a variety of munity. Rutgers of the Comox Valunusual vegetation species. “This contains probably the Courtenay Mayor ley Conservation Strategy. from being a park, largest concentration of Garry Larry Jangula theAside property will become oaks in the Comox Valley,” said an outdoor classroom and Bill Henderson of the Comox an interpretive centre for the conservaValley Land Trust. “It’s one of the original groves of Garry tion of Garry oaks and other trees. Upon completing a multi-year study to oaks that used to spread all the way up to Black Creek, and covered about a 10 determine potential uses for the property, the school district chose to work with the square-mile area.” The grove was also part of an “agri- City of Courtenay to establish a permacultural culture” of the K’ómoks First nent community park land. “We are confident that the necessary stewardship of the land will occur,” school board vice-chair Janice Caton said. The City will ensure the new park is protected. “We’ll be looking into creating a management plan for the property to determine how we can provide the necessary stewardship for these lands,” Courtenay Mayor Larry Jangula said. “We’re extremely grateful to School District 71 for this beautiful gift to the community.” The plan will determine the best way to balance public access with protection of the park’s ecosystem. Future plans for the park could include PIET RUTGERS (LEFT) of the Comox a greenway, which would improve the Valley Conservation Strategy speaks at City’s trail network. Scott Stanfield
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the gifting ceremony.
PHOTO BY SCOTT STANFIELD
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Reg Wescott, wildlife rescue educational outreach worker for Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society, helps prepare the eagle for its anesthetic prior to surgery on the wing of an eagle found injured on Quadra Island. See page 5 for full story. PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK
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