Trout Creek ER #7 Annual Report 2016

Appendix A: Ecological Reserve Warden Annual Report

ER Name: Trout Creek

Ecological Reserve # 7          Report Date: January 2016

Warden Name:  Laurie Rockwell

Number of volunteer hours logged during the past year: only 15 due to a knee injury.

Possible Topics to Include: see my monthly reports to Parks, MOE, Penticton.
•    Toured the reserve March to May; August to November.
•    The Summerland Golf Course has not replaced the 2 stiles they arbitrarily removed in Nov.2015 at the 12th green. As a result golfers are wearing down the page wire fence to get errant golf balls. Minimally, a strand of barbed wire needs to be placed on top of the fence to preserve the fence.
•    No issues regarding vandalism, public access or signage.
•    The only maintenance issue is outstanding fence repairs (photos submitted).
•    I send my monthly tour report to Parks Penticton with a copy to Garry Fletcher at the Friends of Ecological Reserves for posting on the TCER site.

Some highlights of the year:

•    I continue to dig out a small community of Sulpher Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta).
•    Bio-control of Diffuse Knapweed ( Centaura diffusa) and Dalmation Toadflax (Lineria genistifolia) is very effective.
•    I found a Rough Plant Bug (Brochymena ssp) March 6th.
•    The blue listed Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii) was again present. I hope that it is breeding as I have found an empty nest on the ground.
•    On July 2nd I found a large community of the invasive White Sweet Clover (Meliotus alba) that I had previously overlooked.
•    On August 14th I found the first Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) and Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) plants.
•    Pricky Pear Cactus (Opuntia fragilis) is visibly spreading throughout the reserve.
•    It is clear that the lack of water on the reserve accounts for few mammal sightings. I see deer only in the early spring when they are migrating and almost never a bear or coyote; usually only tell tale scat. I do, however, hear the occasional squirrel.
•    Don Gayton continues to be a continuing support; for example, recording the plant list on Excel spreadsheets. Thank you Don.

Laurie Rockwell, warden