Page 13 - GM Winter 2021

Twenty-five years later, our pond management programs have evolved to a point that we are realizing success in keeping them beautiful most of the calendar year. This has not been easy but there are basic strategies that we have adopted that are contributing to our success. First on the list of protecting these water bodies was the naturalization of the water edges with buffer zones. This certainly provides the habitat for the insects and reptiles that thrive around water bodies but had negligi- ble effect on improving water clarity or weed and algae reduction.
For years, we have allocated significant budget dollars for pond bacteria products to aid in the degradation of pond sludge on the bottom of the ponds and improve water clarity. These products have reduced this sludge on the bottom of our ponds and improved water clarity in our water bodies but every summer, despite the use of these products, we would experience a surge in duck weed and azolla that would completely cover the surface of our ponds by mid-summer. Fortunately, through observation following a sweep of our ponds with divers who were retrieving golf balls, we were able to conclude that this activity was responsible for stirring up nutrient, seeds and spores tied up in this sludge which in turn was triggering a massive bloom of these very weeds.
For the past two years, we have adopted a policy that the diving of our ponds can only occur in early spring when light levels are low and water temperatures are too cool for seed germination. This policy has made a substantial difference in the health of our water bodies. In addition, we now use black pond dye beginning in March to further reduce pond weed seeds from germinating and pond weeds that are rooted in the bottom of ponds to photosyn- thesis and grow. Using a combination of pond bacteria products, black pond dye and restricting the diving of ponds to early spring has signifi- cantly improved the water clarity in our ponds and has reduced the explosion of floating and rooted pond weeds that would dominate our water features in the summer months.
CREATION OF MEADOWS
A mistake we made following the original certification as an Audubon Society was our notion that these areas would become no-maintenance or low-maintenance areas. This is so far from the truth and something that we needed to develop proper management programs for.
Naturalized areas, if left unmaintained will soon be overtaken with pioneer species of plants. On Vancouver Island these pioneers include Alder, Blackberry, Poplar, Horsetail, Thistle, and other dicot weeds. Before long, our meadows were being overgrown with these species, so it was necessary to develop and follow a maintenance regime in these areas to bring them back to their intended state of meadows containing grass species and native flowers.
GreenMaster • CGSA • 13