Wetland clean-up happening Sunday
When the snow melts, the garbage and mess is revealed.
One of the city’s most ecologically sensitive and diverse preserves, the Hudson’s Bay Wetland, gets an annual spruceup each spring, depending on the weather.
The spring freshet has cleared the way for this year’s cleanup so the Prince George Naturalists’ Club has put out the call to join them on Sunday for the important tidying event.
“The Prince George Naturalists Club has adopted the Hudson’s Bay Wetland again for this year’s citywide spring cleaning event,”said Anne Hogan.
“Come and help us beautify our city by volunteering to clean up refuse.”
There is no bad time to clean up discarded trash, but to enjoy the coordination and fellowship of the naturalist club, meet up with their group anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Hudson’s Bay Wetland parking lot located at 2232 Queensway.
“Participants are encouraged to bring their own work gloves and sturdy footwear,” said Hogan. “Garbage bags and disposable gloves are provided. Refreshments will be available at 10 a.m. for those who want get a jump on cleaning. We hope to see you there.”
The Hudson’s Bay Wetland is an urban nature park extending from a bay on the shore of the Fraser River not far from Exploration Place Museum & Science Centre. This well-visited riverside feature is fed by a wide network of ponds and slow-moving streams extending all the way to the Citizen Field baseball stadium on Massey Drive.
The main public relationship with the park, however, is in the estuary running from the east side of Norwood Street, across Queensway, and on to the Fraser River. Much work has been done in recent years to establish a formal trail system around that area with strategically placed observation decks and interpretive signage, and it is now a popular loop to jog or go for a walk.
According to the naturalist club and its partner groups (Caledonia Ramblers Hiking Club, Exploration Place, City of Prince George), the place has become a “showcase environment for bird, fish, plant and animal life, surrounded by an interpretive trail with numerous learning opportunities and features,” thanks to thousands of volunteer hours, municipal help, and donated cash and materials. Much more work is on the agenda for Hudson’s Bay Slough as it evolves into a premier tourist attraction and favourite destination for locals.
“Wetlands do not simply have a vital role in providing habitat for native flora and fauna, but are magnets for learning about nature,” said the partnership in a joint statement. “The natural world is important for the healthy emotional and intellectual development of our children, and wetlands are natural teaching classrooms. Experience shows that they can become a treasured focal point for green activities and families.”
P.G.’s Spring Clean-Up Day happening Sunday
“Spring cleaning is occurring in homes and yards throughout Prince George – why not participate in Spring Clean-Up?,” said City of Prince George spokesperson Michael Kellett. “It’s been a Prince George tradition since the early 1990s. Spring Clean-Up Day is an annual event and partnership between the City of Prince George and the Recycling and Environmental Action Planning Society (REAPS). Each year, thousands of residents participate in the event, which occurs on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.”
Participants can lead a team or sign up individually. Individuals or groups can select a designated area they would like to clean up.
“Registered individuals or groups receive free pitch-in bags and gloves,” said Kellett.
“So far, about 2000 bags have been distributed to nearly 2000 registered volunteers.”
Volunteers are still needed to clean up the following areas:
• Foothills Boulevard north of First Avenue • Westwood Drive along the golf course (Pine Centre Mall to Range Road) • Highway 16 from Mr. PG to Superstore • Peden Hill (Vance Road to Domano Boulevard)
• Range Road
• Ospika Boulevard (Massey Drive to Fifth Avenue)
• 15th and 20th Avenues
• Around the base of Connaught Hill • Queensway
Ten temporary, free garbage and litter bins will be set-up on the Spring Clean-Up Day. Go to the City of Prince George’s website and follow the Spring Clean-Up links to find where these one-day-only drop-off spots are located.