Broom bash in Mansons Landing Provincial Park

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) is holding its annual broom bash, in Mansons Landing Provincial Park, from 10 AM to 1 PM this Saturday.

“We've been doing this project on the spit now for five years,” explained Helen Hall, Executive Director of FOCI.

This project started out as an attempt to protect the sensitive coastal sand ecosystem on the west side of the spit, facing the dock. Hall said some of the native plants are quite rare in BC.  

“When we were first looking at working in the area, we saw that the broom had  pretty much invaded the whole of that ecosystem and was shading out these plants. It was really important for us to get it out of there. So that's what started the project,” said Hall. “We ended up clearing it out of the entire spit because it was also shading out a lot of the native species in the forested area , and we didn't want it to recolonize the beach habitat.

She described broom as an invasive species that is found all over Cortes Island.

“I think it's an impossible task to get rid of it everywhere. What we're looking at is  concentrating our efforts where we can have the biggest impact.  We will be working to remove the broom that has regrown since last year  and our task is to get it out of the entire spit - both the beach and forested area - again,” said Hall.

She is asking people to meet in the park’s parking lot at 10 o'clock on Saturday morning.

All of the standard COVID precautions will be in place. If you have any signs of COVID, or have been in contact with anyone who had COVID in the last couple of weeks, please stay at home. People do not need to wear a mask because it is an outdoor event, but they are being asked to socially distance. Bring your own tools and do not share tools. FOCI will be providing hand sanitizer.

It looks like it is going to rain, so bring rain gear and good boots.

Hall said the volunteers will probably split into groups. They will work their way around the outside of the spit and up the middle. While pencil sized pieces of broom can be pulled out, they will need loppers and clippers to remove the larger pieces. The broom is piled onto tarps and then dragged back into the parking lot.

“We have an agreement with BC parks that we actually stash it in the forest further up the road, as it doesn't regrow in deep shade” said Hall.

She described the broom bash as a good way, especially during COVID, to meet outside and do something really positive for the environment.
“We do have a break in the middle of the morning and we're providing lots of goodies. I've just been ordering some brownies and cookies and all sorts from the co-op. And we're asking people to bring their own drinks,” she explained.

“We are really hoping that we get a good turnout and not only clear broom out of the spit, but we can start clearing broom around the lagoon, which would be really fantastic. So the more people who turn up to the better.”