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Greater Victoria Green Team takes on invasive plants in Patricia Bay Park

The group worked nearly 3 hours to remove the invasive Himalayan blackberry
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Members of the Greater Victoria Green Team worked to clean an invasive plant from Patricia Bay Park. (Courtesy of Greater Victoria Green Team)

The Greater Victoria Green Team and students from North Saanich and Saanich schools teamed up to clear metres of invasive plants from Patricia Bay Park.

The group spent a few hours Nov. 26 removing Himalayan blackberry from Patricia Bay Park to protect the ecosystem from the dangerous and invasive plant.

According to a press release, 13 members from Greater Victoria spent over three hours working on the project.

“Students from North Saanich and Saanich schools attended this activity, connecting to their local community and learning about local conservation efforts,” said program coordinator Kaitlin Warren in a statement. “We enjoyed hot tea, homemade treats and worked together to remove invasive Himalayan blackberry from Patricia Bay Park.”

It is important to jump on removing the plant as soon as it’s spotted, because it is an aggressive grower that has thick stems and sharp thorns, making it tough to dig up.

The group removed 3.5 cubic metres of the plant and cleared nearly 100 square metres.

If not treated, Himalayan blackberry will quickly grow right over plants and steal nutrients, killing them.

The team had their work cut out for them as the plant’s entire root crown has to be pulled up to avoid it growing back, according to the website for Green Team Canada.

“The District of North Saanich generously provided us with a bin to contain the green waste,” Warren said in a statement. “This activity was made possible thanks to the support of the District of North Saanich.”

READ MORE: Out with the invasive, in with the native: Greater Victoria Green Team takes to Esquimalt


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