A massive cleanup at the MacKay Creek estuary is underway, allowing salmonid species and riparian wildlife, including a resident beaver, to thrive in their habitat once again.
Derelict car parts, oil drums, licence plates and shopping carts were among the dumped items found by cleanup crews on the banks of the ecologically sensitive riparian area near West First Street and MacKay Road in North Vancouver.
North Shore Wetland Partners Society spearheaded the $64,000 project to carry on the restoration work started by City of North Vancouver staff and volunteers in 2013.
Invasive species, Japanese knotweed and bramble bushes primarily, have also infiltrated the estuary area. Wetlands Partners president Paul Berlinguette said the group was concerned about herbicide use at the site, about the size of a football field, so they employed some manual labour.
Since June three hired biologists have worked on their hands and knees alongside volunteers from stream stewardship and conservation groups, pulling out the tenacious weeds and replacing them with native species.
The Habitat Conservation Trust Fund and a number of federal agencies are funding the estuary cleanup, which will be monitored for years to come. "We don't do it to return to all invasives and a dump site for everybody," said Berlinguette.
