Volunteer Work Bees
at Rithet's Bog

When: During the summer of 2009, Volunteer Work Bees will be held every second Thursday evening, June 18 through to September 24, from 6:30 pm to 8pm.

Upcoming Dates:
June 18, July 2, July 16, July 30, August 13, August 27, Sept 10, Sept 24.

Where: Our meeting site varies, depending on the work we are undertaking. Please call Sharon Hartwell at 250-479-0491 to confirm the location prior to each work bee. If you are already on our volunteer mailing list, you will be sent an email prior to each work bee, describing the meeting place.

Please Bring: Gloves, weather-appropriate clothes (long sleeves and pant legs are a good idea to protect your skin), sturdy footwear, and your favourite clippers or loppers if you have any. Sunglasses are a good idea to protect your eyes.

We Will Supply: Broom puller, shovel, loppers, and tarps.

Edibles Supplied: Cookies or muffins, and juice.

Every one is welcome. Hope to see you there! Join us for some exercise and fresh air, and meet other conservation minded folks.

For more info, please phone 250-479-0491.

Sharon Hartwell
Volunteer Coordinator - RBCS

About Us

Rithet’s Bog Conservation Society (RBCS) is a registered non profit Society dedicated to the care and stewardship of Rithet’s Bog Conservation Area, which contains the last remaining peat bog on the Saanich Peninsula. This Saanich park was donated to the municipality by the Guinness family of Britain in 1994 and subsequently zoned as a nature sanctuary. RBCS works closely with Saanich Parks, advising on the ecology and management of the park, particularly the bog ecosystem. Extensive educational material has also been developed by RBCS, including information on the post-settlement human history of the area.

RBCS is a Federated Club of the Federation of BC Naturalists.

Why Isn't the Grass Mowed
Until the End of June??

Rithet's Bog is a designated "Conservation Area", as opposed to a recreational park. As such, it is managed to preserve and enhance the natural environment, including wildlife habitat and trailside species of native plants. For this reason, the trailside grass at Rithet's Bog (and other Saanich Parks with ecologically sensitive areas) is not mowed until the end of June. This permits songbirds to complete their nesting cycle undisturbed, and allows a trailside population of the nationally rare Purple Sanicle (protected under Canada's Species At Risk Act) to flower and set seed. Other notable trailside plants that benefit from delayed mowing include Harvest Brodiaea, Camas and Indian Consumption Plant.

Apologies to those who suffer from grass allergies - the grass will be mowed in late June or early July. For the rest of us, it is a rare opportunity to enjoy a walk on the wildside in an urban park.

Cat Predation on Songbirds at Rithet's Bog

Cat predation on wildlife is a major problem in urban areas. This is especially true in isolated 'islands' of natural habitat, such as Rithet's Bog. Colonies of feral (wild) cats and free-roaming house cats create a level of predation that can seriously deplete wildlife, songbirds in particular. People who feed feral cats exacerbate the problem - the cats increase in numbers and are not deterred from killing wildlife. To view video footage of cats feeding on Song Sparrow nestlings at Rithet's Bog, follow this link.

Species at Risk Restoration Project at Rithet's Bog

Rithet's Bog Conservation area is home to several rare plant species. One of these, the Purple Sanicle, grows in a remnant Garry Oak woodland area below the Foxborough Townhouse complex. The population is struggling to survive due to the growth of broom, blackberry and invasive grasses. This winter the Garry Oak Ecosystem Restoration Team, a non-profit conservation organization, is producing a restoration plan for the Purple Sanicle population, and will be working with RBCS to remove broom and blackberry from the area. If you are interested in helping to protect this rare plant population, please contact Sharon Hartwell at 250-479-0491.

Customizing Bird Houses for Swallows

Violet Green and Tree Swallows are wonderful agents for biological mosquito control, but people who put up nest boxes hoping to attract swallows are often disappointed when English house sparrows take up residence. Victoria swallow enthusiasts Malcolm and Christina have produced an excellent video demonstrating how to create an oval-shaped entrance hole that will keep out the sparrows. For more information contact swallows@shaw.ca.

Rithet's Bog Conservation Society supports
the University of Victoria's Bullfrog Watch Program.

Last Updated: June 30, 2009