Photo: AWA

Anyone driving down Okanagan Street in Armstrong from Jan. 22 to 24 may have noticed a lot of activity on the city-owned lot on the west-side of the street.

Armstrong Wetlands Association (AWA) members have been talking about a wetland project for two and a half years, to dig a pond and diversify the monoculture cattail wetland situated there.

The AWA received all of the permits and permissions and so were able to hire Timberspan Road Services to bring in their excavator and dig a fairly large pond with an island.

As the pond grew, the pile of rich soil grew higher and formed a hummock between the pond and Okanagan Street.

The three days of excavation had Hill Environmental and Marge Sidney, biologists, and Tanya Williams, a cultural monitor from Splatsin Nation, on site watching over and guiding the work. The property has been transformed with a two-metre deep, figure-eight shaped pond featuring a small island.

“This island will offer a refuge from predators, a safe place for a duck to nest, for example,” explained Sidney.

Groundwater seeped into the pond immediately on starting excavation, confirming the original testing by Hill Environmental that showed the water table is high in this area. It is now about three-quarters full.

On Jan. 30, 13 AWA volunteers worked together to spread riparian and upland native grass seeds on all disturbed areas. The ground was then covered with a thick layer of straw to keep birds from finding the seeds, discourage invasive weeds from moving in and to keep the ground moist during dryer times of the year.

Safety fencing was also erected around the site to discourage the public from accessing the pond. Although ice is already forming, it is not safe for humans or animals.

The newly created pond will enhance the habitat for birds, amphibians, insects and mammals in the area and provide refuge for all.

This spring, AWA volunteers will be planting native trees and shrubs on the dryer hummock to provide a buffer for the pond from the street. This will create greater biodiversity of habitat, provide, shade and add to the beauty of the area.