The spring bloom is a beautiful thing, as flowers opening signal the summer to come. But with it comes a bloom of more unwelcome species – like Scotch Broom.
In Sooke and surrounding regions, the notorious yellow plant is everywhere, covering hills and roadsides in a sea of obnoxious yellow flowers. Now, one Sooke resident is taking the fight against the flora invasion into his own hands.
“I’m just tired of watching ecological crises pass us by, as we pretend it’s too far gone to make a difference,” said Asteroid, who asked to omit his last name. Asteroid took to Facebook earlier this May, asking fellow community members if they would help him remove broom in the area.
Broom is notoriously invasive and harmful to the native environment. Aside from its tendency to displace native plants and reduce biodiversity, it is also extremely flammable and attracts ticks.
Asteroid said the Facebook response from residents was so positive that he is now planning a day of communal broom removal.
“There really is a simple solution. We just have to get up and make the change we want to see in the world, no matter how small,” he said.
“If we are walking, running or crawling, any effort to better our community is an effort well made.”
The event will take place May 30 at 2 p.m. at the Garry Oak Meadow in Sooke Potholes Provincial Park.
“Garry oak areas are some of Canada’s most endangered ecosystems. Once common in coastal areas of southwest British Columbia, less than 5 per cent of these ecosystems remain in a near-natural condition,” Asteroid said on Facebook.
Participants can meet by the Sooke Potholes Regional Park sign on the day and are asked to bring gardening tools, if they have them, gloves and a drink. There will be some spare equipment available for those without.
“It's best to get into starting to clear it now before the seed pods start to crack. It's preferable to do so before they even begin to develop, and we are in that stage now,” Asteroid said on Facebook.
For more information or updates on the event, visit the Sooke Ecological Restoration Facebook page.
