If
you can't do more - PLEASE join the "2 Hours-a-Year Broom Busters
Club"
The
Final Week of Broom Busting
for 2006
in Qualicum, Errington, Coombs & Port Alberni!
(Scroll below to your area)
Residents
of Port Alberni, Victoria and Campbell River are looking for other
Broom Busters to work with. If you live in these areas, or other
areas, and want to connect with others, please email joanna"at"glasswing.com.
Qualicum Beach Broombusting Continues for
Fourth and Final Week
Many thanks to the continuing efforts of Qualicum cutters. You
can cut along Jones, Village Way, Rupert, Memorial Ave. Please cut
wherever you see the last of the broom flowers or young green seeds.
After July 2, we will recommend a different way of Broom control.
If there is a smaller road you want to cut, please email
me so I can check with the pick up folks. You
can cut any time! Just lay the broom along the side of the road
- not on the shoulder. Be aware of the fast traffic on these roads!!!
Coombs
Broombusters
*******
The junction of Hwy 4A and 4
is the primary focus for group cutting. On Saturday - MondayJune
24 - June 26. Near Butterflyworld World & furniture store center...Winchester
Hwy and the alpaca farm... The whole area is overwhelmed with broom.
We do NOT have to carry the broom to the road. Just cut it and let
it lie. The Ministry of Transportation will remove it later - but
would deeply appreciate our help in cutting it this weekend, before
seeds ripen. Come on down for 30 minutes or 2 hours!
Be careful on the hills and don't go in the road!! But cut all you
want and leave it in the ditch - not on the road. If you need to
borrow tools, or want to wear an "Adopt a Highway" vest,
email or call 752-4816.
Errington
Broombusters
We started cutting at the intersection of Grafton and Errington
Road. Please cut anywhere in Errington! Especially - go after the
newly established broom - to keep it from spreading. We don't want
broom to get down to Englishman River Falls. If you need suggestions,
or to borrow loppers for a couple hours, call Ali
Kerpan or email coombsbyeya"at"yahoo.ca. Or call or email
Joanna Sales. Cutting tools are available!
Port
Alberni began at West Coast General Hospital on Wed and Thursday,
June 21 and 22. It was a great success. There is more cleanup work
to do this coming week.
Can
you help? Contact Heather Washburn at washburn"at"shaw.ca.
WHAT SHOULD Volunteers DO?
Cut the broom along the highways - to the ground if possible. Small
branches can be left where they are cut. Larger branches will be
dragged to the side of the road - not on the road or shoulder. They
will be left to dry, and we will work on getting them picked up
or chipped later. Go after the single plants and small clumps first,
because the new invaders have not yet killed the grass and plants
around them. So the natural vegetation will grow back quickly.
WHY NOW? Cut Broom In June - before the flowers
turn to seed. This is the only time of year that you can cut broom
- and it will probably die. The plants put all their energy into
making flowers. If cut at that time, the drought stressed plants
will usually die during the summer. They will go to glory land and
be reborn as petunias. And the flowers will not turn into seed!
The Ministry of Transportation - and the universe - is most grateful
to us for doing this! They want to support us in whatever way they
can. The Ministry bought us 6 loppers to be used by volunteers cutting
along the public lands. Ministry request: No children under the
age of 12 working on these group road projects. YOU HAVE PERMISSION
TO CUT BROOM ALONG THE HIGHWAYS - ANYWHERE. Do not be shy! However,
ask permission to cut inside fences.
WHY TRY? ISN’T IT HOPELESS? It’s only
hopeless if we give up. It feels hopeless when you look at huge
acres of broom (which some people have in their backyards!) But
we are focusing on preventing new infestations. This is the strategry
recommended by the BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks.
We will create broom free areas. Next year, we’ll clear the
same areas. Soon they will be gone. The broom free areas will spread
as people are educated about the aggressive nature of broom. And
what are the options to trying?
We will try to make loppers available to borrow for anyone
who wants to cut broom. Please let us know what you need - in the
way of tools, inspiration, and help! Please only put highway broom
on the highway - but cut everywhere! joanna@glasswing.com
Join
us or cut near your own home.
We have first members of the Broombusters-1000-Club!
Join the 50, 500 or 1000 Club this weekend. Just cut and
count. Many many many thanks to everyone everywhere who
has joined in turning the tide on the yellow invasion. There are
groups in Victoria, Vancouver, Duncan... We are in good company.
When you have cut an area, let us know, so we can post it. (If I
ever stop cutting broom long enough to finish the website!)
Volunteer
for your neighborhood now.
The Ministry of Transportationis giving us full support, encouragement
& permission to cut broom infestations along the roads and highways!
Leave small broom beside the road. Cut it to the ground. Do not
pull it up or disturn the soil. Their requests: no children under
12 on the roads; 12 - 18 year olds with supervision. Be safe! A
spokesperson from Parksville said of your efforts, "It's
a brilliant idea!"
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