BASELINE DOCUMENTATION REPORT – Marzano (permission to reprint
from CRD – sent by Paula July 04)
1.
Acknowledgment
1.1
The Owners hereby acknowledges and agrees that the following is an
accurate description of the Property, as of the reference date of this
Agreement.
2.
Property location and description
2.1
The property is located in the District of Metchosin in the Capital Regional
District on Vancouver Island. The property is legally described as Lot 1,
Section 1 Metchosin District Plan 10759 except that part in plan 42074.
2.2
To drive to the property, turn north from Highway 1, take exit 10 (for
Colwood, Sooke and Port Renfrew). Drive 5km along the highway and
turn left on Metchosin Road. Drive approximately 8km along Metchosin
Road. The property is on the left of the road, driveway number 4185
Metchosin Road. Turn down the driveway on the left. One can access the
covenanted portion of the property by descending down the ‘path’ that
leads down from the bridge over Bilston Creek.
3. Significance of the Land and Amenities
3.1
The property is part of the Coastal Douglas-fir (CDF) biogeoclimatic
zone. This property is particularly significant in the region because it
contains an intact adult non-anadromous cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus
clarki) refuge within Bilston Creek. It is very rare that a creek on southern
Vancouver Island maintains flow throughout the summer. The riparian
areas adjacent to the creek are healthy and have had limited disturbance
by human activity in that little structural damage has occurred in the creek.
These riparian areas provide a corridor for wildlife to and from Witty’s
lagoon. The Northwest bank of the creek contains a small Garry
oak (Quercus garryana) forest that has potential for being part of the
Sensitive Ecosystems Inventory. Also, the Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga
menziesii) forest on the Southeast bank indicates a richer, wetter area of
the property.
4.
4.1
The Management Vision
The purpose of this covenant is to ensure protection of the land in
perpetuity. Management of this purpose will be maintained and
encouraged by the land Owners and monitored on an annual basis by the
Covenant Holders. It is the CRD's intention to place a conservation
covenant against a portion of the Marzano Property, register a right-ofway through the site to permit access to Witty's Lagoon Regional Park and
then resell the land. The CRD will be the covenant and right-of-way
holders; both charges will be applied to the land and will be applicable to
all future owners. The smaller covenanted parcel is meant to act as
a buffer for Witty's Lagoon Park from the adjacent hobby farm.
5.
Site history
5.1
Bilston Creek Farm was 385 acres in size when established in 1853 and
was the first colonial settlement of Metchosin. John Witty purchased the
farm in 1867 and it has remained within the family until recently when the
Capital Regional District purchased it. In response to concerns about the
reduction in fish populations and degradation of fish habitat in Bilston
Creek, a group of concerned citizens formed the Bilston Watershed
Habitat Protection Association in 1991.
5.2
There are 2 parcels that are registered under a conservation covenant
(refer to Polygon and Site Map).
6.
List of buildings, structures and other improvements
6.1
No improvements currently exist on this property at the time of the
baseline. There is a small shed located on the southern side of Bilston
Creek, just under the bridge on Metchosin Road. The shed has a pump in
it.
7.0
Inventory
7.1
Topography: The property ranges in elevation from 20-40m and sits at the
lower slope when looked at with a regional perspective. The smaller
covenanted parcel has an eastern aspect as it slopes down towards
Witty's Lagoon Regional Park. The larger covenanted parcel is relatively
flat on the northwest and southeast boundaries but slopes moderately
down to Bilston Creek. The slope is more pronounced on the southeast
side of the creek and on the northwestern edge of the creek. Access to
the creek along the slopes should be discouraged to inhibit erosion.
7.2
Hydrology: (a) Freshwater: The Bilston Creek drainage basin covers
approximately 1500 hectares. At Witty's Lagoon, Bilston Creek plunges
over a 20m rock bluff, becoming Sitting Lady Falls. During exceptionally
long summer droughts Bilston Creek has been known to dry up. Peak
flows typically occur during December and January.
(b) Saltwater: Bilston Creek feeds into Witty's lagoon which is a lagoon
and coastal system. The lagoon is suspected to receive increased
sediment loads from human activities in the Bilston Creek Watershed and
would act as a settling pond for any inflowing contaminants. A low energy
current within the lagoon results in insufficient flushing and the deposition
of sediments and contaminants. Increased sedimentation in Bilston Creek
from anthropogenic causes may cause the lagoon to infill at a faster rate
than under natural circumstances.
7.3
Vegetation: There is a possibility of a rare Ranunculus species occurring
on the property. The Garry oak ecosystem that occurs on the property in
Polygon B is an endangered ecosystem as only 5% remains in a near
natural condition in BC. The area is very exposed to sunlight as it is south
facing and will get extremely dry in the summer months. No camas was
found at the site which may be due to grazing. More than 100 species of
plants, mammals, insects, reptiles, birds are currently listed as species "at
risk of extinction” in Garry oak and associated ecosystems. The following
species were not found on the Marzano Property at this time but are
found on the nearby Witty's Lagoon Regional Park. The species could
have been overlooked due to seasonality. The known rare plant species
found at Witty's lagoon are: Howell's brodiaea, poverty clover, contortedpodded Evening-primrose, deltoid balsamroot, Geyer's onion, and Yellow
sand-verbena.
The Marzano property has been substantially invaded by exotic species,
predominantly Scotch Broom. Himalayan Blackberry, Daphne laurel, Holly
and invasive unidentified grasses were found throughout the property.
7.4
Wildlife: A detailed faunal species inventory has not been completed on
this property. A wildlife tree (Douglas-fir) can be found on Polygon C on
the north side of the Creek (refer to Polygon and Site Map). There is
evidence that this tree has been used by Pileated woodpeckers and
sapsuckers. Bilston Creek is unique as it is one of only a few urban
streams that supports a native stock of coastal cutthroat trout. This
species is blue-listed which means it is of special concern because of its
sensitivity to human activities or natural events. Bilston Creek is an
obvious wildlife feature that is described in further detail under the
Significance of the Land section of this report. Black-tailed deer
(Odocoileus hemionus) not seen but scat found throughout property.
7.5
Disturbance: The property is susceptible to further encroachment of exotic
and invasive flora species. Himalayan blackberry and Scotch broom are
two such introduced species that are already major problems degrading
the native ecosystems on the property. The higher rocky points in the
Polygon B are particularly susceptible to Scotch broom encroachment.
Polygon A is also predominantly Scotch Broom and Himalayan
blackberry. There is a hose and pump that has been extracting water
from Bilston Creek. There are deer trails found throughout the property.
7.6
Soil: The soils of the Marzano property are morainal in origin. The two Soil
Associations are Somenos and Ragbark. Ragbark soils have developed in
rubbly sand and/or gravelly sandy colluvium and/or morainal deposits,
less than 1m thick, overlying bedrock. Ragbark soils are rapidly drained
cobbly, gravelly sandy loam or cobbly, gravelly loam in texture and their
coarse fragment content is usually between 30-60%. Bedrock is normally
encountered between 50-100cm from the surface. The taxonomic
classification is Orthic Dystric Brunisol. The Somenos Soil Association
develops in deep, gravelly sandy morainal (till) deposits. Somenos soils
are well drained, gravelly sandy loam or very gravelly sandy loam in
texture and the coarse fragment content is usually between 20-50%;
cobbles, stones and boulders are common. A strongly cemented to
indurated layer is present at depths between 70-110cm; relatively
unweathered very compact parent material is encountered at depths
between 70-110cm. The taxonomic classification is Doric Dystric Brunisol.
8.0 Airphoto of the Site with Boundary overlay
9.0 Polygon and Site Map