Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
And yet these same grasslands support so much life. They help feed us, by nurturing pollinators and grazing mammals. They quench our thirst, filtering our communities’ drinking water with their roots. And they protect us, storing vast amounts of carbon and retaining water during spring melts and summer droughts. Our well-being is intimately tied to the health of the natural world around us. And we’re at a point now where nature’s health is ailing.
Sharp recommends a good soaking for larger trees about every 10 days to two weeks that reaches 20 to 25 centimetres into the root zone. Following Capital Regional District watering restriction guidelines, that’s about an hour using a sprinkler or soaker hose. Too much watering might cause root rot and fungus problems, said Sharp, who also recommends surrounding the trees with coarse mulch, such as wood chips, that shades the soil and slows evaporation. People can also help trees by avoiding compacting the soil around the base. “It’s really important to limit traffic around trees, like playgrounds and vehicles, because water just runs off and doesn’t get to the roots,” he said.
