The Soh Site is critical to the health of Cougar Creek. This streamside property lies Immediately south of the creek at Scott Road in Delta, and would originally have been a forested wetland providing the overhanging tree canopy and steady supply of filtered rainwater that are both so essential to creek health.

Surrounded by development, the property sat as an empty lot for many years, gradually attracting piles of litter and being overgrown by invasive Himalayan blackberry, giant Japanese knotweed, and “old man’s beard” clematis. At long last, an attractive duplex was shoehorned into one corner of the lot, with the rest of the property (though still privately owned) designated as riparian zone.

The development permit required removal of the invasive blackberry, knotweed and clematis, and replanting of the riparian zone with 500 native trees and shrubs – a costly proposition for any property owner. Cougar Creek Streamkeepers volunteered to do all the planting (they weren’t so crazy as to volunteer for blackberry removal!), as well as ongoing maintenance until the new plants are established and the invasives completely under control.

Phase I, October 2008, saw the planting of 400 trees and shrubs, with 100 more to follow in Phase II, October 2009. Increased shade from the new trees will eventually keep the Himalayan blackberry in check – not so the knotweed and clematis. “Invasives Patrol” of the Soh Site is therefore a regular item on the streamkeeper agenda for the foreseeable future.

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