20 FARM tour


“Fisheries is wanting us to do this big environmental study,” she says. “And that’s just to repair the bridge that is falling down.” Melnychuk hopes ESI will continue in Langley past the end of 2018 so work can be done with Knott Farm. If not, he hopes for a solution through the Environmental Farm Plan program.


Invasive species Canmor Farm, a 100-acre


Thoroughbred breeding farm, has made progress with removing some invasive species from the creek bank and re-introducing native plants to help control erosion. Langley Environmental Partners Society (LEPS) was planting willow whips during the tour. “A bit of the challenge here


is it’s very manicured,” says Nichole Marples, executive director with LEPS. “We do have some Japanese knotweed. We’re trying to incorporate some native species. ESI has asked us to come in and continue that work.”


A vinegar-based mixture was sprayed the day before


nfrom page 19


the tour to control invasive species such as blackberries. The results please Canmor


Farm president Lorne Embree. “I’m surprised at the effect


it did have in one day,” he says. Zehnder notes that tree


roots, when grouped together, work like rebar to reinforce a bank. This is why the willow whips are being planted – to create reinforcing root networks in the bank. “Shallow rooted grasses


don’t prevent anything,” he says. “It’s a combination of solutions; you have to work on the site for a long time.” Another possible solution is a hemp-based mat created in Alberta that will smother weeds and undesirable plants. Zehnder says mats are being donated to ESI to test their effectiveness against invasive species. The objective is to control the invasives long enough to allow native species to take hold.


Unfortunately, Zehnder


acknowledges the mats can’t help with the knotweed. “They’re such aggressive plants and if you can’t use


COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • JULY 2018


LEPS volunteers plant a number of riparian species to keep blackberries at bay on Douglas Lambert Derby Farm. RONDA PAYNE PHOTO


chemical pesticides, it’s really hard to control,” Melnychuk says.


Small changes At Douglas Lambert Derby


Farm, a 152-acre beef and hay operation, removing blackberries and reed canary grass and replanting native riparian plants are the focus. “We planted in clusters to help with weed control,” notes Marples.


Each plot is fenced to


prevent beaver and deer damage and includes different varieties like alder, red flowering currant, thimbleberry, willow and others.


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“The Lambert family really wants to improve the farm in terms of weed control,” says Melnychuk. “Working with farmers and landowners, that’s the key. We’re talking about this whole environmental farm ethic and that’s how you win this. It’s small changes. We hope we’ll have enough support that we can continue. We keep coming back to these sites and in time, they won’t need any maintenance. That’s the goal.” Zehnder says ESI has been


working across the province on a variety of farms. LSAF will prepare a report about the ESI initiative in Langley, including recommendations for the future, when the pilot program completes at the end of this year.


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