Blackie Spit Park: Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Plan - City of Surrey

Management Unit 13: Deciduous Complex
1.0 Existing Conditions
Management Unit 13 extends from the estuary north of MU 11, eastward to the cottonwood grove
at the southwest end of the south tennis court fence (Drawing 10). The unit has a variety of
vegetation cover types. Woody species at the east end south of the ditch include Pacific crabapple,
birch, elderberry, and blackberry with reed canarygrass growing between (Figure 36). Farther west,
reed canarygrass is the predominant vegetation, with some elderberry and Pacific crabapple. Just east
of the all purpose trail, tansy is the predominant species, and one cottonwood occurs (Drawing 10)
(Figure 37).
North of the ditch, tansy and reed canarygrass are predominant in the east half, and those species with
goldenrod and blackberry are predominant in the west half. Some introduced shrubs and trees occur
in that area, including broom, several laburnums (Laburnum) and one oak.
West of the trail, the north half of this management unit is largely dense reed canarygrass. One
sappling oak grows along the fence line, and blackberry or elderberry grow among the grasses in
some places (Figure 38). The south half is largely tall, dense blackberry.
The soils vary with location. In the ditch bottom 30 cm of silty, sandy clay overlies sand. South of
the ditch in the reed canarygrass about 15 cm of topsoil occurred over gravelly sand. All areas north
of the ditch, and in the tansy area south of the ditch, the gravelly, sandy, hard-packed soil was difficult
to probe beyond 3 cm. West of the trail in the reed canarygrass, 5 to 10 cm of topsoil occurred over
gravelly sand that could not be probed beyond a total depth of 25 cm.
2.0 Goals and Objectives
Species Management Goal
Terrestrial amphibians; raptors, woodpeckers, flycatchers, wrens, thrushes, warblers, grosbeaks,
sparrows; small mammals, cottontails
Habitat Management Objectives
• Plant a small number of suitable coniferous species for winter cover in area between trail and
estuary;
• Plant native shrubs and trees in currently grass-forb areas east of trail;
• Plant small native deciduous trees and shrubs north of blackberries and south of sail club/tennis
court (avoid planting trees next to fence to avoid damage to boats and tennis courts from shade,
leaf fall, and windfall).
• Control invasive species (e.g. remove common tansy east of trail, limit growth of blackberry
west of trail);
• Build boardwalk on segment of trail connecting MUs 11 & 14 along east shore and establish as
the only route through that area (i.e. remove any other trails).
• Allow extension of parking lot and visitor use facilities into the north side of this MU, to within
5 m of the ditch, if necessary.
Blackie Spit Park: Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Plan – Management Unit 13 63